What happened to Torey Krug? St. Louis Blues land shocking news on the $45,500,000 defenseman

St. Louis Blues defenseman Torey Krug will be out of action for the foreseeable future. The club announced that Torey Krug has been diagnosed with pre-arthritic changes in the blue liner’s left ankle.

The shocking diagnosis has put Torey Krug’s season at risk. Depending on upcoming medical evaluations, it will be determined if Krug needs surgery. If he does, Krug could miss the entire 2024-25 season.

With Krug out for the entire season, the Blues would be left with a gaping hole in their blue line. Torey Krug joined the Blues as a free agent in 2020, signing a $45.5 million deal. Earlier this summer, Krug had been the subject of potential trade rumors due to his declining performance.

It seems that the reason for his overall declining production is due to his injury. According to Blues officials and confirmed by NHL.com, Krug’s injury stems from a bone fracture that Krug suffered at some point in his career.

While there is the possibility that non-surgical treatments could heal the injury, Krug will need at least six to eight weeks before he can be re-evaluated. Following that timeframe, Krug may still need surgery to repair the injury.

Blues fans and management hope that Krug can recover well enough to return to the ice. The 33-year-old defenseman has been a steady member of the St. Louis blue line. Without him, someone else will need to step up and fill the void.

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Pinpointing the cause of Torey Krug’s injury

In its official statement, St. Louis management stated that Torey Krug’s injury was:

“A cumulative result of a bone fracture suffered earlier in his playing career.”

However, pinpointing when the original injury or injuries took place is quite complex. A piece by Sports Illustrated suggests that two specific injuries could have been the underlying causes behind Krug’s current diagnosis.

First, Krug suffered a serious left ankle injury during a playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning while he was a member of the Boston Bruins. The injury took place during the 2018 playoffs.

Krug suffered another injury to the same ankle during a preseason game against the Philadelphia Flyers in October 2018.

It seems that the quick succession of serious injuries to his ankle left him with lingering issues. Nevertheless, the problems didn’t become significant enough to warrant major treatment until now.

With Krug potentially out for the season, the Blues’ signing of free agent Ryan Suter seems logical. At the time, fans and analysts questioned the Blues for signing the twice-bought-out Suter. With Krug out indefinitely, Suter could step in and partially fill the void left behind by Krug.