St. Louis Blues 15 Best Contracts (2005-2022)

This was originally published in my 2020 book Hunting Bargains in a Salary Cap World, and has now been updated with new contracts. I will continue to update each team’s list every summer going forward. The rule is that only active contracts can move up or down. Expired deals cannot pass each other. Next summer it may even be expanded to top 20. The book is still available on Amazon, though some of the stats on active contracts are now out of date. You may yet find it interesting because there were detailed stat graphics that you won't find here. One thing you won't find here are entry level contracts because they all come from the same cookie cutter and require less skill at the negotiating table.
 
My latest book The Hockey Economist’s Betting Prospectus is now available. It's a comprehensive commentary on the last 3 years of hockey betting, broken down by team, by category, by strategy, by season. There is plenty of useful information for bettors of all skill levels. It covers pre-pandemic, peak-pandemic, post-pandemic. What worked, what failed. Lessons learned, market trends, team-by-team analysis. What impact did the pandemic have on hockey betting? The market differences between these 3 seasons are discussed at length, and there's a lot to talk about. To read more, visit the Amazon store.

If you’d like to browse my other best/worst contract lists, click here. Enjoy! 
 
Please note: The formatting on the graphics got scrambled being copied from Excel into Google Blogger. It's among the reasons my blog is looking for a new home.

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The St. Louis Blues had made the playoffs for 25 consecutive seasons before the introduction of the salary cap in 2005, but that all changed when Larry Pleau traded Chris Pronger to Edmonton and Al MacInnes retired. This would lead to 6 years of futility that ultimately cost Larry Pleau his job. If you’d like to read more about the Pleau administration, you’ll have to wait to read the Blues worst contracts list, as Larry did not make much of a contribution to what you’re about to read.
 
Once Doug Armstrong took control of the roster, their fortunes improved, climbing back into playoff contention and climaxing with a 2019 Stanley Cup victory. Five contracts from that championship roster are on the list below, led by Alex Pietrangelo and Jordan Binnington.
 
The joy that the Blues brought to St. Louis will last for many more years, but the team’s success may not be sustainable in the long-term. They followed up that epic victory with a stunning first round exit at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks, as most of their core slowly approached their 30th birthdays.
 
 
1. Alex Pietrangelo
 

Signed By:	Doug Armstrong		Position:	D
Date:	2013-09-13		Age July 1st:	23
Term:	7 years		Playoff GP:	75
Total Money:	$45.5M		Playoff PTS:	44
Cap Hit:	$6.5M		Stanley Cups:	1

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	51.4	534	329	1331
Per 82 GP	7.3	82	51	204	25.2

"He is an elite defenseman in this league and will be for years to come."

– Doug Armstrong

Alex Pietrangelo scored at a 47-point pace over the course of his entry level contract, and had some difficulty reaching a new agreement. The young defenseman went unsigned into September before autographing the exact same contract as Erik Karlsson in Ottawa 15 months earlier.
 
Alex would grow into a contender for the Norris trophy, and as the cap rose, so too did the magnitude of the bargain. It’s hard to find franchise D like this on the free agent market. Pietrangelo would score 329 PTS in 534 GP (51-point pace) and average over 25 minutes of ice time per game over the full span. Most importantly, he added 19 PTS to the playoffs when St. Louis won the Stanley Cup. He left for Vegas when this deal was complete, banking $61M.
 
 
2. Jordan Binnington
 

Signed By:	Doug Armstrong		Position:	G
Date:	2018-07-06		Age July 1st:	24
Term:	1 year		Playoff Wins:	16
Total Money:	$650K		Playoff SV%:	0.914
Cap Hit:	$650K		Stanley Cups:	1

 

	Avg Adj Cap Hit	GP	W	GAA	SV%
Total	0.8	32	24	1.89	0.927

“With a little bit of pressure comes opportunity, right? You try to do your best to feel confident and prepared for the moment, so you just work hard off the ice and on the ice in practice, and when the moment finally comes, hopefully you’re prepared.”

– Jordan Binnington

Jordan Binnington had only accrued a single game of NHL experience when he signed this contract, if you’re wondering how they managed to get a Stanley Cup winning goaltender for close to the league minimum. He had been red hot in the AHL for a year and a half, after a string of bad performances by back-up Chad Johnson.
 
Binnington would finish that regular season with 24 wins, 5 losses, and a .927 SV%. But more importantly, he recorded 16 playoff wins to capture the title. Worried he might have been a one hit wonder, Doug Armstrong only signed him to a 2-year bridge after the victory, and his concern might have been warranted, as Jordan had a very forgettable 2020.
 
 
3. David Backes
 

Signed By:	Larry Pleau		Position:	F
Date:	2008-07-01		Age July 1st:	24
Term:	3 years		Playoff GP:	4
Total Money:	$7.5M		Playoff PTS:	3
Cap Hit:	$2.5M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	10.7	243	164	582
Per 82 GP	3.6	82	55	196	18.6

"My agent said, 'Don't worry, it's just business. St. Louis loves you. They'll match and you'll be where you want to be with the Blues.'"

– David Backes

David Backes scored at a 36-point pace over his entry level contract and had not yet realized his potential when it expired. One person who saw that potential was Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis, who made a big splash signing the young center to an offer sheet on July 1st. The deal was very similar to what Raffi Torres signed 12 months earlier, but was still significantly above David’s comparable average.
 
While Larry Pleau was inevitably upset, he actually should have owed Gillis a thank you. This offer sheet proved to be a bargain, producing 164 PTS in 243 GP (55-point pace), including a career high 62 PTS in year three at age 26. The power forward banked $22.5M when this expired.
 
 
4. David Perron
 

Signed By:	Doug Armstrong		Position:	F
Date:	2018-07-01		Age July 1st:	30
Term:	4 years		Playoff GP:	44
Total Money:	$16M		Playoff PTS:	36
Cap Hit:	$4M		Stanley Cups:	1

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	16.3	251	221	606
Per 82 GP	4.1	82	72	198	17.7

“We're comfortable with his health, and we're confident that he will continue to build on his offence."

– Doug Armstrong

It’s hard to win the Stanley Cup from buying 30-year-old UFAs on July 1st, especially when you’re landing a “big fish” relatively speaking. Marian Hossa is #1 on that list (in the salary cap era), but David Perron belongs in the top 10. He had just played a significant role in the Golden Knights run to the Cup final and had indicated an interest in returning to Vegas. Perron had played with 5 different teams over his career, but he’d only ever signed contracts with the St. Louis Blues. This would become his fourth.
 
Injury limited the winger’s output in the regular season year one, but he made up for that in the playoffs, scoring 16 PTS on the road to winning the Stanley Cup. Perron followed that up with a strong performance, scoring 60 PTS in 71 GP. Doug Armstrong had actually signed Patrick Berglund and Vladimir Sobotka to similar contracts one year earlier, which he parlayed into the Ryan O’Reilly heist from Buffalo.
 
 
5. Robert Thomas
 

Signed By:	Doug Armstrong		Position:	F
Date:	2021-09-21		Age July 1st:	21
Term:	2 years		Playoff GP:	12
Total Money:	$5.7M		Playoff PTS:	6
Cap Hit:	$2.8M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	5.7	72	77	115
Per 82 GP	2.8	82	88	131	18.8

“It's a tough negotiation, but I'm happy it's done and I'm happy for two more years here"

– Robert Thomas

Robert Thomas did not perform well in the final year of his ELC in 2021, scoring at just a 30-point pace in the pandemic shortened season. That stat line should only have been worth about $1.4M max, but he did score at a more impressive 52-point pace the previous season, which should have been worth in the neighborhood of $3M. The Blues gave him a 2-year bridge deal in line with his pre-pandemic stats, as the unique circumstances of 2021 might have been responsible for hurting his trajectory.
 
It would have been in the Blues best interest to make a longer term commitment, as Thomas would have an explosive breakout in year one, scoring at a rate of 88 PTS per 82 GP. Basically they got a $9M player at 1/3 the price. That’s a remarkable bargain, but it also jacked up the price on his next deal. Had they gone longer term at a higher price, it would have been worth every penny.
 
 
6. Pavel Buchnevich
 

Signed By:	Doug Armstrong		Position:	F
Date:	2021-07-27		Age July 1st:	26
Term:	4 years		Playoff GP:	12
Total Money:	$23.5M		Playoff PTS:	11
Cap Hit:	$5.9M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	23.5	73	76	199
Per 82 GP	5.9	82	85	224	18.3

“He's got good size at 6-3. He is a left shot, can play the right side. He's scored in the league recently. He's 26 years old."

– Doug Armstrong

The New York Rangers had to trade Pavel Buchnevich because his new contract was going to cost more than they could afford, and the Blues won the bidding with Sammy Blais and a second round pick. The trade and the contract St. Louis signed him to proved to be a steal. Buchnevich scored at a 73-point pace in his final Rangers season, which should have been worth in the neighborhood of $7M annually. The Blues managed to get him at an even cheaper price.
 
Pavel would ascend to an even higher level upon arrival in St. Louis, scoring at an 85-point pace in year one. This is one of those “not sure why he took the 4-year term” type of situations, as it would keep him off the UFA market until after his 30th birthday. He won’t be able to hit a big home run, but I guess there’s a world where $23.5M is also a home run. Hard to walk away from that and take a risky bet on yourself.
 
 
7. Jordan Kyrou
 

Signed By:	Doug Armstrong		Position:	F
Date:	2021-08-03		Age July 1st:	23
Term:	2 years		Playoff GP:	12
Total Money:	$5.7M		Playoff PTS:	9
Cap Hit:	$2.8M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	5.7	74	75	188
Per 82 GP	2.8	82	83	208	16.6

“I love playing for St. Louis."

– Jordan Kyrou

In the final season of Jordan Kyrou’s entry level contract, he scored at a rate of 52 PTS per 82 GP, which carried and expected free agent value of $3.2M. Doug Armstrong managed to get him to knock a few dollars off the sticker price and was rewarded with an explosive breakout up to a point per game player, producing at more than double the rate of his pay grade.
 
The only downside for the Blues was that it was only 2-years, and his next extension cost them more than $8M aav. Had Armstrong been brave enough to roll the dice long-term after the ELC, he could have possibly solicited Jordan’s signature on a deal for 5 or 6 years at $5M to $6M. We are already seeing more and more teams bypass bridge deals and go long-term on second contracts. Granted, I’m not privy to contract negotiations. Maybe Kyrou was offered something longer and decided to bet on himself.
 
 
8. Kevin Shattenkirk
 

Signed By:	Doug Armstrong		Position:	D
Date:	2013-06-26		Age July 1st:	24
Term:	4 years		Playoff GP:	45
Total Money:	$17M		Playoff PTS:	30
Cap Hit:	$4.3M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	20.2	289	189	664
Per 82 GP	5.1	82	54	188	21.2

"In each of his first three seasons, Kevin has finished in the Top 25 in scoring by a defenseman and we expect him to continue to be among the NHL leaders."

– Doug Armstrong

Kevin Shattenkirk first arrived in St. Louis as the key component in the Erik Johnson trade with Colorado. When the defenseman’s ELC expired, he had already scored 83 PTS in 155 GP (44-point pace) wearing a Blues jersey, and was rewarded with a contract similar to one signed by Cam Fowler a few months earlier.
 
The Blues received 189 PTS in 289 GP (54-point pace) for about 70 cents on the dollar. Armstrong created some controversy when he traded Shattenkirk to Washington as a rental near the trade deadline in the final year when the Blues were themselves in the playoff race, angering some fans. A few months later Armstrong parlayed that 1st round draft pick into a deal to acquire Brayden Schenn from Philly, who proved to be a key contributor to their championship. It all worked out in the end.
 
 
9. David Backes
 

Signed By:	Doug Armstrong		Position:	F
Date:	2010-11-12		Age July 1st:	27
Term:	5 years		Playoff GP:	45
Total Money:	$22.5M		Playoff PTS:	24
Cap Hit:	$4.5M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	27.9	363	242	850
Per 82 GP	5.6	82	55	192	19.4

"David could have been an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season and we are excited that he has made the long term commitment to the Blues organization"

– Doug Armstrong

Here’s a fun fact, how many centers have recorded at least 30 goals and 200 hits in a single season since 2005? The answer is exactly one, and David Backes did it twice on his previous contract (Ovechkin has done it several times as a winger). Backes was 8 months away from unrestricted free agency, but Doug Armstrong wouldn’t let him sniff July 1st, locking him up to a 5-year extension similar to what Joe Pavelski had signed a few months earlier.
 
There is no question that Backes could have pulled a far larger number had he waited until July. Either David willingly took a discount to help build a better team around him, or Armstrong showed him the Pavelski contract and said “we’ll give you a little bit more” to seal the deal. This wasn’t quite the bargain of his previous contract, but still produced 242 PTS, 850 shots, 1123 hits, and a +45 rating in 363 GP. He did drop down to 45 PTS in year five at age 31. Any money that David might have left on the table was reimbursed by the Boston Bruins to the tune of $30M, which you can read about on the Boston Bruins worst contracts list.
 
 
10. Alexander Steen
 

Signed By:	Doug Armstrong		Position:	F
Date:	2010-07-01		Age July 1st:	26
Term:	4 years		Playoff GP:	21
Total Money:	$13.5M		Playoff PTS:	9
Cap Hit:	$3.4M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	17.6	223	168	692
Per 82 GP	4.4	82	62	254	19.6

"Alex had an excellent year last season and was a key part on our power-play unit"

– Doug Armstrong

Alex Steen had just recorded a career best 47-point season in his first full schedule with the St. Louis Blues after coming over in a trade with Toronto. He needed a new contract on July 1st 2010, which just happened to be the same day that Doug Armstrong was officially named the team’s General Manager. Steen was among the first deals that Armstrong signed in St. Louis, at a price equal to his basket of comparables.
 
The Swede would suffer a few injuries over this span, but was an effective offensive contributor when healthy, scoring 62 PTS per 82 GP. Teammate David Perron would sign an almost identical treaty 2 years later.
 
 
11. T.J Oshie
 

Signed By:	Doug Armstrong		Position:	F
Date:	2012-07-19		Age July 1st:	25
Term:	5 years		Playoff GP:	42
Total Money:	$20.9M		Playoff PTS:	28
Cap Hit:	$4.2M		Stanley Cups:	0

 
 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	25.2	329	242	707
Per 82 GP	5.0	82	60	176	18.7

"I definitely wanted to get a deal done. St. Louis is where I want to be and where I want to be for a long time”

– TJ Oshie

(insert Oshie’s Eleven joke)
 
T.J Oshie had just set a new career high with 54 PTS at age 24 and was nearing a date with an arbitrator when he and Doug Armstrong agreed on this 5-year contract. It was very close to what Andrew Ladd signed with the Atlanta Thrashers Winnipeg Jets the previous summer. It also laid the foundation for the deals inked by Wayne Simmonds, Max Pacioretty, and Brad Marchand later that summer.
 
Oshie would beat his previous career high one more time, reaching 60 PTS in year two (a threshold he hasn’t topped since). Despite strong regular season production, after 3 consecutive years of disappointing 1st round playoff exits, Armstrong decided to shake-up the roster and trade Oshie to the Washington Capitals for Troy Brouwer, a goalie prospect, and a 3rd round draft pick. That’s a decidedly weak return for a player of this caliber, but Doug insisted that he’d shopped TJ to every team in the league. The winger eventually won a Stanley Cup with Washington.
 
 
12. Colton Parayko
 

Signed By:	Doug Armstrong		Position:	D
Date:	2017-07-20		Age July 1st:	24
Term:	5 years		Playoff GP:	48
Total Money:	$27.5M		Playoff PTS:	18
Cap Hit:	$5.5M		Stanley Cups:	1

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	28.5	338	138	745
Per 82 GP	5.7	82	33	181	22.8

"We think that he's just starting to scratch the surface on what he's becoming in this League. He's got two years now of service where he understands the commitment necessary, he understands the league, he understands the players. We just think he has a really strong upside and we're excited to have him for the next five years."

– Doug Armstrong

Colton Parayko’s evolution into a legit top 4 NHL defenseman happened very quickly upon arrival in St. Louis. He scored 35 PTS and averaged 21.2 minutes per game in his sophomore season to earn himself a big long-term deal. The price was high when compared to what some of his peers signed at a similar age, but it proved to be a very successful investment.
 
Doug Armstrong had to pay a little bit extra to buy 2 UFA years and was worth every penny. The 6’6, 230-pound blueliner is both a punishing physical player and high-volume shooter who scores goals from the point. Colton played a key role in the Blues Stanley Cup championship.
 
 
13. Jaden Schwartz
 

Signed By:	Doug Armstrong		Position:	F
Date:	2014-09-27		Age July 1st:	22
Term:	2 years		Playoff GP:	26
Total Money:	$4.7M		Playoff PTS:	17
Cap Hit:	$2.35M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	5.5	108	85	247
Per 82 GP	2.8	82	65	188	17.9

“We’re hoping he’s an NHL all-star, first or second team all-star, and he’s a 35-40 goal guy”

– Doug Armstrong

Jaden Schwartz netted an impressive 25 tucks and 56 PTS in the final year of his ELC, and should have been due a bigger pay day than what he received. The young winger lacked arbitration rights and went unsigned into training camp as Armstrong played hardball. The end result was a very inexpensive bridge deal at roughly half the price he deserved to get paid.
 
Schwartz continued to improve, scoring 63 PTS in year one. An ankle injury cut the 2nd season short (this may have ranked higher had that injury not occurred), but Jaden still had $26.8M waiting for him when it finished.
 
 
14. Jaden Schwartz
 

Signed By:	Doug Armstrong		Position:	F
Date:	2016-07-15		Age July 1st:	24
Term:	5 years		Playoff GP:	47
Total Money:	$26.8M		Playoff PTS:	33
Cap Hit:	$5.4M		Stanley Cups:	1

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	28.3	320	228	751
Per 82 GP	5.7	82	58	192	18.5

"Getting key players signed to term under contract, it's good for the organization, and we can now build around these players."

– Doug Armstrong

Jaden Schwartz missed 49 games in 2015/16 with a fractured ankle, but had managed to score 28 goals and 63 PTS the previous season. When it came time for a new contract in July, Armstrong paid Jaden like a 60-point player. It was much less than what Brandon Saad received one year earlier, but much more than Kyle Palmieri got from New Jersey one week before.
 
Schwartz would struggle with injuries at times, but scored at a 61-point pace when healthy. Most importantly, the winger chipped in 20 PTS to the Blues Stanley Cup run. Fun fact: Ron Hextall would sign Brayden Schenn to an almost identical contract 10 days later, and the two would eventually become linemates on the road to the Cup.
 
 
15. Brian Elliott
 

Signed By:	Doug Armstrong		Position:	G
Date:	2014-05-19		Age July 1st:	29
Term:	3 years		Playoff Wins:	9
Total Money:	$7.5M		Playoff SV%:	0.914
Cap Hit:	$2.5M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Avg Adj Cap Hit	GP	W	GAA	SV%
Total	2.9	137	75	2.31	0.918

“Brian wanted a chance to compete for the No. 1 job. He has that now.”

– Doug Armstrong

Brian Elliot had been effective for St. Louis over the 3 previous seasons in a back-up or 1B goaltending role. In 2014 he recorded 18 wins, 6 losses, with 4 shutouts and a .922 SV% in 31 GP, on a roster that also included a Ryan Miller rental. Doug Armstrong opted to let Miller walk, and retained Elliott to split starts with Jake Allen, the presumptive goalie of the future.
 
Elliott registered a remarkable year two, with a .930 SV% and a 23-8 win-loss record, plus 18 playoff games with a .921 SV%. It elevated the netminder’s market value, allowing Armstrong to trade him to Calgary for 2nd and 3rd round draft picks (one of which became Jordan Kyrou). That did not work out so well for the Flames, who lost Elliot to the Flyers in free agency.