Blues Insider Predicts Torey Krug Trade Coming

His name has been in the rumor mill for some time, but defenseman Torey Krug remains a St. Louis Blue. He has a full no-trade clause (invoked earlier this summer on a potential deal with the Philadelphia Flyers), and a hefty $6.5M cap hit for four more seasons which all make it awfully difficult to execute a trade.

But according to Blues beat writer Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic, there are three reasons that the Blues could still be super motivated to deal the 32-year-old left-shot D-man this season:

• After he put the kibosh on a potential trade already, it could be "a potentially awkward and distracting situation" in the Blues locker room with Krug, and it might behoove the team to move him any way they can. 

• After three years of nursing major injuries, and missing the entire 2022-23 season, 24-year-old left-shot blueliner Scott Perunovich is ready to contribute, and the Blues will want to find room for him. 

• The Blues' cap situation is tight. With less than $300K of cap space, St. Louis could be extra-motivated to move Krug and his $6.5M to give themselves some breathing room. 

But if they are to interest another team in taking him on, Krug will have to find his mojo. Last season, he posted a dreadful minus-26 along with his lowest assist total (25) since his rookie season. 

"If he remains healthy and can return to being the power-play QB that made him attractive to the Blues, I could see a deal happening before season’s end," concludes Rutherford.

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