All stats courtesy of hockeyreference.com.
My next player profile is on defenseman Torey Krug! Krug appeared in 64 games for the Bruins last season, in which he produced six goals and 47 assists. He then played in all 24 of the team’s playoff games on their run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, through which he tallied two goals and 16 assists. Signed by the Bruins as an undrafted free agent following his junior season at Michigan State University in 2011-12, Krug has appeared in 462 career NHL games, over which he has recorded 58 goals and 230 assists. The 28-year-old defenseman has only played for the Bruins organization over his slightly over seven season NHL and professional career.
Krug somehow gets a lot of hate from Bruins fans and calls for him to be traded because, according to some people, he sucks, yet that’s far from the truth. He is the team’s top offensive defenseman, and he has significantly improved his play in his own zone. Given the type of defenseman he is, he’s bound to be caught out of position occasionally and, like all players, he makes mistakes sometimes even when he’s in position, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a great player. He was on pace to produce 68 points last season if he had played in all 82 games, and he really stepped up his game in the playoffs. You don’t get that kind of production just anywhere. Krug moves the puck very well and is one of the top power-play quarterbacks in the game, and although he is undersized, he doesn’t shy away from physicality and he’s not afraid to block shots. He’s also a terrific skater and passer, and he has a phenomenal (and underrated) shot. Despite what some who don’t seem to understand how the contract market works in the NHL, his contract is also a steal, at just a $5.25 million cap hit for this upcoming season. However, his contract is up after this season and he’s due for a major pay raise, but the Bruins absolutely need to find a way to keep him. He’s a huge part of the team and he’s become a leader in the room, and trading him or, even worse, letting him walk at the end of the season for nothing, would leave a bigger hole than could be realistically filled, and certainly not for less money. For those who argue Charlie McAvoy can put up the same offensive numbers while being better defensively, he hasn’t shown he’s able to put up that kind of production yet and while he will likely be able to produce at a similar rate eventually, why not have them both?
As for what we can expect out of Krug next season, hopefully, we see the same player we did in the playoffs, and I think we will. He was good in the regular season, but he really stepped up in the playoffs and was more physical and defensively responsible while still providing the kind of offensive production that’s expected from him. But, even if we see the same player we did in the regular season, there won’t be a problem. It’s realistic to say that he could put up 70 points next season if he plays in a full season or at least close to it, as he produced at almost that rate last season and his rate of production has increased every year he’s been a pro. Off the ice, he’ll continue to grow into more of a leadership role on the team and be really well-liked in the room, and hopefully, for the sake of the fans, he and Brad Marchand take to hilariously chirping each other on social media again. The Bruins need to find a way to extend Krug long-term beyond this season, and hopefully, they can do so at some point during or shortly after the season, as losing him would cause the team to regress significantly because they won’t replace him easily or for less. But, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens over the course of the upcoming season.
Hockey Addict 