Blues Receive Tough News On Torey Krug For 2024-25 Season

Tuesday, September 03, 2024

St. Louis Blues defenseman Torey Krug will miss the entire 2024-25 NHL season after opting for surgery to address pre-arthritic changes in his left ankle. 

This decision comes after Krug, 33, initially attempted to rehabilitate the injury through non-surgical means, but ultimately, surgery was deemed necessary to address the persistent issues. 

Krug, who is in the fourth year of a seven-year, $45.5 million contract with the Blues, faces an unknown future in both his playing career and his role with the team, following this news.

The Blues had been preparing for Krug's potential absence, as evidenced by their offseason moves. The team signed veteran defenseman Ryan Suter and acquired young defenseman Philip Broberg through an offer sheet from the Edmonton Oilers, bolstering their blue line depth. 

With Krug out, the Blues now have 10 defensemen on one-way NHL contracts, providing them with options but also raising questions about their defensive alignments and strategy moving forward.

Krug's absence also has significant salary cap implications for the Blues. 

With his $6.5 million cap hit included, the team currently sits $2.2 million under the NHL's $88 million cap ceiling for the upcoming season. 

Over his four seasons with St. Louis, the 33-year-old has recorded 22 goals, 146 total points, a -23 plus/minus rating, 208 hits, and 325 blocked shots across 255 games played.

The Blues have the option to place Krug on Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR), which would allow them to exceed the cap by his salary amount if needed. 

However, it remains uncertain whether they will utilize this cap flexibility or stick to their current financial strategy.

Photo Credit: rick osentoski-usa today sports



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