St. Louis locked up one of their key core pieces on Tuesday as they signed 29-year-old Pavel Buchnevic to a six-year, $48 million ($8,000,000 AAV) contract extension. The Russian left-winger just completed his eighth NHL season and had 27 goals, 63 points, 48 PIMs and 207 SOG in 80 games played in 2023-24.
After nine seasons in Dallas, Radek Faksa has been traded to St. Louis for future considerations on Tuesday. The 30-year-old centre averaged 12:31 TOI/GP across 74 games in 2023-24 and had seven goals, 19 points and 20 PIMs.
In one of two 'Cash Consideration' deals made by St. Louis on Tuesday, the Blues have acquired Mathieu Joseph and a 2025 3rd-round pick from Ottawa for future considerations. The 27-year-old right-winger is entering his eighth NHL season and had a career year in 2023-24, picking up 11 goals, 35 points, 51 PIMs and124 SOG across 72 games played.
Schueneman spent the entire 2024 season with the Colorado Eagles (AHL), scoring four goals with 18 assists (22 points) in 64 games. Expect him to report to Springfield (AHL) to start the 2025 season.
After acquiring the RFA rights from the Blue Jackets in a trade, the Blues signed Texier to a two-year deal worth $2.1M AAV. Texier should continue to operate as a middle-6 winger in St. Louis after scoring 12 goals with 18 assists (30 points) in 78 games a season ago.
St. Louis completed a sign-and-trade on Friday as they acquired Alexandre Texier from Columbus for a 2025 4th-round pick and signed him to a two-year, $4.2 million contract extension ($2,1M AAV). The 24-year-old French winger had career highs in almost all statistical categories in 2023-24, with 12 goals, 30 points, 109 SOG, and 38 PIMs in 78 games played with the Blue Jackets.
Suter was entering the final year of a four-year deal that carried a $3.65M AAV cap-hit. According to Cap Friendly, the buyout will cost the Stars $783.3K in 2025 and $1.4333M in 2026. At age 39, Suter once again appeared in all 82 regular season games, scoring two goals with 15 assists (17 points).
St. Louis has secured their goaltending tandem in Springfield (AHL) for the 2024-25 season after they re-signed Colten Ellis to a one-year, two-way contract extension on Tuesday. The 23-year-old netminder was St. Louis' 2019 third-round pick (93rd overall) and was sensational in 2023-24, posting a .923+ SV% in both the ECHL with Orlando (21 games) and AHL with Springfield (16 games).
Laferriere spent the 2023-24 season with the Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL) and has signed a one-year, two-way contract extension to remain with the Blues next season. The 23-year-old was St.Louis' 2018 sixth-round pick (169th overall) and had seven goals and 25 points in 68 games in his third AHL season with Springfield last year.
Stancl is St.Louis' 2023 fourth-round pick (106th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Blues on Thursday. The 19-year-old left-winger appeared in seven games for Vaxjo Lakers HC (SHL) and had a goal and zero assists at Sweden's top level.
Pekarcik is St. Louis 2023 third-round pick (76th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Wednesday. The 18-year-old forward spent the entire 2023-24 season with Dubuque of the USHL and had nine goals, and 59 points in 43 games played in his first season in North American hockey.
Faksa last appeared in Game 1 vs. Edmonton but will return to the lineup on Wednesday as he replaces Craig Smith for Game 4. The 30-year-old has appeared in seven games so far in the playoffs, with one goal, no assists, and six SOG while averaging only 12:05 TOI/GP.
Broberg has yet to appear in any of Edmonton's 2023-24 playoff games so far but is expected to make his debut as he replaces Vincent Desharnais for Game 4 on Wednesday. The 22-year-old defenseman appeared in 12 regular season games and had two assists, six SOG and a -3 plus/minus.
Kaskimaki was St. Louis' 2022 third-round pick (73rd overall) and signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Tuesday with the Blues. The 20-year-old centre spent 2023-24 with HIFK of Liiga in Finland and had 10 goals, and 17 points in 48 games played.
Faksa has not played in Dallas' previous three playoff games but will draw back into the lineup as he replaces the injured Roope Hintz (upper body) on Wednesday vs. Colorado. The 30-year-old has appeared in four of Dallas' 11 games so far and has a goal, and five SOG in four games played while averaging 10:42 TOI/GP.
Faksa has missed some time in the postseason due to injury but will be a healthy scratch on Thursday with Mason Marchment returning to the lineup. Expect Evgenii Dadonov to move down the lineup to replace Faksa on the fourth line.
McGing spent the majority of the 2023-24 season with Springfield (AHL) and has signed a two-year, two-way contract extension worth $775,000/$250,000 with St. Louis on Wednesday. The 25-year-old appeared in a career-high five games with the Blues in 2023-24, but failed to pick up a point while adding four SOG and a -5 plus/minus.
Faksa has not appeared since Game 2 due to an undisclosed injury but will draw back into the lineup on Sunday for Game 7 vs. Vegas. The 30-year-old did not pick a point through his first two games played but did have two SOG and -1 plus/minus while averaging 9:00 TOI/GP.
