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 on April 28, 1986) is a former professional ice hockey player from the Czech Republic. He played as a centre, which is a forward position in the middle of the ice. David spent 16 seasons playing in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Boston Bruins.

He helped the Bruins win the Stanley Cup in 2011. He also led the NHL in points during the playoffs in both 2011 and 2013. David Krejčí played for the Czech national team in several big tournaments. These included the Winter Olympics in 2010, 2014, and 2022, and four World Championships.

David Krejčí's Hockey Journey

David Krejčí was chosen by the Boston Bruins in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 63rd player picked overall. Before joining the NHL, he played junior hockey in the Czech Republic for HC Kladno. After being drafted, he moved to North America. He played two seasons of major junior hockey for the Gatineau Olympiques in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). During his time with the Olympiques, Krejčí played 117 games. He scored 49 goals and earned 144 points.

Starting His Professional Career

Playing for the Boston Bruins (2006–2021)

David Krejčí became a professional player in the 2006–07 season. He started with the Providence Bruins, which is the minor league team for the Boston Bruins. He played his first NHL game on January 30, 2007. However, he got a concussion early in that game.

The next season, he played more often with the Boston Bruins. On February 19, 2008, he scored a goal in a shootout. Shootout goals do not count as official goals in a player's stats. His first official NHL goal came a week later, on February 26, 2008. He finished his first full NHL season with 6 goals and 27 points.

Krejčí with the Bruins in February 2008

During the 2008–09 season, Krejčí scored his first NHL hat-trick. A hat-trick means scoring three goals in one game. This happened on December 18, 2008, 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 April 2009, he won the Boston Bruins' Seventh Player Award. This award goes to a player who does more than expected. He ended 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 June 2009, he signed a new contract with the Bruins.

In November 2009, David Krejčí got sick with the H1N1 virus. This kept him from playing for a while.

During the 2010 playoffs, Krejčí dislocated his wrist. This injury needed surgery and he missed the rest of the playoffs.

On May 25, 2011, in the Eastern Conference Finals, Krejčí scored his second career hat-trick. This was a big moment, as he was the first Bruins player to get a playoff hat-trick in 20 years. On June 15, 2011, Krejčí and the Bruins won the Stanley Cup. This was the team's first Stanley Cup win in 39 years! Krejčí was a star 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, Krejčí scored his third career hat-trick. In the 2013 playoffs, he scored another hat-trick in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He again led the league in playoff points with 26. However, the Bruins lost in the Stanley Cup Finals that year.

On October 1, 2013, Krejčí was named an alternate captain for the Bruins. This means he was one of the team's leaders. In September 2014, he signed a new six-year contract with the Bruins. In February 2015, he hurt his left knee, which kept him off the ice for several weeks.

By December 2018, Krejčí became one of the top ten highest-scoring Bruins players ever. He played his 800th NHL game on December 11, 2018. A week later, he reached 600 career NHL points.

By the end of the 2020–21 season, Krejčí had 42 playoff goals. This placed him seventh on the Bruins' all-time playoff scoring list. He was also high on the list for regular-season goals, assists, and total points for the Bruins.

On July 30, 2021, Krejčí announced he was leaving the NHL. He planned to go back to the Czech Republic to keep playing hockey there.

Playing for HC Olomouc (2021–2022)

David Krejčí returned to his home country and played for HC Olomouc. This was his first club when he was a junior player. He signed a one-year contract with them in August 2021. In the 2021–22 season, he was an alternate captain for Olomouc. He led his team in scoring with 20 goals and 46 points in 51 games.

Returning to Boston and Retirement (2022–2023)

After playing one season in the Czech Republic, Krejčí decided to return to the Boston Bruins for his 16th NHL season. He signed a one-year contract in August 2022. On January 16, 2023, he played his 1,000th NHL game. This is a huge milestone for any hockey player! He had three assists in that game.

On August 14, 2023, David Krejčí announced he was retiring from the NHL after 18 seasons. He later said he might still play for the Czech national team or a European team for a short time. However, on December 1, 2023, he fully retired from hockey because of ongoing health problems.

International Hockey Career

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

After the 2007–08 NHL season, Krejčí was chosen to play for the Czech national team. He played in the 2008 IIHF World Championships. He also played for the Czech team in the 2010 Winter Olympics.

After the 2018 NHL playoffs, Krejčí was invited to play in the 2018 IIHF World Championship.

Krejčí was named an assistant captain for the Czech national team at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Later that year, he and the Czech team won a bronze medal at the 2022 IIHF World Championships. He was an assistant captain for that team too.

Career Statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Bold indicates led league

International

Awards and Honours

See also

In Spanish: David Krejčí para niños