Sweeney Not Ready To Say Krug Done With Bruins

With free agency beginning this Friday, it’s become almost a fait accompli that unrestricted free-agent-to-be Torey Krug has played his last game as a Boston Bruin but Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney isn’t ready to rule anything out when it comes to the Bruins leading scorer on the blue line for the last six seasons. 

“We’d consider anything at this point in time, including the fact that several free agents have gone and tested the market and come back to the same place that they were at, and it’s something we would also consider,” Sweeney said Monday in a Zoom conference call with the media.

Sweeney once again heaped praise upon Torey Krug who finished the 2019-20 regular season with nine goals and 40 assists. The Bruins GM made it clear that he holds no ill will towards Krug for making it clear that he won’t accept a one-year or bridge year deal. 

“There’s no way in hell you’re going to change my opinion of what I think Torey has the right to do and I believe that,” Sweeney said. “So, he’s put himself in a great position either with us or with other teams that have interest in him. There’s no animosity whatsoever in this situation with this player. Every team has sticky deals and trying to thread the needle so to speak in this day and age with the salary cap and competitive environment that we’re all in and trying to win. Those things collide.”

A report from Frank Seravalli of TSN last week claimed that Sweeney offered Torey Krug a six-year contract that would carry an annual salary cap hit of $6.5 million. There has been no official word that Krug turned it down but it appears he has and will hit the open market on Friday. 

As reported here on September 14, teams have been calling Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney to inquire about acquiring the exclusive rights to negotiate with Krug since the Bruins were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs on August 31.

“I’ll listen to any situation that might improve our hockey club and move forward from there if it plays out that way,” Sweeney said when asked if he would trade Krug’s rights for a draft pick.

The Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, and Vegas Golden Knights are all reportedly interested in the 29-year-old Krug.