David Krejci Reacts to Line Changes, Remains Confident He Can Snap Out of Slump and ‘Get Back to Where I Belong’

by

Feb 7, 2012

David Krejci Reacts to Line Changes, Remains Confident He Can Snap Out of Slump and 'Get Back to Where I Belong'WILMINGTON, Mass. – Trying to snap his team out of its recent funk, Bruins coach Claude Julien finally juggled his lines.

He moved center David Krejci down off the top unit to the third line with Benoit Pouliot and Jordan Caron on Sunday in Washington, with Chris Kelly sliding up between Milan Lucic and Rich Peverley.

The results were impressive, with Kelly, Lucic and Peverley combining for two goals, four points and nine shots in a 4-1 win over the Capitals just one day after Krejci, Lucic and Peverley failed to produce a single shot between them in a 2-1 loss to Pittsburgh.

Not surprisingly, Julien stuck with the new combinations when the Bruins returned to work Tuesday for practice at Ristuccia Arena. But at least one Bruins hopes the changes will be temporary. Very temporary.

"I don't really want to comment on it," Krejci said when asked about being moved down to the third line. "I'm a professional. I'm going to go out there every day whether it's a practice or a game and compete my hardest. That's all I can control.

"I can think what I want to, but I'm not going to say what I think or not," Krejci added. "I'm just going to go out there and play my hardest. I want to try to get back to where I belong."

Krejci did end up saying quite a bit about the situation and his own recent struggles. While obviously upset to be taken off his usual line, Krejci did compliment Pouliot and Caron for their play on Sunday.

"I think we played well," Krejci said. "We also had fun. They're good guys. The season is long and you're not going to play with your linemates for all 82 games, plus the playoffs. Once in a while there is a time to change things up and this is it right now for us."

Still, there's no doubting where Krejci's heart is, and that's set on a reunion with Lucic and Nathan Horton as soon as possible. Getting back together with Horton won't be up to Krejci or even Julien, though. Horton remains sidelined with a concussion and there is no timetable for his return. Krejci has definitely felt Horton's absence, managing just 0-1-1 totals in five games since Horton was injured.

"He's a big part of our team and a big part of [our line] when me, Looch and him are together," Krejci said. "So when he went down, it's certainly something you don't want to see. Hopefully he'll be back soon and we can get our chemistry going again. But for now we have to play with the players we have here and we have to make the most of it. Looch is on a different line and I'm on a different line. I think we had a good game [against Washington] and we just have to keep it going."

Krejci was certainly going well before this recent slump. He started the season slow with 3-5-8 totals in his first 16 games, missing three others with a core injury. But he made up for that and more over the next 27 games, posting 8-22-30 totals in that span. He also signed a lucrative three-year, $15.75-million extension that will make him the team's highest paid forward next season.

That's helped make the recent slump particularly frustrating, culminating in that forgettable showing against Pittsburgh on Saturday.

"A couple of games ago I had one of the worst days, one of the worst feelings I ever had in hockey," Krejci said. "I can think about the situation whatever way I want, but I'm professional and I'm here to help the team to win. The situation is where I'm at right now. Whatever, it's my job to go out there and prove people wrong. That's all I can control."

Julien was pleased with Krejci's response on Sunday. Even though he didn't factor into the scoring, Krejci played a solid all-around game with more of the effort and intensity Julien has been looking for.

"I thought he responded well," Julien said. "When you look at his stats after the game, what was created and stuff like that. When you look at their line in the past they weren't getting any shots on net and I know Caron had about four himself. So they were good. They did the job. I thought David was good himself. It's just getting everybody going again and sometimes those changes are not bad things."

Julien also denied that the line changes were designed to send a message to Krejci or any specific player, but rather to help the entire team snap out of its malaise.

"I don't think there's necessarily any messages more than we expect our players to come out and be the best they can every night," Julien said. "That's something I think they owe to the organizations, especially based on their contracts. That's what we expect from them no matter where they are. The message should be the same whether he plays with certain players, his normal [linemates], or other players."

Krejci is confident that he can get back to his customary level of production.

"I felt really good about my game going into the All-Star break and we hit a couple of bad games after the All-Star Game," Krejci said. "But it happens. I just want to get back to where I was before the All-Star Game. I've done it many times before, so I'm not worried about doing it again. I have to look at it positively and go out there every day in practices and games and do my best."

Have a question for Douglas Flynn? Send it to him via Twitter at @douglasflynn or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

Previous Article

Rob Gronkowski, Matt Light Shouldn’t Be Criticized for Partying Hours After Patriots’ Super Bowl Loss

Next Article

Lucas Oil Stadium Security Appears to Have Had Sniper’s Nest Set Up at Super Bowl XLVI (Photos)

Picked For You