The question remains if the defenseman can assume Pietrangelo's do-it-all role for the St. Louis Blues.
"One in, one out," Krug said with a smile as he discussed moving into the Pietrangelo home in suburban St. Louis, and of his attempt to replace the former Blues captain on the ice.
Krug agreed to a seven-year, $45.5 million contract ($6.5 million average annual value) with the Blues on Oct. 9. Pietrangelo signed a seven-year, $61.6 million contract ($8.8 million average annual value) with the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 12, ending a 12-season run in St. Louis.
Krug's one-in, one-out sentiment is an oversimplification of what he's adjusting to after playing his first nine NHL seasons with the Boston Bruins.
Though Krug, his wife, Melanie, and their 19-month-old daughter, Saylor, have settled into the rooms once occupied by the Pietrangelo family, the on-ice element he occupies is a bit more nuanced.
Each is a defenseman and a leader on and off the ice. Pietrangelo was the Blues captain the previous four seasons, while Krug was an important voice in the Bruins locker room.
Yet they are far from the same player. Krug says he is not a replacement for Pietrangelo, nor does he want to be considered as such.
"I just be myself," Krug said. "I think the players understand. They've played against me enough. And they've seen me, what I've done. My resume speaks for itself around the League, so they know who I am and what I am.
"To someone who doesn't know the game very much, they lose a big name, and, frankly, a great defenseman in Pietrangelo, and they see that they paid me a lot of money to come here to play. I just hope that comparison doesn't stick too long."
It likely will stick at least until the Blues play the Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on Jan. 26. Before that, the Blues play the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday (9 p.m. ET; FS-MW, NBCSCA, NHL.TV) and have games against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday and Sunday.
Krug always has been confident in who he is and what he can bring to a team. But he is emphatic that he not only is an offensive defenseman, but he's improved his all-around game. With the Blues, he's getting the chance to prove that.