During Friday’s practice at Ristuccia Arena, Krejci was off the ice, resting the undisclosed injury that has knocked him out for five games this season. Jarome Iginla is in Colorado, where the Avalanche are near the bottom of the Central Division. Nathan Horton is in Columbus, and in limbo because of a back injury that may cost him his career.

WILMINGTON — For most of the last four seasons, there have been two constants for Milan Lucic: David Krejci as his dish-first center and a big, mean, straight-line bull as his right wing.

Milan Lucic (above) is making no excuses for his slow start offensively, despite linemate David Krejci missing time because of an injury.

Lucic’s linemates in practice were Chris Kelly, a career third-liner, and second-year pro Seth Griffith.


This is not the formation Lucic expected. But it is his short-term reality, especially the part about his playmaking center possibly being in and out of the lineup. For now, the Bruins believe rest is the best approach with Krejci, whether via practices or games.

“You’ve just got to accept it,” Lucic said. “Looking at that situation, the most important thing is for him to be healthy again where he’s able to play night in and night out and play at his best ability. For me, as his teammate, that’s what I want to see. I want to see him recover and get back to 100 percent where he’s feeling good again and able to play the way he’s capable of playing at that high level.”

Before the season, the Bruins weren’t sure how their top line would perform following Iginla’s departure. They believed Loui Eriksson was the best solution, even though he’s a left-shot forward who prefers to pass the puck instead of shoot it.

But things didn’t break the way the Bruins expected. Lucic started slowly because of his recovery from offseason wrist surgery. Eriksson didn’t have much chemistry with his linemates during camp. Then Krejci pulled up lame in the preseason finale.


Krejci’s status hasn’t dragged down his team. The Bruins beat Florida and Ottawa in the two most recent games the center had to miss.

Kelly, one of the team’s most important players through 15 games, is a credible top-line fill-in. His best work has come on the third line with Eriksson and Carl Soderberg, where he’s the left wing but often handles center assignments in the defensive zone. Kelly’s positioning, stickwork, and defensive-zone awareness have earned him a first-line home when Krejci is unable to play.

Griffith, the right wing who went undrafted during his first eligible year, is fulfilling expectations. In 11 games, he has three goals and two assists while averaging 14:47 of ice time. He’s willing to drive the net, which is how he’s provided offense.

But Griffith is most likely a placeholder for the next No. 1 right wing, whether that’s David Pastrnak or a veteran acquired via trade.

Lucic has three goals and six assists. He’s on pace to score 16 goals, well off his mark of 24 last season. It doesn’t help that his center is not at full health, nor that Krejci might be unavailable for future games or practices as he tries to get his body right.

“You don’t want to make excuses,” Lucic said. “You don’t want to just rely on one player to make you a good player, right? So you want to take it upon yourself, no matter who you’re playing with, that you’re able to continue playing the way you’re capable of playing. That’s my mind-set right now. I want to still contribute the way that I can, no matter who I’m playing with. When you have a guy you have chemistry with, maybe it comes more naturally. You still have to work hard at it. But it comes a little more naturally.”


The Bruins are winning again. They have ticked off four straight victories despite injuries to Krejci, Zdeno Chara, Torey Krug, and Kevan Miller.

But they’re not clicking for 60 minutes. Against Edmonton and Florida, their last two opponents, the line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and Reilly Smith was the only unit that consistently played strong, efficient, three-zone hockey.

In Thursday’s second period, the Bruins were especially slack in the neutral zone. The Oilers gained clean, regular entries over the blue line. Because of Edmonton’s pressure, the Bruins couldn’t break the puck out cleanly. The defensemen didn’t have time to go D-to-D. The forwards didn’t provide enough down-low support. It’s why the Bruins didn’t generate any offensive heat until their four-goal barrage in the third, which included two power-play strikes and a Lucic empty-netter.

The Bruins still have more to give. So does their first line, with or without Krejci.

Fluto Shinzawa can be reached at fshinzawa@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeFluto.