Blues sign Kyle Clifford to two-year contract

Doug Armstrong isn’t done with free agency. He’s signed some AHL depth guys since signing Torey Krug on Friday, and today he’s shored up the bottom six with Kyle Clifford.

Clifford had seven goals and 10 assists between the Los Angeles Kings and Toronto Maple Leafs last season, so he’s not a big point producer - his top point season came in 2018-2019, when he netted 11 goals and 10 assists. He comes instead with 10 years of experience and two Stanley Cups won with the Los Angeles Kings. Armstrong didn’t sign for production, he signed for experience.

Fans remember the fourth-line carousel in the Blues’ one round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. With Alexander Steen injured and Ivan Barbashev tending to a new child, the Blues had to cycle through some players who were... less than idea. Jacob de la Rose was re-signed back in September as depth, though with his one year with the Blues he did not exactly impress. He played just 34 games, scoring one goal and adding five assists.

Let’s just say that it’s not a coincidence both play left wing.

Clifford came off of a contract that paid him $1.6 million a season over five years; Doug Armstrong signed him to a two-year deal at $1 million per.

The Blues are at the cap before signing RFA Vince Dunn to a new deal, but with Vladimir Tarasenko and Alexander Steen to start the year on LTIR, there is some cap relief there at the beginning of the year. Whether Armstrong decides to clear more space before the beginning of the season, well, he has time.