Report: Blues close to signing free-agent winger Pat Maroon

Blues general manager Doug Armstrong strongly hinted at being done in the UFA market on July 1st, but if a desired UFA starts to show interest in signing with your team, and you can do it, you sign him. Pat Maroon’s name has been knocked around as a possible free agent target for the Blues, and it turns out he could be coming to St. Louis.

The Blues are sitting $5 million under the cap right now with Joel Edmundson and Jordan Schmaltz to sign. Rutherford strongly hints at the Blues making a salary-shedding deal to get them and Maroon signed.

Last season, Maroon was a $2 million cap hit, so the Blues won’t have to shed a ton of salary to get him. Armstrong so far has ditched large deals that appeared to make Patrik Berglund and Vladimir Sobotka untradable. Right now, two players fit the bill for large contracts that the Blues would probably like to shed: Jay Bouwmeester ($5,400,000, one year left) and Alexander Steen ($5,750,000, three years left).

Splitting his time between the Edmonton Oilers and New Jersey Devils last season, Maroon was good for 17 goals and 26 assists.