"It's a huge loss for us," general manager Martin Rucinsky said in comments translated from Czech website iDNES.cz. "He should have been our key player and first or second center. And since we don't have [offensive-minded] defensemen to the power play, he should have been very important for our power plays at the blue line."
The Czech Ice Hockey Association announced Saturday that forward Roman Cervenka will replace Krejci on the 23-man roster. Cervenka, 30, had nine goals and eight assists in 39 games with the Calgary Flames in 2012-13, his only season in the NHL. He had 23 goals and 38 assists in 49 games for Pirati Chomutov of the Czech Extraliga last season before signing with HC Fribourg-Gotteron of Switzerland's National League A.
Team Czech Republic opens training camp for the World Cup on Monday at O2 Arena in Prague. The World Cup will run Sept. 17 to Oct. 1 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
Krejci had said Aug. 29 that he was looking forward to ramping up his workouts with the hope of being ready to play at the World Cup.
"If you asked me a long time ago, then yes," Krejci said of competing in the tournament. "But right now, I just want to get to 100 percent. And if I'll be ready, then that would be awesome. But if not, you have to do what you have to do to be 100 percent."
Krejci tied for second on the Bruins with 63 points in 72 games last season. Since 2008-09, he leads all Czech Republic-born NHL players with 445 points in 561 games.
TEAM CZECH REPUBLIC ROSTER
G Petr Mrazek, Detroit Red Wings
G Michal Neuvirth, Philadelphia Flyers
G Ondrej Pavelec, Winnipeg Jets
D Radko Gudas, Philadelphia Flyers
D Michal Jordan, UFA
D Michal Kempny, Chicago Blackhawks
D Zybnek Michalek, Arizona Coyotes
D Jakub Nakladal, Calgary Flames
D Roman Polak, Toronto Maple Leafs
D Andrej Sustr, Tampa Bay Lightning
F Roman Cervenka, Fribourg-Gotteron (Swiss NLA)\
F Radek Faksa, Dallas Stars
F Michael Frolik, Calgary Flames
F Martin Hanzal, Arizona Coyotes
F Ales Hemsky, Dallas Stars
F Tomas Hertl, San Jose Sharks
F Dmitrij Jaskin, St. Louis Blues
F Milan Michalek, Toronto Maple Leafs
F Ondrej Palat, Tampa Bay Lightning
F David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins
F Tomas Plekanec, Montreal Canadiens
F Vladimir Sobotka, Avangard Omsk (KHL)
F Jakub Voracek, Philadelphia Flyers
\ - named to roster today
