Blues sign Berglund to five-year extension

Center was set to become unrestricted free 

agent, gets $19.25 million with AAV of $3.85 million

By LOU KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- Patrik Berglund won't hit the free agent market, and he won't be changing zip codes either.

Unless he moves to a different area in the St. Louis market.

Patrik Berglund

The Blues signed their former first-round pick of 2006 to a five-year contract extension worth $19.25 million, which is a $3.85 million average annual value, slightly more than the $3.7 million AAV he currently is on stemming from a three-year, $11.1 million contract he signed June 26, 2014.

The 28-year-old Berglund, who the Blues selected with the 25th pick in 2006, the same year they took defenseman Erik Johnson with the first overall selection, has 17 goals and seven assists this season in 60 games; he started the season with one goal in 30 games before going on a bit of a tear with 16 in 26 games.

"I've loved what 'Bergy' has brought to the table," Blues coach Mike Yeo said recently. "... He's got a real strong sense of what he is as a player, what he needs to do, what he needs to bring night after night, and when he does those things, he adds an awful lot to our group."

Berglund has 286 points (145 goals, 141 assists) in 615 regular season games and is currently tied with Bob Plager (615) for seventh place on the franchise all-time games played list.

The Blues are off on their bye week until Saturday when they resume practicing at 4 p.m. at the Ice Zone and will have more from Berglund then.

The Blues resume their schedule Sunday night in Chicago.