Latest news with #ToreyKrug
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
NHL trade rumor: Buzz heat up as Edmonton Oilers explore potential deal for Torey Krug, ask about no-move clause
NHL-Torey Krug of the St. Louis Blues (Credit: Getty Images) The Edmonton Oilers are making waves early in the NHL offseason as they look to tweak their defensive core. According to Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman, the Oilers reached out regarding veteran defenseman Torey Krug. Specifically, they inquired whether Krug would be open to waiving his no-move clause; a key step if a trade is to be considered. Darnell Nurse Nixes Trade?! | Edmonton Oilers News & Discussion Torey Krug's future with St. Louis Blues unclear Torey Krug has been a core figure in the St. Louis Blues lineup since leaving the Boston Bruins as a free agent. Yet his future with the team has been surrounded by uncertainty since last year when he reportedly declined a trade to the Philadelphia Flyers. The clause in his contract has given him control over potential moves, and that power remains a factor now. St. Louis, meanwhile, has a surplus of defensemen and could look to offload salary to restructure their cap situation. A move involving Krug, if agreed upon, could offer space for younger players to step in or enable other trade possibilities. For now, the Blues have made no indication of a formal move, but the timing of this inquiry adds fuel to ongoing speculation. Edmonton Oilers looking at veteran help on defense The Oilers' inquiry signals a desire to reinforce experience and leadership on the back end. Coming off a season where they pushed into the late playoff rounds, Edmonton is clearly aiming to make calculated adjustments rather than major overhauls. Krug's offensive instincts, especially as a power-play quarterback, align with the Oilers' fast-paced and aggressive system. If the Blues are open to trade talks and Krug agrees to waive his clause, Edmonton might have the chance to land one of the most dynamic defensemen still capable of shifting momentum on the ice. Elliotte Friedman's report connects the Edmonton Oilers to Torey Krug in what could become one of the summer's biggest trade stories. With St. Louis Blues possibly reshaping their roster and Edmonton needing experienced defense, all eyes now turn to whether Krug will consider waiving his no-move clause and changing teams this offseason. Also Read: Johnny Gaudreau's wife, Meredith Gaudreau Meredith Gaudreau hosts a river cruise bachelorette for Odette Frye Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
New York Times
26-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
With Jordan Kyrou's no-trade clause kicking in July 1, Blues trade ‘rumors' pick up
ST. LOUIS — Not long after Jordan Kyrou signed an eight-year, $65 million contract with the St. Louis Blues in 2022, some fans began putting odds on whether he'd be dealt before his full no-trade clause went into effect July 1, 2025. That date is less than a week away, and it might present a deadline for a decision on whether to move Kyrou before the protection and power transfer to him. Advertisement Remember, the Blues tried to trade defenseman Torey Krug to the Philadelphia Flyers in 2023, but the deal fell through when he invoked his no-trade clause. Then in March, there was an apparent attempt to move captain Brayden Schenn, who also has a no-trade clause, at the trade deadline. He responded to reporters, 'I feel like I couldn't go out there and quit on my teammates.' So the Blues know firsthand what it's like to have a deal rejected because of an NTC. Earlier this week, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong was speaking in general terms — not about Kyrou's situation specifically — about how much he analyzes a player's role and future with the team when deciding whether to trade him before his no-trade clause kicks in. 'Dates come and go in our business,' Armstrong said. 'You don't really focus on it. It is what it is.' That could be true, but it could also be a front while the Blues continue to have conversations around the NHL about the possibility. Wednesday, Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli listed Kyrou as the No. 2 player on his trade target board. A league source said any speculation about the Blues winger being dealt were 'rumors.' That likely won't quiet the speculation, however, as the final days before he receives the NTC unfold. From the Blues' perspective, would it make sense? There are reasons it might, and others it might not. First, the Blues need help at center, and they have a good stock of wingers, so though he has led the team in goals the past three seasons, perhaps he's expendable. With Jimmy Snuggerud showing scoring potential, Pavel Buchnevich beginning a new six-year contract, Dylan Holloway returning to full health, and Jake Neighbours and Zack Bolduc potentially filling top-six roles, there is some depth. None of those players has come close to putting up the offensive totals Kyrou has in his career, but if he's the best trade chip and yields a much-needed center or a young right-shot defenseman, it's something to consider. Advertisement Secondly, the Blues will be changing general managers after the 2025-26 season, with Alexander Steen taking over for Armstrong. Armstrong will still be heavily involved as president of hockey operations after stepping down as GM, but every move the organization has made since last year's announcement comes with the question, 'What is Steen's preference?' Does the gritty former Blues forward turned front-office executive envision Kyrou as part of the future, and, if not, do they trade him before he gets the NTC? Conversely, though, Kyrou has proved to be a consistent offensive performer with a team-leading 150 goals since the 2018-19 season. He also improved his all-around game last season, finishing with a team-best plus-23 rating. Indeed, Kyrou might be capable of scoring 40-plus goals in the league and hasn't done that yet, but for all of the depth and up-and-coming talent the Blues have in their forward group, only Buchnevich has posted 30 goals in the league, and it happened just once (2021-22). Furthermore, Kyrou's $8.125 million AAV is fairly team-friendly, and it's only going to look more attractive with six years left on the deal and the NHL salary cap expected to jump to $113 million in three years. Kyrou's 36 goals this season were tied for No. 16 in the league, and of the 15 other players, only four had a higher AAV than the Blues winger: the Buffalo Sabres' Tage Thompson ($7.1 million), the Winnipeg Jets' Kyle Connor ($7.1 million), the Detroit Red Wings' Alex DeBrincat ($7.9 million) and the Montreal Canadiens' Cole Caufield ($7.9 million). Kyrou's projected market value for the upcoming 2025-26 season is $8.6 million and projects to peak at $9.1 million in 2028-29, with a salary cap that could reach $119 million that season. The Athletic, meanwhile, checked a total of 146 player comps to Kyrou and ranked eight. This is an estimation of Kyrou's current talent — a good, but not elite, first-line forward with 65-point ability — and his likely trajectory. According to The Athletic's Dom Luszczyszyn, 'Kyrou is expected to be a first-line-caliber player throughout the rest of his contract, where he should provide solid value over his cap hit. His trajectory is based on the paths of similar players like Bobby Ryan and Mike Hoffman at the same age. Based on his comps, Kyrou does have some low-level star upside he can still hit, but this is also an age where a drop-off to second-line caliber is possible. Anything less, though, is unlikely during his prime.' Here's the list of top comps, including Ryan, Hoffman, Jakob Silfverberg, Elias Lindholm, Reilly Smith, Patric Hornqvist, Matt Moulson and Stephen Weiss. The question becomes, if the Blues did consider trading Kyrou, what could they expect in return? The top players on The Athletic's latest trade board are Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson and Buffalo defenseman Bowen Byram, but Andersson is 28, which is outside of Armstrong's targeted age group, and Byram, though 24, is a left-shot defenseman, and the Blues would probably prefer a right shot. Advertisement There might not be a player on the trade board the Blues would consider dealing Kyrou straight-up for until No. 19: New York Islanders right-shot defenseman Noah Dobson. He's a 25-year-old restricted free agent who is coming off a three-year, $12 million contract and due a sizable raise. However, Dobson might not be available, and again, if the Blues acquire a defenseman in a trade for Kyrou, are they able to replace his offense? The bottom line: Armstrong isn't going to make a deal before July 1 just to make a deal. If it doesn't help the club's chances of competing now and in the future, then the GM has shown in the past he's not going to be forced into a move — remember Vladimir Tarasenko? — because of what might seem like a deadline or pressure on him. He's also shown in the past that just because a player has a no-trade clause — remember Brandon Saad? — it's not going to prevent him from trying to move him off the roster. Obviously, the circumstances involving Tarasenko and Saad are much different from those of Kyrou, who wants to be in St. Louis, has a long-term contract and has produced more than any other player on the roster recently. But with speculation stemming back three years about the possibility of a move before the NTC kicked in, it's not a surprise his name is surfacing just before that happens.
New York Times
19-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How the Blues can pull off a perfect offseason, in 5 steps
ST. LOUIS — With the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday, it's time for the St. Louis Blues to become more than spectators. The NHL Draft is just more than a week away (June 27 and 28), and free agency and development camp will be the following week. The Blues have the No. 19 pick in the first round, and when I was asked by The Athletic recently to project who the club might pick, I chose University of Wisconsin right-shot defenseman Logan Hensler. Advertisement As far as free agency, the Blues have approximately $5.5 million in salary-cap space for the 2025-26 season, according to PuckPedia, but that number will grow when they place injured defenseman Torey Krug on long-term injured reserve (LTIR). And if we're talking trades, few can predict what general manager Doug Armstrong will have up his sleeve this summer. But that's what makes it fun: imagining the scenarios. Let's start by laying out what a perfect Blues offseason looks like — but before you get too excited, just know that the nightmare version is coming Friday. Wanting to make moves for the future and remain competitive now, it makes sense that the Blues wind up in the middle of the first round — and for the second consecutive year, that's where they are. In 2024, the Blues had the No. 16 pick and went with defenseman Adam Jiricek, who's had an injury-riddled couple of seasons. This year, they have the No. 19 pick, and as I mentioned, I went with Hensler in The Athletic's beat writer mock draft. I debated taking Kitchener Rangers defenseman Cameron Reid, who colleague Corey Pronman selected for the Blues when he did his mock draft. But even though Pronman and I both have the Blues calling out the name of a defenseman with their first-round pick, that doesn't mean it's their biggest need. Pronman has the center position more pressing. So don't rule out the possibility of centers Jack Nesbitt (Windsor), Cole Reschny (Victoria) or Braeden Cootes (Seattle). And Nesbitt, especially, at 6-foot-4, 185 pounds, would be a nice land. The winner of the Conn Smythe Award as the NHL's playoff MVP, Sam Bennett is going to be able to write his own price tag in free agency, and by many accounts, he wants to return to the Panthers. Some Blues fans may not be too upset by that, because Bennett will turn 29 years old Friday, and after scoring 15 goals in 23 playoff games, he could get a long-term deal with a cap hit of $9 million-plus. That may be an overpayment for a player who's certainly contributed to the Panthers' success but also benefited from the talent around him. Advertisement This article is part constructive and part fantasyland, though, so if we're going to wish for the Blues to come away this summer with the best available player at the position they need the most help, it probably has to be Bennett. To be clear, Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg each have one more season left on the two-year deals they signed with the Blues when the team lured them away from the Edmonton Oilers with a pair of shocking offer sheets last summer. They are eligible to sign extensions on July 1, though, and while it's not imperative that they're signed this summer, it sure would make fans more comfortable to know they're locked up long-term. Both are 23 years old and will be restricted free agents next summer, so the team would still retain their rights. I was a bit surprised when The Athletic conducted its Blues fan survey recently and a majority of the 1,800 responses wanted four-year extensions for both Holloway and Broberg. Perhaps I'm too excited about what I saw, but I'd be willing to give them each eight years, and I'd do it this summer before the possibility of them increasing their value in 2025-26. Cam Fowler, 33, has one more season left on his contract, and like Broberg and Holloway, is eligible to sign an extension on July 1. He's been a perfect fit on the top pair with Colton Parayko, which is perhaps why Parayko had a career year in 2024-25. A two-year extension for Fowler may be more ideal, but for a couple of reasons, I agree with 47.3 percent of those in the survey who selected a three-year deal. The Blues may be able to get a lower cap hit by giving him more term, and even if he drops off by the third year, his skating ability makes it hard to believe that he won't be able to contribute, even if it's not in the top four. The Blues have some defensive prospects in the system like Jiricek, Lukas Fischer and Theo Lindstein, who have promising futures, but that future is a few years away. So in the meantime, a player with Fowler's experience is extremely valuable. I don't want to pile on Leddy, and I know there are many fans who would trade Justin Faulk before him. But Leddy is down to just one more year left on his contract, and with a $4 million cap hit, that may be more feasible to move than the remaining two years and $6.5 million cap hit for Faulk. Either way, the Blues need to clear out a defenseman and add more toughness to a blue line that's been severely lacking it for years. Tyler Tucker needs to be a regular in the top six — not sitting at the expense of a vanilla veteran. While the Blues may not be in the market for Florida's Aaron Ekblad in free agency, there are a few defensemen available who could fit the description of what they need, and they could also look for one in a trade. (Top photo of Brayden Schenn and Sam Bennett: Jasen Vinlove / USA Today)
Reuters
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Reuters
Canes' Jesper Fast announces retirement from professional hockey
June 3 - Eleven-year NHL veteran Jesper Fast announced his retirement from professional hockey earlier today. Fast, 33, played his final four seasons in Carolina and was a playoff hero for the Hurricanes in the spring of 2023. He sustained a neck injury in the final regular season game of the 2023-24 season vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets and did not compete in Carolina's recently-concluded campaign. Fast was one of several prominent veteran players who did not dress for any games during the season due to injury. Torey Krug (St. Louis), T.J. Oshie (Washington) and Tucker Poolman (Colorado) were also on long-term injured reserve in 2024-25. Fast spent his first seven seasons in the NHL with the New York Rangers and earned their alternate captain sweater from 2017-20. "I never took for granted the privilege of playing in the best league in the world," said Fast. "I am grateful for all of the teammates, coaches, staff and fans from the Rangers and Hurricanes who made my time in the NHL so special, and for my family for everything they did to help me achieve and live my dream." The native of Nassjo, Sweden was an unheralded sixth-round draft pick by the Rangers in 2010 (157th overall), but surpassed a vast majority of more celebrated members of that draft class, currently ranking 24th with 94 goals and 248 points in 703 career games. Fast debuted with the Rangers in October of the 2013-14 season, but did not record his first point until dishing out an assist in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals vs. Philadelphia. He scored 55 goals and added 92 assists for the Rangers from 2013-20 and came up clutch in the playoffs, tallying three goals in both the 2014-15 and 2016-17 post-season. Fast was a five-time recipient of the Rangers' Players' Player Award from 2015-2020. He signed with the Hurricanes as a free agent ahead of the 2020-21 season. Fast played in all 82 games that season and produced career highs in goals (14), points (34) and plus/minus (+24). Canes' players tabbed him as the winner of the Steve Chiasson Award for that season. The award honors "the player who best exemplifies determination and dedication while proving to be an inspiration to his teammates through his performance and approach to the game." In his final playoff appearances in 2023, Fast became just the fourth player in Carolina franchise history to produce multiple overtime winners in a single postseason. He scored in overtime in Game 2 of Carolina's first round series vs. the New York Islanders and found the net again in the series-clinching Game 5 of the Canes' second round victory over the New Jersey Devils. --Field Level Media
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Colorado Avalanche Return Goaltender Kevin Mandolese To Colorado Eagles
Torey Krug: Small Man, Enormous Heart, No Matter Whether He Returns To The NHL Or Not St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong suggested on Wednesday that defenseman Torey Krug isn't expected to play in the NHL again due to an ankle injury that won't allow him to perform in the best league in the world.
