Speculation: Predict the RFA signings

Ranksu

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Blues' arbitration dates set: Binnington (July 20) Husso - club elected (July 22) Sundqvist (July 24) Edmundson (Aug. 4) Blais (1 yr, $850,000) and Sanford (2 yr, $3 million) have already signed. Fabbri, Barbashev and Reinke not eligible for arbitration this year. #stlblues
 

Brian39

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I'm not wild about the club feeling the need to take Husso to arbitration. He shouldn't be able to demand any more than his QO after this years' complete throwaway of a season. I wonder if he is seriously considering bailing on North America and we are trying to get an arbitration award to hold his rights past 27 years old (similar to Sobotka). Can't say I blame him much if we do go long term with Binny. That would pretty much ensure that he isn't ever going to have a shot at the starting gig here and would need to wait multiple years until we are forced to trade him elsewhere like the Caps did with Grubauer.

His NHL future is a big question mark after last year, but I'd hate for him to call it quits on our organization and head back to Europe.
 

STL fan in MN

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I'm not wild about the club feeling the need to take Husso to arbitration. He shouldn't be able to demand any more than his QO after this years' complete throwaway of a season. I wonder if he is seriously considering bailing on North America and we are trying to get an arbitration award to hold his rights past 27 years old (similar to Sobotka). Can't say I blame him much if we do go long term with Binny. That would pretty much ensure that he isn't ever going to have a shot at the starting gig here and would need to wait multiple years until we are forced to trade him elsewhere like the Caps did with Grubauer.

His NHL future is a big question mark after last year, but I'd hate for him to call it quits on our organization and head back to Europe.

That’s a fair thought and I’d agree that Husso has very little leverage after his poor season. Hopefully he’s not asking for the moon...but maybe he’s being offered decent money overseas.

I guess I hadn’t thought of him returning to Europe but that’s certainly an option for him. Anyone know what top goalies in Liiga typically make?
 

Ranksu

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What is your official prediction again?

I just played around number like his jersey number. This is over the top prediction in here, way over the top, but if I'm totally wrong I will admit I was wrong compare to other members here.

Honestly I think Binny gets +5mill.$ x 4-5 years

Billington
6.25mill.$ AAV x 8 - years = 50mill.$

here is my prediction for Sundqvist.

Knowing how big progress Sundqvist made this is season mindboggling. Last year this point we discuss he would step big shoes in 4th line job. Take majority of Brodziak's PK job too.

Sundqvist became 30'ish center in one year after being depth forward.

Hell, no Sundqvist will take under 2.5mill.$ contract.

I see him become Tyler Bozak level player with much better 2-way skill which he has already.

Realistically I could see Sunny get ~3.5mill.$ x 3-4 years.

What IF he produce next year 40'ish? And we've gave him this summer 2mill$ x 1- year deal?

I don't believe Sundqvist will have downgrade season after this season. So most likely even or better season so 1-year deal would problematic next summer and how much he would ask/deserve.
 

Brian39

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Looking towards Sunny's negotiations, the Blues have to be thrilled that the Bruins and Danton Heinan agreed to a 2 year deal at $2.8 AAV. He's not a perfect comparable to Sunny, but he is a (just turned) 24 year old with arbitration rights coming off a 34 point season who got 3rd line minutes for Boston's playoff run and netted 8 points through 24 playoff games. While Sunny played a larger role on our playoff push, Heinen also put up a 47 point season as a 22 year old and has better possession and expected +/- numbers. I'd argue that is a symptom of the hard minutes/role Sunny took on, but Heinen is not a slouch off the puck.

I think the overwhelming consensus around the NHL is that Heinen has more upside than Sunny, he's younger, and both of his NHL seasons saw him outproduce Sunny's production this year. This is a tough comparable for Sunny if he is hoping for a two year deal north of $2.5 mil.
 

Stupendous Yappi

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Fabbri just signed a one year $900k deal.
I expected 1M. I was remembering wrong, thinking that’s what he earned last year. But it was actually 925K. It’s basically the same deal.

It’s not hard to see them still dealing him or trying to sneak him through waivers at some point. But man, I’d love if he forced his way into the top 9 and created other dilemmas.
 
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Ranksu

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I think the Blues go 2 years on Barby, 3 on Eddy, and 1 on Sunny. I think they give Sunny like a 2.2-2.5 mil prove it contract, Barby a 1.5-1.8 mil bridge, and then they sign Eddy probably around 3.2-3.5 mil extension that takes him just after the Seattle expansion. This keeps them just under the cap for this year, but things could get dicey next year. If you want to stay competitive, you've got to get rid of that Allen contract and Steen contract, and hopefully if Bouw doesn't retire, he'll take about a 50% pay cut. I hope they can keep Petro and Schenn, but unless they can trade some of these heavy contracts, it's looking like it'll be hard.

I see it that way Edmundson needs succesfull season so 1-year deal for him is righteous. Maybe 1-year with 3.150mill.$ Ed had really rough season and assume there was some injuries behind. I hope so, 'cus he has regressed heavily. Not play that hard game anymore, do bonehead passes at d-zone and really turn the puck that much he get healthy scratched at finals too. Not impressed by him at all.

Barbashev is hard one, 'cus he had jump in season. He cracked in team and produce 30'ish season on 4th line and had impactfull post-season 3+3=6. Barby was important role in Blues playing 2nd PK unite with Sundqvist. (1.23/ATOI/SH) I could see Barby could get Calle Järnkrok type of deal 2mill.$ x 6-years. Feels like it would favor both sides. I could see Barbashev improve his overall game, but saying he would crack 40'ish point isn't maybe not that realistic. He's just perfect fit 4th line, heavy hitter and PK killer.
Sidenote Barbashev record most hits at playoffs 87.

Here is list our PK unite

#1 Steen 2.00/ATOI/SH
#2 ROR 1:42/ATOI/SH
#3 Sunny 1:31/ATOI/SH
#4 Barby 1:23/ATOI/SH
#5 Bozak 0:54/ATOI/SH

Sunqvist was one of our important players at post-season. Break throught year of Sunny's career and produce 31 points at regular season and post-season 4+5=9. I think Sunny has upside to hit 40-50 point mark, but his points will be limited with his usage. Heaviest PK icetime and I assume Sunny had majority of defensive zone starts. Not sure 100%. Also sidenote Sunny had most drawn penalties at playoffs 10min which was highest at NHL.
Realistically I assume Sundqvist should get 2-year deal x 3.250mill.$. We could easily compare to Sunny to Danton Heinen's contract which was 2-years x 2.8mill.$
Only area in Sunny's job have to get improve is his faceoff play. 47% at playoffs is good, but he could improve that to around 55% and he would be ideally best 4th line PK'ner at NHL. Sunny had at regular season 41.9% so there was clear path, ofc sample isn't that big compare to playoffs, but comparision was tougher at playoffs.



* * *


I predict:

Edmundson 3.150mill.$ x 1-year
Barbashev 2mill.$ x 6-years or 2mill.$ x 4-years
Sundqvist 3.250mill.$ x 2-years

Sunny and Barby are currently one of my favourite players, so there might be some biased opinion about their contracts.
 
Last edited:

MissouriMook

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Could you compare Brock McGinn's contract to Barbashev?
I don’t think so. McGinn’s contract is for years 6 and 7 of his professional career and this will be Barbashev’s 4th and his first deal after his ELC. I’m pretty sure McGinn had arbitration rights and Barbashev doesn’t. McGinn also has two consecutive years of production comparable to Barbashev’s only productive year.
 

Falco Lombardi

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I think a one year deal makes the most sense for both the Blues and Sundqvist. Sunny likely gets a nice bump and the Blues can see how much of last year was real.

I’ll say he gets 1 year, 2.6 mil
 

Ranksu

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4.350mill.$ cap available and we haven't sign yet, Edmundson, Barbashev and Maroon. So we can assume Maroon won't be get signed here.
 

Brian39

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4.350mill.$ cap available and we haven't sign yet, Edmundson, Barbashev and Maroon. So we can assume Maroon won't be get signed here.
That $4.35 number is with 23 guys currently on the roster. Every player we sign forces us to send one of those current 23 down to the AHL, so add $700k-$750k in cap space for each guy you intend on signing.

Assuming Pouliot and Schmaltz are sent down to make room for Eddy/Barby (that gives us 14F and 7D), then we are looking at $5.75 mil in space at the moment.

If we are still thinking about Maroon, then send down Mac or Blais to free up another $750-$850k. So we would have $6.5ish mil to sign Eddy/Barby/Maroon. I think we could fit all 3 under that number, but I think the team is content letting Maroon walk unless he is willing to essentially play for the same price as Mac or Blais.
 

MissouriMook

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Waiting for news of Edmundson contract signing or trade has me like...

upload_2019-7-27_12-6-32.gif
 

Ranksu

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Joel Edmundson arbitration day is - August 4

Btw why Barbashev didnt have arbitration? Or I can't find it.
 

BlueDream

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Any worries about next Barby contract?
Worries? No. He shouldn't be that hard to negotiate a contract with. He played well in our Cup run and we know what he can do but his point totals will keep his AAV to a reasonable price.
 

Ranksu

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Yah, Sundqvist contract helped us. 2.75mill.$ is lowballing för Sundqvist. ~2mill.$ is Barbashev. I think years is questionmark. I hope we go järnkrok deal. 2mill.$ x 6-years
 

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