Torey Krug continues to progress from broken left ankle injury

Torey Krug is still wearing a walking boot on his left ankle but the Bruins defenseman has been able to work out for the last three weeks and complete limited exercises, according to a source. It's a good first step for Krug, who fractured his ankle in Game 4 of the Bruins second-round playoff loss to the Lightning after he slid hard and awkwardly into the boards.

During the Bruins final media availability, Krug said he's expected to wear the boot for two months, which means he'd be able to get out of it during the first week of July.

Most recently, Krug was in Michigan working out along with Bruins prospect Jack Studnicka and players from the USHL.

It's unlikely Krug will miss any time and he's expected to be ready for training camp.

The Bruins' second defensive pairing of Krug and Kevan Miller was challenged by the Lighting in the team's second-round loss. According to Corsica Hockey, Krug and Miller were on the ice for 10 even-strength goals against, and five goals for.

The injury to Brandon Carlo just before the start of the playoffs forced the Bruins to shake up their pairings for the playoffs and the results weren't pretty. The Lightning's secondary scorers had their way with the Bruins, a big part of what made Tampa Bay tough to beat.

It appears likely the Bruins will look to bolster their defense this offseason via trade or free agency. Krug's offensive capabilities were unrivaled among Bruins defenders this season and he's arguably as skilled with the puck as any other defenseman.

Whether the Bruins continue to seek that sort of offensive output at the cost of what's sacrificed on the defensive end remains to be seen. It may not be in the team's best interest to have two 5-foot-9 defenders (Krug and Matt Grzelcyk) as the team's second and third left-side defenders.

According to capfriendly.com, Krug has two years remaining on his contract valued at $5.25 million each year. He also has a modified no-trade clause where he can submit a list of eight teams he can't be traded to.

Krug could be an enticing trade chip for the Bruins if they wanted to use that salary space to acquire a bigger defenseman or make a move for Carolina Hurricanes defender Noah Hanifin, something we've covered here a few weeks ago.

The 27-year-old Krug also has great value to the Bruins. He's built himself into a respected voice in the dressing room and his offensive capabilities are still a big plus. His 14 goals and 45 assists were the fourth-most points on the team and he's the leader of their top power-play unit. Those aren't quite easy numbers or responsibilities to replace.

Wherever his future is, it's important for him to come back healthy from this injury as soon as he is able to so he can maximize his offseason training. In the past it's been hard for Krug, who was also injured before the start of the Bruins 2017 playoff campaign, to do that.