If any of Dennis Seidenberg, Andrew Ference and Wade Redden return to health and get back in the Bruins’ lineup, the odds are that Torey Krug will find himself in the press box or back on the farm with Providence of the AHL.
Nonetheless, one game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs proved one thing about Krug’s future with the Bruins or anywhere in the NHL: he at worst has a career as a power-play specialist.
With all due respect to the once famous “Sheriff” from Winnipeg, Shane Hnidy was a major drop-off for the Bruins by the time he returned to the team to add depth to the defense corps for the 2011 run to the Stanley Cup championship.
Torey Krug/Photo by D. Hickling
WILMINGTON, Mass. — As a college free agent who signed with the Bruins last spring, Torey Krug was jettisoned from NHL life as soon as the 2011-12 regular season concluded.
NHL rules made him ineligible to be available to the Bruins in the postseason, and even prevented him from skating with the team’s reserves.
McQuaid/By S. Bradley
BOSTON — Adam McQuaid and Johnny Boychuk will both be scratched today against Buffalo because of a head injury and a knee injury, respectively.
While head coach Claude Julien said he sees no reason why Boychuk would not be ready to start the playoffs with Boston next week, there are no similar assurances about McQuaid because of the type of injury the blueliner is battling.
Krug made his NHL debut/Photo by D. Hickling
BOSTON — Playing in the first of three games that are basically glorified exhibitions because of their locked-in status as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, the last thing the Bruins wanted to happen tonight against Pittsburgh was an injury to a key player.
Well, their worst nightmare became reality when Johnny Boychuk went down to the ice after a collision with Penguins forward Arron Asham 6:45 into the third period of Pittsburgh’s 5-3 win at TD Garden.
Krug debuts for the Bruins tonight.
BOSTON — As expected, Tim Thomas will not start tonight against Pittsburgh at TD Garden.
Head coach Claude Julien announced Marty Turco as the starter with Anton Khudobin, just recalled from the Providence farm club, as tonight’s backup. However, Julien said Thomas is not shut down for the rest of the regular season and will play again before the playoffs open next week.
Peverley/By S. Bradley
BOSTON — After taking Monday to travel back from the West Coast, the Bruins hit the TD Garden ice for their morning skate in preparation for tonight’s game against Tampa Bay.
Among those on the ice was Rich Peverley, who missed 19 games with a knee sprain before he returned to the lineup and played more than 16 minutes in Boston’s win at Anaheim Sunday. Peverley says he’s feeling fine and that now he just has to continue to work his way back to being 100 percent normal.
Krug's coming to Boston from East Lansing.
The Bruins have today confirmed their signing of Michigan State defenseman Torey Krug, who has left the Spartans after his junior season.
While the deal was reported earlier by several outlets, the fact that Krug is joining Boston and not reporting to the Bruins’ Providence (AHL) farm club is something of a surprise. Krug will be eligible to play in regular-season games but not the postseason.
