Free agents have been the talk of the town lately here on Last Word On Hockey. A few days ago, we took a look at the St. Louis Blues’ pending Group 6 unrestricted free agents. Even more recently, Last Word’s Rohit Bhamra took a look at the pending unrestricted free agents of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Let’s keep the free agent theme going by taking an early look at the Blues’ pending unrestricted free agents.
An Early Look at the Blues’ Pending Free Agents
Mathieu Joseph
Joseph had an uneventful first season with the Blues. Joseph came to the Blues with upside. He is a two-time Stanley Cup Champion and has scored 10+ goals in four of his seven seasons. However, Joseph scored just four goals in 60 games. Furthermore, his 14 points were his lowest in seasons in which he has played 50+ games.
Joseph will likely serve a depth role with the Blues this coming season. With the abundance of forwards now and on the way, it may not make sense to bring Joseph back beyond 2025-26.
Alexey Toropchenko
Coming off a 14-goal 2023-24 season, Toropchenko’s goals dropped to four last season. However, he was still a positive presence on the ice, as the Blues benefited from Toropchenko’s fourth line. Toropchenko had a strong showing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, scoring two goals and recording four points in seven games.
Toropchenko is who he is. He is a physical forward who can occasionally put the ball in the net. There is value in a fourth-line player, so we think he gets a small extension from the Blues.
Oskar Sundqvist
Sundqvist had an expanded role on the power play last season, with four of six goals coming on the man-advantage. However, it is unclear whether or not Sundqvist will see a similar role this season, even with the departure of Zachary Bolduc. He may have a depth role this season, with playing time not guaranteed.
Sundqvist was a key member of the Blues’ 2019 Stanley Cup team. He returned to the team at the beginning of their retool. Furthermore, he chose to remain with the team instead of being traded to a contender. However, he will be 32 years old when his contract expires. As of now, it is unlikely that the Blues will bring him back.
Nathan Walker
Like Sundqvist, Walker will be 32 when his current contract expires. Unlike Sundqvist, however, Walker has more of a defined role heading into this season. Walker provided a spark on the fourth line last season for the team. His grit and physical play are reminiscent of Pat Maroon.
Whether or not the Blues bring him back may not be clear at the moment. Another strong season may tempt the Blues to bring him back on a short contract. On the other hand, the Blues cannot re-sign everyone. They will already have Nick Bjugstad on their fourth line and possibly Toropchenko. If the Blues choose to re-sign the younger Toropchenko, they may let Walker walk.
Cam Fowler
Fowler was a tremendous asset to the Blues after coming over from Anaheim last season. He helped shape the Blues’ defence and had an impact on the offence and the defence. Fowler had multiple standout games with the Blues, including a two-goal game in the Winter Classic and a five-point game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Fowler heads into his first full season with the Blues looking to build off that success.
Yet, re-signing Fowler may not be a sure thing. He is an aging defenceman, turning 34 this season. While he has continued to be a productive player, Father Time is undefeated. Even if he has another strong season, are the Blues willing to commit to a few more years with him, knowing it is possible age will eventually catch up to him? Furthermore, the development of defensive prospect Theo Lindstein and others may help the Blues make their decision regarding Fowler.
As of right now, the jury is still out on Fowler’s return. However, there could be more reasons to move on from him than to keep him beyond this season. That does not mean they will not re-sign him. It simply means the Blues have a lot to figure out before making their decision. These multiple aspects of the situation might make Fowler the most interesting pending UFA.
Main Photo: Jeff Curry- Imagn Images
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