Torey Krug On Not Being Chosen For Olympics: 'There's A Lot Of Great Players In USA Hockey'
BOSTON (CBS) - Bruins rookie defenseman Torey Krug made a strong case to make the Team USA Men's Hockey roster after showing special offensive ability in the 2013-14 NHL season - especially on the power play.
As part of the Winter Classic festivities, the roster announcements for Team USA were made on New Year's Day and a spot on the team was not in the cards for the 22-year-old.
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Even though Krug was disappointed, he had a feeling early on that he wasn't going to be a part of the 2014 Winter Olympics.
"I kind of understood that I wasn't going to make that team," Krug said Friday afternoon on Gresh & Zolak.
"There's a lot of great players in USA hockey, and a lot of great defensemen that are getting the opportunity. So good luck to them, and for me it'll be nice to get a little bit of a break in my first full season in the NHL."
"To have those days off it'll be nice and relaxing, especially for my mind and my body as well. It'll be fun. I'm looking forward to watching the U.S. compete. USA hockey is as strong as ever, so hopefully they can medal."
On the team that he is a part of, the Bruins came away with a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators last night at the TD Garden, with Brad Marchand's overtime goal being the difference maker.
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The win put them at 27-12-2 on the year and helped end a two-game slide that the team was on to close out 2013.
For Krug and company, it was imperative to not fall in three straight contests.
"It's something that we're very proud of. When we lost that second game [to the Islanders], we all sat down in the locker room and said: 'Hey, we don't lose three in a row - that's not the Boston Bruins' - I think it speaks volumes about the leadership in our room, the depth of the organization and the system that the coaching staff allows us to play."
Torey Krug also touched on his college days, and revealed what it's like playing against Michigan in Ann Arbor in front of 100,000+ people.
Listen below for the full interview: