No, Marcus Kruger is not being traded from the Chicago Blackhawks. Here’s why:
Kruger’s too valuable. After trading away Philip Danault, the likely replacement in the event Kruger left the team, Kruger remains one of three defensive forces for the Blackhawks on the forwards list, with Toews and Hossa. When he came back this year from injury, he lifted our Penalty Kill from hovering around 20th in the league to top 10. Part of that is the lack of solid defensemen, a lack that should be met by a discount deal for Brian Campbell (I’ll write that story when he signs). That’s the kind of player he is, that’s the kind of guy he is. Kruger strikes me also as a locker room guy, and after trading Teuvo and Bickell, losing Ladd, we need those.
The Blackhawks would be mistaken to trade Kruger for anything less than Philip Danault back, along with a second round pick. He’s not an offensive guy, but that’s not his role. Like Shaw, Kruger is a role player. He’s a jack knife on defense, somebody key who will bring the PK energy and skill, who will win faceoffs, who will matchup well with another team’s top line. Kruger is a necessity for this Blackhawks team.
It feels like Bowman is getting away from depth during this cap casualty period. And looking at the Penguins, the Sharks, and the teams that fell out of the playoffs like the Capitals, the Kings, and the Panthers, depth has been proven time and time again to be a crucial factor. You need four lines. Kruger is a crucial element of our fourth.
When the Blackhawks win cups, we do it on the back of our depth. Look at the 2012-13 team. Look at the 2014-15. Sharp-Vermette-Teuvo was our third line in the 2015 playoffs. That’s our third line. Saad-Shaw-Stalberg was our third in 2012-13. Both of those third lines are potentially better than what we will put forward this year (I say potentially because we have the opportunity to have Shaw-Rasmussen-Schmaltz, and that’s not a bad line, especially if Schmaltz is the player he’s projected to be). Kruger was the fourth center on both of those teams.
If we want to keep winning cups, and provide Chicago with championships, Kruger must remain our fourth line center. Is his deal more than we would want? Yes. Is it a bad deal? Not when he instantly lifts our PK. Not when he’s a proven force defensively. Not when we don’t have a plan to replace him. And it’s a three year deal. It’s not Seabrook’s 6 years.