The latest from Fluto Shinzawa of the Athletic (sign up here) has him pontificating upon the future of the Bruins defense. Personally, I think it should stay right the F where it is. It looks outstanding when healthy and why mess with that? Krug is pretty essential to the Bruins breakout too when he’s on the ice but Shinzawa believes they’ll be looking for a different look on the left side.
The question the Bruins need to answer is whether Krug’s offensive touch is worth the defensive compromise. It would be one thing if the Bruins had a thicker defender behind the 5-foot-9 Krug. They do not.
So I’m assuming that Shinzawa has Chara at 1LD, Krug at 2LD, and Grzelcyk at 3LD. I can definitely see his point here. I imagine it would be nice for Boston to have a bigger bodied LHD behind Krug or Chara like Nick Holden (6’4″ 210lbs) or Chris Breen (6’7″ 224lbs).
Is it just me or is something not adding up here. Are the Bruins looking to move Krug’s contract? He makes $5.25M for the next two seasons before turning UFA at the age of 29. He’s got a partial no-trade in the final two years of that deal.
But here is where the Oilers come in,
Edmonton had the NHL’s worst power play this season (14.8 percent). GM Peter Chiarelli signed Krug in 2012. Edmonton has 24-year-old Oscar Klefbom (6-foot-3, 215 pounds) and 23-year-old Darnell Nurse (6-foot-4, 221 pounds) on the left side. A one-for-one deal is unlikely for either, given the Edmonton defenders’ age and promise. Sweeney would have to package Krug with additional assets.
Fluto Shinzawa is right, Boston would have to send more than just Krug to make a deal happen for Klefbom or Nurse but he isn’t the only member of the Bruins media to toss Torey Krug’s name out there. Jimmy Murphy has as well.
Hearing from another NHL source again today that #NHLBruins and #Oilers have discussed D Torey Krug but B's not interested in moving him now. Also two NHL sources now have told me D Oscar Klefbom has been discussed in these discussions and w/other NHL clubs.
— Jimmy Murphy (@MurphysLaw74) February 12, 2018
That is back in February and I wrote about it here.
Geez, all we need is Joe Haggerty to say something and we’d have a well-fueled rumor out of Boston!
With the way things are sounding with regards to the coaching staff, the rumored additions of Glen Gulutzan and Trent Yawney will directly affect the penalty kill. That leads me to believe that McLellan and whomever they hire as the no.3 assistant coach (Manny Viveiros?) will be running the power play. And with those corrections, I think both will bounce back.
I don’t see a good fit for Edmonton and Boston as trade partners unless Chiarelli can find a way to send Klefbom and a dodgy contract to the Bruins in return for Brad Marchand.
Unlikely. But not impossible. I’ve thought a bit about Boston shipping Marchand out for his playoff antics and I’ve also considered Darnell Nurse not to be as untouchable as people make him out to be…
Edmonton just needs to sit back, relax and let the team do the work. Don’t force it through via trade or massive overpayment in the free agent market. Learn from past mistakes and let’s allow the players to dig themselves out of this hole. There’s no reason that a team that believes in itself can’t do the improbable, right (Vegas)?
Oh and don’t even think about moving the #10 overall. There’s going to be a player available there that the Oilers will regret taking if they trade out of that spot because it sounds like there are some prospects making some very late season pushes into the top 10 that might push a player down to where the Oilers are picking.
A NEW KICK ASS OILERS PODCAST
My friend SPR has started a new podcast called “Late Night with the Oil Knight” and he’s having it hosted by Oilers Live. You HAVE to check this out. It’s no holds barred Oilers podcasting and it’s amazing! It’s foul and honest and it cuts right to the bone of what is the Oilogosphere. It’s a very refreshing voice for this generation of Oilers followers.
in SPR’s inaugural pod, he and fellow Beer League Heroes contributor The Dirtbag get into it regarding the Oilers media, the coaching, the draft, and much much more! Check it out below!
A couple of quotes to set the stage for you:
“Who the fuck are your smart people?” and “I went on Lowetide’s blog and thought, what the fuck is happening here?”
Enjoy!
