Throughout the 2019-20 season, NBC Sports Chicago will be unveiling its Blackhawks All-Decade Team. The roster will feature the 14 forwards, 7 defensemen and two goaltenders that made the biggest impact on the franchise from the 2010 through 2019 seasons.
Stanley Cup winning teams always have a number of unsung heroes. Players that do a lot of the dirty work and get very little of the glory and attention. Marcus Kruger was one of those players, but still, his career is defined by one major moment.
At 1:08 a.m. CT on May 20, 2015, Kruger cemented his legacy with the Blackhawks, burying a rebound off a Brent Seabrook shot, ending the longest game in Blackhawks franchise history. It was Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, and Kruger notched his first career overtime goal, giving the team new life in a series they ultimately went on to win.
Kruger featured in 472 career games with the Blackhawks between 2010 and 2019, and played in an additional 87 in the playoffs. For a guy who never even reached 30 points in a single-season — amassing just 123 in his entire career — he certainly left a lasting impact on the ice and with teammates.
“He was a crucial part [of] those Stanley Cup runs. Coming back to Chicago the way he did too, the way Joel [Quenneville] relied on him to kill penalties and win draws and do those things,” Jonathan Toews said at the 2019 Blackhawks Convention. “I’d say Krugs is another one of those guys that just runs right into the mess, right into the corner, takes a beating, you know he’s not the biggest guy, but he just found a way to get things done out there.
"I think Chicago fans have always kind of been great about recognizing that in a player and seeing what they bring to the team and seeing that work ethic. I think they’ll definitely remember that and value that down the road.”
Kruger will certainly be remembered as the anchor on the fourth line for some terrific Blackhawks teams, and for that, he is recognized as the fourth member of the Blackhawks All-Decade team as — fittingly enough — the fourth line center.
