Blues sign Paul Stastny to 4-year, $28 million contract
Tap here to access our NHL Tracker, which includes offseason rumors, trades and signings.
The St. Louis Blues have signed ace two-way center Paul Stastny to a four-year deal worth $28 million, the club announced on Tuesday.
Stastny breakdown in St. Louis: $6.5 million, $7 M, $7 M and $7.5 M. Plus NTC
— Pierre LeBrun (@Real_ESPNLeBrun) July 1, 2014
The long-time Avalanche forward is skilled enough to produce points against top of the lineup competition and is dependable enough in his own end to bear a heavy defensive burden. While his younger teammates have earned the majority of the praise and accolades in Colorado in recent years, Stastny's presence has protected them from facing the toughest matchups or starting too often in the defensive end of the rink.
Stastny's combination of relative youth (he's just 28-years-old), two-way ability, and offensive skill have made him the top player on the unrestricted free agent market.
You can see all the Stastny rumors leading up to the deal here.