This is David Krejci’s time to shine.
The 33-year-old middle matched a profession excessive with 73 factors in 81 video games this season, having solely sat out the Boston Bruins’ regular-season finale towards the Tampa Bay Lightning. And because the Bruins’ gear as much as play the Toronto Maple Leafs within the first spherical of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second consecutive season, Krejci’s significance to Boston’s success within the postseason can’t be overstated.
While Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak doubtless will take middle stage towards the Leafs, it’s fairly frequent information that when the Bruins play properly within the postseason, Krejci is matching that manufacturing.
And his teammates know that. Linemate Jake DeBrusk coined it “Playoff Krech.”
” ‘Playoff Krech’ is the Krech I grew up watching, the one all Bruins followers know and love,” DeBrusk instructed the Boston Herald’s Steve Conroy. “What I mean by that is whenever we need him, or I need him or whenever somebody needs to get leaned on, he comes to play, he makes the exceptional play at the right times. He’s a proven playoff performer. And when he does something sick, when he’s weaving out there, that’s Playoff Krech. It’s pretty special.”
And that was the case lengthy earlier than DeBrusk was taking part in on his flank. In the Bruins’ runs to the Stanley Cup Final in 2011 and 2013, the pivot posted league-high level totals in each stretches, notching 23 factors within the Bruins’ Cup win in 2011 and 26 factors in 2013.
The Bruins are hoping that Krejci’s regular-season manufacturing is an indicator of what’s to come back in his tenth journey to the postseason.
“I think David is an underlying MVP to our season, to be honest with you, really a catalyst for our group this year,” normal supervisor Don Sweeney stated. “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.”
It received’t be a simple matchup towards the Maple Leafs, who stack up fairly soundly down the center. But if historical past is any indication, the Bruins are in good condition if Krejci is on his recreation.
Thumbnail photograph through Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images