Blues reportedly preparing offer for Mikael Granlund

The St. Louis Blues have nearly $10 million in cap space ahead of free agency, and it sounds like they already have their sights set on a top target.

A lot of the pending free agents expected to hit the market ended up re-signing with their teams, but it looks like the Dallas Stars won't be able to find the money to retain free-agent forward Mikael Granlund.

Granlund had 45 points (15 goals, 30 assists) in 52 games with the San Jose Sharks last season before being traded to the Stars. In Dallas, Granlund put up another 21 points (7 goals, 14 assists) for a total of 66 points (22 goals, 44 assists) in 83 games.

The Finnish forward is a versatile one who can line up on the wing just as easily as center, which brings extra value as a free agent. The Blues can certainly use someone like that and he could end up landing in St. Louis.

The Blues, along with the Sharks and Carolina Hurricanes, are reportedly among the teams preparing offers for the free-agent forward once free agency opens at noon on Tuesday.

Carolina could end up as the main competitor for Granlund. The Hurricanes have tons of cap space and could use a weapon like Granlund. It doesn't hurt that Carolina has fellow countryman Sebastian Aho as one of its top players.

Andy Strickland also reported last week that the Blues' top player of interest is

CapWages projects Granlund to get a two-year contract with a cap hit just under $5 million. That would leave the Blues with nearly $5 million more in cap space to work with to fill out the rest of the roster.

If the Blues can't land Granlund, perhaps they'll have their eyes on another free-agent center.