There are many ways the Blackhawks will miss Marcus Kruger.
He started more than any other Blackhawks forward in the defensive zone and often went up against opponents’ top players. He played the most on the penalty kill. He was trusted by Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville, and that trust paid off with Kruger contributing to two Stanley Cups.
Kruger’s contributions are less obvious in faceoffs, but it’s another way the Blackhawks will certainly feel his absence come next season. Outside of Jonathan Toews, Kruger has won the most faceoffs and had the best faceoff percentage of any other Blackhawk over the last four seasons (minimum 200 faceoffs).