Report: Blues’ Torey Krug To Hang Up Skates Due To Injury
Blues’ Torey Krug Unlikely to Return to NHL Due to Ankle Injury
St. Louis Blues defenseman Torey Krug is not expected to resume his NHL career following ankle surgery last summer, general manager Doug Armstrong confirmed today.
Army says he’s not expecting Krug to play again. #stlblues
— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) May 6, 2025
The 34-year-old was diagnosed with pre-arthritis in his left ankle last offseason, leading to a mutual decision between Krug and the Blues to proceed with season-ending surgery. The injury traces back to a fractured ankle he suffered seven years ago during the 2018 playoffs while playing for the Boston Bruins—an injury that sidelined him for the remainder of that postseason and the start of the following season.
Without surgical intervention, Krug risked losing full mobility in his ankle due to the progressive nature of arthritis. Armstrong noted that Krug has only recently regained the ability to perform everyday activities, per Puck Report.
🚨 #StlBlues GM Doug Armstrong says he does not expect Torey Krug to play again due to injury. He is only just getting back to normal day to day living.
— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) May 6, 2025
A Stellar Career Cut Short
Krug’s career will effectively end four seasons into the seven-year, $45.5 million contract he signed with the Blues in 2020. He was brought in to fill the void left by captain Alex Pietrangelo, who departed for the Vegas Golden Knights that same offseason.
At the time, Krug was coming off a strong tenure in Boston, where he was a reliable top-four defenseman and a two-time Norris Trophy candidate. Prior to joining St. Louis, he had logged over 20 minutes per game for five consecutive seasons while consistently producing 40+ points each year.
Though Krug maintained solid offensive numbers with the Blues—averaging 40 assists and 47 points per 82 games—his defensive shortcomings became more pronounced in recent years. His combined -57 rating over the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons ranked among the worst in the league for defensemen, trailing only players like Cam Fowler and Mario Ferraro, who logged heavy minutes on struggling teams (Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks).
What’s Next for Krug and the Blues?
Krug will likely remain on long-term injured reserve for the remaining two years of his contract ($6.5 million cap hit) before officially retiring in 2027. The Blues could explore trading his LTIR-bound contract to a team looking for cap relief.
The Michigan native finishes his career with 89 goals and 483 points in 778 games, ranking 14th among NHL defensemen in scoring since his 2011-12 debut. Known for his playoff prowess, Krug tallied 12 points in 11 games during Boston’s 2018 postseason run and led the team with 16 assists in their 2019 Cup Final loss to St. Louis.
His 0.70 points-per-game playoff average matches Hall of Famers Nicklas Lidström and Chris Pronger.
Image - Bob DeChiara-Imagn
