After a sluggish start to the season, and whispers of a potential trade for Bobby Ryan, the Bruins on Thursday made a strong statement about their feelings for David Krejci.
The club it was signing Krejci to a three-year deal that will take the playmaking pivot through the 2014-15 season, allowing Boston to retain their leading scorer from the last two seasons. Krejci also led the Bruins with 12 goals scored during last years playoff run to the Stanley Cup, and has been a staple centering a line of Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton during their most successful span of hockey in decades.
Krejci was asked about the trade rumors after Wednesday night's win in Toronto, and his comments to CSNNE.com were almost prophetic.
I love the city. I love the team. Everybody really gets along well. We are winning, said Krejci when asked about the trade rumors. "I like to be on a winning team and I like to have a chance to win the Cup. This is the team, you know? I would like to have a chance to stay here.
The terms of the deal were not immediately available to CSNNE.com, but its expected the numbers would be somewhere in the neighborhood of Patrice Bergerons 5 million per season cap hit. Krejci has skated in 318 career games with the Bruins and has 227 points (62 goals and 165 assists) while leading the Bs with 52 points and 62 points in each of the last two years.
Krejci was off to a slow start this season with 4 goals and 13 points in his first 20 games, but picked it up on Wednesday night with a three-point effort against the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 6-3 win at the Air Canada Centre.
The Bruins and Krejci will discuss the deal during a press conference at TD Garden at 1 p.m. today.