Speculation: Pietrangelo's future (reports: to go to FA)

[MissouriMook]

The no signing bonus part is probably from ownership and not Army's call

If this is true, then the owner is putting his GM at a distinct disadvantage with respect to the rest of the league. You don't have to overdo it, but finding some common ground between the SB-heavy contracts that top players have been getting recently and no signing bonus at all is just good business. You certainly shouldn't be squeezing arguably the most important player in the history of your franchise over this.

I'm trying to see this from both sides, and I get it to a degree. But most importantly, I understand the player's view that refusing to accommodate the request for some signing bonus in this deal looks like an attempt to get a player under contract for a certain amount with the hopes that they won't actually have to pay them all of the money. Look, I get the management side, too, protecting the business from having to pay guys not to play. I just don't think this is the deal where you hold to that line in the sand. Petro absolutely should be an exception in my opinion.

 

[BlueKnight]

Another article focused on the Petro negotiations, this time from Greg Wyshinski of ESPN:

Alex Pietrangelo's savvy 'local hero' pressure play on the Blues

Nothing new per se but i definitely see both sides of the argument. Army needs to swallow his pride as this is good time to make an exception. I hope something will get done at the 11th hour.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Elliotte Friedman joined Hockey Central to discuss where things stand in the current stalemate between the St. Louis Blues and Alex Pietrangelo and whether or not the parties can come to an agreement before free agency hits.



According to Elliotte Friedman:

- this is about bonus structure and a buyout proof contract

- Alex Pietrangelo wants protection towards the end of the contract so that he doesn't get bought out

- structure is an issue, but even on the AAV (St. Louis Blues and Pietrangelo aren't close to each other), protection on the back end of the contract is an absolute issue

 

[The Note]

Elliotte Friedman joined Hockey Central to discuss where things stand in the current stalemate between the St. Louis Blues and Alex Pietrangelo and whether or not the parties can come to an agreement before free agency hits.



According to Elliotte Friedman:

- this is about bonus structure and a buyout proof contract

- Alex Pietrangelo wants protection towards the end of the contract so that he doesn't get bought out

- structure is an issue, but even on the AAV (St. Louis Blues and Pietrangelo aren't close to each other), protection on the back end of the contract is an absolute issue

So in essence, they’re not close at all to agreeing to a contract. Sounds like the term is the only common ground.

 

[BlueKnight]

So in essence, they’re not close at all to agreeing to a contract. Sounds like the term is the only common ground.

That is what i hear as well. The term in the only common ground and Army isn't budging on bonuses and no movement.

 

[Cotton McKnight]

We aren't even offering Pietrangelo a deal consistent with our top past deal, so that argument carries no weight.

If you take into account the state of the league with the pandemic on and the fact we're looking at a flat cap, yes this is consistent, and that would be consistently higher than necessary. Now if the pandemic never happened and we done with the season on time and still had good revenue and the cap was gong up, sure we could've over spent on Petro, that's not the reality and I'm not sure how many teams can give Petro what he thinks he should get (or his agent thinks he should get) without hamstringing the new team either by too much unmovable salary or getting rid of too much on ice personal to make it happen. This is all just my opinion.

 

[Cotton McKnight]

So in essence, they’re not close at all to agreeing to a contract. Sounds like the term is the only common ground.

If Friedman is on point, Petro wanting a buyout proof contract is essentially trying to hold the team hostage when he may potentially suck. No thanks bud, try again, be reasonable.

 

[Note Worthy]

If Friedman is on point, Petro wanting a buyout proof contract is essentially trying to hold the team hostage when he may potentially suck. No thanks bud, try again, be reasonable.

I very well could be in the minority, but if we won another Cup or two and he holds us hostage the last 2-3 years of his deal, I honestly couldn't care less.

 

[BlueKnight]

If Friedman is on point, Petro wanting a buyout proof contract is essentially trying to hold the team hostage when he may potentially suck. No thanks bud, try again, be reasonable.

I disagree you keep him and the window will be open as long as he's here. If you win another cup or 2 it will be money well spent. And if Petro holds the Blues hostage in the last 2 or 3 years. Meh I could care less. But right now it will be a big mistake to let Petro walk

 

[TruBlu]

I disagree you keep him and the window will be open as long as he's here. If you win another cup or 2 it will be money well spent. And if Petro holds the Blues hostage in the last 2 or 3 years. Meh I could care less. But right now it will be a big mistake to let Petro walk

There's no guarantee that keeping Petro keeps the window open. He's the biggest distraction at the moment, but once this shakes out one way or another, there will be some very big questions in regards to goalie and offense. Binny is a huge question mark right now, not to mention we have no proven back up, and if Tank's best days are behind him we are in dire need of some forwards. He was the closest thing we had to an elite offensive player.

 

[TruBlu]

If Friedman is on point, Petro wanting a buyout proof contract is essentially trying to hold the team hostage when he may potentially suck. No thanks bud, try again, be reasonable.

This is kind of where I sit. Now that we are hearing the 8 years is on the table, Petro's agent has to be tone deaf with the state of the league. The very reason Petro's camp wants assurances on the back end is also the very reason Blues camp doesn't. The cap situation doesn't necessarily (and honestly probably won't) stabilize next season. It's likely this echos out for several years. The full extent won't be known. Petro's contract could very well hurt his chances to compete during his tenure over the course of that contract. If he's all about the money, then I'd rather see him go if it's going to hurt the team moving forward. There are already several areas besides his signing that needs addressed.

 

[BlueKnight]

There's no guarantee that keeping Petro keeps the window open. He's the biggest distraction at the moment, but once this shakes out one way or another, there will be some very big questions in regards to goalie and offense. Binny is a huge question mark right now, not to mention we have no proven back up, and if Tank's best days are behind him we are in dire need of some forwards. He was the closest thing we had to an elite offensive player.

That is true but I know what the blues will be with Pietrangelo than without. And i said before in another thread if Petro walks blues might at well sell,sell,sell and rebuild.

 

[BlueKnight]

Welp. I guess this is the final nail in the coffin. I guess say your goodbyes to Petro.

 

[Blueston]

I disagree. When was the last time a Stanley Cup winning team captain walked in free agency?? There never has been one

Petro played a impotant role in winning the Blues first Stanley Cup he also scored the cup winning goal. Petro is a world class player and and exactly the sort of player that a team should consider making exceptions for. Driving away a captain a year removed from winning a cup is a bad look on the franchise.

Petro leaves Blues aren't going anywhere. So enjoy your years of mediocrity.

Armys ego screwed the Blues window.

It’s not about Army’s ego. It’s about franchise finances and also protecting flexibility in future. We can say this a mistake and losing Petro may hurt us now more than keeping him will later, but it is about Army and ownership making those calls. Army is a pro with strong record. He makes mistakes but he doesn’t get attached to them. He has dealt his mistakes in past and values that flexibility which has served us well. Whatever happens, his ego ain’t the issue.

 

[joe galiba]

How many teams across all sports have spent lots of money for the now, without regard about the consequences down the road, and have actually succeeded?
especially in the current cap era across sports
most of those teams have wound up as a sh*t show, with no championship anyway
the Patriots stayed competitive for 20 years in the cap era by moving stars before they started their downward trends, unless they were taking less money than they could get on the open market
we don't know what the cash flow is for the Blues, we don't know how the debt is structured, so to hand out quite a bit of money in a yearly bonus may be financially irresponsible
the Blues have very good attendance, but what would the result be if we hand out bad contracts that hamstring the team down the road?
if we average 3 to 4 thousand less fans a game by not being competitive what would the repercussions be?
Army better be taking that in to consideration as he evaluates the roster, and if that means Petro stays, then good!
but if it means we cannot fit what he wants, then on to the next options

 

[TruBlu]

I just think people have a hard time moving past expectations of the past. Petro would no doubt be already signed if not for Covid. These aren't normal times, and to act as such is fool hardy. The fact that he's being offered the full 8 years shows their dedication to getting this deal done. If they offer 8.25X8 and he doesn't take that then it was all about money. I want him to stay as much as the next guy, but I don't want to live through another 2005-2008 stretch.

 

[67Blues]

 

[BlueKnight]

Exactly my thoughts. We have to do things that we are uncomfortable doing but we suck it up and do it and this one of those times where Army needs to get it done give him a nmc and a 50 percent signing bonus.

 

[Ranksu]

imagine if discussion between Pietro and Army is like this?

 

[blues80]

imagine if discussion between Pietro and Army is like this?it needs to be stillman

 

[blues80]

Needs to be stillman

 

[BlueKnight]

My goodness if this is remotely true. Sure he will help the left side. Might as well try and keep Petro here. According to capfriendly OEL has a $4m signing bonus due the coming season. If Army is such deadset against bonuses and such why trade for a player who has one same thing with ROR i know it was signed by his prevoius team. Doesn't like giving out bonuses and such but has no problem trading for a player who has one doesn't look good in my eyes

 

[Celtic Note]

My goodness if this is remotely true. Sure he will help the left side. Might as well try and keep Petro here. According to capfriendly OEL has a $4m signing bonus due the coming season. If Army is such deadset against bonuses and such why trade for a player who has one same thing with ROR i know it was signed by his prevoius team. Doesn't like giving out bonuses and such but has no problem trading for a player who has one doesn't look good in my eyes

Somebody has been reading our board and pawning off this as his own thought.

 

[Spektre]

My goodness if this is remotely true. Sure he will help the left side. Might as well try and keep Petro here. According to capfriendly OEL has a $4m signing bonus due the coming season. If Army is such deadset against bonuses and such why trade for a player who has one same thing with ROR i know it was signed by his prevoius team. Doesn't like giving out bonuses and such but has no problem trading for a player who has one doesn't look good in my eyes

ROR was paid a bonus by the Blues. They just don’t create their own contacts with bonuses

 

[Xanadude]

My goodness if this is remotely true. Sure he will help the left side. Might as well try and keep Petro here. According to capfriendly OEL has a $4m signing bonus due the coming season. If Army is such deadset against bonuses and such why trade for a player who has one same thing with ROR i know it was signed by his prevoius team. Doesn't like giving out bonuses and such but has no problem trading for a player who has one doesn't look good in my eyes

Called it haha. It's quite a gamble to bet OEL returns to his pre-Tocchet form, but I'm not necessarily opposed to exploring a trade if Petro walks and DA's convinced OEL's issues the past few years are from poor coaching.