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Five NHL teams that need Torey Krug in 2020-21

September 25, 2020, 5:11 PM ET [2 Comments]
Kevin Allen
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When the NHL free agent signing period begins Oct. 9, defenseman Torey Krug is expected to be among the most coveted players. The Boston Bruins seem comfortable with reality that Krug, a smallish, effective puck mover, will play elsewhere.

Here are teams that I believe should take a run at signing Krug:


Washington Capitals:
Two years removed from winning the franchise’s first Stanley Cup, the Capitals need a spark. They seem a bit stale. Speedy Krug (9 goals, 40 assists in 61 games) seems like the kind of player who would fit well with the Capitals’ dynamic forward group. Krug is feisty and could add another layer of energy to the Caps lineup.

Detroit Red Wings: Krug grew up in the Detroit area and played collegiately at Michigan State. Krug was eight and nine, following the Red Wings. when Steve Yzerman was leading the Red Wings to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 1998 and 1999. Now Yzerman is the GM who could be trying to sign him. The Red Wings need defensive help. But they need help everywhere. That’s the problem if you are Krug. If he signs with Detroit, he will log a ton of minutes. However, this team might not be competitive for two more seasons.

Montreal Canadiens:
If the Habs signed Krug, they would have one of the NHL’s best defensive corps. They have the cap space, and Krug is a left-hand shot. Their top two defenseman Shea Weber and Jeff Petry are right-handed. The Canadiens just tied up Petry for four more years, and Krug had better numbers than Petry did this past season. Some might argue the money is better spent on forwards, but signing Krug would create a buzz in Montreal. And don’t you think Krug would enjoy being in the same division with his former team?

Vancouver Canucks:
GM Jim Benning has to be careful because shortly up the road he is going to have to offer lucrative deals to Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson. But it would be exciting to see Krug in Vancouver’s top four. It would be fun to see him jumping into a rush with Pettersson. This team needs one more high-grade defenseman. Maybe the dollars won’t work, but it is worth exploring.

Winnipeg Jets:
This is probably a longshot because of salary cap considerations, but this makes sense from a competitive standpoint. Krug could nicely complement the Jets’ forward group. Before they could think about this, they have to decide whether they will move Patrik Laine and whether there is any chance to land a Top Six center.
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