FILE - St. Louis Blues' Torey Krug (47) drives past New York Islanders' Mathew Barzal (13) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, March 5, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)
ST. LOUIS (AP) – St. Louis Blues defenseman Torey Krug is set to have ankle surgery and is expected to miss the 2024-25 season.
President and general manager Doug Armstrong announced the prognosis Tuesday. Krug was diagnosed earlier this summer with pre-arthritic changes in his left ankle, what the Blues called a cumulative result of a bone fracture earlier in his career.
The team said at the time he would attempt to rehab the injury for six to eight weeks before resorting to season-ending surgery. The decision was made for Krug to have the operation after the nonsurgical rehabilitation did not solve the problem.
Now 33, Krug initially injured the ankle in 2018 during a preseason game while playing for Boston.
Krug, who was with the Bruins when they lost the Stanley Cup Final to the Blues in seven games in 2019, signed a seven-year contract worth $45.5 million with St. Louis in 2020. The Livonia, Michigan, native has since put up 151 points in 262 regular-season and playoff games.
St. Louis recently added another left-handed shooter to its blue line by signing Edmonton’s Philip Broberg to an offer sheet, which the Oilers did not match. Broberg, 23, signed for just over $4.58 million annually over the next two years, and the Blues will get long-term injured reserve salary cap relief this season for Krug’s $6.5 million.
Krug is expected to discuss the situation Wednesday at the team’s practice facility. Armstrong is scheduled to make his next public comments when training camp opens in just over two weeks.
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