The year 2020 hit everybody hard, and that includes the Boston Bruins. The B’s lost their captain of 14 years in Zdeno Chara, and they also lost D Torey Krug, who had developed into a star in Boston, and had been with the team since 2012. It was the first time in a really long time here that a significant shakeup occurred within the core group. And, although it’s not guaranteed more of that will come in 2021, B’s fans should certainly be bracing for some more fan-favorite departures. Both G Tuukka Rask and C David Krejci are pending UFA’s, and neither have had contract talks up to this point.
Tuukka Rask has been the center of controversy, essentially since he became the starter of the Bruins in the 2013 season. He’s had terrific numbers over the years. But he just hasn’t captured that elusive cup, at least as a starter. Even with a world class core group of players in front of him all those years. And the lowlights of his career, like Chicago’s game 6 comeback, several game 7 losses at home, and just this past summer opting out of the return to play after just a couple of weeks, have just added fuel to the fire. However, there is absolutely no denying his importance to this hockey team. As a young, rather inexperienced goalie in 2013 he backboned the team all the way to the SCF before losing to a historically good Chicago Blackhawks team. His 2019 run was historic, but gets unfairly overlooked because of the 4 goals in 22 shots he gave up in Game 7. And in between, he’s been amongst the most consistent goaltenders in the league. For the Bruins to get where they want this year, and with a thinner defense than they’re used to, Rask will have to have a 2019-like run. And, as long as there is no regression from Rask this year and as long as he has no plans to retire, signing him should be a top priority with no signs of an immediate replacement ready to take on that load in the farm system.
David Krejci has been half of the one-two punch of Bruins centers, along with Patrice Bergeron, for a decade now and he’s still going. The strengths of his game don’t typically go with age; he doesn’t rely on speed or strength, but his smarts, precision passing, and slowing the game down to create high percentage looks for teammates. For the first time in a handful of years, there isn’t an open tryout in training camp to see who will play on his right flank; that’ll be Ondrej Kase, who, in his first camp with the Bruins, will look to have a productive season alongside no. 46. And to Krejci’s left, Jake DeBrusk. The young, speedy winger looks to add more consistency and physicality to his game as he looks to establish himself as a legitimate top-six NHLer. With the Charlie Coyle extension in Nov. of 2019, that adds reasonable doubt that Krejci will see an extension, as Coyle seems to be on the track to take the role of second line center with the team for years to come given the money and term of the deal. And the flat cap just makes the prospect of a Krech extension all the more unlikely. There’s also the looming possibility that Krejci will head home, overseas, to finish his career in Europe, which has been a rumor for quite some time. Lots of possibilities to consider with an extension like this, but whether it comes down to a tough business decision or not, if Krejci decides to leave, the Bruins will greatly miss his production, competitiveness, and his unique form of leadership.
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