David Krejci could have spent his offseason worrying about his contract, trade rumors and the NHL lockout. Instead, he turned his focus toward playing hockey in the Czech Republic.
He’s now prepared to have the same attitude stateside as a new NHL season gets under way.
Krejci has been at the center of trade rumors due to poor production late last season and the three years and $5.2 million remaining on his contract, which would be easy to move if the Bruins needed to juggle cap space. Boston also has plenty of talent at center, which has only added to the rumors that Krejci would be a likely player to go if the Bruins start moving pieces.
But Krejci isn’t letting those possibilities crowd his mind too much — at least, not with hockey coming back.
“I’ve seen it, and I have time to go on the Internet, so I know what’s going on,” he said, according to James Murphy of ESPN.com. “I went through lots of things and saw my name there, but there’s nothing I can control. I am happy here, and I hope I haven’t given them any reasons to trade me. So I can’t control it, and I just want to go out there and play my best.”
Krejci had 23 points in 25 games with the Bruins in their 2011 playoff run as the team grabbed the Stanley Cup, but he totaled just three points when the Bruins fell in seven games to the Capitals in the first round of last year’s playoffs. Krejci is working on having a short memory with those numbers, too.
“Last year is behind me now,” he said. “I’ve already played some games, so I’ve forgotten about it. I just want to have a good start to the season just like the rest of the team.”
Krejci has some experience compartmentalizing — when he was playing overseas, lockout news was always coming in, and it was always different, he said. Each day brought new chances of the lockout ending, or talks suddenly breaking down. Krejci said he had to focus on just playing hockey.
That sounds like it will be his main strategy again, this time in Boston.
