Super basic offseason. Goal is to keep the current roster together. This sets the Blues up to also keep Tarasenko, Kyrou, O’Reilly, and Thomas.
Full 2022-23 Preview
Resigning Window:
- Blues make a final offer to Perron for 2 years at $4.5M AAV, which he hopefully signs. Perron should sign for 2 years as a stop gap for Zachary Bolduc to enter the league (that gives Bolduc 1 more QMJHL year and 1 AHL year).
- The qualifying offer to Perunovich is $874k or something like that, which I’ve read that the Blues will want to offer somewhere close to that but a little less for 1 year due to cap space reasons. I ballparked and said 1 year at $850k AAV, a “prove it deal.”
- Blues also qualify (for 1-2 year NHL purposes) Mikkola, Bitten, and Kostin. These guys probably sign in the summer tbh.
2022 NHL Draft:
- I really only care about the 1st round pick here. I think the Blues draft a partner for Parayko in the future. I think Mikkola will sign for 3 years which is perfect to fill that gap for a LD selected in this years draft. I think Blues go with Owen Pickering, he has 2 years of eligibility in the WHL and then plays 1 season in the AHL, which is perfectly 3 years to replace Mikkola in the NHL, if things go accordingly of course.
Summer:
- As mentioned, Mikkola signs for 3 years. I’m assuming it’ll be in the range of $1.5M AAV for that duration.
- Kostin and Bitten both sign for 2 years at $762.5k AAV on 2-way deals. Ride the hot hand for that 4th line RW spot. This term and length will be important in keeping the big 4 free agents next offseason.
- Blues go for a true back-up goalie. Wedgewood might be a good pickup, idk how much he will cost. Comrie played well this year in Winnipeg and definitely can steal some games from opponents. Sign him for 2 years at $1.25M AAV, then replace him with Hofer after expiration.
- For a depth move, sign MacEachern to a 2-way deal for $762.5k AAV too. It’ll be important when bringing guys in and out of the lineup.
- Finally, Blues offer extensions to the young guns. Thomas gets a Landeskog comparable contract at $7M AAV for 8 years. Kyrou gets 6 years at $6.75M AAV, which is comparable to J. Gaudreau. Both Thomas and Kyrou will have expiring contracts when they are both 31, just 2 seasons apart.
TDL Targets:
- Move Scandella at the trade deadline for a LD with an expiring contract at the end of the year. I think good targets are Graves of NJD ($3.167M AAV) or Soucy of SEA ($2.75M AAV). Scandella + a 2nd in 2024 for one of those guys maybe gets the job done as the Blues load up for a cup run at the deadline. Blues don’t need to resign one of those guys, but it’s a good option in case Tarasenko asks for a crazy amount of money.
Future Outlook:
- After the conclusion of the 2022-23 season, the Blues will have a few moves and decisions to make. I think the Blues can get deals done with Tarasenko and O’Reilly. I’d aim for Tarasenko at $6.5M AAV for 3 years and O’Reilly at $5.5M AAV for 3 years.
- Depth guys like MacEachern, Bitten, or Peca can jump up to replace scratched guys in the lineup when Walker and the open spot left after Scandella/acquired LD are gone.
- Neighbours and Alexandrov make their full season debuts after Barbashev walks.
- Blues also resign Perunovich (2 years at $1.5M AAV), Toropchenko (2 years at $850k AAV), and Brown (1 year at $800k AAV) to deals that will keep them an RFA upon expiration.
McDavid, Connor
$250,000)
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