Oh, to be a fly on the wall the first day the St. Louis Blues gathered for training camp to prepare for the 2020-21 season. “Hello, Robert Thomas,” said Torey Krug to one of his new teammates. “I am Torey Krug. You will remember me as the getaway Kamikaze freight train that chased you in the finals a few years ago and knocked you down next week. Or maybe you don’t remember it.”
Knowing what the hockey player looks like, the two probably have already texted and said it wasn’t hard. And knowing the hockey players, they will probably be your best friends. That’s because after Krug signed a 7-year contract worth $45.5 million with the Blues, they’ll be bonding for a long time.
One person Krug doesn’t need to introduce himself to is Alex Pietrangelo. Essentially because he’s a substitute for the blues. There are game elements that Krug could never give to the blues Pietrangelo did, but he should at least be able to provide enough offensive power. Krug made his career with power play that included ridiculous talent, but it was also part of that stupid talent. The blues will be fine in power play with Krug playing quarterback.
What you can’t get from Krug is that Krug will do its best, but the worker you get from Pietrangelo. But thanks for the realization that Blues GM Doug Armstrong can’t wait any longer to decide whether Pietrangelo will return to the Blues and sign a definite deal in Krug.
Now, money and terms. Whenever Krug talks about the possibility of an unlimited free agent, he never kept his desire to monetize a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity a secret. There were talks that he left Boston Bruins for a full contract worth $7 million or $8 million, but in the end he didn’t get more per season than the previous team offered. (It is believed that Bruins gave him the same money for six years.)
After all, it’s pretty clear that Torey Krug is a victim of the economic realities facing the NHL. Under normal circumstances, Krug probably received $8 million a year. But it’s in an environment where you can trust the salary cap and make a profit. Neither is likely to be in the near future. No one knows what will be next year, but this season, revenues have declined due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and depending on how the second wave of disease is managed and the vaccine can be mass-approved, it could be cratering for the next season. Distribution.
So Crew would have been able to earn $6.5 million per season on a 7-year contract. He’s got something for sure from the Blues, a team that promises to be a legitimate playoff contender with the Stanley Cup window still wide open. At 5 feet 9 feet and 186 pounds, he doesn’t give the blues a lot of size at the blue line, but he does a lot of attack and growl. He will miss it in Boston because of his play on the ice and his presence in the room.
Explorer. Communicator. Introvert. Typical problem solver. Devoted writer. Unapologetic coffee advocate.
