Defenseman Torey Krug, one of many prime prizes on this 12 months’s NHL free agent class, has signed a seven-year contract value $ 45.5 million with the St. Louis Blues, the group mentioned on Friday night.
A blue-line staple for the Bruins, the 29-year-old 5-foot-9 pitcher has spent his total NHL profession at Boston, enjoying in 523 video games. As the ability play quarterback, he has 67 profession targets and 337 factors.
The Blues fought defensively at occasions final season after they defended the Stanley Cup. They bypassed the qualifying spherical within the Western Convention, however misplaced to the Vancouver Canucks within the first playoff spherical.
Doug Armstrong, normal supervisor of the Blues, mentioned in a media availability on Friday night time the group solely made three calls to potential gamers, together with Krug. The method then continued, with Krug having a chat with coach Craig Berube.
“We all know the participant; we all know what he can do within the energy recreation,” mentioned Armstrong. “He’ll match very properly.”
Krug and the Bruins misplaced within the 2019 Stanley Cup Closing to the Blues, a seven-game thriller in a sequence that ended with St. Louis’ first title.
“He is clearly not tall, however he is fats,” mentioned Armstrong. “And he performs above his dimension. However his pace is essential to us. He comes again and takes pucks again. He makes a superb first go out of the zone.”
Krug’s deal may finish the tenure of Blues captain and prime defender Alex Pietrangelo. Pietrangelo, additionally a free agent, has had conversations with St. Louis regularly however may in the end be directed to a unique vacation spot. Armstrong reiterated that the Blues have not closed the door on a potential new deal, nevertheless it looks as if an extended option to go.
“You by no means know what is going to occur sooner or later. We would must get very inventive,” he mentioned. “However Alex was an enormous a part of this franchise.
“What we have been attempting to do is break issues off as they got here. And that got here first.”
Krug, who performed collegially in Michigan, was a member of the NHL All-Rookie Staff in 2013-14. He is signed a four-year $ 21 million deal and mentioned – earlier than the free company started – that he wasn’t enthusiastic about a short-term deal.
Thanks very a lot, @ ToryKrug. pic.twitter.com/SakD6mZxOc
– Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 10, 2020
He wasn’t even planning St. Louis. In an interview posted on the group’s web site Friday night time, Krug truly admitted that the Blues’ curiosity was sudden.
“To be trustworthy, I did not see it coming,” he mentioned. “I knew – earlier than this complete course of began – that there can be a group that will come out of left discipline and are available and shock us, and once I bought the decision it appeared like a match had come about heaven.”
The Blues, historically one of many prime groups within the Western Convention, have certified for the postseason eight of the final 9 years and scored 90 factors within the common season seven years in a row.
“I could not go up the chance to win 12 months after 12 months,” mentioned Krug. [and with] A core that’s related in outdated age to me as we speak. “
The Bruins, who have been quiet for many of the day, signed protection lawyer Kevan Miller on a one-year contract with a wage of $ 1.25 million. The media availability of Don Sweeney, Boston normal supervisor, was canceled Friday afternoon, however he’s scheduled to talk on Saturday afternoon.
