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Bruins Buzz: Will NHLPA Urge Krug Not To Take ‘Hometown Discount’ With Bruins?

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Torey Krug Boston Bruins

Will the NHLPA do their best to prevent Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug from taking the hometown discount he’s on record saying he is willing to take to sign an extension with the Boston Bruins? 

According to an NHL source who has been involved in other recent contract negotiations for players in similar situations to Krug’s, the PA prefers that players don’t state publicly that they’re willing to take less to stay with their current team and will likely do so with Krug – the Bruins alternate player rep – as he gets closer to hitting unrestricted free agency for the first time in his NHL career.

“There is no way the PA lets Krug do this given the current climate between the league and them,” the source said. “They know he’s likely guaranteed seven to eight years in the $50-$60 million range and they’re not letting any player pass that up. I’d also think that just given where Krug is in his career, there’s no way he’s taking less than seven years. I believe he’s sincere when he says he’d take less money but I just don’t see that happening because he will be one of the biggest fish on the market. The union wants him setting that market.” 

Note: An email to the NHLPA was not returned.

On September 5, Krug told the media that taking less is something he, his family and agent Wade Arnott had discussed at that point.

“Would I take less to stay in Boston?” Krug answered rhetorically during the first day of the NHL/NHLPA preseason media tour on Thursday. “It’s something that I’ve talked about with my family and my agent. It’s something I’m interested in. How much less — that’s a question that will be answered at a certain time. I think something that’s fair will be able to be worked out both ways. As long as they want me, I think something could be done, realistically. Everyone does it. How much they do, is kind of their own opinion and [dependent] on their own circumstances.”

Krug also noted at that time that he was surprised there had not been more discussion on an extension despite him letting the team know this and how much he wants to remain a Bruin. 

“Maybe a little surprised nothing has been talked about, but I realize that our team is in a different situation,” Krug said. “I understand that we have two guys that need to be signed and that can have big effects on our cap situation moving forward and our boss has to deal with that. Of course, I wish there was dialogue and I wish there was some sort of call or something like that, but it’s just nonexistent.”

A source close the negotiations with Krug and the Bruins confirmed to BHN Friday though, that after minimal discussions on a potential extension for the Bruins’ powerplay quarterback just after that, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney, Krug and Arnott agreed to put off talks until further notice so they wouldn’t become a distraction for Krug and his teammates. The common belief now is that both sides are focused on getting Krug and the Bruins back to the Stanley Cup Final and then see where negotiations go after that. 

The 28-year-old rearguard entered this season with three straight campaigns of 50 points or more and has five goals and 27 assists in 43 games this season and has missed eight games with an upper-body injury. Krug has 63 goals and 257 assists in 505 career regular season games and eleven goals and 35 assists in 62 playoff games.

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