Blues Sign UFA Paul Stastny To Four Year Deal

When Jason Spezza started free agency day off by being traded to the Dallas Stars, most Blues fans were not positive about our chances for landing a number two center.

In typical Blues fashion, I see a deal for Stastny falling through and us back at square one.

— Harrison Milfeld (@hmilfeld) July 1, 2014

I would by lying if I didn't say that was my thought process as well. Paul Stastny wasn't going to come cheap, and the Blues had just re-upped Patrik Berglund for three years while giving qualifying offers to the team's free agents. Sure, they made moves and spent last year on things that ultimately were not the missing pieces of the puzzle, as it were, but the Blues have conditioned their fans to not expect that every time there's a trade deadline or free agency. Surely Stastny would stay with the Avalanche.

Nope. Local boy did good. The Blues've signed Stastny to a four-year deal that pays the 28 year old forward $7 million a season for $28 million total. In 71 games last season, Stastny had 25 goals and a pretty decent 35 assists. It's easy to assume that he will be skating between Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Tarasenko on the team's second line next year. Those two showed some chemistry with Patrik Berglund and Vladimir Sobotka, but you also can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Those two aren't number two centers. Stastny is.

Stastny's price tag may be high, but the Blues desperately needed to fill that hole. They needed to fill it at the trade deadline last year. I guess you can look on the bright side with this - the Blues didn't have to give up assets to get Stastny, just a lot of money. I'll take that over Spezza any day.