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Boston Bruins sign Torey Krug, Reilly Smith to extensions

By Will Osgood

Oct 17, 2013; Sunrise, FL, USA; Boston Bruins right wing Reilly Smith (18) celebrates his game winning goal with center Patrice Bergeron (37) left wing Loui Eriksson (21) defenseman Torey Krug (47) and defenseman Johnny Boychuk (left) against the Florida Panthers in the third period at BB&T Center. The Bruins won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 17, 2013; Sunrise, FL, USA; Boston Bruins right wing Reilly Smith (18) celebrates his game winning goal with center Patrice Bergeron (37) left wing Loui Eriksson (21) defenseman Torey Krug (47) and defenseman Johnny Boychuk (left) against the Florida Panthers in the third period at BB&T Center. The Bruins won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Boston Bruins announced two moves to keep current players on their roster through next season and beyond. 

The Boston Bruins currently have an ominous hold on the Eastern Conference’s eighth and final playoff seed, which makes this season a disappointment for the franchise which has been one of the NHL’s best teams the last five years.

While the present is not as promising as they’d like, they made two moves Friday which should give their fans encouragement for the future, with the team announcing the signing of two of their 23-year-old regulars to extensions.

General manager Peter Chiarelli announced Friday that defenseman Torey Krug had been signed to a one-year extension through 2015-16 worth $3.4 million against the salary cap. Additionally, forward Reilly Smith signed a two-year extension through 2016-17 which will cost the Bruins $3.425 million.

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Krug is in his second full season with the Bruins, having played every game for them this season and has become their second best defenseman after veteran Zdeno Chara. He has a plus-six rating on the year with 11 goals (sixth on the team) and 20 assists (second among defensemen).

His 31 total points is also second among defensemen on the squad.

The youngster proved to be a postseason star last season, as he scored goals in back-to-back games, his first two ever against the Rangers in their second round series, one Boston would lose to the eventual Eastern Conference champions.

He was named to the NHL’s all-rookie team a year ago as he finished fourth among all rookies in points and first among rookie defensemen.

Krug is a Michigan native who signed with the Bruins in 2012 as a free agent after three seasons at Michigan State University.

Smith, likewise, has been one of the B’s best players in 2014-15, ranking fifth on the team in goals with 12 and fourth in assists with 23, while tying for second in points with 35. His plus-11 rating is also tied for second on the team.

Smith was also a rookie a season ago and, like Krug, stood out scoring 20 goals (ranking fourth on the team) and assisting on 31 goals (tying for fourth on the team). His 51 total points placed him sixth on the team a year ago.

His final plus-28 rating was especially impressive for a rookie, even more so given that he played in all 82 Bruins regular season games. The Toronto native was acquired in the 2013 trade which netted the Bruins most notably Tyler Seguin as well as Loui Eriksson, Matt Fraser and Joe Morrow from Dallas, the team which drafted Smith.

Smith also played well in the postseason, scoring a goal against the vaunted Detroit Red Wings in Game 2, just his second career postseason game. He finished the postseason with four goals.

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