Tuukka Rask's return to the Bruins did not end up working out. Could there still be another return of a franchise legend on the way, though?
Speaking to the Associated Press in Beijing, where he is competing in the Olympics for the Czech Republic, David Krejci did not close the door when asked about possibly returning to the Bruins this season.
"I'm here now. I'm going to focus on this tournament," Krejci said. "I don't know myself yet what's going to happen, so I'm just going to play it out."
"I'll try to take the most out of this opportunity and what comes after this, we'll see," he added.
There are still plenty of obstacles to a potential return even if Krejci is open to the possibility. The first is the calendar.
Krejci would need to sign with the Bruins by the March 21 trade deadline to be eligible for the playoffs. His Czech regular season with HC Olomouc ends on March 9, but the team is currently in position to make the playoffs.
Assuming Krejci doesn't plan to leave before their season over, Olomouc would need a quick playoff exit in order for there to be any chance of Krejci meeting that March 21 deadline. It is worth noting that's certainly a possibility, though. Olomouc is currently 11th in the Czech Extraliga and has the worst goal differential of the 12 playoff teams.
The second big obstacle is that Krejci would need to clear waivers in order to sign with the Bruins. While it's possible other teams would let him pass if they know there's no chance of him signing with anyone other than Boston, they could also claim him anyways just to block the Bruins from adding a second-line center for nothing.
For now, though, Krejci is just focused on the Olympics, the third Olympics of his career. His trip to Beijing got off to a rough start when he tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival, but he is out of quarantine now and ready to go for the start of the tournament.
Getting to go to the Olympics wound up being an added bonus to Krejci's decision to play in the Czech Republic this season. Had he stayed in the NHL, he would have been barred from going like the rest of the league. Krejci told the AP he has no regrets about his decision.
"It's been great," Krejci said. "It's been definitely a great experience for me, my Czech family, my American family. It's been really good. But now I'm here, so I'm excited to be here."
