The challenge of determining Marcus Kruger’s value

In today’s NHL, a player is only as valuable as his cap hit. Patrick Kane is the reigning MVP, but he’s also paid like it with a $10.5 million annual charge to the Blackhawks’ books, which is tied for highest in the league with teammate Jonathan Toews. They’re exceptional players, but they’re also very expensive, which sounds about right.

Roughly two years later, GM Stan Bowman gave out another extension to a longtime forward, but it wasn’t nearly as lucrative. Marcus Kruger was a good soldier in taking a one-year deal as an RFA the previous offseason, so in the spring of 2016, the Blackhawks rewarded him with a three-year, $9.25 million contract.

But unlike a player such as Kane, whose value…