The Boston Bruins locked up one of their key free agents, defenseman Torey Krug, to a four-year contract worth $5.25 million per season Thursday.
This is a fair deal for both sides. It also buys two years of unrestricted free agency for Krug.
Krug, who finished second among Bruins defensemen with 21:36 of ice time per game, is an important part of Boston’s blue line now and going forward. He has the skill and speed needed to be successful in today’s NHL, and it’s also a skill set that’s lacking throughout the Bruins’ defensive corps, which currently also includes just Zdeno Chara, Adam McQuaid and Kevan Miller under contract for next season.
Krug actually rates pretty highly offensively. He led all B’s defensemen with 44 points (four goals, 40 assists) last season despite having some bad luck when it comes to shooting. He ranked ninth among all defensemen in assists.
It’s pretty unlikely he’ll shoot less than 2 percent at 5-on-5 again, and when that number rises, look out.
Krug also is a force on the power play. As the quarterback on the first unit, Krug led Bruins defensemen with 19 power-play points (one goal, 18 assists) last season. His hard shot and very good play-making ability allows him to create scoring chances with the man advantage. Boston finished seventh last season with a 20.5 percent success rate on the power play, a nice improvement from the previous campaign.
The chart below shows Krug produces goals, primary assists and primary points at even strength on a per 60 minutes basis at a first-pairing level.
Krug’s puck possession stats are good, too, but context is important. He started 55 percent of his 5-on-5 shifts in the offensive zone last season, and he faced the sixth-toughest competition (based on Corsi Rel QoC) of the nine Boston defensemen who played in 30 or more games.
It’s easier to drive possession when you are starting in the opponents’ end of the ice more often than not. That said, Krug has played against better players in each of the last three seasons, as he has earned more and more trust from Bruins coach Claude Julien.
| Year | Corsi Rel QoC | Off. Zone Start % |
| 2013-14 | -0.988 | 66.2 |
| 2014-15 | -0.204 | 60.3 |
| 2015-16 | 0.307 | 55.1 |
Krug’s goal when signing a one-year deal in March 2015 was to prove himself as a top-four defenseman, and he’s likely to play on the second pairing in 2016-17. He still needs to work on his defensive play, but he already has made strides in that area, to his credit. Improvement will come with more minutes against better competition and tougher zone starts.
Krug still is just 25 years old, and his best days definitely are ahead of him. Signing him at a fair price without a long term was a good first step for the Bruins as they head into an important free agency and trade period.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
