Boston Bruins president Cam Neely and general manager Don Sweeney sounded hopeful Wednesday when asked about the chances of Patrice Bergeron returning for his 19th season.
Sweeney and Neely didn't announce anything official, though, despite a report last month that the B's captain had decided to come back.
The status of former Bruins center David Krejci seems far less certain.
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Krejci left the Bruins after the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs to play in front of family and friends in his native Czech Republic. But there's still a chance the 37-year-old center returns to Boston for the 2022-23 campaign.
Sweeney, speaking with reporters in Montreal on Wednesday, said he has kept in contact with Krejci's camp, but no decision has been made at this time.
"I’ve been in touch with David and [his team] ... [he] spent a lot of time with his family deciding what he'd like to do," Sweeney said, via the Bruins. "The conversations have gone well. It’s just a matter of when David decides, ultimately, and if we’re gonna be the place that he chooses."
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Krejci coming back would be a huge roster boost for the Bruins, who still lack a true No. 2 center behind Bergeron.
However, the fact that the Bruins really need the return of 36- and 37-year-old centers to have a chance at competing in the Eastern Conference next season says a lot about their current roster and prospect pool -- and not good things.
If Krejci doesn't return to the Bruins, the team would need to add a top-six center via trade or free agency.