After spending a year playing overseas, it appears as though David Krejci may be on his way back to Boston.
Multiple reports, including one from Kevin Weekes of ESPN, indicate that Krejci is currently in negotiations with the Bruins to re-join the team for 2022-23. General manager Don Sweeney admitted he had been in touch with the veteran forward a few days ago but wouldn’t go so far as to say contract negotiations were underway at that point.
Krejci, 36, spent this past season playing in his native Czechia, where he racked up 46 points in 51 games. It was at the World Championship where the itch to return to Boston might really have started, as he rediscovered that instant chemistry with former teammate David Pastrnak en route to a bronze medal finish.
With the Bruins also expected to bring back Patrice Bergeron for at least one more year, it appears as though the team is trying to give it one more kick with the old core–a group that had so much success for so many years. Krejci himself had 730 points in 962 regular season games, all with the Bruins, and led all players in scoring during both 2011 and 2013 trips to the Stanley Cup Final.
One of the most cerebral playmakers of his generation, Krejci has never relied on speed to produce at a high level, instead creating space for himself and his teammates with ultra-quick decisions and awareness. His presence behind Bergeron down the middle of the Bruins lineup gave the team a one-two punch that was hard to beat, and fans in Boston will likely be excited to see them reunited, should both contract negotiations end positively.
With so many players on expiring deals, there will be a chance for Boston to embrace a true retool next summer. For now, it appears as though they’re trying to get the band back together.
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