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The Latest on Pietrangelo + Jets With Good Signing |
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Bridge deal, long-term or something in the middle? That's where things have been stalemated in the Blues' negotiations with RFA defenseman Alex Pietrangelo. Most notable players coming off their entry-level deals have been signing shorter-term second deals, after which they will remain restricted free agents with (potentially) more leverage to make the big bucks in a long-term deal.
Pietrangelo is a special case. It's no secret that defensemen are commanding a premium nowadays, and ones with franchise-player upside are exceptionally hard to find. As such, the Pietrangelo camp is included to skip the bridge contract and go for the superstar deal right now.
Doug Armstrong and the Blues want to move slower. They are armed with two key negotiating points. First of all, 2013 Norris Trophy winner P.K. Subban was in a similar position last summer, and the Habs stood their ground to the point that the player went into the season still unsigned. The two sides ultimately settled on a two-year bridge contract with a mid-range cap hit of $2.875 million. Secondly, Pietrangelo did not consistently play at a superstar level in the shortened season after entering the year with many predicting a season in which he'd become a Norris finalist or winner.
Barring an offer sheet by another organization, which I do NOT believe is coming at this point but which would be Pietrangelo's strongest leverage to get the type of superstar deal he wants, I think St. Louis has the upper hand in the negotiations.
If an offer sheet were to come, I think the Blues ownership group would do the same thing Nashville did last year when Shea Weber signed a gargantuan offer sheet with Philadelphia. The contract was beyond the team's budget but members of the ownership group spent from their personal wealth to make sure another team didn't snatch away the franchise's most important player.
Otherwise, the Pietrangelo side is probably going to have to come closer the bridge deal side to get a deal done with the Blues, with the Blues elevating the cap hit. Although there have been a few stray trade rumors popping up here and there, there has been nothing consistent or concrete. That could very well change if the stalemate drags on through the rest of the summer and into training camp. At that point, the pressure elevates to resolve things one way or another.
When all is said and done, however, Alex Pietrangelo is almost certainly going to be a member of the St. Louis Blues for many years to come. Let's put it this way: If the Blues are prepared to match any offer sheet should one arise, they are also prepared to find acceptable ground for both sides in the current negotiation. Timing is everything.
also...
be aware of the Jets "Under the Radar" signing of Ice Caps star Eric O'Dell. The kids was a second round pick by the Ducks a few years back and does nothing but score at every level he has played. He was sort of lost in the depth chart shuffle in Anaheim, but Cheveldayof knows this kid well.
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