Blues Defenseman's NHL Career Likely Over

St. Louis Blues defenseman Torey Krug last played on April 10, 2024, helping his team earn a 5-2 home win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Unbeknownst to anyone at the time, that was likely his final time suiting up in the NHL.

At Tuesday's end-of-season press conference, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong shared that he doesn't expect Krug to play in the NHL again. He didn't completely rule out a return, but it seems pretty unlikely.

"I'm not expecting him to play again," Armstrong said, per NHL.com. "Now, he's hoping that I'm wrong, I'm hoping that I'm wrong and he's pushing, but the surgery that he had, it was very, very invasive."

Krug, 34, missed the entire 2024-25 season after undergoing left ankle surgery on Sept. 3. Weeks earlier on July 18, he was diagnosed with pre-arthritic changes in his left ankle, with the team saying he'd be reevaluated in six-eight weeks to explore nonsurgical remedies. The injury a result of a bone fracture he sustained earlier in his career with the Boston Bruins.

"I don't really think there's much uncertainty with Torey," Armstrong said. "I talked to him. He was at the rink the other day. He's just getting almost normal, day-to-day living with his leg, his ankle."

When speaking with reporters shortly after his surgery, Krug grew emotional over the possibility that he wouldn't suit up again.

"Thirty-three years old and when you miss a whole year of hockey, obviously those things cross your mind," Krug said at the time. "I don't want to look too far ahead, but those are things you definitely think about."

"I've always wanted to see my kids watch me play and see how hard I work. I don't think, regardless of what you're doing, they're going to see, even if it's away from the rink, how hard I work, being a parent, working on the house, doing stuff in the yard, they're going to see that. I just think it's in your DNA. It's tough, but the mental side of it's just going to be just as tough as the physical side."

Krug appeared in 778 games over 13 seasons (nine with Boston, four with St. Louis), recording 483 points (89 goals, 394 assists) in his career. He added 57 points (11 goals, 46 assists) in 82 playoff games, and appeared in two Stanley Cup Finals with the Bruins.