Right around the time of the big press conference this afternoon that introduced Alexander Steen as the next head man of the St. Louis Blues, some interesting developments were happening. Big day for Blues fans everywhere.
It appears as though Jonatan Berggren, who was not offered a qualifying offer as an RFA, will now be re-signing with the Blues on a one-year deal. This has not been confirmed yet, at least officially, but it was first reported by Emily Kaplan of ESPN.
The #stlblues are signing 25 y/o F Jonatan Berggren to a 1 year $2M cap hit contract per @emilymkaplan
— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) June 30, 2026
$2M all Salary
Although Berggren was not QO yesterday he will still be RFA w arb upon expiry
Rep'd by Brian and Scott Bartlett @BartlettHockey https://t.co/gS8IpXbWKj
That is not all, as both Jonathan Drouin and Matthew Kessel are both expected to not be on the Blues roster next season. Drouin still has one-year left on his $4 million AAV deal and will be bought out. This gives the Blues a dead cap of $1.33 million over the next two seasons, but also saves them $1.44 million overall.
Kessel's time in St. Louis is more than likely over after not making enough of an impression to stake his name in this organization's future plans. Now he gets a shot to make a roster on another team, and I am sure a rebuilding team is going to give the 26-year-old right-handed shot a look.
I also asked Steen about the decision not to qualify Berggren and Kessel: "With Berggren, we couldn't seem to get something done before the QO deadline. We're still in communication. We like the player -- Monty and his coaching staff like the player, so we're hopeful that we can…
— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) June 30, 2026
Retaining Berggren is key
Berggren came to St. Louis following being let go by Detroit with a chip on his shoulder. His impact was felt nearly immediately, and this is the best first move by Steen that fans could have imagined.
If this is a one-year-deal, which is a shorter-length bridge deal than a usual two-year deal, this is another chance for Berggren to prove himself. With the abundance of young forwards making their way up the ladder in the last few drafts, it is important for Berggren to be a solid player and not block another player's chance to make a name for themself.
The hope is that the 36 games of last season continue for 2026-27. He will get some solid minutes, and with a training camp that will be heavily competitive, there should be no excuse for him not to be great. Berggren could either be another piece added to this young core at 25, or a large trade chip at next season's trade deadline.
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