The Blues signed forward Pavel Buchnevich to a six-year contract extension worth $8 million annually. The deal begins with the 2025-26 season, and Buchnevich will play this coming season under his previous contract with a $5.8 million cap hit.
The contract comes one day after the Blues and Buchnevich were eligible to make an extension official and will keep him in ºüÀêÊÓƵ through the 2030-31 season. It carries a no-trade clause through the 2028-29 season that is effective immediately. In 2029-30, it is a 20-team no-trade clause. In 2030-31, it is a 15-team no-trade clause.
The Blues originally traded for Buchnevich in the summer of 2021 from the Rangers. In his three seasons in ºüÀêÊÓƵ, Buchnevich has 206 points in 216 games played.
Buchnevich’s future was one of the main items on general manager Doug Armstrong’s list for this offseason. With one year remaining on his current contract, Buchnevich could have been one of the best options for teams on the trade market. His name was in rumors around the trade deadline last season. At the end of the season, both Armstrong and Buchnevich expressed an interest in finding common ground and working on an extension.
Armstrong, special adviser to the GM Alexander Steen and Buchnevich’s agent, Todd Diamond, met in Buffalo, New York, during the NHL scouting combine to discuss a potential extension and the organization’s vision when power transitions to Steen. Now, one day after the two sides could sign a deal, they have.
“He’s a corner piece to our success and what we’re trying to do here,†Blues coach Drew Bannister said. “It’s another part of our team moving forward that he’s been a big part of the success that we’ve had or that we’re trying to have. We believe in him. He believes in us, too, and what we’re trying to do here, so we’re excited to have him back.â€
The extension will begin when Buchnevich is 30 years old and will end when he is 36 years old. At an $8 million cap hit, it checks in just below Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou at $8.125 million per season. On the open market, it falls below the range of top wingers like Jake Guentzel (seven years, $9 million cap hit) and Sam Reinhart (eight years, $8.625 million cap hit).
Buchnevich has proven to be one of the most versatile forwards not only on the Blues but also in the league overall.
He plays on the top power-play unit, and he was often the first forward on the ice for the penalty kill. He is on the ice when the Blues try to lock down a lead, and he’s on the ice when they’re chasing in an extra-attacker scenario. He has played wing primarily in his career, but the Blues have experimented with playing him at center in recent seasons.
“Without question, he bought into to doing whatever is best for the team,†Bannister said. “Very responsible. Giving him that responsibility at center, I thought he thrived under it. Where he’s going to play coming next year, haven’t really discussed that yet but just know that he’s a big part of our team and a big part of our top six.â€
In the short-term, signing Buchnevich is a signal that the Blues intend to, as they’ve said publicly, try to compete for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. In the long term, the six-year deal is a bet by the Blues that Buchnevich will remain productive once the team begins to contend again soon.
The Blues are hopeful Buchnevich doesn’t join their list of hefty contracts that age poorly. In 2025-26, the team will have five players 30 or older with a cap hit of at least $6.5 million: Buchnevich, Brayden Schenn, Torey Krug, Justin Faulk and Colton Parayko. That doesn’t include players like Brandon Saad ($4.5 million) and Nick Leddy ($4 million), who will still be under contract.
In posting 27 goals and 36 assists last season, Buchnevich produced his lowest output since arriving in ºüÀêÊÓƵ. Still, he’s averaged about 78 points per 82 games as a Blue. If he were to reach that mark after turning 30, he would become just the second ºüÀêÊÓƵ forward to do so at that age.
Vladimir Tarasenko’s 82-point season in 2021-22 was the first by a 30-plus-year-old forward since Pierre Turgeon in 2000-01.
That decision came down Tuesday, when Buchnevich signed a six-year extension worth $8 million annually that will keep him in ºüÀêÊÓƵ through…
Blues left wing Pavel Buchnevich is congratulated by the bench on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, after scoring two goals within 30 seconds in the second period against the Islanders at Enterprise Center. Buchnevich signed a six-year extension with the Blues worth $8 million annually on Tuesday, July 2, 2024.
Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich looks to pass while pressured by Los Angeles’ Alex Turcotte, left, in a game on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at Enterprise Center.