Oh absolutely.
Krug was a godsend when he first emerged because they were so starved for a guy with his skills.
You now have similar skills in a better overall package.
Krug plays a role on a good team, but the question now becomes whether or not they need/can afford him.
I'd put him in a deal and not think twice about it to be honest and the great position that Sweeney is in is that he doesn't HAVE to trade him (Cap expected to go up and only signed for 2 more years). Meaning if he trades him it'll be a positive return coming back and a GM isn't going to fleece him or shouldn't at least. McAvoy should be on the top PP. He just should. Grz can run the 2nd unit. If I move Krug it's either for a similar age top 9 forward (even though we are stacked, if it's the right guy do it) or a Mattias Ekholm type defender. Two way + skating D. Who knows if that trade is out there or not, but if it is. Sign me up.
I hate doing trade proposals because there is less than .000001% chance of being even close... but if I'm Sweeney and Cassidy, I think they love their current D core for the most part and it's mobility etc.. and even though we love Adam McQuaid we are worried about what his being inserted into the lineup might do as far as impacting that. Whether or not they are included in a trade together or separately, I wouldn't be shocked if that's what they try to do. Find a 28 and under two way + skating D to replace McQ and Krug. Then you have...
Chara-McAvoy
acquisition-Carlo
Gryz-Killer
Mac has top PP time now, and you have a legitimate top 4 and a damn solid 3rd pair. Easier said then done, and you have to be worried about affecting the chemistry in the locker room which appears to be quite good at the moment, but Sweeney has prospects galore, and tradeable assets at the NHL level because of the plethora of youth coming.... for instance, have you missed Krejci these last few games? I sure haven't. It'll be interesting to see what he does... because in all honesty with everything coming up the pipeline and the way this team is playing... the time to act is now. Excited to see what transpires
Joel Ward and a 3rd.I would definitely be looking at offers for him.
GRYZ seems much smarter with the puck, more composed, technically sound player....We have seen a small sample. But the IQ is 100% there and he understands what he can and cant do. I for one am praying Krug is part of a package for a top line winger or an upgrade on the D. His salary is way over priced for what he brings. We can use that money no doubt.can we pump the brakes on Grzelcyk until he has 10 career points?
Lord knows 5pts in 18 games @15 min a night is better than 20pts in 32 games and logging 20min a night.
People complain Krug is too small and gets pushed around in his own end....yet Grzelcyk is the same height and 20lbs lighter
Team is playing great hockey. I'm not trading anyone right now, especially Krug.GRYZ seems much smarter with the puck, more composed, technically sound player....We have seen a small sample. But the IQ is 100% there and he understands what he can and cant do. I for one am praying Krug is part of a package for a top line winger or an upgrade on the D. His salary is way over priced for what he brings. We can use that money no doubt.
Nailed it. Injuries will happen and I like having lots of options too!I just don't get it. Did we not learn what not having D depth does in the playoffs? Anyone suggestion we trade Krug because of 20 games of Gryz is absolutely nuts, how bout we have 3 solid pairings and an unreal depth option in McQuaid that way when someone is inevitably hurt come playoff time we aren't leaning on Joe ****ing Morrow and Tommy Cross type players?
LIKE........Here's my post from mid-December. I took a fair amount of flack for this, but I think others are coming around to the same conclusion:
"Can we trade Krug before the rest of the league figures out that he is slow, can't shoot, and gives the puck away in his own end far too easily?
Please. "
I'm not condoning a trade, unless it makes sense, but NOW is exactly when you make a trade if you're going to. You never make trades from a position of weakness (while in s slump etc).Team is playing great hockey. I'm not trading anyone right now, especially Krug.
Here's my post from mid-December. I took a fair amount of flack for this, but I think others are coming around to the same conclusion:
"Can we trade Krug before the rest of the league figures out that he is slow, can't shoot, and gives the puck away in his own end far too easily?
Please. "
Didn’t make any sense in mid-December. Still doesn’t.
Krug went from November 11 to December 20 without a post because he was playing well
When Oshie got that ridiculous Mickey Mouse slash in the first period a coach should have brought it to the teams attention this ref is going to call slashes so be extra careful
Krug definitely needs to be better but going by his track record he likely will deliver high end play
at this point we probably don't have a lot to say about krug anymore because he hasn't really changed in the past couple years now. anyone who had an opinion on him including you and I have probably stated that opinion at least 10 times now. the things he did well 2 years ago, he continues to do well. the things he didn't do well 2 years ago, perhaps he might marginally do better. but anyone who was hoping he could grow into a bigger role after his new contract have to be a bit discouraged now.
some people just love offensive dmen and didn't see any flaws in krug 2 years ago. I'm sure those same people continue to love him. but for fans like myself that were hopeful that he could learn some tricks that might help compensate for his size and might grow into a good top pair dman... we haven't seen it happen.
I guess the only real difference between now and 2 years ago is now we have mcavoy and grezlyk looking like offensive talented dmen making elc contracts.
honestly I have thought carlo has struggled a lot with krug as his partner. I don't feel carlo/krug are a strong pairing. I don't have much hope for krug/mcavoy either. so now I'm stuck figuring out where all these guys are going to play.
if we are planning to bring chara back... I think he has to grow into a lesser role where hes not necessarily going against top completion. a chara/carlo pairing in the bottom makes sense to me.
I'm thinking miller will stick around... and I do see growth in his game. and I do think he can partner with krug and be effective but I also think he can partner with gryzlyk and be effective. I know which pairing will be more affordable
the third right hand shot guy in my projected lineup is mcavoy. so is krug the right partner for him or should we be trying to flip krug for a guy who will be a better partner?
trying to get a true number 1 left shot dman will be expensive both for trade cost and for cap room
if krug cant fit with either mcavoy or carlo than I don't think we can proceed with him {unless of course we are planning to move carlo for a partner that would fit with krug?}
honestly... what I would like to see as I sit here today is
mcavoy/dekyser
carlo/chara
miller/gryzlyk
I see enough puck moving/pp skill here that we wont suffer from a lack of it. dekyser is slightly cheaper than krug. I think krug has more trade value than dekyser so I think we would be entitled to more coming back.
then when chara is ready to go into the sunset I think we have zboril as his heir apparent. and when dekyser is ready to go we have vaakanainen and lingren in the pipeline
if the other kids in the system like Sherman and ogara and lauzon make it too... bonus but at the very least this gives us a clear view at a sustainable path and I think this group of 6 guys has the right combination of size/skill/skating offense/defense and I think it will be affordable to maintain too
its not that I think krug sucks... and I doubt very many others here do either. I just don't think hes getting any better and I don't think hes the best fit for us
I was basically drawn and quartered at the beginning of the year for even having the gall to suggest he's not fit to play top 4 minutes against opposing team's top lines. Glad there's a shimmer of rationality that is starting to permeate through the boards, that maybe I'm not so crazy after all. A great philosopher once said, "Ball don't lie." Puck don't either.