Torey Krug is entering the final year of his contract with the Boston Bruins, which begs the question: Would general manager Don Sweeney consider trading the veteran defenseman this offseason?
Sweeney was asked about this Monday during a press conference alongside Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy, and it sounds like the organization is banking on Krug returning for the 2019-20 season as Boston attempts to bounce back from its crushing loss to the St. Louis Blues in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.
“If somebody blew us away, every player has to be looked at in that way,” Sweeney told reporters. “When you’re an organization, you just have to, you’re doing a disservice if you don’t. But it would take a pretty unique opportunity for us to part with Torey. We think he’s a big part of the fabric of our group. He’s kind of that next wave of leadership that we talk about.”
Krug is coming off his eighth season with the Bruins. He signed a four-year, $21 million deal before the 2016-17 season but figures to earn a raise with his next contract, as the 28-year-old has been a key contributor along Boston’s blue line, particularly on the power play.
The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa speculated in April that Krug could command a contract similar to those signed by Ryan Ellis (eight years, $50 million) and Keith Yandle (seven years, $44.45 million) in recent years. That was before Boston’s playoff run, during which Krug strengthened his case to land a nice payday.
The Bruins could trade Krug in the coming months out of fear he’ll leave in free agency next offseason without Boston receiving any compensation. But that would be a tough sell without a sizable return, as the Bruins are expected to be Stanley Cup contenders again and Krug, as Sweeney mentioned, has emerged in recent years as another leader in Boston’s veteran-laden locker room.
