David Krejci isn’t one to let his emotions seep out during a shift, with the veteran pivot often maintaining his stoic disposition — regardless of if he's going tape-to-tape with a linemate during an odd-man rush or hustling back to stymie a chance down the other end of the ice.
And while the 33-year-old forward is not one to scold a linemate for a missed feed or poor positioning, Bruce Cassidy did note on Monday that there is a certain level of intimidation that comes with skating on a line anchored by the playmaking Czech.
“For some guys, probably,” Cassidy said at Warrior Ice Arena. “He likes to have the puck in certain areas. I think he can be intimidating if you don’t see the game as well as he does, in that regard, because he wants players to go to certain spots when he has the puck.
“But part of that is on him to communicate that too as well and allow that chemistry to develop. I think some guys would be (intimidated) at first, but not because of the person. I mean, he’s certainly not going to stare you down or be a vocal guy that’s always on you. Just probably because of his skillset.”
Krejci’s preference to hold on to the biscuit and dictate the pace in the O-zone isn’t for everyone — standing as one of the many reasons why the Bruins have yet to find a reliable option to slot in next to him at RW so far this preseason.
It’s par for the course when it comes to Krejci, who, despite finding chemistry in the form of Jake DeBrusk at LW, still was part of 14 different forward combinations that logged at least 15 minutes of 5v5 TOI last season.
While there is an early leader in the clubhouse in the form of Karson Kuhlman, the 2RW spot is far from locked up with the season opener now just 10 days away. Behind Kuhlman, the favorite for the gig to Krejci’s right might just be
winger Brett Ritchie, who will skate in a top-six role next to both Krejci and DeBrusk for tonight's preseason matchup against the Flyers at TD Garden.
Kuhlman lacks an extended sample size with Krejci and DeBrusk (nine regular-season games together, 68:34 5v5 TOI), but the production achieved during that short window (eight 5v5 goals scored, a goals for per 60 minute rate of 7.00) certainly gives the 23-year-old winger the edge so far during camp in terms of seizing that top-six assignment.
Ritchie is much more of a wild card, given that the 26-year-old forward tallied just four goals over 53 games last season with Dallas, and was out on the ice for 17 5v5 goals against and a minus-76 differential in terms of shot attempts (a 45.41 CF%) over 466 minutes of 5v5 TOI. Not what you want to see, especially on a Stars team that ranked second in the NHL in goals allowed per game at 2.55.
Still, both Ritchie and the Bruins have noted that the potential is there for the power forward to cash in during O-zone chances if slotted up with a playmaking pivot — with Ritchie adding earlier this month that the career trajectory of a physical winger like Tom Wilson is something he hopes to follow, at least in terms of his production and place in the lineup.
So far this preseason, Ritchie has appeared in two preseason games and has been effective in a heavier, bottom-six role (just 33.33% of his faceoffs have been in the offensive zone) — with Boston holding a 25-16 edge in shot attempts and 20-10 advantage in shots on goal when Ritchie has been out on the ice in 24:20 of 5v5 TOI.
“I thought second half of the game (on Saturday) was better, controlling pucks down low," Cassidy said of Ritchie's play in the preseason. "Their line doesn’t get a lot of odd-man rushes, but they had some success chipping and chasing, recovering pucks. Few tight plays around the net. Thought he worked well with (Anders) Bjork in that regard.
"With Krech, I think it will be more on a line-rush situation with Jake. We’ve seen that he’s been able to make some practices and leading up to training camp, so we’ll see if he can add to those two in that regard. Get to the net, obviously. No matter what line he plays on, he’s a big body, he’s got decent hands in tight. The goals he scored last year were generally all in that area. Be physical on the forecheck when you can be or first in with a good stick, whatever the situation dictates. Hopefully he gets a few chances to finish."
It's been an interesting couple of years for Krejci, who, despite tying a career-high in scoring last season with 73 points, is still stuck in a similar position — without a stable right-winger as another regular season draws closer and closer.
Still, the pivot isn't fretting quite yet.
"I just kind of let that go. That’s something I can’t control," Krejci said. "I’ve just got to focus on my game. Just be in the best shape, best position to help the team win. That’s pretty much all I care about. ... It’s nothing new to me. I know every single player on this team, I know they can all play. I just have to adjust what kind of player is on that line and at that moment. Obviously Brett wasn’t here last year, but I like what I see in practices. He’s a big guy, strong guy. Really good with the stick too. I’m excited to see what we can do.”
Here's the Bruins' lineup for tonight's matchup:
Marchand – Coyle – Pastrnak
DeBrusk – Krejci – Ritchie
Heinen – Frederic – Wagner
Lauko – Kuraly – Backes
Chara – Clifton
Vaakanainen – Petrovic
Zboril – Didier
Rask
Vladar
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Stats and graphs via Natural Stat Trick and Corsica.