Report: Bruins offer defenseman Torey Krug six-year, $39M deal
The Boston Bruins have gotten tremendous value out of undrafted defenseman Torey Krug, but now the two sides don't appear to be on the same page in contract discussions.
General manager Don Sweeney's latest offer to Krug is for six years at $6.5 million annually, adding up to $39 million in that span, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.
The valuation would pay Krug $1.25 million more per season than what he's earning now, but the 29-year-old seems to be looking for more money. Seravalli reported that the Bruins are exploring the idea of trading Krug's negotiating rights, which would at least give Boston something in return for the native of Michigan.
With just under $14.5 million in cap space this offseason, the Bruins probably aren't interested in making Krug their highest-paid player. Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak, the club's best players, all are under contract for under $7 million per season.
Boston also needs room to sign a number of unrestricted free agents, including Zdeno Chara, who likely will sign on for his 15th season with the club. The B's also want to bolster their depth up front and add a proven scorer. The team has recently been linked to Taylor Hall and won't be able to retain both Krug and sign Hall.
With choices that need to be made, it appears that Krug will enter the free-agent market. He's the league's sixth highest-scoring defenseman since the start of the 2016 season with 212 points in 282 games played. He'll be among the league's most sought-after defensemen, with Alex Pietrangelo likely to obtain the most interest.
More must-reads: