Boston Bruins: It’s time to move on from Torey Krug
By Paul Doran
What could the B’s get in return?
There has been plenty of speculation when it comes to a Krug landing spot. The Carolina Hurricanes, who will be partaking in a fire sale for the ages this offseason, have two very intriguing defensemen in Noah Hanifin and Jaccob Slavin. They both fill the Boston Bruins needs in a left-shot, two-way defenseman. The asking price for fellow ‘Cane Jeff Skinner is “a first round pick and a prospect,” according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.
Due to his pedigree, and contract situation, the cost for Hanifin should be considerably higher than Skinner. Slavin’s value, however, is considerably lower. He would have the same cap hit as Krug, but with seven more years on the deal.
The Edmonton Oilers have Oscar Klefbom on their roster – yet another candidate who fills the need. Klefbom has a little more offensive upside to his game than the other two, but he’s an Oiler. And while he may not have the job for much longer, Peter Chiarelli is still their GM. This could make prying Klefbom out of Edmonton more difficult. Considering the capital the Bruins would have to part with, Slavin makes the most sense of the three.
These teams both fell in the bottom ten in Power Play percentage and could use a player like Krug. However, his contract has a No-Trade clause, giving him the right to deny a trade to eight teams. Considering the teams’ positioning moving forward, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Krug deny a trade to either team. If that’s the case, the Bruins have to maximize Krug’s value elsewhere, extracting picks and prospects to complete the trade. It’s an extra step, but whatever works.
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Torey Krug served a great purpose with the Boston Bruins in his time here. But that time is over. The best thing they can do to honor his memory is to trade him for the best package.