Everyone is aware that the "championship window" for the Bruins' veteran core of Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Tuukka Rask and even now-32-year-old Brad Marchand isn't going to be open forever.
Torey Krug isn't as old as those guys -- he turned 29 in April -- but his window to win in Boston may be closing even sooner. Krug is an unrestricted free agent after the season and will be one of the top names on the market unless he signs an extension with the Bruins before then, which isn't expected.
The Bruins are expected to still make an effort to sign Krug even when he hits the open market, but with the salary cap remaining flat for next season it's unclear if they'll be able to offer Krug enough money to keep him while also paying their other free agents and filling out their roster.
It's a reality that's impossible to ignore for Krug. He's not trying to hide from it or pretend it's not on his mind, but he is staying focused on the task at hand and making sure he makes the most of what could be his last chance to win the Stanley Cup with what he knows is a special group.
"I think so," Krug said Friday when asked if his mindset has changed at all. "One of the first things we talk about in this locker room is being aware of the situation that's right in front of it, and then accepting that situation. For me, it's no secret that this could potentially be the last run I have at winning a Cup with this group. And not only that, but I get to do that while I'm stuck in a bubble with all those guys and I get to enjoy their company 24/7 for as long as we're there.
"So I'm just trying to enjoy it. Obviously we have to remain focused and we have a job to do, but I think that's part of the process we all enjoy in here. It's always fun to go to battle with these guys. I'm not approaching the games any differently. I'm still willing to sacrifice and do anything for this group, as they are for anyone else in that locker room. That's the fun part of it, going to battle, and then we get to return to a hotel room and reminisce on the games and create better memories than we already have right now. I'm excited about the opportunity and I know those guys are as well."
Krug's importance to the Bruins has grown not just on the ice, where he's solidified himself as one of the best offensive defensemen in the NHL and a terrific power-play quarterback who consistently gives the Bruins 20-plus minutes a night, but also off it.
While Krug doesn't wear one of the Bruins' captains letters, he has certainly emerged as a team leader the last few years, with coach Bruce Cassidy highlighting the important role he plays in being a connective tissue between that veteran core and the team's many young, up-and-coming players.
"Torey has done a good job being that middle sort of group leader," Cassidy said. "You've got Zee and Bergy and Krejc, who have been here a little longer, Tuukka. But Torey's that guy in the middle that we were absent for a while there for whatever reason. Guys got moved, traded. He picked up that void in a hurry and he helped with the younger guys. The other thing with that is sometimes if you're a 21, 22-year-old, you don't always want to go to the veteran guys. You're intimidated. But you'll go to a Krug, who's 27, 28, closer to your own age group. That's the part he's done a real good job with, and definitely has leadership skills. I've said all along I think he's captain material."
In something of a circle-of-life situation, that next "middle group" of leadership may be starting to emerge, which the Bruins would need if Krug does indeed depart after the season. Cassidy has talked about 26-year-old defenseman Matt Grzelcyk stepping up as a leader on the Bruins' third defense pair, and 23-year-old Brandon Carlo and 22-year-old Charlie McAvoy, while still young in age, have enough seasons under their belt that they're starting to transition to veteran status and embracing more responsibility.
Krug himself has noticed some of those young guys getting more comfortable and the lines between veterans and young guys getting more blurred. He says that's one of the things that's been "fun to see" and that makes this group so special.
"I think what we've seen over the last couple years is guys feeling more and more comfortable in the social setting," Krug said. "The dinner groups when we're on the road are very diverse, and guys are reaching out to other groups and not just staying within their age group or whatever you want to call it. I think just more and more, we're seeing guys feeling comfortable with who they are as people and they don't feel like they're walking on pins and needles around the locker room.
"It's been fun to see. We have a lot of great personalities on this team and in this group, and to see them come out on a daily basis is a lot of fun. It keeps things interesting. ... Those guys show up every day to practice willing to work, and that stems from the older group of guys that have done that for their whole careers."
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