The St. Louis Blues made a couple of key moves this summer, with some trades, drafts and contract extensions. Some were no-brainers, and some have a little more of a risk involved with it.
Two of the bigger moves were the trading and signing of Connor McMichael as well as the extension of Dylan Holloway, who was an absolute stud at the end of the 2025-26 season. Both make complete sense to round out a competitive top six forward group, but their price tags might be a bit too steep.
Let's go over who's contract carries the most risk.
McMichael versus Holloway
Looking at both players, they each come from different campaigns last season. McMichael was a part of the Washington Capitals, helping out as the second-line center with a respectable season of 14 goals and 32 assists for 46 points in 78 games. He was brought in to help add some depth to the center group. but may be the odd man out going up against another recently acquired Blue. Mason McTavish.
The only knock on McMichael is that he is joining a completely new system and making $6.75 million AAV. This is a growing trend in the NHL as more and more RFA-eligible players are getting bigger contracts like this with the lucrative increase of the salary cap. Right now, it might be a high number, but wait until Jimmy Snuggerud escapes his entry-level contract at the end of 2026-27, as that may be the Blues' first-ever member of the $10 million AAV club.
Holloway has been an electric player since joining the Blues from Edmonton. He has been fast and physical, and shows a ton of creativity with the puck on his stick, going north and south. He was a part of one of the best first lines in hockey, alongside Robert Thomas and the aforementioned Snuggerud. He finished the 2025-26 season with a stat line reading 22 goals, 29 assists for 51 points.
No. 81 will be making $7.75 million AAV, over the next five seasons. Holloway certainly earned that much money, but can he continue to stay healthy enough to make a difference for this team. He is a key part of this young and blossoming core group, but he has also missed 28 games over the last two seasons.
The winner is...
McMichael carries a bit more of a risk, solely due to the fact that he is entering a new team and system, and carrying the fifth-highest AAV of the forward group. Of course, he earned his right to make that amount, and who knows if arbitration would have been in the favor of the Blues or the player, but a deal was struck for what it was and it is what it is.
Holloway will be a complete player for the Blues for years to come, and if he can continue to be a key part of that awesome first line, this franchise may have gotten a steal at just under $8 million a year.
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