Blues sign veteran winger to six-year extension

Pavel Buchnevich.

The Blues have signed winger Pavel Buchnevich to a six-year extension worth $8M per season, the team announced.

Buchnevich, who was set to be a UFA after the 2024-25 season, will instead remain in St. Louis through the 2030-31 campaign. The deal includes a full no-trade clause through 2028-29 before downgrading to a modified no-trade clause in the final two years, Bally Sports Midwest’s Andy Strickland reports. They’ve also upgraded Buchnevich’s 12-team no-trade list in the final year of his current deal to a full no-trade clause. It’s a 20-team no-trade list in 2029-30 and a 15-team no-trade list in 2030-31, Matthew DeFranks of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Buchnevich remains under contract at a $5.8M cap hit this season, the final one of a four-year extension he signed back in 2021 after the Blues acquired his signing rights from the Rangers. The 29-year-old is coming off a somewhat disappointing campaign, posting 27 goals and 63 points in 80 games. The totals are in line with what he’s produced the past few years, but he also stayed healthier, meaning he was significantly less productive on a per-game basis. Buchnevich clicked at over a point per game over his first two years in a St. Louis uniform.

Locking up Buchnevich long-term puts him on track to expire alongside Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas in 2031. It’s clear that if the Blues intend to contend for a championship with their current core, it’ll happen by then. He becomes the fourth forward signed past 2026, joining the aforementioned duo and Brayden Schenn.

The Blues hope that a rebound to point-per-game form from Buchnevich, increased development from 2020 first-round pick Jake Neighbours, and solid contributions from depth offseason adds Radek Faksa, Mathieu Joseph, and Alexandre Texier can help revitalize an offense that only managed 239 goals last season, 24th in the league. With a full season of Drew Bannister behind the bench, who guided them to a 30-19-5 record as interim last season, they’ll look to close the six-point gap that separated them from a playoff spot.

Buchnevich’s recent injury troubles are something to make a minor note of. His 80 games played last year were a career-high, coming after missing significant time with a recurring ankle injury in 2022-23. They’re hoping his somewhat disappointing year offensively is more a result of an offseason that was spent recuperating — something he won’t have to deal with this summer after a healthy campaign.

The deal will cover the remainder of Buchnevich’s prime, taking him through his age-35 season. The Russian winger has never tested the open market in his career and won’t do so until its twilight.

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