With Contract Extension Done, Multiple Goals On Bruins Center Krejci's Mind
BOSTON (CBS) - It's not crazy to think that Bruins center David Krejci could score 30 goals in 2014-15.
Krejci scored 19 goals in 80 games last season before he was shut out in 12 playoff games. He averaged a career-best 2.11 shots on net per game.
Center Patrice Bergeron, who shared the Bruins' team lead with 30 goals in 2013-14, averaged 3.04 shots on net per game (the second-highest average of his careers). So Krejci's production could increase with just a few more shots on net a week.
Krejci's not going to abandon his role as one of the best playmakers in the NHL. But in light of the six-year contract extension worth an annual salary-cap charge of $7.25 million he signed last week he figures he has to find even more ways to contribute if the Bruins are to become Stanley Cup champions again before his new contract runs out in 2021.
"I do want to score more goals, that's for sure," said Krejci, who made his first remarks about the contract Monday at TD Garden. "Not necessarily because I signed a new deal but just because I want to get better every year. And that's my goal, get more goals and help the team to win more games, get in the good spot, in the good position before the playoffs and go from there."
Krejci, 28, has one more year left on the three-year deal that carries a $5.25 million cap charge. He would've been an unrestricted free agent next summer had he not signed an extension. As of now, he's scheduled to become the Bruins' highest-paid player starting in 2015-16.
It's up to Krejci to perform up to the level of the contract, and it's up to the Bruins to get him the linemates that can make it possible. Krejci and left winger Milan Lucic have been inseparable since the 2010-11 season. Right wingers Nathan Horton and Jarome Iginla have thrived playing with that pair but now call over cities home. So it's time for the Bruins to audition new players for that role, and it appears first up will be veteran Loui Eriksson.
The left-shooting Eriksson once scored 36 goals in a season. That was 2008-09 and now Eriksson is coming off a 10-goal season in 2013-14, as he struggled with injuries and other adjustments during a 61-game inaugural season with the Bruins. For his career Eriksson has averaged 0.42 assists per game, which might make him a solid set-up guy if Krejci's going to rework his resume a little bit.
"I feel like, don't get me wrong, Milan and Iggy and even Nathan before, they're great passers, especially Milan. He can see the ice well and people underestimate his passing," Krejci said. "But I feel like with Loui he's a little more of a playmaker than power forward and he's obviously smart. He's European. So I'm looking forward to it. I'm kind of going into this camp, obviously I've been here for so many years, but this time you don't know who's going to be playing on your right side – it looks like Loui so we'll see what happens – so I'm kind of excited how the camp will go, how we're going to create chemistry and we'll see what we're going to do."
So much talk has been devoted to replacing Iginla's 30 goals. Maybe Krejci and a new offensive mentality can be part of the solution. In the past, Krejci has shown an above-average shot in terms of velocity. He's also been fairly accurate from long distance on the Bruins' power play.
Armed with a new contract, Krejci won't have any off-ice worries for this season or the six after. If a new right winger and an alternate approach to his offensive game can make him a more dangerous player, the Bruins' championship chances will increase exponentially.
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