As the Boston Bruins continue to make roster changes, moving younger in the process, questions about the future of some of their bigger-named veterans will remain. Zdeno Chara is now gone. Tuukka Rask may be done after this season. What about a player like David Krejci? With one year remaining on his $7.25 million per season contract, it’s hard to know what the Bruins will offer, assuming there’s an offer at all during the 2020-21 season.
A pending free agent center, Krejci has been a staple on the Bruins roster for years. But, as he approaches the end of a long-term, big-money contract and the Bruins make difficult decisions with their core group, at 35 years old when that deal expires, an expensive extension is hardly a lock.
Krejci has only ever played for the Bruins and he’s not far removed from a 73-point season (2018-19). He remained in the Bruins’ top-five for scoring last year and had a team-best 12 points in 13 games during the 2019-20 playoffs. So, it might come as a surprise that there has been so little talk about a Krejci extension.
The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta writes that “talks with the Bruins were tabled until the season gets underway”, but it’s hard to know what the Bruins will offer as the uncertainty of a flat cap continues to loom large over the league. Does Krejci’s camp opting not to open talks this offseason signal anything as it pertains to his future?
Bruins and Krejci Set to Start Talking Soon
The good news is, the two sides are expected to begin talks once the season begins. Perhaps they’ll see how the team does out of the gate or how Krejci fits into their game plan. But, don’t expect much more than speculation when it comes to a deal.
With the NHL Expansion Draft not far around the corner, the most that may come out of the organization is talk of a handshake agreement between the two sides. This will help the Bruins navigate their protection list, not worried about Krejci being scooped or losing another important player, should they know his intention is to return.
So, for fans worried that an extension might not get done? It probably will. What the numbers will look like may be determined by how he and the team performs this season and whether or not the Bruins continue to get younger.
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