Our UFAs and RFAs

[Zizzle1297]

Sunny, Kessel, Berggren, Holl

Who do we resign?

I love Sunny but its time to move on.

Kessel as a 7th dman

Holl bye

Berggren did well in at times but I dont see him putting up enough to be a third liner.

[BleedingBleu]

They’re right about in that ~$90M/95M Cap

Forward Lines ~$50M
Holloway ($7.75M) - Thomas ($8.13M) - Snuggerud ($950K)
Buchnevich ($8M) - Suter ($4.13M) - Kyrou ($8.13M)
Neighbors ($3.75M) - Dvorsky ($887K) - Drouin ($4M)
Stenberg/Toropchenko - Finley ($775K) - Berggren/Walker

Toropchenko ($2.5M) LH W
Walker ($875K) LH-C

RFA
Berggren (+1.83M) LH-LW/RW
Peterson ($868K) RH-C/W
Dean ($853K) LH-C

UFA
Sundqvist ($1.5M) RH-C/W
Gauthier ($775K) RH-W

System
Stenberg ($950K) LH-C
Kaskimaki ($950K) LH-C
Carbonneau ($975K) RH-RW
Trudeau ($1M) LH-LW


Defense Lines ~$29M
Broberg ($8M) - Mailloux ($850K)
Fowler ($6.1M) - Parayko ($6.5M)
Lindstein ($950K) - Holl/Kessel?/FA/Trade

Krug ($6.5M) RH-D
Tyler Tucker ($925K) LH-D

RFA
Kessel ($800K) RH-D

UFA
Justin Holl ($3.4M) RH-D
Hunter Skinner ($775K) RH-D

System
Rosen ($875K) RH-D
Koromyslov ($1M) LH-D
Jiricek ($950K) RH-D

Goalies -$9.4M
Joel Hofer ($3.4M)
Jordan Binnington ($6.0M)

If they’re going to do something, it’s likely internal or trade.

[TruBlueFan_1970]

Not much in our own UFA/RFA group left to deal with other than depth guys.

1) Berggren - would be open to a 1-year deal at not more than $1.5m to see if he can be an effective 3rd line, 40 point player. I really liked his vision, passing and speed.

2) Holl - could be a viable 6-7 Dman option at league minimum. Veteran presence never hurts. Would prefer to sign or trade for someone else if available. Lauzon would be my choice, but he plays LD which we don’t need.

3) Skinner - Same as Holl as I liked his game better than Kessel. Could be our 3rd pair RD potentially as a stopgap and rotate with Holl or a different vet.

4) The rest - have no real interest in Sunny. Thanks for all you did as a Blue. As for the AHL guys, extend the ones they think have a shot, but they are just AHL fodder at this point and should be replaced with younger guys coming up from the lower leagues this season like Jiricek, Ralph, Fischer, Carbs, etc…

[STL fan in MN]

RFAs:

Berggren - I would assume he’s qualified but perhaps not guaranteed as I’m not sure he’s worth the $1.825M it’d take to qualify him. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Blues let him become a UFA and see if they can sign him for a bit less. But I could also see them qualifying him if they feel he really fit it with the group. He is arbitration eligible though. My guess is whether it’s a simple re-signing, signed QO or arbitration award, I doubt the Blues would want to go more than 1 year with him.

Kessel - maybe he’s qualified? I could go either way on him. Personally, I don’t see him as NHL caliber and it’s really not that hard to find a decent #7 guy. I’d not qualify him but I think the odds they do are around 50/50.

Petersen - pretty easily QOd and I’d expect a cheap 1-2 year two-way deal. He is arbitration eligible but has basically zero leverage.

Dean - he’ll probably receive a QO. 5 months ago I would’ve said no but he’s done a good job of reestablishing himself since returning from the NHL player assistance program. Not arbitration eligible. Cheap 1-2 year deal for him too.

Bordeleau - probably receives a QO. Has been good for Springfield since he was acquired a few months ago. Cheap 1-2 year deal.

Loof - I’ll be surprised if he gets a QO. He’s been passed up, hasn’t really progressed and the Blues have more D prospects coming. So he’ll probably either sign with some other org or go back to Sweden.

Cranley - his performance tells me he isn’t really worth a QO but considering the 2 other minor league goalies are pending UFAs (see below), my guess is he’s qualified as they’ll need some sort of goaltending depth. He’s been bad though. I see absolutely no NHL potential in him.

UFAs:

Sundqvist - very likely gone. Love the guy but Father Time is undefeated. It happens to every player eventually. My guess is he retires but maybe another team gives him a 1 year deal at league minimum but I doubt it. I think a team would be making a mistake doing that though.

Holl - gone. He was just here because we needed a body and DET needed to dump the contract.

Gauthier - I suspect they’ll try to re-sign him to a similar minor league deal but not a big deal if he leaves. But he’s been a good mentor for the kids in Springfield and you need a few of those guys to help lead the way. If not him, they’ll sign someone similar.

Thomas (Akil, not Robert) - maybe they try to keep him? Most likely ends up elsewhere though. He never really found his footing after getting injured in practice right after the Blues/T-birds acquired him.

McGing - very likely gone.

Skinner - probably gone. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Blues try to keep him but if I were him, I’d try my chances with a different org with less defensive competition.

Romanov - maybe they try to keep him but I could see him either try a different org or head back to Russia. The Blues really need goaltending depth though so they’ll need to sign a goalie or two and I would assume they’d like Romanov to be one of them if there’s mutual interest.

Zherenko - most likely gone. Has been inconsistent in his 4 years here. Is a really good guy and I was rooting for him but if I were him, I’d probably return to Russia. Or at the least, try a different NHL org. He started a couple seasons ago as the AHL starter and then got passed by Ellis and then Romanov. He’s big and has a lot of talent but is super inconsistent. The Blues may try to keep him since they really lack goaltending depth in the minors but my guess is he’ll choose another path.

[TheJackBurton]

As far as Sunny goes, he loves the organization and the city, and they love him.

I can see him getting a mentoring contract as the 14th forward for essentially league minimum or slightly above max 1 million and just start going year to year.

I don't think he has much desire to play anywhere else and he is excellent in the locker room and the guys all love him and he isn't one to cause a ruckus because of lack of playing time. Sometimes those guys are worth far more than having a a minor leaguer who isn't getting minutes sitting in the press box.

[IsDurbanodoingtime]

RFAs:

Berggren - I would assume he’s qualified but perhaps not guaranteed as I’m not sure he’s worth the $1.825M it’d take to qualify him. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Blues let him become a UFA and see if they can sign him for a bit less. But I could also see them qualifying him if they feel he really fit it with the group. He is arbitration eligible though. My guess is whether it’s a simple re-signing, signed QO or arbitration award, I doubt the Blues would want to go more than 1 year with him.

Kessel - maybe he’s qualified? I could go either way on him. Personally, I don’t see him as NHL caliber and it’s really not that hard to find a decent #7 guy. I’d not qualify him but I think the odds they do are around 50/50.

Petersen - pretty easily QOd and I’d expect a cheap 1-2 year two-way deal. He is arbitration eligible but has basically zero leverage.

Dean - he’ll probably receive a QO. 5 months ago I would’ve said no but he’s done a good job of reestablishing himself since returning from the NHL player assistance program. Not arbitration eligible. Cheap 1-2 year deal for him too.

Bordeleau - probably receives a QO. Has been good for Springfield since he was acquired a few months ago. Cheap 1-2 year deal.

Loof - I’ll be surprised if he gets a QO. He’s been passed up, hasn’t really progressed and the Blues have more D prospects coming. So he’ll probably either sign with some other org or go back to Sweden.

Cranley - his performance tells me he isn’t really worth a QO but considering the 2 other minor league goalies are pending UFAs (see below), my guess is he’s qualified as they’ll need some sort of goaltending depth. He’s been bad though. I see absolutely no NHL potential in him.

UFAs:

Sundqvist - very likely gone. Love the guy but Father Time is undefeated. It happens to every player eventually. My guess is he retires but maybe another team gives him a 1 year deal at league minimum but I doubt it. I think a team would be making a mistake doing that though.

Holl - gone. He was just here because we needed a body and DET needed to dump the contract.

Gauthier - I suspect they’ll try to re-sign him to a similar minor league deal but not a big deal if he leaves. But he’s been a good mentor for the kids in Springfield and you need a few of those guys to help lead the way. If not him, they’ll sign someone similar.

Thomas (Akil, not Robert) - maybe they try to keep him? Most likely ends up elsewhere though. He never really found his footing after getting injured in practice right after the Blues/T-birds acquired him.

McGing - very likely gone.

Skinner - probably gone. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Blues try to keep him but if I were him, I’d try my chances with a different org with less defensive competition.

Romanov - maybe they try to keep him but I could see him either try a different org or head back to Russia. The Blues really need goaltending depth though so they’ll need to sign a goalie or two and I would assume they’d like Romanov to be one of them if there’s mutual interest.

Zherenko - most likely gone. Has been inconsistent in his 4 years here. Is a really good guy and I was rooting for him but if I were him, I’d probably return to Russia. Or at the least, try a different NHL org. He started a couple seasons ago as the AHL starter and then got passed by Ellis and then Romanov. He’s big and has a lot of talent but is super inconsistent. The Blues may try to keep him since they really lack goaltending depth in the minors but my guess is he’ll choose another path.

With respect to goalers, marcus gidlof who is playing shl at a very young age putting up respectable numbers (especially given team and his age) would seem like a likely candidate to get over and staffed in springfield. A giant. Zherenko lost the crease to romanov. Will see what happens with romanov and cranley but don't see either advancing at this point.

[STL fan in MN]

RFAs:

Berggren - I would assume he’s qualified but perhaps not guaranteed as I’m not sure he’s worth the $1.825M it’d take to qualify him. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Blues let him become a UFA and see if they can sign him for a bit less. But I could also see them qualifying him if they feel he really fit it with the group. He is arbitration eligible though. My guess is whether it’s a simple re-signing, signed QO or arbitration award, I doubt the Blues would want to go more than 1 year with him.

Kessel - maybe he’s qualified? I could go either way on him. Personally, I don’t see him as NHL caliber and it’s really not that hard to find a decent #7 guy. I’d not qualify him but I think the odds they do are around 50/50.

Petersen - pretty easily QOd and I’d expect a cheap 1-2 year two-way deal. He is arbitration eligible but has basically zero leverage.

Dean - he’ll probably receive a QO. 5 months ago I would’ve said no but he’s done a good job of reestablishing himself since returning from the NHL player assistance program. Not arbitration eligible. Cheap 1-2 year deal for him too.

Bordeleau - probably receives a QO. Has been good for Springfield since he was acquired a few months ago. Cheap 1-2 year deal.

Loof - I’ll be surprised if he gets a QO. He’s been passed up, hasn’t really progressed and the Blues have more D prospects coming. So he’ll probably either sign with some other org or go back to Sweden.

Cranley - his performance tells me he isn’t really worth a QO but considering the 2 other minor league goalies are pending UFAs (see below), my guess is he’s qualified as they’ll need some sort of goaltending depth. He’s been bad though. I see absolutely no NHL potential in him.

UFAs:

Sundqvist - very likely gone. Love the guy but Father Time is undefeated. It happens to every player eventually. My guess is he retires but maybe another team gives him a 1 year deal at league minimum but I doubt it. I think a team would be making a mistake doing that though.

Holl - gone. He was just here because we needed a body and DET needed to dump the contract.

Gauthier - I suspect they’ll try to re-sign him to a similar minor league deal but not a big deal if he leaves. But he’s been a good mentor for the kids in Springfield and you need a few of those guys to help lead the way. If not him, they’ll sign someone similar.

Thomas (Akil, not Robert) - maybe they try to keep him? Most likely ends up elsewhere though. He never really found his footing after getting injured in practice right after the Blues/T-birds acquired him.

McGing - very likely gone.

Skinner - probably gone. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Blues try to keep him but if I were him, I’d try my chances with a different org with less defensive competition.

Romanov - maybe they try to keep him but I could see him either try a different org or head back to Russia. The Blues really need goaltending depth though so they’ll need to sign a goalie or two and I would assume they’d like Romanov to be one of them if there’s mutual interest.

Zherenko - most likely gone. Has been inconsistent in his 4 years here. Is a really good guy and I was rooting for him but if I were him, I’d probably return to Russia. Or at the least, try a different NHL org. He started a couple seasons ago as the AHL starter and then got passed by Ellis and then Romanov. He’s big and has a lot of talent but is super inconsistent. The Blues may try to keep him since they really lack goaltending depth in the minors but my guess is he’ll choose another path.

With respect to goalers, marcus gidlof who is playing shl at a very young age putting up respectable numbers (especially given team and his age) would seem like a likely candidate to get over and staffed in springfield. A giant. Zherenko lost the crease to romanov. Will see what happens with romanov and cranley but don't see either advancing at this point.

He’d be an option but they’d have to sign him first. He’s currently unsigned. And he may want to stay in Sweden another year or two as well but who knows. His SHL team, Leksands, got demoted down to the Allsvenskan so maybe that might push him to try the AHL…or maybe try to get traded to another SHL team. He has 1 more year on his contract with Leksands. But that wouldn’t preclude the Blues from signing him as the NHL has a transfer agreement with the Swedish Federation.