There’s no denying David Krejci has been a crucial part of the Boston Bruins throughout the course of his career, and this season was no different.
Krejci has had his fair share of injuries, but was healthy for the 2018-19 season, helping lead Boston to the second seed in the Atlantic Division. The second-line center reached a new career high in points (73), beating the previous mark he set back in 2008. Krejci also reached a new high in assists (53).
With names like Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak on the roster and dominating the NHL, it’s easy to see why Krejci could get overlooked. But Bruins general manager Don Sweeney knows the type of player he has in Krejci.
“I think David is an underlying MVP to our season, to be honest with you, really a catalyst for our group this year,” Sweeney said, per the Boston Herald’s Steve Conroy. “Might not have gotten the prime attention that several other players deserved and merited, but very consistent year for David, start-to-finish. You’re seeing the development of Jake DeBrusk, and the year that he had, and David, a lot can be attributed to that. His numbers are not tilted toward power play, he ran the second unit. Certainly, stepped in when Patrice was out. And it’s a lot of what David expects of himself.
“…He deserves a lot of credit for where we are as an organization, and he’s generally played his best hockey in the playoffs, so that’s exciting for our group as well.”
Krejci has been an absolute force for the B’s during the playoffs, particularly during their 2011 and 2013 Stanley Cup Finals appearances, in which the center led the league in postseason scoring both times.
Boston certainly will need Krejci to be at his absolute best come Thursday when the Bruins begin their quest for the Cup in Game 1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs at TD Garden.
