Offseason Notes
- If we can’t offer sheet Lindgren, I think a package around Perunovich + Alexandrov + Pick could work.
- Extend Buchnevich to a 4-year $8.125M AAV deal.
- Extend Toropchenko to a 2-year $1.5M AAV deal.
- Matt Roy I think would be a solid partner for Theo Lindstein when he’s ready to make the jump (which I’m predicting could happen when Leddy is done in St. Louis).
- Target a two-way RD in next year’s draft to replace Faulk. Options include: Henry Mews (OHL), Adam Jiricek (Czechia), and Anthony Cristoforo (OHL).
Barring any crazy moves, here is my future outlook prediction:
- Dvorsky will replace either Saad or Hayes in 2025-26. We just need to trade one of them with retention maybe.
- Stenberg replaces either Saad or Hayes in 2026-27. Whoever is not traded the previous offseason.
- Lindstein replaces Leddy in 2026-27 and plays with Roy.
- Robertsson replaces Blais in 2027-28.
- Blues either resign Roy or go for a stop-gap Top 4 RD for a short-term deal in the 2027 offseason.
- Buchinger replaces Krug in 2027-28.
- The 1st round RD selection from the 2024 Entry Draft replaces Faulk in 2027-28.
- Zherenko replaces Binnington in 2027-28.
- Make a splash and sign Keller in the 2028 offseason.
- Pekarcik replaces Toropchenko in 2028-29.
2025-26 Roster Prediction
Buchnevich - Thomas - Snuggerud
Bolduc - Schenn - Kyrou
Saad/Hayes - Dvorsky - Neighbours
Toropchenko - Dean - Blais
Lindgren - Parayko
Krug - Faulk
Leddy - Roy
Binnington - Hofer
2026-27 Roster Prediction
Buchnevich - Thomas - Snuggerud
Bolduc - Dvorsky - Kyrou
Schenn - Dean - Neighbours
Toropchenko - Stenberg - Blais
Lindgren - Parayko
Krug - Faulk
Lindstein - Roy
Binnington - Hofer
Over the years, our salary cap hit’s look pretty decent. By 2028-29 season, we are looking like this, assuming all players project well and go according to plan.
Forwards (12 - Projected Spending: ~$67M)
- Thomas has 3 years left at $8.125M AAV.
- Kyrou has 3 years left at $8.125M AAV.
- Buchnevich has 1 year left at $8.125M AAV.
- Keller has 7 years left at $8M AAV. Signs 7yr $8M AAV.
- Dvorsky has 8 years left at $8M AAV. Signs 8yr $8M AAV.
- Snuggerud has 7 years left at $7.5M AAV. Signed 8yr $7.5M AAV deal starting in 2027-28.
- Bolduc has 6 years left at $7.5M AAV. Signed 8yr $7.5M AAV deal starting in 2026-27.
- Neighbours signs a bridge for 2-3 years starting in 2025-26. I predict he extends for like a 4-5 year deal at $4M AAV following that contract.
- Dean would be in the final year of his bridge deal. I’d predict him signing a 3 year bridge deal starting in 2026-27, which we can budget $3M AAV.
- Stenberg would be coming off his ELC. Probably bridge him for 2-3 years. Let’s budget $2.5M AAV to be safe.
- Robertsson should be making around $1.25M AAV max.
- Pekarcik will be making below $1M AAV.
Defense (6 - Projected Spending: $19M)
- Parayko has 2 years left at $6.5M AAV.
- Lindgren has 1 year left at $4.25M AAV.
- Roy/RD Free Agent would have 1-2 years left on their stop gap contract at a budgeted $4M AAV.
- Lindstein will be coming off his ELC. Let’s assume we bridge him (like Stenberg) for 2-3 years at about $2.5M AAV.
- Buchinger is making below $1M.
- 2024 1st Round Pick is on their last year of their ELC.
Goalies (2 - Projected Spending: ~$5M)
- Hofer signs a 2 year bridge starting in 2025-26. At this point, probably has 3 years left on a 4yr $4M AAV deal, which started in 2027-28.
- Zherenko should be at about $1M AAV as a backup.
Assuming the salary cap rises to $92M in 2025-26, and increases by $1M per year thereafter, the salary cap should be about $95M in 2028-29. With ~$91M spent on the starting 20, the Blues would have $4M in cap space to sign 3 scratched players and cover overages, which should be at least $1M (due to Dvorsky’s bonuses from 2027-28).
Obviously, super hard to predict this stuff. But this is where my head is at with it all. Let me know what you guys think.
Le salaire annuel moyen (AAV) de l'offre hostile est calculé en divisant la valeur totale du contrat par: 1. La durée totale du contrat, ou 2. Cinq ans
McDavid, Connor
250 000 $)
tstrauss16 a aimé ceci.
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