Cracknell nets first one-way contract with patience, persistence, perseverence

Instead of giving up on NHL aspirations, former

ninth round selection stuck through challenging times

By LOUIE KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- Getting drafted in the ninth round of the NHL Draft is hardly cause to be optimistic for a player looking to get a foot in the door.

Chances are players picked so late have a remote chance at best of making it all the way to the top.

Of course, there are those players that defy the odds. Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg (seventh round, 210th overall) and Pavel Datsyuk (sixth round, 171st overall) come to mind as rare instances of players picked so late that become not only impact players but in these cases, superstars.

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Adam Cracknell (right) battles Chicago's Viktor Stalberg in a game last

season. Cracknell signed his first one-way contract earlier this year.

Adam Cracknell admits that he isn't a superstar, but he is "just one of those guys that's going to contribute in and out with my work ethic."

Cracknell waited a long time in 2004 to hear his named called. He was the 279th pick of the 2004 NHL Draft by the Calgary Flames.

But there was never an opportunity of playing for the Flames. The sides eventually parted ways.

But as Cracknell, 27, stands today, he at long last has that NHL contract. There have been others -- five one-year deals to be exact -- but for the first time, he's equipped with a one-way deal.

After bouncing around in the Western Hockey League, the East Coast Hockey League and then getting a chance in the American Hockey League, Cracknell signed his first of his five straight one-year deals with the Blues in 2009. But those were two-way deals, which meant he would spend his seasons playing for the Blues' AHL affiliate in Peoria. But the Prince Albert, Saskatchewan native was OK with the arrangement. He believed the big break would come at some point.

"This has been the path I've been given," said Cracknell, in St. Louis this week working out ahead of the start of training camp in September. "I played junior-B, got cut from a couple junior-A teams and then made a junior-B team."

From Kootenay to Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben to Las Vegas to Quad City and Peoria, Cracknell would continue to push and push until he was finally able to knock that NHL door in with the Blues in 2010, when he played in 24 games.

"There's some doubt in your mind at times," Cracknell said. "It's human nature, but at the end of the day, you can control your work ethic, someone sees you and you're in the right place at the right time, sometimes it happens for you and sometimes it doesn't. There's a lot of guys out there that can play but someone sees you and they like you. I think that's what happened.

"(Former Blues and Peoria Rivermen coach) Davis Payne, we played against him in Quad Cities and he helped out getting me into Peoria. He gave me a chance, he developed me into a role player. ... Calgary drafted me and we went different ways, but at the end of the day, I owe Calgary a lot. They drafted me and I was just as happy as if I was a first-rounder. Just to get my foot in the door, be seen, to have that on your resume is huge. You've got to make your way and I think I've paved it pretty good."

After making a name with linemates Chris Porter and Ryan Reaves as the 'CPR Line,' Cracknell was awarded by the Blues when he signed a one-way contract for $600,000 that will keep him with the big club. No more shuttles between St. Louis and an AHL destination. 

"It's huge to know that it's the next step in saying you made it and they believe you're an NHL player," Cracknell said. "It takes some guys longer. It took me eight years. It's the fifth year with St. Louis, fifth one-year deal. You'd like that seven-year deal, but everyone's got their own ways.

"... I obviously want to be a part of the scoresheet, but at the end of the day, we win as team. To know St. Louis still has faith in me to bring me back, they developed me into the player I know I could be. They gave me a chance and I owe them everything. I want to prove that they made the right decision. They have trust in me and I have trust in them. They see something in me and I want to show them what I think is inside of me."

Cracknell has 46 games of NHL experience over three seasons, including 20 games this past season and his first five playoff games. He has 14 points (six goals) in those 46 games but feels like there's something to prove despite the security of being on the 23-man roster in St. Louis.

"Every day," Cracknell said. "Every day as an NHL player or just as a player, you're always trying to prove yourself. The percentage of a guy playing in the NHL is pretty small and the window that we have, it is very small. I've been very fortunate to not have any serious injuries to put any doubt in anyone's mind. At the same time, we only have a 10-year window to play in the NHL, and some guys have more. I'm just trying to take advantage of the opportunity now and every day to work hard and prove myself."

Blues coach Ken Hitchcock has raved about Cracknell from the moment he saw him.

"Cracknell manages his ice well," Hitchcock said earlier this past season. "He's a smart player ... a smart, competitive player. That's a really good sign for us because he's a guy you can trust to build minutes from.

"When I saw him play in Peoria (last season), he wasn't playing very well because he had a groin injury. He was sore, he was in and out of the lineup, he wasn't skating very well. He was struggling, and then they moved him to the wing and it seemed to really help him. But he plays 20 minutes a night in Peoria. He's really played well. ... It's a good sign."

When Cracknell joins the rest of the team for training camp, there will be a different look with the departures of Andy McDonald and Scott Nichol (retirement), Jamie Langenbrunner (unsigned) and David Perron and Kris Russell (traded). But he has payed attention to what general manager Doug Armstrong has been doing with the additions of Derek Roy, Maxim Lapierre and most recently, Magnus Paajarvi.



(St. Louis Blues photo)

Adam Cracknell (middle) helped form the 'CPR Line' with fellow linemates

Chris Porter (32) and Ryan Reaves (75).



"It's exciting," Cracknell said. "It's unfortunate when you see guys like Andy McDonald and Scotty Nichol, guys retiring and Russ (and Perron) getting traded, it's all part of the business. Guys come and go, but Andy McDonald and Scotty Nichol helped me out so much helping me get comfortable where I am and be part of St. Louis. Those guys make it a lot easier with the advice they give you and the experiences they had. They all played in the minors. Andy McDonald won a Cup and Scotty Nichol, I feel like we've had the same careers. He played in the minors and finally made it. You try and stick around as long as you can with your work ethic. I think that's why I'm going to model my game after is Scotty Nichol."

And he'll get the chance when camp opens to do so with the linemates he was making a mark with as the season ended.

"The experience and the way the season ended personally, it was such a high going into the playoffs, our line just kind of made a name for itself," Cracknell said. "I was the only guy whose contract was up. Chris got a two-year extension and Ryan's on his last year and I can see him coming back of course. I think we all played very well together to get that success. That's what you need. You need your team.

"I owe those guys a lot, but definitely this summer, we want to pick up where we left off. As a team, we didn't accomplish what we wanted. Every team wants to win the Cup and only one team does. This summer is a lot of motivation. How we went out wasn't the way we wanted to. We use that as a drive as a player. This summer, getting the contract, coming back here knowing that they want me to be a part of what they want to accomplish, I take a lot of pride in that. Every day, we come here to do work. We do it for what we want to do, and that's to win the Stanley Cup. I'm just going to try and do my part and try to be a piece of the puzzle."

Perron feeling range of emotions with trade to Oilers

Former Blues first round pick sad to leave organization that

gave him a chance, eager to move to a talented group in Edmonton

By LOUIE KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- David Perron couldn't help but pay attention to the trade rumors. In the end though, disappointment turned to optimism.

Perron heard the rumors that his name was on the trade market. He was hoping in the end that none of them would come to fruition, but when reality finally hit Wednesday and he heard who the team that had dealt for him was, good thoughts quickly sank in.

Perron's six years with the Blues ended with his trade to the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday for Magnus Paajarvi and a 2014 second-round draft pick.

(St. Louis Blues photo)

David Perron (right) spent six seasons in St. Louis. He was traded to the

Edmonton Oilers Wednesday.

Perron, 25, was part of the core group the Blues put together after the 2004-05 lockout that was supposed to bring the franchise from the bottom of the National Hockey League to its first Stanley Cup through gradual progression. But he won't get the opportunity to see that vision through and now will go to an organization that seems to suit his style more so than what was happening here in a two-way system.

Perron, the 26th pick in the 2007 NHL Draft, leaves the Blues with 198 career points in 340 games. He got the word from general manager Doug Armstrong. That's when it sank in that he was no longer a member of the Blues.

"It's tough to leave a nice situation like I had in St. Louis," Perron said. "I have been growing up with the same guys for five or six years. The team's going in the right direction. It's always tough to go, but as soon as I heard the destination would be the Edmonton Oilers, I knew right away it would be a nice fit for me and a place where I could really take the next step as an offensive guy. You look at their roster of top six guys, it's pretty incredible. They're young players but it almost seems like they're superstars in the league already. It's going to be nice going in and try to do what I can to help them and hopefully we can all start a new process in growing up together."

The names David Backes, T.J. Oshie, Patrik Berglund, Alex Pietrangelo, and Perron to name a few, were the ones talked about as the next generation of players that would ascend the franchise to prominence. The Blues have taken steps towards that goal, but Perron won't be around to see it through.

"It's always tough," Perron said. "The fans definitely deserved the best in St. Louis. They've been supporting a team in St. Louis really well. Just being so respectful of the players on and off the ice. I think it starts with a first-class organization starting from the top. Whenever (former GM) Larry Pleau drafted me with Jarmo (Kekalainen) and JD (John Davidson) and now it's Army's team, everyone has been so supportive and it goes to the media people and fans.

"I wish we would have done it all together in St. Louis, but the crazy thing in this league is there are 29 other teams that might not feel the same way. Starting every year, everyone has goals of making the playoffs and you never know what can happen. There's a lot of parity in the league. What Chicago did winning twice in four years is pretty special and St. Louis is trying to build a team like that. ... It's tough to get the call. I know Army liked me a lot as a person. I could feel it. You can feel when someone likes you a lot. He's that type of person. He's really passionate about this team. I'm sure it was a tough transaction for him. I wish the Blues success. It's the business side of things. Who knows what can happen in the future. I remember Keith Tkachuk telling me Andy Murray was his assistant coach in Winnipeg and at the end of his career, he was his head coach. You never know. ... I loved my six years in St. Louis. It was unbelievable. Hopefully I'll have the next six and more with the Oilers."

Perron's second season in St. Louis was his high point mark with 50 in 2008-09 and he set a career-high in goals with 21 in 2011-12 under Ken Hitchcock's first season as coach. But his career was derailed momentarily by a concussion early in 2010 that forced Perron to miss the last 72 games of that season and the first 25 in 2011. He came back and notched 42 points in 57 games, including a goal in his first game back against Chicago, but dropped to 10 goals and 25 points in 48 games this past season.

There were questions whether he fell out of favor with Hitchcock and couldn't sustain the level of play needed to succeed with in a Hitchcock-coached system.

"I don't believe there was an issue there," Armstrong said. "His first year back from a concussion, he scored very well under Ken's system. Last year, he didn't produce offensively the way he did before. That seemed to be a universal thing with our group at certain times last year.

"I think that David is a dynamic player and he has an unbelievable skill set that sometimes takes a little time getting used to playing with. Not for a coach but for his teammates to get used to his nuances. I think David's going to fit into any system. He's a consummate professional and he wants to be a good player."

Perron will take his skills to the Oilers, who are chalk full of young and vibrant players that play a more run-and-gun style that suits Perron's game more.

"I think St. Louis tried to play like the LA Kings," Perron said. "I think the Edmonton Oilers are trying to play like the Chicago Blackhawks, the Detroit Red Wings. It's two winning ways of playing. It's almost like two different styles of hockey.

"I think Edmonton's style of play might fit me a little better. That's why I'm really looking forward to that situation. I gave my all in St. Louis. I was hoping for better success in the playoffs as a team last year and the year before but it didn't work out."

Rumors began to swirl that the Blues needed to shed an impact player or two to clear cap space in order to fit some of their prominent restricted free agents under next season's salary cap of $64.3 million, including Pietrangelo and Chris Stewart.

"Towards the NHL Draft, I knew my name was around," Perron said. "There's people that I trust that told me that I was involved. I was definitely checking my phone a lot more around the draft time. Then it went by, and I didn't know what was going to happen. I was kind of hoping it would stay like that, but when I heard the Edmonton Oilers from Army's mouth saying I was going to go there and I spoke with (Oilers GM) Craig MacTavish and (president of hockey operations) Kevin Lowe there, they're really excited to get me. Once it settled down a little bit, the next few days it's going to be nice to wake up on their team and to play that style of hockey with that type of skill up front."

Perron will move on and join the likes of Sam Gagner, Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov, but part of his heart will remain in the organization that gave him his start in the NHL.

(St. Louis Blues photo)

David Perron (57) battles Los Angeles' Slava Voynov during the playoffs

this past season. Perron was traded to Edmonton Wednesday, ending his

six-year run with the Blues.

"We were all in this together," Perron said. "The trainers, I know we're not the same age, but it seems like we're all a group together. We drove together, we go through those losing streaks together five years ago, four years ago, we went through the winning ways last few years. I'm just really thankful for all the messages I got from teammates and coaches, you guys, the trainers.

Perron won't soon forget the fans of St. Louis, who also welcomed him with open arms.

"They really touched me a lot," Perron said. "That's the main reason I joined Twitter so that people that enjoy my style of play, my personality and all of that feel connected to me and I can still connect with them. It was always fun.

"I'm just hoping when I come back to St. Louis, even though they'll want to see the Blues win the game, hopefully they'll still have a little bit of support for me in their hearts. I'll always have a special place for St. Louis myself. It's a city that gave me a chance to play in this league and really made me grow as a person, as a young adult now. I feel like I'm ready to take the next step in my career. I can only thank them for all they've done."

Blues shed cap space, deal Perron to Oilers for Paajarvi, pick

Trade enables St. Louis to work with cap space to sign RFA's

By LOUIE KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- With unsigned restricted free agents on the table in Alex Pietrangelo, Chris Stewart and Jake Allen and limited dollars to squeeze those players under the salary cap, the Blues traded away a core component Wednesday.

But Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said trading away David Perron wasn't just a trade to free up salary cap space but one to that will add an impact player in return.

The Blues dealt Perron to the Edmonton Oilers for forward Magnus Paajarvi and a 2014 second round draft pick. The deal was consummated to both help the Blues shed $3.8 million in cap space off Perron's contract and a total of $12.25 million over the final three years of Perron's contract but to also add a player the Blues feel is still an evolving body in Paajarvi, who is 22 and has a speed element with his 6-foot-3, 208-pound frame. Paajarvi was the 10th pick in the 2009 NHL Draft.

 

The trade gives the Blues roughly $13 million to get their RFA's signed to contracts against the $64.3 million cap hit for 2013-14.

(Getty Images)

Newest Blue Magnus Paajarvi (right) has 58 career points in three seasons

with the Edmonton Oilers. 

"We certainly didn't make this trade just for salary cap purposes," Armstrong said via conference call. "If we were going to make a move, we wanted to add a player that we think fits into our organization where we are today and where we are moving forward. To get a young player that has obviously been highly thought of in his draft year and come over to North America, has done his apprenticeship in the American Hockey League and we think the future ... he's just starting to enter the real good part of his career at 22 and we have his rights now for the next four years, which is important for us. We just think he adds an element to our team that we don't have."

Paajarvi, who has 26 goals and 58 points in 163 career games over three seasons, is back in his hometown of Norrkoping, Sweden and said he was shocked to learn of the trade but is excited to be coming to a team considered a Stanley Cup contender.

"I'm very surprised. I know how it is," Paajarvi said via phone. "I know it's business, but it came as a shock. ... I'm a little bit overwhelmed. It is what it is. All I can say is I had a great time and I can speak good of Edmonton and coming to St. Louis, it's a new chapter. I'm actually excited to come to a contending team right away. I haven't been in the playoffs yet in three years, so hopefully I can contribute to the team and do what I need to do."

The Blues are dealing away a player in Perron that is still prime in his years at 25 and has 84 goals and 198 points in 340 career games over six seasons after being picked 26th in the 2007 NHL Draft.

"With the numbers like we had with David, they were all a little bit different, but they all had a lot of the same attributes and with Ty Rattie coming and (Dmitrij) Jaskin, we felt that this was the right time to try and create some space for (Vladimir) Tarasenko and (Jaden) Schwartz for this year but also understanding we believe in Rattie and Jaskin to take the next step also."

The Oilers also are giving up on a player that is still raw in talent and growing. Armstrong said the Blues have had their eye on Paajarvi for some time and feel he can blend in with fellow Swedes Patrik Berglund and Alexander Steen. Paajarvi and Berglund played together for Sweden at the World Championships.

"We saw them play over at the Worlds together and they had a dynamic team," Armstrong said. "They played in the Gold Medal game and those two players were very good. But this trade wasn't based on just his ability to play with one player. The way our team is situated right now, we have a number of players about the same size and the same stature. For us to bring in a 6-foot-3, 210-pound left winger that we think is just starting to understand his potential, he's 22 years old and one of the areas we wanted to try and improve on was our speed.

"It does free up some cap space for a future deal that we have to accomplish. I think it's a good deal for both teams, at least that's what (Oilers general manager) Craig (MacTavish) and I both hope. David's a dynamic offensive player and we think that Magnus is just entering the guts of his career now and we're looking forward to him being a Blue."

Armstrong continued: "I just think it comes with experience and time. We're a league that puts young players in position to fail and not succeed far too often. That's not just one player, but when you put an 18- or 19-year-old player in a man's league and ask him to be a physical force, that's a daunting task. I think maturity and time allows these players really to grow into their bodies and understand the game the way it's needed to play. I think he's an evolving player. Does he have to go into the hard areas to be successful, most certainly does he have to go into the hard areas to be successful. But he has the speed and now we're going to give him an opportunity to go into those areas and play that game. I think we have seen some evolution in his game."

Paajarvi, who has never played a playoff game yet, is eager to fit in anywhere, considering the Blues' stature in the Western Conference as a contending team.

"When you say it like that, it only excites me even more," Paajarvi said. "I know the team is really big and strong and is a really good team. It's obviously exciting to come to a contending team right away.

"We haven't been there in Edmonton for three years. It's always sad to not come to the playoffs when you play the whole season. To come to a contending team, that's awesome. I really want to come to St. Louis and contribute and hopefully make the team even better."

(St. Louis Blues photo)

David Perron (right) leaves the Blues after collecting 198 points in six

seasons in St. Louis.

Paajarvi will be given a fair shake as to where he plays and with whom he plays.

"We view him coming in and competing in our group of nine," Armstrong said. "We have been more of a group of nine than your proto-typical first, second, third, fourth line. We've had nine forwards than are inter-changeable and Ken (Hitchcock) has used them as inter-changeable parts playing different guys with different players. Our team is built on balance and we think he has the opportunity to come in here and provide an element that we don't have right now. Whether Ken uses him ... how he decides to use him will basically be up to the player and his teammates on how they perform in training camp and what good chemistry there is."

Paajarvi is also a restricted free agent but is eager to get a contract hammered out as soon as possible.

"That would be ideal to get (a contract) as quickly as possible for sure," Paajarvi said. "I had a talk with my agent and we will have a talk tomorrow as well. I'm sure he will talk with Doug Armstrong and we will look forward.

"I want the deal to come as quickly as possible. I'm sure there are details that have to be worked out there as well, but it would be nice."

Blues sign Roy to one-year contract

Contract will pay center $4 million, contingent on passing physical

By LOUIE KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- The Blues missed out on their targets for a playmaking center when the National Hockey League free agency period opened Friday.

Saturday was a new day, and it brought a new target.

Blues general manager Doug Armstrong, after missing out on Stephen Weiss and Valtteri Filppula Friday, was able to land a center with scoring and playmaking ability when the Blues agreed in principle on a one-year contract with Derek Roy, formerly of the Vancouver Canucks. Roy will sign pending a physical and will make $4 million.

(Getty Images)

Derek Roy agreed to a one-year, $4 million contract with the

Blues on Saturday.

Once Roy, 30, passes his physical -- he had shoulder surgery in 2012 and a left tendon injury in his left quadriceps in 2011 -- he will become one of the Blues' top two centers on a roster in need of scoring. Roy also missed seven games due to injury this past season.

"Coming to a young, skillful team like this with a ton of grit, (it) was right in my wheelhouse," Roy said. "I want to win a Stanley Cup and I thought this team was on the verge of becoming a great contending team."

Roy is a nine-year veteran of the NHL, with most of his production coming in eight years playing with the Buffalo Sabres. He split last season with Dallas and the Canucks, where Roy tallied seven goals and 28 points in 42 games.

Roy, who comes in a bit undersized at 5-foot-9 and 188 pounds, has 168 goals and 455 points in 591 career games. His best season came with the Sabres in 2007-08 when he had career highs in goals (32), assists (49) and points (81).

The Blues' signing of Roy is a low-risk move and one that could benefit both sides should the centerman have a solid season. he can become an unrestricted free agent in 2014.

"(Roy) is a play-making centerman and he's just 30 years old," Armstrong said. "I think it's a great opportunity for Derek to re-establish himself."

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Derek Roy (middle) battles for a puck last season while playing for Dallas

against the Blues' Patrik Berglund (21) and Barret Jackman (right).

Roy will immediately vault himself into the top of the heap as far as Blues center icemen go. He goes there with David Backes, Patrik Berglund, Vladimir Sobotka, Chris Porter and newly signed centers Maxim Lapierre as well as Keith Aucoin.

But there's been some talk that coach Ken Hitchcock is exploring putting Backes back at his natural position on the wing and possibly using Berglund on the left wing. But that's yet to be determined and will play itself out in training camp.

Blues stay relatively quiet as free agency period opens

Team adds depth players, also signs Lapierre; Russell traded to Flames

By LOUIE KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- Vincent Lecavalier, Stephen Weiss, Valtteri Filppula ... the names were linked to be fits with the Blues, who came into the July 5 free agent feeding frenzy searching for a playmaking center.

There were more names, but those were three the Blues coveted.

And all of them basically said thanks but no thanks.

Lecavalier chose Philadelphia Tuesday at five years, $22.5 million, Weiss went to Detroit on Friday with a five-year, $24.5 million and Filppula went to the Tampa Bay Lightning with a five-year, $25 million deal.

With $300 million-plus -- and counting -- being dolled out to National Hockey League free agents on the opening day of free agency, or in this case, Black Friday in July, the Blues were only left to deal with a couple minor transactions.

(Getty Images)

Maxim Lapierre (right) inks a two-year, $2.2 million contract with the Blues

on Friday. he spent the past two-plus seasons in Vancouver.

Late in the day Friday, they added a No. 3-type center when they signed Maxim Lapierre to a two-year, $2.2 million contract.

Lapierre, 28, is a 6-foot-2, 207-pound center that is coming off a 10-point season in 48 games with the Vancouver Canucks. An eight-year veteran with Montreal, Anaheim and the Canucks, Lapierre 54 goals and 113 points in 463 games.

But the two biggest fish the Blues were after, they could not latch them on with the hook.

"We had interest in those two players specifically," Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said of Weiss and Filppula. "Those are two players we thought would fit into our team the way we are now and the way we are moving forward. We had good conversations with both players. I thought we put in a very good presentation. Our term and dollars were in the competitive range. Ultimately the players decided to go a different direction. This is the time of year you pinpoint the players that you're interested in and you go after them. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Today, the guys decided to go in different directions."

The Blues alleviated a glutton they had on defense with the trade of Kris Russell to Calgary for a 2014 fifth-round draft pick only days after Russell cleared waivers, and the Blues dipped their feet ever so slightly in the free agent waters. They did address the center position on the backend with the signing of Keith Aucoin, formerly of the New York Islanders, to a one-year contract worth a reported $625,000 and a one-year, two-way contract for former Phoenix Coyotes depth guy Alexandre Bolduc.

Russell became expendable when the Blues, who looked to re-up with the restricted free agent defenseman after the end of last season, chose to resign veteran Jordan Leopold to a two-year, $4.5 million contract.

Russell, 26, is from nearby Caroline, Alberta and makes his off-season home in Red Deer, Alberta and was a childhood fan of the Flames. He goes to Calgary with the opportunity to play after being cast as an extra defenseman by the Blues, who have Leopold, Jay Bouwmeester and Barret Jackman as their top three from the left-handed side.

Upon his trade to the Flames, Russell signed a one-year contract for a reported $1.5 million. He has 23 goals and 95 points in 364 career games with the Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets.

"I'm really appreciative of the opportunity the Flames have given me after trading for me," Russell told the Flames' website. "It's going to be special to put on that jersey.

"It means a lot more knowing that I'm not too far from home."

Once Leopold, who was brought in late last season, resigned with the Blues, and Ian Cole was resigned for two years, ice time would have been tough sledding for Russell in a Blues uniform moving forward.

"If we had been able to come up with an agreement prior to the last 10 days or so, he would have stayed here," Armstrong said of Russell. "He would have fit nicely into our group of six, but we weren't able to do that so we had to go look to a different player and that was Jordan. When we signed Jordan, I talked to Kris' agent (Allain Roy) and said for his career, the best thing for him is for us to find him a place where he can play a lot and have a good season heading into unrestricted free agency.

"It's difficult because I have the utmost respect for someone like Kris. He's earned every minute of ice that he gets. He's such a good competitor and I had a good chat with him today and I thanked him. The great thing about the NHL is you never say never. he's certainly a guy I would have no hesitation bringing him back in the future."

In Aucoin, 34, the Blues get a veteran center that ultimately replaces Scott Nichol, who recently retired to become the director of player development with the Nashville Predators.

Aucoin is an eight-year veteran, recently of the Islanders where he had a career-high six goals and 12 points in 41 games. Aucoin has 17 goals and 49 points in 143 games with Carolina, Washington and the Islanders.

(Getty Images)

Valtteri Filppula turned down the Blues and signed

a five-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning.



 
Bolduc, 28, has five years' experience and was added as depth to the American Hockey League affiliate in Chicago. He has five points in 62 career games with Vancouver and the Coyotes.

The Blues also signed 27-year-old forward Mark Mancari to a minor league contract. 

Both players will have the chance to compete for a roster spot in training camp.

Armstrong wouldn't say whether the Blues are done dealing or if they will go the trade route to make improvements, so stay tuned.

"I don't want to characterize what we're going to do," Armstrong said. "Today was the first day of free agency. There were a couple players that we had talked to. Now there may or may not be other guys. There may or may not be a trade that we'd consider. Those things are better left behind closed doors.

"I don't view it as a missed day. Today is a day for free agency, but teams aren't built on free agency. I view it as a day where like the trade deadline, it's a day everyone circles on the calendar and you either do things or you don't do things."

Blues enter free agency period searching down the middle

What is not considered a marquee market,

team on the prowl for play-making centers

By LOUIE KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- With the National Hockey League's free agency period starting four days later than normal, the 30 clubs' general managers were given a different -- and unusual -- set of circumstances following a unique lockout season.

With the doors opening today at 11 a.m. (St. Louis time) and the shopping list for groceries all set to be divided up among those searching for the missing pieces to solidify their respective teams, the 30 GM's were given two extra days to actually seek and communicate with prospective unrestricted free agents, which was something that was never allowed in previous years.

Doug Armstrong

"To me, it's just legalized tampering now," Blues general manager Doug Armstrong joked about the two-day window allowed for GM's to speak to free agents. "I was always amused that on July 1st at 11:01 central time, somebody's signing for $45- or $50-million dollars. This just cleans up the process. And yes I do like this. It seems to be much more above board."

For the Blues, who enter free agency with a glaring need particularly for a center iceman with play-making skills, the search has already taken Armstrong and the Blues to those who will be looking for the proper payday and new challenge with a new team.

The free agent crop for 2013 doesn't have that marquee name. As Armstrong said, "I think it would be a mistake to describe or to have our fans feel that there's the new version of Sidney Crosby or a (Pavel) Datsyuk or (Evgeni) Malkin or (Henrik) Zetterberg or Jonathan Toews in free agency. They're good players in free agency, but that's what they are. They're good players. They're not A-plus players."

So with that thought in mind, the Blues will embark on a process that they can hope lands them the missing parts that saw a team go from a second-round playoff team in 2012 to a first-round team in 2013, as they were eliminated by the Los Angeles Kings both seasons.

Among some of the bigger-known centers on the market include Mikhail Grabovski and Tyler Bozak (Toronto), Mike Ribeiro (Washington), Derek Roy (Vancouver), Matt Cullen (Minnesota) and Stephen Weiss (Florida). It's unclear what Armstrong is searching for but he has been in contact with somebody already.

"We've actually had some communication with some center icemen trying to see if they see a fit with our team and if we see a fit with them," Armstrong said. "We're going to make a deal that will stand the test of time economically. Sometimes you make these deals the first or second day of free agency and you feel really good about them, you sell some tickets and then you spend five years trying to get rid of the guy. We're not going to do something like that. If we can find a player that can come in and help us and do what we believe is the right economics, not just for July 5th but for all next season and the multiple seasons after that, we're going to do it. If not, I'm more than comfortable coming back next season with this group."

The market seems to be thinner more so than usual because players and teams are more so inclined to come to terms on contract extensions before players are hitting the UFA market.

"I think the market is always going to be thinner than it was in the past," said Armstrong, who still has work left to do in resigning his own restricted free agents such as Alex Pietrangelo and Chris Stewart at the top of the heap. "I see a lot of current players staying with their current teams. There's no first- or second-team all-stars in this free agency group. There's no hall of famers in this free agency group, but there's good, quality NHL players."

And even those players considered good, quality players will receive good paydays on this day. Some will get more than they're worth. Armstrong and the Blues have players that will be going into the final years of their contracts (Alex Steen, Jay Bouwmeester to name some of the bigger-named players) that they could look at resigning before hitting the open market.

"We don't want to overpay and one of the things that, rightly or wrongly, I have a hard time giving someone from outside the organization 50-60 percent more than what we're giving guys that we've drafted, that we've developed here," Armstrong said. "We value these players, but we value how they fit into our team. We want to try and sign Jay Bouwmeester, we want to try and sign Alex Steen, we want to try and sign ... like when we signed T.J. Oshie to unrestricted years. We want to sign our own guys to unrestricted years.

"If you go out and do something very aggressive, it's hard then to pick up the phone and say to your own guys, 'Sorry, you can't get that type of finances from us. We only give to guys that don't play here.' That's a hard sell for me."

What appears to be an easier sell is getting players to come to St. Louis, though.

When the Blues had the worst record (21-46-15) the year after the 2004-05 lockout, that becomes a tough sell to get free agents to come to a city that is making the biggest climb up. President John Davidson had to overpay to add a defenseman known for blocking shots and playing in his own end but not a high-end offensive player when Davidson brought in Jay McKee (four years, $16 million). Then there was Paul Kariya's three-year, $18-million contract.

(Getty Images)

Florida's Stephen Weiss will be one of the more sought-after free agent

centers when the market opens today.

But the Blues, among the more attractive places to play hockey-wise and certainly city-wise with a fairly easy and laid-back lifestyle, feel their sell is worthy.

"Free agents have a lot of things they have to put into the equation. It's lifestyle, it's certainly economics, it's term," Armstrong said. "... What we're trying to sell now is that we're a good team because you're going to have multiple options to find the proper guy to play with. I think from a competitive standpoint, this team is easy to sell. I think we're, as Al said, probably a hidden gem in the NHL as far as the lifestyle. When people come into St. Louis, they fly into Lambert (International Airport), they get on the team bus, they go downtown, they go to the rink, they go home. They don't know the surrounding areas of St. Louis that makes this a great place to live. We're trying to sell them the ease of traffic patterns, the great school districts that we have, the lifestyle. the sports town that we are with the Cardinals and the Rams. There's a lot of really good things to sell here.

"I think we're a much easier sell now because we're a competitive team on the ice and all those other things are going to be coming to the forefront. When you're a young player like Vinny Lecavalier and you have three young kids, I think where you're going to hang your hat, you have to think about your wife and kids. I think St. Louis is going to be a huge benefit. The city itself is going to be a huge benefit when we're attracting players. You don't get them all, but I really like the sale that we have."

Blues resign Leopold, Russell clears waivers

GM Doug Armstrong talks about team's

interest in Vincent Lecavalier, goalie situation

By LOUIE KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- The Blues faced the prospect of losing Jordan Leopold in the unrestricted free agent market but it never got to that point.

The Blues and Leopold came to terms on a two-year contract worth $4.5 million ($2.25 annual average value) on Wednesday morning which allows the Blues to retain the veteran defenseman after acquiring him late last season from the Buffalo Sabres.

The 32-year-old Leopold, who posted two assists in 15 regular season games as well as six playoff games with the Blues last season, was acquired on March 31 for a pair of 2013 draft picks.

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Jordan Leopold agreed to a two-year contract worth $4,5 million to remain

with the Blues and pass on becoming an unrestricted free agent.

"He was here for a short period of time and I thought certainly his experience was something that was beneficial to our team," Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said of Leopold. "I thought he and (Kevin) Shattenkirk found a comfort level with each other.

"I think now with (Jay) Bouwmeester, Leopold, (Barret) Jackman on that left side and our right side is, I think, our strength. I think that gives us maybe one of the strongest defenses in the league with both experience and youth. It's something that's a good fit for us."

The 6-foot-1, 206-pound Leopold is a 10-year NHL veteran that includes stints with the Blues, Calgary, Colorado, Florida, Pittsburgh and Buffalo. Leopold has 204 points (65 goals, 139 assists) in 625 regular season games as well as 16 assists in 65 postseason games.

"He has that personality that I'm starting to understand as I meet him," Armstrong said of Leopold, who will take a reduction in salary from $3 million a year ago. "He's just an easy guy to talk to, easy guy to be around. He's very good on the bench. (Assistant coach) Brad Shaw told me that he's an excellent communicator on the bench. He knows right from wrong. He knows what it's going to take for us to get to the next level. Those are things when I look at this group moving forward, having him here for the next couple of years just solidifies that group."

Leopold's signing definitely leaves a cloud over the future of defenseman Kris Russell in a Blues uniform. Russell, a restricted free agent, was placed on waivers Tuesday but went unclaimed and the Blues retain his rights.

Russell was part of eight players that were given qualifying offers on Tuesday and he could accept the Blues' qualifying offer of $1.3 million on a one-year deal or exercise his arbitration rights.

"Right now, we're talking to Kris," Armstrong said. "We talked earlier about seeing if we could come up with a compromise to keep him here right when the season ended. We just couldn't agree on the compensation. That took me to a different area with Jordan.

"Kris is here. We sent him a qualifying offer. Worst case scenario or best case scenario -- however you want to look at it -- we'll come to training camp with eight defensemen. Kris has shown the versatility to play left wing also. Right now, if I have Kris on the left side as a forward, we have 13 forwards, seven defensemen and two goalies and (it's) a pretty strong group. If there's an ability to find Kris a spot where he can flourish in his career, we'll certainly work with him to do that."

Armstrong also addressed and confirmed the Blues' interest in center Vincent Lecavalier, who on Tuesday chose to sign with the Philadelphia Flyers. Lecavalier, 33, will get a reported five-year, $22.5 million deal with the Flyers.

The Blues' contingency, which included Armstrong, coach Ken Hitchcock, Al MacInnis and two of Lecavalier's former teammates in Tampa Bay (Rob Dimaio, the Blues' director of pro scouting and Tim Taylor, the Blues' director of player development) made their pitch to Lecavalier and his representation, led by agent Kent Hughes, on Saturday.

"Myself, Al MacInnis, Ken Hitchcock and two of Vinny's former teammates Rob Dimaio and Tim Taylor from our staff met with Vinny and his agent at the Mariott Marquis of New York City on Saturday," Armstrong said. "We probably spent the better part of an hour with him describing our team, Ken described the structure of our play, Al was very strong and passionate about the city of St. Louis. One of the great things about having Al on our staff is he's a little bit like Vinny in the sense he was playing his career in one area and he got moved. And as Al said 20 years later, 'I'm still here.' He was able to explain about the great fans of St. Louis but also the city and a great place to raise a family.

"I thought we hit all the things that were important that Vinny wanted to hear," Armstrong said. "I actually talked to Vinny two days ago and he thought our presentation was (one) of the tops of the people that made them as far as informative. He didn't have any questions after that. His agent echoed that, too. We're disappointed that we didn't get the player but very appreciative of the work that went into it by the rest of our staff and the opportunity to meet with Vinny. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. He was a player, he's a big centerman that I thought would fit into our group at no cost. He ended up choosing the Philadelphia Flyers, but at the end of the day, I'm glad we went through the process."

Lecavalier, who has 1,083 games played over a 14-year career that includes 383 goals and 874 points, drew interest from a dozen or so teams after the Lightning used a compliance buyout on the seven years and $45 million remaining on his original 11-year, $85-million contract.

"Our sale to Vinny was if you're a center iceman and you know that you have Pietrangelo, Shattenkirk and Bouwmeetser at that time, you're going to get the puck on your stick, you're going to get it in flight and you're going to get in a position to make a play," Armstrong said. "... I think the strength of our team on the right side, you're going to either play with either (Chris) Stewart, (T.J.) Oshie or (Vladimir) Tarasenko and the left side you're going to play with (Alex) Steen, (David) Perron and (Jaden) Schwartz. We don't have to say to a player, 'You're going to come in here and play with this guy.' That's where Al was outstanding with Vinny. He said, 'We brought Wayne Gretzky into the St. Louis Blues, the greatest passer to ever play with Brett Hull, the greatest scorer to ever play and they didn't find that chemistry.'"

Armstrong was asked if he expected to have deals in place with Stewart and Pietrangelo by Friday. He said, "No."

Both players will then become restricted free agents, but the Blues' GM said he expects to have deals in place for both at some point and that not having them now will not affect what they do Friday.

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Blues defenseman Kris Russell (4) cleared waivers Wednesday and will

become a restricted free agent on Friday.

"I don't think it has a great affect now," Armstrong said. "We've got some other guys signed now. We have a number in place for both of those guys. Stewy, we have an arbitration number. ... There's enough contracts out there for Petro that I know the high and the low end of that. We're comfortable we're going to get these guys in the range that we have budgeted ... whether it's now, September, October, November, I don't know that answer. But I'm comfortable that we'll get them in the areas that we believe are fair."

Also, with the NHL Draft gone now and nothing on the burner, a goalie was not traded away, which means to expect Jaroslav Halak, Brian Elliott and Jake Allen all to be a part of training camp come September.

"I would say now that all indications are that Jaro, Brian and Jake will be the three guys in camp," Armstrong said. "... When the season ended and the emotions subside and I talked to Ken about this more than anything, we keep coming back to a year ago, we won the Jennings (Trophy), where would we be if we didn't have one of the three guys last year? If there's something as a way to improve our team, you always look at doing that, but it's a strength again for me after a time of reflection."

Halak is coming off a pair of groin injuries as well as a heated argument with Hitchcock during the Blues' first-round playoff loss to the Los Angeles Kings over playing time.