Krejci on Return to Bruins: 'I'm Back Where I Belong'

BOSTON - David Krejci knows all about going home.
That's exactly what he did last fall when he returned to his native Czechia to play for Olomouc HC. It was an opportunity to suit up in front of family and friends, while introducing his children to the culture that he grew up in as a kid in Sternberk.
But there has always been another place that holds special meaning in Krejci's life, the city that he spent 15 years in, winning a Stanley Cup and becoming one of the longest-tenured players in franchise history.

So, while Boston might not technically be his home, it's exactly where he feels he belongs - which is why the 36-year-old on Monday signed a one-year contract to return to the Bruins, the only NHL team he has known.
"When I decided to come back…I obviously had to talk to [Bruins general manager Don Sweeney] - he let me know he wants me on the team, and I told him that's the team I want to play for, that's the only team I want to play for. And that's what I told my agent," said Krejci.
"I wasn't ready to retire yet. I wanted to come back to the NHL, and I told my agent, just get a deal done. Do what you've got to do, let's just get it done. I want to be a Boston Bruin next season. Obviously, there was a B plan, but I never wanted to go that way. I didn't want to play anywhere else. I'm more than happy that I'm a Bruin again."
Krejci is back with the club for a 16th season and will be building on an already impressive Black & Gold resume, which includes a championship, two playoff scoring titles, and all-time top-10 rankings in games played, assists, and points - not to mention all-time top-five rankings in postseason games playes, assists, and points. That lengthy list of accolades, however, is nothing compared to the teammates and friends he's formed bonds with in Boston along the way.
"The NHL is one of a kind. I definitely missed it," said Krejci, who is 38 games short of 1,000 for his career. "There's so much of it I missed, but I think most importantly, the guys, you know? I developed a really good relationship with lots of guys on the team. I've been in the league a long time. I have so many good friends. So that's the relationship. That was the part that I missed the most."

Krejci mentioned two teammates, in particular, that heavily influenced his decision to return: his longtime friend and pivot partner, Patrice Bergeron - who signed his own one-year deal to return to the B's on Monday - and his fellow Czech native, David Pastrnak.
"I know we signed - me, Bergy and [Pavel] Zacha - [on Monday], but the decision was made a few weeks before that," said Krejci. "I think my last game was sometime in early June, the World Championship ended, and then I went to the U.S. and got away from hockey and just cleared my head. After a few weeks of talking to my family about our future, we decided to go back to Boston, back to the NHL.
"Obviously, Boston was my No. 1 option, and pretty much my only option. I'm glad we got it done. But…the decision…also, I have to give credit to Bergy and Pasta. We had so many conversations in the last few months about coming back or not, and they're the reason I want to come back and play with those guys again."
Krejci has a strong rapport with Pastrnak both on and off the ice, and while they have only seen limited time together on a line donning the Spoked-B, they teamed up to form a stellar connection during this past spring's IIHF Men's World Championship, helping to lead Czechia to the bronze medal. It is a partnership that Krejci hopes to continue this fall.
"Obviously, who wouldn't want to play with one of the best players in the world? I was lucky enough that I got to play with him at the World Championship and that was kind of a turning point in my decision, coming back to the NHL," said Krejci. "Just playing with him, just kind of seeing what we can still do together, it was pretty cool. Yeah, it would be nice to play with him - I'm sure I'll get a chance to play with him this year. But that wasn't the only reason why I wanted to come back, to play with him.
"I want to be on the same team as him. But like I said, I talked to Bergy a lot this summer - and I'm sure he can speak for himself - we're coming back to try to make a push. I'm not sure how many years we've got left, but we're coming back to do something because we believe in the team. So, we'll see what happens."
What Krejci is hoping happens is plenty of winning. In addition to reuniting with his teammates, that is the driving force behind his return.
"The older you get, you don't really care about the individual stats or goals and assists, stuff like that," said Krejci. "All you care about is the team's success and that's why I'm coming back. I've been with those guys for a long time, and now most of them are going to be on the team this year. So, that's amazing. And that's why I'm coming back. I want to play with those guys, and I want to make a push for those guys as well.
"I feel like I have a lot to offer still. I know people talk about my age, but it's just a number. I feel I'm in good shape. And yeah, obviously, I'm coming back to try to go all the way. I've been in the league a long time, so I know what it takes to make the playoffs and go all the way. So just one step at a time.
"I know we have some injuries early on, some key players, so we're going to miss those guys for sure. And maybe that's going to bring our team closer right at the beginning. That would be good."

Krejci added that he feels his game remains at a high level despite playing in the Czech league last season - during which he notched 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists) in 51 games - pointing to his performances at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and the World Championships in Finland as indicators that his play will still translate in the NHL.
"I've been getting ready since pretty much the middle of March. We lost in the first round of the playoffs, and then I did my summer workout right away," said Krejci. "Then I got invited to play in the World Championships, so I took two weeks off. Then after that, I started training. Going into last year, leaving the NHL, going back to Czech - obviously the league is not on the same level as the NHL. But I was just going there, I signed a one-year deal. I told myself I would just make the most of it, see what happens after that.
"I was fortunate enough to play for the Czech team at the Olympics, and then at the World Championships. Those two showed me that I can still play at a high level and be a difference maker. That was something I was thinking about when I was thinking about coming back to the NHL."
Krejci also acknowledged that there was very little thought from him about potentially returning to the NHL following the end of his Olomouc season in March, saying the "timing wasn't right" given the quick turnaround ahead of the deadline to be eligible for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"I committed for one full year," said Krejci. "I thought we were going to go past the first round. We didn't. I wasn't thinking about going back to Boston last year at all. They had their thing going. I had my thing going. Everybody who knows me knows I committed to something and I'm going to stick with that decision. So that's what I did.
"After we finished the first round, yes, I had some phone calls. But just the timing, the timing wasn't right - I think it was two or three days. It just wasn't enough to get things done."
Overall, Krejci said, his time in Czechia was an experience that the husband and father of two enjoyed thoroughly - but one that he is ready to put in the rearview for now.
"It was amazing. It was even better than I thought it would be. Just being with my family pretty much every day, it was special. That was special, especially for me. I'll remember that forever; it was amazing. Being at home, showing my family where I grew up, my oldest daughter went to school. It was a great experience.
"I'm obviously going to miss it, miss my family, my friends, my teammates from last year - but I feel like I'm back where I belong."