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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Two familiar faces are returning to the Boston Bruins.
The team announced Monday that Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci are both re-signing with the Bruins on one-year deals. Bergeron's deal is with $2.5 million plus an additional $2.5 million in performance-based incentives, while Krejci's deal is worth $1 million with an additional $2 million in incentives.
Krejci spoke on his return to the B's at a conference on Tuesday, saying that his decision to come back was made weeks prior to the announcement.
"I told my agencies, 'just get it done, do what you 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 it to go that way, I didn't want to play for anyone else," Krejci said. The centerman says conversations with David Pastrnak and Bergeron helped him make his decision, as opposed to the team's coaching change-up.
"That would be a good story, but the firing had nothing to do with my decision to come back," Krejci said.
Bergeron, the Bruins captain, is back for his 19th season with the Bruins after a 2021-22 season where he scored 25 goals and 40 assists and took home the Selke Trophy for the fifth time in his career—the award given to the best defensive forward in the league. Bergeron attended at a press conference on Monday, saying he decided to come back to the Bruins before free agency.
"I have some to give and I wanted to come back to the Bruins— I love the city, I love the team, I love the guys, and do something special with them," Bergeron said.
The Quebec native ranks third in Bruins history with 1,216 games played and fourth in goals and assists with 400 and 582 respectively. In 167 career playoff games, Bergeron has 49 goals and 78 assists.
When asked if the 2022-2023 season will be his last, Bergeron had an uncertain answer.
"Whatever the future holds you'll know, and I'll address [that] when the time is right. I got to focus on this year— right now I'm excited to be back and to get started," Bergeron said.
Krejci rejoined the Bruins after playing the 2021-22 season in his native Czech Republic. Before his departure, Krejci spent 15 seasons with the Bruins tallying 215 goals and 515 assists in 962 career games, along with 42 goals and 82 assists in 156 career playoff games.
"He's an amazing person and amazing player that still has it in him," Bergeron said on his teammate Krejci.
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Both Bergeron and Krejci were instrumental in the Bruins' 2011 Stanley Cup championship and played their entire NHL careers in Boston. Bergeron attended at a press conference on Monday, saying
WBZ's Brian Antonelli (@GuPogs) reports.
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