The Blues announced they’ve signed center Nick Bjugstad to a two-year, $3.5MM contract worth $1.75MM per season.
Scouring the free agent market for a third-line center, the Blues have found their man in Bjugstad. The former first-round pick of the 2010 NHL Draft is coming off a two-year stint with the Arizona Coyotes, and subsequently the Utah Mammoth, where he recorded 30 goals and 64 points in 142 games, averaging 15:04 of ice time per game and managing a 48.8% success rate in the faceoff dot.
Still, it was truly a tale of two years for the 13-year veteran. Bjugstad had the second-highest scoring output of his career during the 2023-24 campaign, only to see it fall to his fourth-worst last season. Furthermore, his 47.4% faceoff rate was the lowest of his career since his brief 13-game stretch with the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 2019-20 season.
His scoring depression has certainly led to the slight drop in salary compared to his last contract. However, Bjugstad displayed strong possession metrics in his last year in Salt Lake City, maintaining a 51.5% CorsiFor% at even strength, and quality defensive metrics with a 90.8% on-ice save percentage at even strength.
Throughout the rest of the afternoon, the Blues will be limited by their financial flexibility. Unless another move is made, Bjugstad will likely play between Jake Neighbours and Mathieu Joseph on the team’s third line.
PHR’s Brennan McClain contributed significantly to this article.
Perfect signing.
Definitely one of the better deals of the day.
I assume this means Faksa is gone, which means no more WTF line.
BTW line.
Yeah, that may be, somewhat unfortunately. Bjugstad may be a minor improvement overall, but Faksa has that ability to tilt the ice with his competitiveness and clutch heroics. Had Holloway been well, Dallas would’ve still been tough but theydve been in it.
Now Faksa back to Dallas. Doesn’t surprise me. Guess he’ll be on the 3rd line in Dallas? The just re-signed Blackwell and I think steel is signed already.? Anyway, great player.
Solid player at a fair value.
No, he’ll probably play on the 4th line with Walker and Toropchenko, while Dvorsky will be on the third line with Neighbors and TBA.