McMichael

[UMR-alum-05]

There's been chatter about this situation in multiple threads. I think it's worth its own discussion.

McMichael was traded for on Monday of draft week. That's almost two business weeks ago at this point. The Blues knew they were trading for an RFA. They knew the deadline was 7/1 to sign him without risk of offer sheet. They didn't sign him in that window, and he still isn't signed. Now, at the moment they aren't at risk of losing him to an offer sheet cause they can match anything anybody would offer.

But it seems odd to me that the Blues have made multiple other personnel moves and there's not a bit of news about McMichael. Steen hasn't even mentioned it. Nothing to even say "with McMichael we are working on his contract."

Do people think the delay is negotiation with McMichael or do people think the Blues are considering trading him.

The Blues lineup would look a lot more balanced if McMichael was moved for say Owen Tippet.

[Tony Palazzolo]

There's been chatter about this situation in multiple threads. I think it's worth its own discussion.

McMichael was traded for on Monday of draft week. That's almost two business weeks ago at this point. The Blues knew they were trading for an RFA. They knew the deadline was 7/1 to sign him without risk of offer sheet. They didn't sign him in that window, and he still isn't signed. Now, at the moment they aren't at risk of losing him to an offer sheet cause they can match anything anybody would offer.

But it seems odd to me that the Blues have made multiple other personnel moves and there's not a bit of news about McMichael. Steen hasn't even mentioned it. Nothing to even say "with McMichael we are working on his contract."

Do people think the delay is negotiation with McMichael or do people think the Blues are considering trading him.

The Blues lineup would look a lot more balanced if McMichael was moved for say Owen Tippet.

I'm sure they are working on a contract. He is not a good candidate for an offer sheet. The Blues could easily match.

[Old_Goat]

There's been chatter about this situation in multiple threads. I think it's worth its own discussion.

McMichael was traded for on Monday of draft week. That's almost two business weeks ago at this point. The Blues knew they were trading for an RFA. They knew the deadline was 7/1 to sign him without risk of offer sheet. They didn't sign him in that window, and he still isn't signed. Now, at the moment they aren't at risk of an offer sheet cause they can match anything anybody would offer.

But it seems odd to me that the Blues have made multiple other personnel moves and there's not a bit of news about McMichael. Steen hasn't even mentioned it. Nothing to even say "with McMichael we are working on his contract."

Do people think the delay is negotiation with McMichael or do people think the Blues are considering trading him.

The Blues lineup would look a lot more balanced if McMichael was moved for say Owen Tippet.

I think they are in discussions with his agent with a desire to sign him and they see no need to be public about that right now. My sense is that there is no intent by either side to play games, rather they're just going through the normal back & forth negotiations. The ages of him and others on the Blues, trajectory of the Blues and the fact that there is a need for him to be a contributor are likely appealing to him as well.
It's possible that there is another iron in the fire that's holding the Blues back, but I don't think so.
We'll see what happens.

[kimzey59]

The delay is just part of the negotiating process.
McMichael is 25 and just came off his bridge contract. He's at the stage of his career where he's going for his first big deal(5+ years).
Those types of deals take time to hammer out.

Army completely blew a gasket over the Parayko stuff at the deadline. Steen probably hasn't mentioned anything because that is still fresh in everybody's mind. I have zero doubt that a McMichael deal will get done(and it will probably be a little richer than anybody here is really comfortable with). I really can't see a scenario where we trade him before he even plays a game for us. He brings too much to the table to toss aside like that, and there are far lesser players that we could deal from if that's the direction we want to go(Suter for starters).

[The Average Gatsby]

Why would the lineup be more balanced if we moved McMichaels for Tippett? Because Tippett’s a righty? If that’s your reasoning then I would say you’re way too obsessed with righty/lefty. And if that were the Blues main concern then they probably wouldn’t have traded Kyrou for McMichaels in the first place.

[son_of_foolsgold]

I think there is a definite possibility he gets traded. I think the Blues only traded for him because they weren't sure the McTavish deal was going to go do down. Otherwise Kyrou gets traded elsewhere or a different player comes back in the deal.

[netboy65]

Steen didn’t say anything, probably because a specific question wasn’t asked. I’m sure he’s not going to volunteer info. I’m sure Blues would love an offer sheet, they just match and he’s done, no need to hammer out negotiations.
Much ado about nothing. It’ll get done

[DrEville]

Just curious - Does Tippett provide backup depth at C like McMichael?

[skilles]

Its just not a normal trade where the Blues target a player and trade for said player with a deal already agreed on before finalizing the trade as much as the Blues trading A player they wanted to move for the best package possible.

Probably more like negotiating with our own RFA than it is like the usual trade and sign deal.

The main piece in the deal for me was the 16, we basically got roughly the equivalent of what we traded for Mctavish + we got an unsigned MM

[UMR-alum-05]

Steen didn’t say anything, probably because a specific question wasn’t asked. I’m sure he’s not going to volunteer info. I’m sure Blues would love an offer sheet, they just match and he’s done, no need to hammer out negotiations.
Much ado about nothing. It’ll get done

To be clear I'm making an "ado" about it. Just asking.

[skilles]

Steen didn’t say anything, probably because a specific question wasn’t asked. I’m sure he’s not going to volunteer info. I’m sure Blues would love an offer sheet, they just match and he’s done, no need to hammer out negotiations.
Much ado about nothing. It’ll get done

That is kind of an interesting topic, how in the world is there A press conference with no questions about this?

That alone seems like journalism so terrible it couldn't really have happened.

[STL fan in MN]

I’m not too worried about it. Totally normal for him to still be unsigned at this point. Even more so with him being new to the team. He just finished his bridge deal and I bet he’s looking for a longer term deal and the Blues need to do their homework to make sure they don’t overcommit to a player that’s played 0 games for them so far.

I also recall in one of the first interviews with him after the trade (I think it was Strickland?) he talked about how he was about to get married and that his focus the next month or so would pretty much solely be on that. So another reason it’d make sense to not be immediate.

No, I don’t think they’ll trade him. No, I don’t see him as a big offer sheet risk. I will be interested to see if he files for arbitration by the July 5 deadline though. Or if the Blues file for arbitration (July 6 is the team deadline). I doubt it comes to that but players oftentimes file just so they know they will absolutely have a resolution at some point. 90+% of players that file for arbitration never actually have a hearing. It just provides a drop dead date that both sides know they need to come up with an agreement before that date to avoid arbitration.

I’ll note though that if it’s the player that files for arbitration, he then loses the right to sign an offer sheet. But again, I think a lot of the info I’m putting out there will all be a moot point but just giving the facts as to all the options as to how it may play out.

TL;DR: no, not concerned about it.

[Pierre McGuire]

I doubt the Blues want to go to arbitration or basically take the player they just traded for to abitration, they would likely lose anyway. Blues are gonna have to pay, they know this already.
I’m betting this deal gets done by tomorrow night.

[TBone]

The delay is just part of the negotiating process.
McMichael is 25 and just came off his bridge contract. He's at the stage of his career where he's going for his first big deal(5+ years).
Those types of deals take time to hammer out.

Army completely blew a gasket over the Parayko stuff at the deadline. Steen probably hasn't mentioned anything because that is still fresh in everybody's mind. I have zero doubt that a McMichael deal will get done(and it will probably be a little richer than anybody here is really comfortable with). I really can't see a scenario where we trade him before he even plays a game for us. He brings too much to the table to toss aside like that, and there are far lesser players that we could deal from if that's the direction we want to go(Suter for starters).

This is a good thread that really hasn't been talked about.

What kind of contract numbers are you (and others) thinking about?

[Backesdraft]

Take this for what it’s worth, and I’m sure others heard it too.

But McMichael was interviewed on 101 the day after the trade and he seemed pretty stoked to be here. Said the trade caught him off guard but then mentioned in the same breath that he was actually pretty happy it was STL. talked a little bit about how he trains at the same gym with Thomas in the offseason and how they’re friendly.

I don’t know…certainly didn’t get the vibe he was unhappy to be here. But, I guess things can change.

[skilles]

Take this for what it’s worth, and I’m sure others heard it too.

But McMichael was interviewed on 101 the day after the trade and he seemed pretty stoked to be here. Said the trade caught him off guard but then mentioned in the same breath that he was actually pretty happy it was STL. talked a little bit about how he trains at the same gym with Thomas in the offseason and how they’re friendly.

I don’t know…certainly didn’t get the vibe he was unhappy to be here. But, I guess things can change.

I guess being caught off guard insinuates he was not at all spoken to about an extension prior to being traded.