On the St. Louis Blues …
Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Blues GM Doug Armstrong said that he’d like to bring David Backes back, but he’s likley to hit the open market.
“I think what you find now, the players that signed in their mid-to-late 20s, that was the premium contract,” Armstrong said. “Now there’s a group of players that want that second premium contract. That’s difficult to branch out and think where guys are going to be at (age) 34-35-36.
“I’m not worried about 2016-17, or ’17-18. But when you start projecting out long-term, players, wear and tear on their body, their production decreases and you need to have a contract that can stand the test of time.”
The Blues want to sign RFA Jaden Schwartz to a long-term deal. Schwartz is believed to be looking for a $6 million plus deal.
Troy Brouwer might be able to get as much as $5 million on the open market.
“They’re all tied together,” Armstrong said. “You just sort of have to see. I think getting creative, there’s a way to sign (Backes and Brouwer). But right now, there’s not a way to sign either based on our current situation.”
Vladimir Sobotka‘s agent has told Armstrong that Sobotka will be returning to the NHL next year.
On the Tampa Bay Lightning …
Chris Nichols of Today’s Slapshot: Darren Dreger on TSN 1050 on what he’s been hearing with regards to the Tampa Bay Lightning and Steven Stamkos.
“So what I’ve been told – and not by Tampa Bay or by Newport Sports, but some who believe that they’re in the know where this case is concerned – is that Yzerman has said to others that he can’t go above $8.5 million. So perhaps he boosts the term, and if the term gets boosted to the max of eight years, that’s a lot of money that Steven Stamkos is going to have to walk away from if he goes to free agency.
“But again, to link Detroit back into this, and there’s a number of teams. I know we’ve openly talked about the Toronto Maple Leafs’ interest. I think Detroit is one of those teams that would automatically, if they could move the Datsyuk contract, put down an offer of seven years at $10 million per for Stamkos, if he gets to July 1.”
So he could get $70 million for seven years from someone, or $68 million over eight years from the Lightning. Dreger doesn’t think a team will give him more than $10 million.