Torey Krug Re-Signs with Bruins: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction

The Boston Bruins were able to keep a key piece of their blue line on Thursday, as the team re-signed Torey Krug.

Boston confirmed the deal on its Twitter account while also providing contract details:  

The dynamic 5'9", 181-pound defender expressed his excitement over his new contract:

General Fanager also gave a look at some comparable deals to Krug from around the league:

"

Torey Krug (4 yrs @ $5.25M) comparables:
Spurgeon 4 @ $5.187M
Vatanen 4 @ $4.875M
Brodie 5 @ $4.65M

More: https://t.co/PcbAqujeFJ

— General Fanager (@generalfanager) June 30, 2016"

Considering Krug's production over the past three seasons, this signing is a great fit for the Bruins. Krug put together campaigns of 40, 39 and 44 points in the last three years, including nine goals and 43 assists combined on the power play.

Here are last season's statistics for these comparables:

Player	Age	Games Played	Goals	Assists	Points	+/-
Krug	25	81	4	40	44	9
T.J. Brodie	26	70	6	39	45	4
Jared Spurgeon	26	77	11	18	29	10
Sami Vatanen	25	71	9	29	38	8

After Zdeno Chara, with 37 points, no other Bruins defenseman was able to reach 20 points. The team finished fifth in the league in scoring with 2.88 goals per game with Krug leading the charge from the defense.

Kirk Luedeke of New England Hockey Journal noted that some have underappreciated Krug as of late but said this signing is a step in the right direction for Boston:

Krug is not the only piece of a defensive overhaul for the Bruins, as they bought out 34-year-old veteran Dennis Seidenberg as well on Thursday. Per Yahoo Sports' Greg Wyshynski, Boston will have $1.167 million is dead cap space for the next two seasons and for 2019-20, while the hit will be $2.167 million for the 2017-18 campaign.

Assuming it cannot re-sign Loui Eriksson, which WEEI's DJ Bean reported does not appear imminent, Boston will have roughly $20 million to spend in free agency, according to Spotrac.

Krug is only 25 years old, and he will continue to get better. Defensemen who can consistently provide 40 points are tough to find in the NHL, and Krug is in the second tier of offensive blueliners after Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang.

This is a smart signing for the Bruins to secure the future of their defensive group and the power play. Krug is a tremendous skater and a skilled passer, which are valuable assets in today's speed-driven NHL.

Statistics are courtesy of ESPN.com.