The St. Louis Blues have hardly been idle this offseason. They came away from the 2026 NHL Draft loaded with high-end talent. So, it wasn’t a surprise that the club would remain relatively quiet on the opening day of NHL free agency.
All told, the Blues made three depth signings. None of them scream blockbuster. In fact, they’re the sorts of deals that the organization is hoping will just pound the opposition.
Let’s start with the first move. The Blues inked former Anaheim Ducks forward Ross Johnston to a three-year, $6 million contract. This was by far the biggest signing the Blues made on Wednesday. And it signals the organization is looking to beef up the bottom six.
The 6’5”, 234-pound bruiser is just one more big body on the Blues’ roster. If the plan is to pummel opponents into submission next season, it seems the club is well on its way. The Blues also added the 6’5” Brandon Carlo, and have another bruiser in Colton Parayko. Jack Finley is a 6’6” behemoth who will also patrol the ice.
That’s why the Blues could suddenly become one of the toughest teams to play against next season.
Blues ink two more intriguing forwards
The Blues also inked two more intriguing forwards, ones who could become under-the-radar hits.
First, there’s Jonatan Berggren. The 25-year-old Detroit Red Wings castaway landed well in St. Louis after being a waiver pickup. He started off well, but then sort of cooled off a bit. Still, he scored six goals in 36 games. If Berggren can really hit his stride next season, the former second-round pick could become a steal for the Blues at $2 million on a one-year deal.
The organization will give him every chance to excel this upcoming season. So, fans should expect Berggren to get some meaningful playing time in the middle six.
Then, there’s Dillon Dube. The 27-year-old was a bit of a controversial signing last season due to his checkered legal history. He had a solid season with the Springfield Thunderbirds, scoring 20 goals in 46 games.
The Blues inked Dube to a one-year, $850K deal. It’s likely the 27-year-old will get a chance to make the team this fall. If he does, the former second-round pick of the Calgary Flames could become another under-the-radar steal for St. Louis.
However, Dube seems much further away from the NHL than Berggren. If Dube can’t make the NHL, he should be another solid contributor in the NHL.
All told, the Blues made their moves count on Wednesday. The team still has over $10 million in cap space. That should come in handy in case there’s a deal out there waiting to happen.
We shall see. For now, it seems that Alex Steen will push back from the table and take a little break as the rest of NHL free agency unfolds.
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