Marcus Krüger

Lore & Background

Krüger was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2009 and made his NHL debut on 23 March 2011. He scored his first career regular-season goal on 29 October 2011. In the 2013 playoffs, he scored his first career playoff goal, which was a game-winner and series-winner against the Minnesota Wild. He won the Stanley Cup with Chicago in 2013 and again in 2015, scoring a triple-overtime game-winning goal in the 2015 Western Conference finals.

After seven seasons with the Blackhawks, Krüger was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights on 2 July 2017, then moved to the Carolina Hurricanes on 4 July 2017 for a fifth-round pick. He was placed on injured reserve by the Hurricanes on 3 January 2018 and placed on waivers on 8 February. He was later traded to the Arizona Coyotes and then back to Chicago.

Krüger returned to Europe in 2019, playing for ZSC Lions in Switzerland before signing with Djurgårdens IF in Sweden, where he was named captain. He helped the club earn promotion back to the SHL in 2025.

Reader's Guide

Marcus Krüger's tenure with the Carolina Hurricanes was brief, spanning only part of the 2017–18 season. He was acquired by the Hurricanes via a trade from the Vegas Golden Knights on 4 July 2017, just two days after being dealt from Chicago. The Hurricanes gave up a fifth-round pick in the 2018 NHL entry draft to obtain him. His time in Carolina was marked by injury and roster moves: he was placed on injured reserve on 3 January 2018 and later placed on waivers on 8 February. He did not return to the Hurricanes lineup after that, as he was traded to the Arizona Coyotes on 3 May 2018 along with a third-round pick in exchange for Jordan Martinook and a fourth-round pick. Krüger's stint in Carolina produced no notable statistical achievements, and he is remembered primarily as a depth forward who was part of a salary-cap-driven trade chain. His broader legacy rests on his two Stanley Cup championships with the Blackhawks, where he contributed key playoff goals, and his later leadership as captain of Djurgårdens IF, guiding the club back to the SHL.

Did You Know?

• Krüger scored the game-winning triple-overtime goal in the 2015 Western Conference finals against the Anaheim Ducks.
• He was traded twice in three days in July 2017, first to Vegas then to Carolina.
• Krüger played his 500th NHL game on 20 February 2019.
• He was named captain of Djurgårdens IF after the club was relegated to the second-tier league.