The St. Louis Blues finally put fears to rest so fans can fully look forward to next season. They ended any arbitration speculation by signing a nice contract with a future star.
The St. Louis Blues have had quite the summer so far. Now that they have signed Colton Parayko to a longish-term deal, fans can totally shift their focus to the 2017-18 season.
Of course, you’re going to have your doubters. There are some that will never believe Doug Armstrong is a good or even decent general manager.
Think what you will of him, that is your opinion. It cannot be said that he has not done all within the realm of realistic possibilities to make the Blues better this season and for the near future.
While it is highly doubtful that Armstrong actually sees any of the negative things said about him, the timing of his moves is very coincidental. Even the strongest supporter was wavering with the belief he would make no deals over the summer.
Just when that wave hit its crest, he makes the impact deals during the 2017 NHL Draft. Similarly, just when the outcry from fans wondering when Parayko’s contract would be done was loudest, Armstrong kicks it into high gear.
Now the Blues seem to have made possibly the smartest deal possible. They have gone beyond the dreaded “bridge-deal” which would likely have cost them more money in the long run. Conversely, they have not gone for the insane amount of money or years that some players get today and some fans were more than willing to give.
Five years at an annual average value of $5.5 million is just where it needs to be to make all parties happy. The Blues have locked up their cornerstone defender, as Armstrong put it, for this current window and have done it at a price tag that does not preclude making moves down the road once bigger contracts come off the books.
For Parayko, it’s a good deal as well. He gets security and gets a deal short enough for him to cash in one or two more times (maybe even three) in his career since he’s so young.
Those that are not prone to leaping to conclusions knew this deal would get done. Once it was announced what figures each side was seeking in arbitration, there was some discord among fans.
People unfamiliar with the process thought Parayko was only seeking a one-year deal and must not want to be with the Blues. Those on the opposite side thought the Blues were being cheap. That’s not how the process works.
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According to the Post-Dispatch, Parayko asked for $4.85 million for one season and the Blues were seeking something more in the mid-three million range for two seasons. Those are numbers given to a judge to estimate value.
The Blues pretty much took what Parayko wanted for one season, bumped it up a bit and gave him the longer deal. It’s good business because if they settled for arbitration and Parayko keeps improving, we’d be talking much more than a $650,000 raise in numbers.
Also, the Blues avoid the stupid bridge deal. A bridge deal makes sense for guys you are still evaluating, such as a Dmitrij Jaskin or even Robby Fabbri to an extent.
You don’t waste your time on a deal like that with a guy who has top-pairing defender written all over him. Even if Parayko takes a step back and never improves from what he is now, he’s still a top-four defenseman and better than half of what the Blues have on their current roster on the blue line.
You could save money in the short term with a bridge deal, but you’re looking at a large pay difference once that three-year contract runs up. Suddenly you go from $4-5 million to $6-7 million, which gives you a lot less freedom than just paying the $5.5 up front and getting those extra two years of security.
It just made sense all the way around. Parayko, or his agent, are not fools. They knew what they were worth, but I believe that Parayko really wants to be here and is not paying lip service.
"Playing in St. Louis, in front of all those fans who support us on and off the ice - there's no better place to be." - Parayko #stlblues pic.twitter.com/5woqiqpfJ9
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) July 20, 2017
Additionally, the GM is quite pleased and likely relieved to get the deal done. He talked briefly with the voice of the Blues, Chris Kerber.
The Blues now have only around $2 million left before they hit the cap. They might still bring in a veteran for the minimum, but it would seem likely they are done in the market at this time.
Even if there are no more moves, Armstrong has done a heck of a job overall this summer. Now we can look forward to camp, which will likely begin in early September with the first preseason game on September 19.