St. Louis Blues: Can Torey Krug regain his Boston Bruins form?

Unless some magical trade or buyout were to occur, Torey Krug is still set to be a member of the St. Louis Blues for the years to come.

Despite being the anticipated replacement for former team captain Alex Pietrangelo, Krug has faced many challenges while playing for the St. Louis Blues.

Krug has been with the Blues for four years, starting from the 2020-21 season.

His most successful season in terms of points was 2021-22 when he recorded 43 points, highlighted by his 34 assists.

Having joined St. Louis from Boston through free agency, he achieved over 43 points in five seasons playing for the Bruins.

Krug played well in Boston

At 33 years old, Krug may find it difficult to regain his prime years with the Boston Bruins. Nevertheless, this is what head coach Drew Bannister and GM Doug Armstrong are longing for.

During his time in Boston, Krug shined in the 2018-19 playoffs, finishing second in the league among post-season defensemen with 18 points, following former Blues Pietrangelo's 19.

As a member of the Bruins, Krug was defeated by the St. Louis Blues in the 2018-19 Stanley Cup Finals.

In the previous year, he ranked third overall in postseason stats for defensemen with 12 points.

Krug has talent and performed very well in his years in Boston.

Krug had skills before, can he get them back?

Whether it's the change of scenery coming to St. Louis, never buying into Craig Berube's coaching style, or not clicking with his teammates, Krug's numbers just haven't been consistent in St. Louis.

GM Doug Armstrong had his own fears. Last fall, Armstrong made an attempt to trade Krug, but the potential deal was stopped by Krug's no-trade clause.

With little cap room, the Blues roster will likely stay the same with a few more minor additions. All eyes are on Armstrong and the defensemen position. While fans probably want a replacement for Krug, what if Armstrong could find a partner to bring out the most potential from Krug?

Krug isn't a bad player; he's consistently ranked in the top-three defensemen for the Blues for the last four years. But he hasn't clicked and provided the numbers he did in Boston.

Could it be Father Time? It's anyone's guess. But Krug is not a washed up defenseman. More often than not, he leads all defensemen on the team.

Does his contract, valued at $45.5 million, match his worth? Responses will vary.

But he still has time to prove himself. The no-trade clause proves as much.