Per a team release, the Blues have signed pending UFA forward Oskar Sundqvist to a two-year contract extension. The deal is worth $3MM and has a $1.5MM AAV and cap hit.
Sundqvist, 29, returned to the Blues for his second stint with the club last summer on a one-year, league-minimum contract. He’s punched well above his weight class compared to his $775K salary, recording 21 points in 62 games in a shutdown role while averaging 13:29 per game.
A two-time Stanley Cup champion, Sundqvist was a solid middle-six center for the Blues when they lifted the trophy in 2019. 304 of his 417 NHL games have come in a St. Louis sweater, initially coming to the Blues in a 2017 trade from the Penguins.
While he’s provided solid secondary scoring for his bottom-six role, he’s not as effective as a shutdown center as his usage suggests. His 39.7 CF% at even strength is the worst among full-time Blues forwards this season, and he’s never been above 50 in a full season. He has a 40.4 xGF% this year, and while he remains a decent penalty killer, he hasn’t been able to translate that into shot quality suppression at even strength.
Per CapFriendly, the Blues now have $14.6MM in projected cap space next season with a roster size of 18, on pace to relieve themselves of this season’s cap crunch. Sundqvist will be a UFA when his new deal expires in 2026.
Good signing!