Vladimir Sobotka Will Stay In KHL, Won't Return To Blues For Now

Everyone can appreciate Vladimir Sobotka's face off numbers (61.9% in 2013-2014). He was not a defensive liability. He was a solid skater. And he also wound up in situations that he had no business being placed in, such as the power play or the top two lines. He was Ken Hitchcock's spark plug, and being inserted into situations that were intended for players with a higher skill set inflated his self-worth (monetarily speaking). He wanted three million during last season's free agency, Doug Armstrong and the arbitrator suggested $2.7 million, and Sobotka left the NHL to play tax-free for the KHL's Avangard Omsk.

According to a report from Hawk.ru, he's going to continue playing there to the tune of $4.5 million this season. As Jeremy Rutherford points out, those reports aren't guaranteed. Sobotka's contract, however, is (at least by KHL standards).

You can't blame him one bit for staying, and it does the Blues some good too - where would he fit right now?