Torey Krug is happy the players got what they got out of the new CBA. He says it’s a good deal. Despite the fact that the players will have many years of hockey with labour peace, it’s not all good news when it comes to Krug and his personal situation.
One of the most talented Bruins defensemen, Krug now knows this new CBA means his time in Boston is probably limited. The new deal brought with it confirmation of a new salary cap and at just the wrong time for him to potentially hit a home run like many of his peers had done in summers prior. As the cap continued to rise, player salaries went up.
That is, until a pandemic hit, the NHL went on pause, revenues dropped and the trend in rising salaries came to a potential screeching halt.
Krug is well aware that this new flat salary cap could mean the Bruins don’t have the space to keep him. Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic (subscription required) talked with the offensive-defenseman and asked if he knows what that means for his future. Krug said:
I don’t really know what’s going to happen. I’m just trying to take it day by day and worry about the playoffs right now. I’ll have to probably prepare for free agency. Then we’ll see what happens there. In terms of what’s going on with the Bruins and everything else, that’s probably a question for someone else.”
It’s A Worrying Time To Be a UFA
Krug did mention that while he’s focused on the Bruins playoff chances and getting back to work with the NHL’s return-to-play in full swing, he did note that he often thinks about his status as a pending free agent.
Sure, the money and a lower cap are a concern. Perhaps a bigger issue is that, like other UFA’s, he’s had 3-4 months off. That amount of rest isn’t helpful when you consider how quickly players will have to jump right back into playoff-intense hockey. It ups his chances of an injury that could affect his getting signed.
“Being a free agent that goes into this situation, it’s definitely risky. I’d be lying if I said it’s not,” Krug said.
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TheNostredummass
July 15, 2020 at 11:25 am
Remember 2011? The Bruins did a rather unlikely thing in winning the Cup with the worst PP in the league. Now Krug has built up his game substantially since he, Spooner, then Pastrnak helped to build the B’s PP into arguably the best unit in the league. But Krug still remains on of the most gifted PP “quarterbacks” in the NHL.
Prepare, if the Bruins fail to re-sign Krug, for the team to fall from elite to mediocre on the PowerPlay, and everything that implies for their success moving forward. I’ve been a tireless defender of Torey Krug over the years. And while I wish “loyalty to the fanbase would be more of a calculation, I get trying to do the best by your family and your talent, by not underselling yourself and playing for less than you can command. Good luck Torey. Keep your head up.
NHL Trade Talk
July 15, 2020 at 12:48 pm
Where do you think he’ll wind up?