Why the Bruins could be facing a difficult decision with David Krejci in 2021

For a player that’s logged 13 full seasons in a black and gold sweater, David Krejci rarely gets the credit he deserves when assessing his place among the most impactful forwards in the Bruins’ 96-year history. 

He may not have hands like Rick Middleton, Phil Esposito’s touch around the net, Cam Neely’s size or Patrice Bergeron’s two-way mastery, but Krejci’s ability to steadily drive a top-six unit has made him a key cog in the stretch of success that the Bruins have reaped for over a decade now. 

A patient, playmaking pivot with the ability to both dictate the pace in the O-zone and capitalize on rush opportunities, Krejci has often served as an offensive conduit for many memorable playoff runs for the B’s. During the three times in Krejci’s career in which Boston advanced to the Stanley Cup Final, the veteran has tallied 65 points (25 goals, 40 assists) in 71 postseason games.

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While the first half of Krejci’s career saw him rack up points with regular linemates such as Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton, the past few seasons have often seen the Czech product tasked with anchoring a line with a carousel of wingers to his right. 

And yet, despite finding himself in the middle of 14 different lineup combinations that logged at least 15 minutes of 5v5 ice time last season, Krejci still managed to surpass the 70-point mark for the first time since the 2008-09 campaign (when he was just 22 years old). 

This year, that production has dipped some for Krejci, who was on pace for 51 points before the season came to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Granted, Krejci has continued to be plagued with a lack of consistent linemates, logging at least 15 minutes of ice time with 13 different Bruins forwards this season.

Still, given his track record as a clutch playoff performer and equipped with a skillset that shouldn’t erode sharply over time, the case could be made that Krejci can continue to contribute as an impact center beyond the term of the six-year, $43.5-million contract he inked with Boston back in 2014. 

But such a reunion might be easier said than done when it comes to charting out Krejci’s future in Boston.



By the time Krejci’s contract expires in July 2021, the center will be 35 years old. His future has been discussed ad nauseum over the years, especially when he told WEEI.com back in April 2016 that he would want to end his career back in his native Czech Republic. 

Regardless of where Krejci ends up in 2021, it appears as though retirement isn’t considered an option.

“My contract expires after next year, right? Whatever happens with this season, but then one more (year) after that. And then we'll see,” Krejci said when speaking with media on Monday afternoon. “I mean, I'm not planning on retiring, that's for sure. I want to play after that, how long or what's going to happen? I don't know. I guess we'll see what happens after that next year — but definitely not planning on going into the next season as it being my last."

If Krejci opts to head back overseas come 2021, the Bruins at least have some options in place (or further down the organizational pipeline) to at least account for the vacancy left in Boston’s top-six unit.

But a lot can change from 2016 to the present, and if Krejci is interested in remaining in the NHL — things could get mighty challenging for the Bruins.

In a perfect world, the Bruins would love to have Krejci serving as a key cog in Boston’s lineup for the foreseeable future. As we noted earlier, the pivot’s game has the potential to age gracefully in the final stages of his career — especially if asked to eventually anchor a third line in the coming seasons.

Given his age, Krejci’s new contract would represent less of a hit to Boston’s pool of cap space — given that a 35-year-old center is likely not commanding a $7.25 million annual cap hit.

Still, even with some potential savings, Boston has to be cognizant of what could be some stormy waters ahead as far as the cap is concerned. With the potential of a flat cap impacting NHL clubs in the coming years, the Bruins might have significantly less wiggle room than previously expected — and also need to set aside some cash for when youngsters like Brandon Carlo (RFA in 2021) and Charlie McAvoy (RFA in 2022) are due for some major pay raises. 

A look at Boston's cap situation in the coming years, courtesy of CapFriendly.



But beyond the cap, the biggest potential roadblock in Krejci's return to Boston 2021-22 and beyond has to due with the current (and future) state of the Bruins' crop of centers.

Patrice Bergeron is in the same boat as Krejci when it comes to the amount of mileage piling up on his body, but the B's top-line center is signed through at least 2022 thanks to the eight-year, $55 million bargain he signed with the B's back in 2013. Even with the amount of wear and tear he's endured over the years, it would seem feasible that Bergeron still has a few more years in him, especially alongside his regular linemates in Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak. 

Charlie Coyle, brought aboard by Don Sweeney in February 2019 in an effort to shore up Boston's third line, very well could be in line for a promotion in 2021 if Krejci departs. While a lack of finish from Coyle's lines has occasionally hampered his production this year, the Weymouth native's puck-possession prowess makes him an O-zone buzzsaw when handed the biscuit down low — with the 28-year-old forward ranking fourth among Bruins forwards (min. 200 minutes of 5v5 ice time) in high-danger scoring chances generated per 60 minutes at 10.47.

(Pastrnak, for reference, is third at 10.53).

Given that Coyle's new contract has him remaining with his hometown club through at least the 2025-26 season, I'd say it's a safe bet to pencil Coyle into either the 2C or 3C spot for the foreseeable future.

But beyond the regulars already contributing on Boston's roster, Krejci is also expected to face some stiff competition in the coming years from the next wave of Bruins' prospects.

With both Bergeron and Krejci not getting any younger, the center position has been be made a priority by Boston's top brass over the last couple of draft cycles — with the club in desperate need of finding the next 1-2 punch to compliment key pieces like Pastrnak, Jake DeBrusk and other forwards for the foreseeable future.

One of those blue-chip prospects very well could be a regular NHLer as soon as next season in Jack Studnicka, who capped off his first season in Providence with 49 points over 60 games, including a league-leading seven shorthanded tallies. The 21-year-old pivot, who drew praise for his compete level during his first stint in the NHL ranks earlier this year, was potentially in line for a call-up later this season — earning valuable reps down the stretch and potentially vying for a shot on the playoff roster if he stood out on the wing.

Given the steep upwards trajectory in his development, Studnicka should be viewed as a favorite to make the club out of camp in 2020-21, where he could continue to hone his craft at wing before being handed the keys to a line as a regular center in 2021-22. Add in the potential arrival of Trent Frederic (tabbed more as a bottom-six center if he pans out) and the continued growth of 2019 first-round pick John Beecher in Michigan, and the center position could become awfully crowded on Boston's roster in the coming years, especially if Krejci wants to stick around beyond next year.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding his expiring contract in 2021, Krejci admitted on Monday that he wasn't concerning himself with any hard truths or decisions this season — at least before the league stoppage.

"The older you get, the more you appreciate kind of everything," Krejci said. "Your life changes at home — you're married with kids, so you appreciate all the little things. Just being around the guys, being on the road, then being home — you kind of appreciate everything a little bit more than before. ... So I am really enjoying coming to the rink every day or bring on the road with the guys. I also love being at home, being a dad, a husband. Just was living the dream before this whole situation happened. But I'm sure we'll beat this one day and then we'll all go back to our lives again."

For Krejci, the top hurdle for him and his club remains seeing this season through — and earning another shot at hoisting Lord Stanley's Cup later this summer.

But come next summer, such hard truths and decisions appear inevitable for both team and player when it comes to charting how much longer Krejci — the often under-appreciated but overwhelmingly influential pivot — will remain in black and gold.