ST.
LOUIS – Defenseman Torey Krug’s career in the NHL is likely over.
The
34-year-old missed the entire 2024-25 season for the St. Louis Blues
after having left ankle surgery.
The
Blues announced on July 16, 2024 that the defenseman was diagnosed
with pre-arthritic changes in his left ankle and would be
re-evaluated in 6-8 weeks once Krug worked to rehabilitate the injury
through non-surgical interventions over that time. But it was evident
he needed a major procedure done and it was immediately known then
that his career would be in jeopardy.
The
injury is a cumulative result of a bone fracture suffered earlier in
his career with the Boston Bruins.
“I
don’t really think there’s much uncertainty with Torey,”
Armstrong said at
Tuesday’s end-of-season media availability.
“I talked to him. He was at the rink the other day; he’s just
getting almost normal, day-to-day living with his leg, his ankle.
I’m
not expecting him to play again. Now, he’s hoping that I’m wrong, I’m
hoping that I’m wrong and he’s pushing, but the surgery that he had,
it was very, very invasive.”
Krug
spoke on Sept. 4 prior to training camp and was emotional about the
potential of his career being over.
“Thirty-three
years old and when you miss a whole year of hockey, obviously those
things cross your mind,” Krug said at the time. “I don’t
want to look too far ahead, but those are things you definitely think
about.
“I’ve
always wanted to see my kids watch me play and see how hard I work. I
don’t think regardless of what you’re doing, they’re going to see,
even if it’s away from the rink, how hard I work, being a parent,
working on the house, doing stuff in the yard, they’re going to see
that. I just think it’s in your DNA. It’s tough but the mental side
of it’s just going to be just as tough as the physical side.”
Krug
has played 13 seasons in the NHL, the first nine with the Boston
Bruins before he signed a seven-year, $45.5 million contract ($6.5
million average annual value) with
the Blues on Oct. 9, 2020. He played 778 regular-season games and has
483 points (89 goals, 394 assists) and played in two Stanley Cup
Final series with the Bruins, losing to the Chicago Blackhawks in six
games in 2013 and losing to the Blues in seven games in 2019.
“You
want to win a Stanley Cup and I’ve had a chance to compete for … I
went to two finals and you make the playoffs so many times and you
understand what comes with the job, all the injuries,” Krug
said. “There’s other things that obviously come into play that I
can make a living for a family and set up your kids. You don’t want
to trade that. A lot of great memories for sure.”
Krug still has two years remaining on his contract but will need to remain on long-term injured reserve for the Blues to have his $6.5 million cap hit to spend at their disposal.
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