Getting Jay Bouwmeester signed to a contract extension before he could hit unrestricted free agency next summer has been a priority for St. Louis all along but, from what I'm hearing, it moved up the priority list as the Alex Pietrangelo negotiations hit an impasse over contract length. The Blues still expect to get a deal done with Pietrangelo but it starting to look more and more like the situation could extend through the rest of the summer and bump up against training camp.'

I'd say we're still in the calm before the storm phase with Pietrangelo but the word "storm" is an exaggeration in that no one I've talked to thinks Pietrangelo will be anywhere but St. Louis next season and for years to come. This is just a very complicated negotiation for a player of his potential stature who is coming off his entry-level deal (and a bit of a down season compared to pre-season expectations).


Stay tuned!

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