Torey Krug has signed a multi-year deal with the St. Louis Blues. The deal is worth $6.5 million per season over seven years and officially removes the Blues out of any future conversations with Alex Pietrangelo and brings in one of the most talented offensive-defensemen in the NHL.
This is a huge change of direction for the Blues and Krug will start his next chapter attempting to fill the void left by the departing team captain. Some are suggesting the Bruins may try to get in on the Pietrangelo sweepstakes. They wanted to get bigger & better on the back end, and he’s the impact guy available. Elliotte Friedman is reporting:
BOS GM Don Sweeney delayed his media availability today. We will see what’s up, because Bruins did not make an offer to Krug and indicated that it’s previous offer (6x$6.6) was no longer on the table. Bruins must have something else going on.
After making one final failed pitch in the last week before free agency and after rumors the Bruins tried to trade his rights before free agency opened, Torey Krug’s exit out of Boston is complete and the Bruins were unable to acquire an asset in return.
On Friday, Krug was set to test free agency and capitalize on years of being one of the Bruins top offensive defensemen. He’d said in previous interviews he’d earned the right to a long-term deal and wasn’t willing to sign a short-term one simply because a pandemic had placed a damper on the finances of the Bruins. In not so many words, it was either put up or shut up and their final offer simply wasn’t high enough.
TSN’s Frank Seravalli wrote on Thursday evening:
Sounds like the #NHLBruins have held firm on their 6 x $6.5 million offer to pending UFA D Torey Krug. He’s expected to hit the market tomorrow, but the Bruins have left the door open for them to reconnect once Krug sees what’s out there.
The Blues Were Never in the Conversation
As the market opened, the Detroit Red Wings were heavily rumored as a team with interest in the defenseman. Many believed they were targeting him in hopes he’d look past their status as a rebuilding team and choose to grow with the club as their blueliner the organization would build around.
Clearly, Krug wasn’t interested in going that direction with his career.
For the Blues, talks with Pietrangelo Thursday and Friday must have fallen apart and the team decided to move on. The next-best option on the market was Krug and the Blues landed him in a stunning move.
Krug Was A Going to Get Paid
Regardless of where he went, it was evident Krug was looking to make good on free agency and was interested in signing a deal that would set him up financially.
The world will now wait to see what happens with Pietrangelo. The expectation is that the Vegas Golden Knights are now the immediate favorites to land the Norris Trophy candidate.
Next: Everything You Really Need to Know Heading Into Start of NHL Free Agency 2020
