Two young skaters have asserted themselves into the central core of the roster: Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg.
Acquired via matching offer sheets from the Edmonton Oilers, Holloway and Broberg quickly became fan favorites with their exciting styles of play. Both provided an injection of youth and excitement to their respective positions and seemingly have earned themselves new long-term contracts for the future.
With great ability...
Broberg and Holloway both had very impressive first seasons in St. Louis. They earned recognition not just as great players for the Blues, but great players leaguewide.
Philip Broberg's year-end numbers are not as gaudy, but are impressive when you consider his age and role. He tallied 29 points in 68 games and was a +21 on the year.
Broberg showed a lot of promise on offense, although he wasn't able to get credited for the point on various plays that he helped start. However, Broberg stood out as one of the league's best young defenders with his impressive plus/minus and contributions to the Blues' offense through his impressive transition game.
Dylan Holloway's arrival was a much louder occurrence. Holloway exploded for 63 points in 77 games at just 22 years old, and seems to have his whole career in front of him. He impressed as a legitimate two-way forward with a +21 on the season as both an offensive and defensive threat. Holloway's level of play far surpassed his age, and with some expected progression, he is on a fast track to becoming one of the best wingers in the NHL.
...Comes great financial security
Both players showed enough for fans to want long-term deals in St. Louis, and rightfully so. Both Holloway and Broberg are due for extensions after this coming season, and we could expect some contract decisions to come shortly.
Philip Broberg did miss a period of time due to injury, right as he was playing his best hockey. When he came back from injury, he still looked great, but not quite as high as he was playing to begin the season.
Whether this was due to injury or due to the regular ups and downs of a season will never be known, so a full evaluation of his skill level cannot fully be made. There is some uncertainty about just how high he can reach, so I expect Broberg to get around a six-year contract, around $6.5-8.5 million per year.
Even though Holloway also missed some time, there is no doubt about his ability and potential. Holloway's goal-scoring ability, combined with his excellent defense and all-around playmaking, make him a very enticing player to sign long term.
With Holloway's impressive season, I expect him to get a max-term deal at 8 years. The AAV could be similar to Broberg but will probably be closer to the $7-9 million range.
And then, there is always the chance that Broberg and Holloway become the next core duo in St. Louis and get matching contracts like Faulk and Krug or Thomas and Kyrou. Perhaps they both signed at the $8.125 million figure that locked up now superstars Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas at very cheap rates.
There's no rush to sign a contract
While we are all excited about the future of Holloway and Broberg in St. Louis, there isn't necessarily a rush to get both deals done right this instant.
Of course, there is always the chance that both players regress, as they are very young and still very early in their development.
Furthermore, they are still under contract for next season, meaning a new contract won't kick in until next July anyway. There is still plenty of time.
Doug Armstrong and co. might want to wait and see what another year of development would look like, which runs the risk of raising the price but also guarantees a safer deal. Both of these players will remain in St. Louis for a long time, and while the fans want a contract now, there isn't necessarily the same pressure on the front office to do so at the earliest possible instant.
I broke down these contracts and more on a recent episode of my podcast, the Note News Podcast, which you can find here.
Blues fans are rightfully excited about the future of Blues hockey, and Dylan Holoway and Philip Broberg are both a big part of that. They bring a fun edge to the ice night in and night out, and whatever deal they end up signing will end up benefiting both parties as we get to watch these two grow in St. Louis for the long term.