With a contract year on tap in 2019-20, Torey Krug knows what his worth is. But would Krug be willing to take less than he would get on the open market to stay in Boston? You know, the only city he’s known since making his NHL debut in 2011.
It sure sounds like it.
In an interview with Emily Kaplan of ESPN, Krug admitted it’s something he has thought about as a big season in his career approaches.
"Would I take less to stay in Boston? It's something that I've talked about with my family and my agent. It's something I'm interested in,” said Krug, who enters the final year of a four-year contract that pays him $5.25 million annually.
“How much less-- That's a question that will be answered at a certain time. I think something that's fair will be able to be worked out both ways. As long as they want me, I think something could be done, realistically. Everyone does it. How much they do it, is kind of their own opinion and [dependent] on their own circumstances."
Keeping Krug in Boston would be ideal for general manager Don Sweeney, but doing so won’t be easy.
With training camp a week away, fellow defensemen Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo remained unsigned as restricted free agents. And let’s not forget that promising youngsters in Jake DeBrusk and Matt Grzelcyk are both RFA's next summer, as well as Charlie Coyle who will be an unrestricted free agent.
"I love the situation I'm in. I'm pretty sure my teammates would love me to come back. My coach [Bruce Cassidy] I know for a fact loves the way I play,” Krug told Kaplan. “This last playoffs was big for me and my development and my growth. I feel like I'm just hitting my prime."
Krug takes a lot of heat in Boston for not being the most reliable defenseman from a defensive standpoint. But that’s not what makes Krug an attractive option to the Bruins, and quite frankly 30 other NHL teams.
Since the 2013-14 season, Krug’s first full season in the league, he’s 10th among active defensemen in points with 286, and fifth among active defensemen in power play points with 131.
Back in March I took a closer look into
Krug’s importance to the Bruins power play. Krug finished third this past season among defenseman with 30 power play points.
It sure sounds great hearing Krug is willing to take a hometown discount, but at what cost?
And can it come at a price the Bruins can afford?
I would guess Krug being able to bring in around $7.5 million annually on the open market. So would something like $6 million per season be something that not only Krug could live with, but the Bruins could afford?
Only time will tell.
Anders Bjork finally healthy heading into Prospects Challenge
We’ve already talked about Bjork’s situation as he recovers from a pair of shoulder surgeries and how
Bjork could be an important piece to the Bruins lineup.
Bjork will be joining some of the younger Bruins prospects this weekend in Buffalo for the 2019 Prospects Challenge.
Rather odd for a guy with 50 NHL games and 15 points on his resume. But with his age (23) and recovery from a shoulder injury that cut his season short eight months ago, this weekend’s challenge will be an important step for Bjork as he looks to make an impact on a Bruins roster that has some openings on it.
“For any player who goes through injuries or a string of injuries, you struggle with motivation a little bit. It’s a whole different lifestyle. You want to still be working at your job and improving as a hockey player,” Bjork said Thursday at Warrior Ice Arena. “You’ve got to find a different way to do that. I think that’s especially hard for a young guy. I haven’t really been injured before playing pro. I had to focus on my rehab and focus on the mental game.”
Entering Buffalo this weekend, Bjork is as healthy as he’s been in a long time and that’s a good thing for the Bruins as they look for some top-six help on their right wing.
As he did to open the 2017-18 season, Bjork could be that top-six right wing help.
"I was going into [last year's] camp unsure; I hadn't really been able to skate much before camp. They didn't want to rush me into stuff," said Bjork. "I think it's good mentally to be not feeling rushed or anything like that. I'm trying to be patient with it and keep working on improving my game and be the best player I can."
Pain of Game 7 not going away anytime soon
Throughout their run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last season, players like Brad Marchand, David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron often talked about how badly they wanted to win another Stanley Cup. It wasn’t to relive the joy they felt in 2011 when they were atop the NHL mountain. Instead, it was to avoid the pain felt in falling just short of their ultimate goal, just as they did in 2013.
“No, I’m not over it. I don’t think I ever will," said Krejci. “You come across some articles, or on TV, or a specific song on the radio (Gloria?). It’s kind of attached to that Stanley Cup Final and brings up all those memories. It happens all the time.”
“It’s just something that you have to learn to live with it,” added Krejci. “The only way out of it is to have a good season and make a push in the playoffs.”
The Captain’s Practice’s that took place on Wednesday did not provide the first opportunity for the entire Bruins roster to come together as one for the first time since that still fresh Game 7 memory, that will come next week when camp begins on the 12th.
When it does open and the rest of the Bruins roster rolls in, more questions about that loss and how they will put it past them will be asked.
So how exactly will they put it past them? How did they put it past them after 2013, a season that followed with the Bruins winning the Presidents’ Trophy before losing in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs to the Montreal Canadiens.
Maybe it’s as easy as turning to Marchand, Krejci, Bergeron and the few other current Bruins who were on the TD Garden ice when the Blackhawks captured the Stanley Cup in 2013.
“I’m sure we’ll talk about it internally. Kind of more about moving on and learning that lesson,” said forward Chris Wagner. “If you take it into this year, you’re going to think about it, you’re going to get sad and mad. You can’t let it affect the games coming up, because that’s over and we’ve got business to take care of.”
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