KrejciMVP
Registered User
Don't take this the wrong way, but always blaming it on his wingers? I don't hold that as a completely valid excuse. There are other playmakers in the league who've I've watched play with third liners and fourth liners - Crosby, for example - and they've elevated those guys' abilities and made plays anyway. And I realize he's NOT Crosby, but when is it ok for a top 6 player to have only 13 goals at this late in the year? What's the excuse for him not scoring more? Forget the assists for a minute. Does he REALLY need the perfect wingers to pass to who can snipe every goal and also hit like freight trucks and clear up space for Krejci every time he's out there 5 on 5? Sounds like the lowest common denominator of the second line struggles is one guy in particular: The same one who's ALWAYS on that line. Krejci. (He's always struggled with Pasta too, so let's not act like everyone he's played with recently has been horrible.) Besides, Ritchie has been acknowledged by everyone on this board as a third liner to begin with; is it his fault that he's having to play with Krejci, simply to help the guy get some space with the puck?
Maybe Ritchie isn't a good fit for Krejci right now, and given his skating issues, i'm willing to believe that, and maybe Kase isn't looking too good either, but Jake and Krej weren't exactly doing well before this - except for last year, strangely enough.
Me? I think it's no coincidence that most of his points came earlier in the year. I think Krejci is feeling the fatigue and I do not see it as a failure to demote him AND the other two he plays with to third line minutes. It may help him to get away from top match ups a bit. His game isn't falling off of a cliff - YET. I don't see him as a Backes type. But the end is more in sight than some of us here want to admit, I think.
Krejci is aging but there is no way I'm making a determination of how productive he can be or if hes in major decline playing with Kase and Ritchie.