Blues sign Alexey Toropchenko to one-year, $1.7 million contract extension

On Tuesday, the St. Louis Blues announced they have signed forward Alexey Toropchenko to a one-year contract extension. The deal will carry a cap hit of $1.7 million for the 2025-26 season.

Toropchenko is in the final season of his two-year contract, which he signed with the Blues in July 2023. It carries an AAV of $1.25 million, and the 25-year-old is scheduled to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer.

The Russian winger has appeared in seven of St. Louis’ nine games so far this season, registering an assist against the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 10. He has played an average of 11:37 per game, with an even plus/minus.

Toropchenko was originally taken by the Blues in the fourth round, 113th overall, in the 2017 NHL Draft. After a couple of fruitful seasons with the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League, he made his NHL debut with the Blues during the 2021-22 season.

After a couple of seasons going up and down between St. Louis and its American Hockey League affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, Toropchenko became a full-time NHLer for the first time last season. In 82 games, he scored a career-high 14 goals and 21 points, registering a -3 rating while averaging 12:31 of ice time.

In 186 NHL appearances, Toropchenko has notched 26 goals and 17 assists for 43 points, posting two assists in 12 games during the Blues run in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

He played in 107 AHL games, scoring 16 goals and 16 assists for 32 points.

Prior to making the jump to pro hockey in North America, Toropchenko was a big part of the Storm team that won the OHL Championship in 2019, earning the team’s latest berth to the Memorial Cup.

Toropchenko also represented his country on multiple occasions. He was on the Russian team that won bronze at the 2017 IIHF Men’s Under-18 World Championship. He also played for Russia at the 2016 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the CHL/Russia Super Series in 2018.