The Blues, led by general manager Doug Armstrong, appear to
have multiple lines in the water heading into Friday’s draft, and they’re
hoping for at least one catch in the upcoming week.
On Wednesday, teams around the league began turning their attention
to upcoming free agents, divvying their focus between two types of players, the
ones available now, and the ones who will become available next Tuesday.
Under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams now
have a window prior to free agency, which begins on July 1 every year, to hold
talks with upcoming unrestricted free agents. Teams are not allowed to reach
deals with the players, but they can express interest and find out if it is
mutual. They can also discuss parameters of a potential deal, as long as one is
not agreed upon. That window opened on Wednesday, and the Blues were one of many
teams who used it to get a head start.
According to multiple reports, the Blues were one of several
teams who reached out to Colorado center Paul Stastny when the period opened on
Wednesday. The Blues, who are in the market for a top center, contacted Stastny’s
agent, Matt Keator, in an attempt to get a feel for the center’s asking price
and interest in St. Louis.
Stastny, 28, will become a free agent on July 1, after
deciding to test the market rather than sign a contract with the Avalanche
prior to free agency. The two-time Olympian was born in Canada, but was raised
in St. Louis, leading to the assumption that a return home would be a suitable
situation for the forward.
Stastny is coming off of a five-year $33 million contract
with the Avalanche and will hit the market for the first time in his
eight-season career. Stastny has been open about his desire to return to
Colorado, but it is expected that the forward will be offered more on the open
market, and that Colorado, who has another expensive free agent in Ryan O’Reilly
to re-sign, may not be willing to give Stastny the $6.6 million he has been
earning since 2009.
After talks failed to gain any traction last week, Stastny
decided to see what will be thrown at him by other teams on July 1. He will
then circle back to Colorado and give the Avalanche the chance to match, or
come close to the other offers before making a decision on his future.
"Paul’s first choice is to re-sign in Colorado but
we’ll listen to what teams have to say and make an informed decision,"
Keator told ESPN.com on Wednesday.
"Paul has been open about the fact he wants to stay in
Denver," Keator told ESPN last Friday. "We will keep talking with Joe
(Sakic) throughout the process and give them every chance to retain Paul. We
will meet next week and see where things go."
But already, through the first day of the new proclaimed ‘courting
period’, Stastny has garnered interest from multiple teams, including the
Blues.
Stastny, whose father Peter and brother Yan played in St.
Louis, would give the Blues what they are looking for in a center. However, he
would likely cost the team between $6-7 million. The Blues, who have a little
over $21 million in cap space, could easily afford to add Stastny if he chooses
to leave Colorado.
The center is coming off of a stellar 60-point season with
the Avalanche. Since being drafted in the second round of the 2005 draft,
Stastny has tallied 458 points (160 goals, 298 assists) in 538 games with
Colorado. He has shined in international play, and showed this past postseason
that he can produce in the playoffs. He’d be a great fit in St. Louis, but at
this point, the Blues’ focus isn’t solely on the 28-year old.
Currently, the Blues are also engaged in talks with the
Ottawa Senators for Jason Spezza. Spezza, 31, has one year remaining on his
seven-year, $49 million contract, and the Senators are looking to move him by
Friday’s draft.
TSN’s Bob McKenzie tweeted on Wednesday morning that the
trade talks for Spezza were “heating up” and that four teams were involved in
talks with Ottawa. It has been rumored that St. Louis and Anaheim lead the
pack, and with Ottawa wanting a first-round draft pick as part of the compensation,
it is suggested that a deal will in fact be completed by Friday.
If the Blues finalize a deal for Spezza it is speculated
that it will center on Patrik Berglund with perhaps a prospect and the Blues’
21st overall pick going Ottawa’s direction.
With less than 48 hours to Friday’s draft, and a little over
72 hours to the start of free agency, the Blues are looking for a trophy catch
to bolster their lineup down the middle.