David Krejčí facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David Krejčí
Krejčí with the Boston Bruins in March 2014
Born	(1986-04-28) 28 April 1986 (age 39) Šternberk, Czechoslovakia
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	188 lb (85 kg; 13 st 6 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Right
Played for	Boston Bruins HC Pardubice HC Olomouc
National team	Czech Republic
NHL Draft	63rd overall, 2004 Boston Bruins
Playing career	2006–2023

David Krejčí (born April 28, 1986) is a former professional ice hockey player from the Czech Republic. He played as a centre for 16 seasons with the Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League (NHL). David was a key player when the Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 2011. He also led the NHL in points during the 2011 and 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs. He represented his country, the Czech national team, in many big tournaments, including the 2010, 2014, and 2022 Winter Olympics, and four World Championships.

Playing Ice Hockey: David Krejčí's Journey

David Krejčí started his journey in ice hockey in the Czech junior leagues. He was chosen by the Boston Bruins in the third round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. This was a big step for him! After being drafted, he moved to North America. There, he played major junior hockey for the Gatineau Olympiques in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) for two seasons. During his time with the Olympiques, David played 117 games. He scored 49 goals and earned 144 points, showing his skill early on.

Becoming a Professional Player

David Krejčí became a professional hockey player in the 2006–07 season. He first played for the Providence Bruins, which is the minor league team for the Boston Bruins.

Playing for the Boston Bruins (2006–2021)

David played his very first NHL game on January 30, 2007, for the Boston Bruins. It was a tough game against the Buffalo Sabres. He got injured early in the game, but he quickly recovered. The next season, he played more often with the Bruins, appearing in 56 NHL games.

On February 19, 2008, David helped the Bruins win a shootout against the Carolina Hurricanes. A shootout is a tie-breaker where players take turns trying to score. His first official NHL goal came a week later, on February 26, against the Ottawa Senators. He ended his first full NHL season with 6 goals and 27 points.

Krejčí with the Bruins in February 2008

During the 2008–09 season, David scored his first hat-trick on December 18, 2008. A hat-trick means scoring three goals in one game! This happened against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was given the nickname "The Matrix" by a TV announcer. This was because of his special way of skating and controlling the game. In 2009, he won the Boston Bruins' "Seventh Player Award." This award goes to a player who works extra hard and does better than expected. He finished that season with a career-high 73 points. He also had the best plus-minus rating in the league, which means he was on the ice for many more goals scored by his team than by the other team.

In May 2010, David injured his wrist during a playoff game. He needed surgery and missed the rest of the playoffs that year.

On May 25, 2011, David scored his second career hat-trick during the playoffs. This was a big moment for the Bruins! On June 15, David and the Bruins won the Stanley Cup. This was the team's first Stanley Cup win in 39 years! David was amazing in the 2011 playoffs. He led all players with 12 goals and 23 points.

Krejčí with the Bruins in February 2012

On March 1, 2012, David scored his third career hat-trick against the New Jersey Devils. In the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs, he scored another hat-trick, including the winning goal in overtime against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He again led the league in playoff points with 26. However, the Bruins lost in the finals that year.

In 2013, David was named an alternate captain for the Bruins. This means he was one of the leaders on the team. In 2014, he signed a new six-year contract with the Bruins. In 2015, he had a knee injury that kept him off the ice for a few weeks.

David reached many milestones with the Bruins. On December 8, 2018, he became the tenth-highest scoring Bruins player ever. Just three days later, he played his 800th NHL game. A week after that, he earned his 600th career NHL point. By the end of the 2020–21 season, David had scored 42 playoff goals, ranking him seventh in Bruins history. He was also high on the list for regular-season goals, assists, and total points.

On July 30, 2021, David announced he was leaving the NHL. He wanted to go back to the Czech Republic to continue playing hockey closer to home.

Playing for HC Olomouc (2021–2022)

After leaving the NHL, David returned to his first junior club, HC Olomouc, in the Czech Extraliga (ELH). He signed a one-year contract on August 2, 2021. In the 2021–22 season, he was an alternate captain and led his team in scoring. He scored 20 goals and had 46 points in 51 games.

Returning to Boston and Retirement (2022–2023)

After playing in the Czech Republic, David decided to return to the Boston Bruins for one more season. He signed a contract on August 8, 2022. On January 16, 2023, David played his 1,000th NHL game! This is a huge achievement for any hockey player. He had three assists in that game, helping the Bruins win 6–0.

On August 14, 2023, David Krejčí announced he was retiring from the NHL after 18 seasons. However, he later said he might still play for the Czech national team or in a European league for a short time. But on December 1, 2023, he officially retired from all hockey due to ongoing health issues.

International Play: Representing the Czech Republic

Medal record
Representing  Czech Republic
Ice hockey
World Championships
Bronze	2012 Finland/Sweden
Bronze	2022 Finland
World Junior Championships
Bronze	2005 United States
IIHF World U18 Championship
Bronze	2004 Belarus

David Krejčí proudly represented the Czech national team in many international tournaments. He played in the 2008 IIHF World Championships. He also played in three Winter Olympics: 2010, 2014, and 2022.

In 2022, he was an assistant captain for the Czech team at the Winter Olympics. Later that year, he helped his team win a bronze medal at the 2022 IIHF World Championships. This was his second bronze medal at the World Championships, showing his continued importance to the team.

Career Statistics

These tables show David Krejčí's performance throughout his career. "GP" means Games Played, "G" means Goals, "A" means Assists, "Pts" means Points, and "PIM" means Penalty Minutes.

Regular season and playoffs

Bold indicates led league

International

Awards and Honours

David Krejčí has received many awards and honors throughout his impressive career. Here are some of them:

See also

In Spanish: David Krejčí para niños