Krug, DeKeyser make The Hockey News’ top five undrafted impact players list

By @MichaelCaples –

They never heard their names called at the draft, but that didn’t stop them from earning prominent roles for NHL clubs.

The Hockey News posted a list today that features “The five undrafted players making the biggest impact in the NHL” and 40 percent of it is made up by Michigan natives.

Livonia native Torey Krug was listed at No. 5, and Clay Township native Danny DeKeyser was listed at No. 4. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to hockey fans in Michigan, of course – the two talented defensemen were college stars and now they’re NHL stars.

Krug, a Michigan State product and Boston Bruins defenseman, has two goals and four assists for six points in 11 games this year. Last year, he posted 40 points as a rookie defenseman on one of the top teams in the league. He’s already a career +19, as well.

DeKeyser, a Western Michigan product and defenseman for his hometown Detroit Red Wings, has the exact same plus/minus total as Krug. Over the course of two-plus seasons (he played in 11 games after signing with the Wings in 2012-13), DeKeyser’s already logging over 20 minutes of ice time on average, and he’s got 19 assists, as well.