Byram 6/$75 mil

[BalotelliMassive]

Word from Freidman was that San Jose was offering a 4 year $14 million per contract

This is what you have to do when you aren't a city that people request to play in - especially with the state taxes. I think Byram is making $9.8 million when you factor in the taxes...

St Louis pulls it off - Stl isn't exactly a destination city but you get good players at lower than average contracts somehow.

[skilles]

Never said he wouldn't make them better, but giving up a 4th plus assets AND give 12.5 for a guy that was 3rd best on his team? You're betting heavy on potential. Wonder what Bedard's next contract is going to look like with that pay structure on the team.

If he doesn't become top 5 in the league at minimum, it's a miss and a potential GM killer.

If they don't fill in behind Bedards they won't have to worry about his contract soon enough.

[skilles]

Word from Freidman was that San Jose was offering a 4 year $14 million per contract

This is what you have to do when you aren't a city that people request to play in - especially with the state taxes. I think Byram is making $9.8 million when you factor in the taxes...

St Louis pulls it off - Stl isn't exactly a destination city but you get good players at lower than average contracts somehow.

STL is good at keeping people, just not great at getting them here in the first place.

[Natl20]

Word from Freidman was that San Jose was offering a 4 year $14 million per contract

This is what you have to do when you aren't a city that people request to play in - especially with the state taxes. I think Byram is making $9.8 million when you factor in the taxes...

St Louis pulls it off - Stl isn't exactly a destination city but you get good players at lower than average contracts somehow.

STL is good at keeping people, just not great at getting them here in the first place.

Yup and I think it plays into the whole thing about this being a great place to raise a family but not go out partying every night. Once someone comes here, lives here, gets married and maybe have a couple kids...its viewed completely different and they stick around.

I told this story before by Martin Brodeur lived here for years after his time with the Blues, he worked for the Devils and would fly out there weekly just so he could live here. He still has a house here. I think that says a lot given he played for the Blues for what? 5 hours?

[BluesDom]

He is a great player. Overpaid for sure. He's talented IMO. What can you do. Salaries got stupid all of a sudden.

[Backesdraft]

Obviously the Byram thing is old news but here is where I land. If he didn’t have a bit of an injury history, nobody would be worried about this trade/contract. He’s clearly a stud when healthy. Would have loved for the Blues to land him. I think Chicago will be very happy with him and Bedard and Nazar on PP1 together.

[dhsux]

Word from Freidman was that San Jose was offering a 4 year $14 million per contract

This is what you have to do when you aren't a city that people request to play in - especially with the state taxes. I think Byram is making $9.8 million when you factor in the taxes...

St Louis pulls it off - Stl isn't exactly a destination city but you get good players at lower than average contracts somehow.

STL is good at keeping people, just not great at getting them here in the first place.

Generally speaking...it's the BLUES that don't land people....with their offers that are usually a little thin over the other guys.

[blues2112]

People are way misreading the climate, this deal starts is 27/28 when the cap is taking another huge jump to 113 million and the player is pretty rare in that he is 25,willing to sign long term with a losing team, and available.

Pretty rare combination.

They really triggered a major market correction when the announced the cap number for the next several years.

Great post and perspective. At the start of his extension, contract will be less than 10 percent of the team's cap.

[callitwhatyouwant]

Word from Freidman was that San Jose was offering a 4 year $14 million per contract

This is what you have to do when you aren't a city that people request to play in - especially with the state taxes. I think Byram is making $9.8 million when you factor in the taxes...

St Louis pulls it off - Stl isn't exactly a destination city but you get good players at lower than average contracts somehow.

STL is good at keeping people, just not great at getting them here in the first place.

Yup and I think it plays into the whole thing about this being a great place to raise a family but not go out partying every night. Once someone comes here, lives here, gets married and maybe have a couple kids...its viewed completely different and they stick around.

I told this story before by Martin Brodeur lived here for years after his time with the Blues, he worked for the Devils and would fly out there weekly just so he could live here. He still has a house here. I think that says a lot given he played for the Blues for what? 5 hours?

Im not exactly sure how close of family, but growing up, one of my buddies parents was like 2nd cousins with brodeur. So he might have had family in STL before he even got here. Made it easier to stay.

But back to what you said and what others have talked about. St. Louis is a bit of an enigma when it comes to hockey and professional sports for the most part. Big enough for pro athletes to settle down for their families, small enough that they get to do what they want to do and not be bothered. You have to have the resources to do what they want to do with their families, and for people with money, STL is a desirable place to be. You have access to affordable housing that goes a long way, there are nice pockets of town that are similar to all the others across the country. The biggest drawback would have to be the airport. So many lost ventures there that would have turned STL into a better situation.

You can't undersell how important the Blues alumni are to that effect. You have some of the best players and the best player in gretzky calling STL at least a partial home. When you get national guys like Biznasty saying "the alumni association there is second to none. they are the the gold standard." and he was only part of the org for a short short stint, it really goes to show how strong the brand is.

[bluetunehead]

Word from Freidman was that San Jose was offering a 4 year $14 million per contract

This is what you have to do when you aren't a city that people request to play in - especially with the state taxes. I think Byram is making $9.8 million when you factor in the taxes...

St Louis pulls it off - Stl isn't exactly a destination city but you get good players at lower than average contracts somehow.

STL is good at keeping people, just not great at getting them here in the first place.

Yup and I think it plays into the whole thing about this being a great place to raise a family but not go out partying every night. Once someone comes here, lives here, gets married and maybe have a couple kids...its viewed completely different and they stick around.

I told this story before by Martin Brodeur lived here for years after his time with the Blues, he worked for the Devils and would fly out there weekly just so he could live here. He still has a house here. I think that says a lot given he played for the Blues for what? 5 hours?

Im not exactly sure how close of family, but growing up, one of my buddies parents was like 2nd cousins with brodeur. So he might have had family in STL before he even got here. Made it easier to stay.

But back to what you said and what others have talked about. St. Louis is a bit of an enigma when it comes to hockey and professional sports for the most part. Big enough for pro athletes to settle down for their families, small enough that they get to do what they want to do and not be bothered. You have to have the resources to do what they want to do with their families, and for people with money, STL is a desirable place to be. You have access to affordable housing that goes a long way, there are nice pockets of town that are similar to all the others across the country. The biggest drawback would have to be the airport. So many lost ventures there that would have turned STL into a better situation.

You can't undersell how important the Blues alumni are to that effect. You have some of the best players and the best player in gretzky calling STL at least a partial home. When you get national guys like Biznasty saying "the alumni association there is second to none. they are the the gold standard." and he was only part of the org for a short short stint, it really goes to show how strong the brand is.

It's also true that for hockey players in particular it can work out well. Unless you're a superstar in hockey, you can't afford to live it up on the coasts for the rest of your days. Compare to baseball or basketball where you have complete JAGs walking away with 100M in their career. Not so much in hockey, but you can still live like a king in St. Louis if you're just *normal* rich.

[blues2112]

Word from Freidman was that San Jose was offering a 4 year $14 million per contract

This is what you have to do when you aren't a city that people request to play in - especially with the state taxes. I think Byram is making $9.8 million when you factor in the taxes...

St Louis pulls it off - Stl isn't exactly a destination city but you get good players at lower than average contracts somehow.

STL is good at keeping people, just not great at getting them here in the first place.

Generally speaking...it's the BLUES that don't land people....with their offers that are usually a little thin over the other guys.

Broberg and Holloway?!??!?!

[dhsux]

Word from Freidman was that San Jose was offering a 4 year $14 million per contract

This is what you have to do when you aren't a city that people request to play in - especially with the state taxes. I think Byram is making $9.8 million when you factor in the taxes...

St Louis pulls it off - Stl isn't exactly a destination city but you get good players at lower than average contracts somehow.

STL is good at keeping people, just not great at getting them here in the first place.

Generally speaking...it's the BLUES that don't land people....with their offers that are usually a little thin over the other guys.

Broberg and Holloway?!??!?!

I was addressing Skilles point about the players who do NOT come here.