Blues re-sign Colaiacovo

[DaDitka]

BY JEREMY RUTHERFORD

The Blues are keeping at least one of their unrestricted free-agent defensemen, re-signing Carlo Colaiacovo to a two-year, $4.25 million contract extension.

The deal will be announced as soon as today. Neither Colaiacovo nor the Blues would comment until the news is official.

Meanwhile on Monday, Blues forward Cam Janssen was one of three eligible restricted free agents on the roster to file for salary arbitration. Goaltender Jaroslav Halak and forward D.J. King did not file.

Restricted free agents Erik Johnson, David Perron and Tyson Strachan, all still unsigned, are not eligible for arbitration this year.
On Thursday, Colaiacovo and fellow veteran defenseman Mike Weaver hit the free-agent market together. Had both found work elsewhere, the Blues would have needed to do one of two things: look for replacements or prepare for a youthful defensive core.

But the re-signing of Colaiacovo, 27, keeps in place at least one veteran, one of the Blues' more offensive-minded blue-liners. Colaiacovo has combined for 61 points over the past two seasons, the most for any defenseman on the team in that span. He has averaged .47 points per game in 130 games with the club.

As a free agent, Colaiacovo attracted interest from a handful of teams, but he kept in touch with the Blues. The club had traded for him in 2008.

"My position hasn't changed in the sense that St. Louis is the first place I want to be," Colaiacovo said last week. "I'm still confident things will work out."

Weaver, 32, remains a free agent, but a source said Monday that both sides are still talking. The veteran defenseman is asking for a three-year extension; the Blues prefer a two-year deal. Weaver recently completed a one-year, $800,000 contract.

The Blues now have eight defensive players expected to return for 2010-11: Colaiacovo, Johnson, Strachan, Eric Brewer, Barret Jackman, Roman Polak, Alex Pietrangelo and Ian Cole.

Russian defenseman Nikita Nikitin, a 2004 draft pick who signed this summer, also will be at training camp.

On another front, Janssen filed for arbitration Monday after trying to work out a contract extension. Scott Norton, the agent for the Blues enforcer, said he still hopes to negotiate a multi-year deal even though the team made a one-year offer to the Eureka native.

"Cam was hoping to keep 'home' home for longer term, but he understands," Norton said Monday. "I'm optimistic we can get something done in an amicable fashion before arbitration. But no one is sure until we put pen to paper."

Enforcers have done well in free agency. Former Minnesota Wild Derek Boogaard signed a four-year, $6.6 million contract with the New York Rangers, a deal averaging $1.65 million per season. Ex-Rangers enforcer Jody Shelley signed a three-year, $3.3 million contract with Philadelphia.

The Blues, however, maintain the rights to Janssen and King, who after playing in a combined 13 games the past two seasons declined arbitration Thursday.

In a somewhat surprising move, Halak likewise did not opt for arbitration despite coming off his best season in the NHL. The Blues goaltender, acquired June 17 from Montreal in a trade for forward prospect Lars Eller, was 26-13-5 with a 2.40 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage in the regular season. He had the fourth-best save percentage (.924) in the playoffs.

Halak, 25, made $775,000 last season with the Canadiens.

On June 23, the Blues made the goalie a qualifying offer of $813,750, which is figured by adding a 5 percent raise to last season's salary. By making a qualifying offer, the Blues retained Halak's rights, allowing them to continue negotiations.

Blues general manager Doug Armstrong and Halak's Los Angeles-based agent, Allan Walsh, were scheduled to talk last week in LA while the team was in town for the NHL draft, but it has not been confirmed whether those negotiations took place.

A source said Monday that Halak didn't file for arbitration because his camp wants to negotiate with the Blues without any deadlines attached.
The Blues have the option of club-elected salary arbitration with Halak. The deadline to file is today at 4 p.m..

[DaDitka]

I think this is a HUGE move for the Blues. I figured he was good as gone (getting shopped at the trade deadline and all), but with Junland not coming back, I guess that reopened a spot.

What I really hope this means is that either Jackman or Brewer are out the door (fingers crossed)

[cprice12]

Told ya.

[hullisgod]

Loved the Steen + Colaiacovo trade at the time, I know some people were upset losing Stempniak but this was a great trade for us. Very good news that we are keeping both players around for a while.

[cprice12]

Loved the Steen + Colaiacovo trade at the time, I know some people were upset losing Stempniak but this was a great trade for us. Very good news that we are keeping both players around for a while.

And there is a chance we could get Stempy back as well.

[Winning Unlimited]

[philco_3]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=326716

[philco_3]

Loved the Steen + Colaiacovo trade at the time, I know some people were upset losing Stempniak but this was a great trade for us. Very good news that we are keeping both players around for a while.

And there is a chance we could get Stempy back as well.

I would love to see that happen!

[glen a richter]

Big re-signing. Still waiting for a big splash though.

[cprice12]

I'm surprised Colaiacovo didn't get a bigger offer somewhere else...or at least the same offer with more years.
Two years isn't a very long contract for a 26 year old offensive defenseman, who has some offensive abilities and who is coming off of his best year so far in his young career.

I guess his agent could have asked for a two year deal so he'll be 28 when it's up, and he should be entering his prime and could cash in then. OR...he could have had a slightly bigger offer elsewhere and chose to stay here for less...I dunno.

[Winning Unlimited]

Maybe he didn't want to see Blues games, and stayed in the part of the country where blackouts would occur most frequently?

[Blue Chicago]

I'm surprised Colaiacovo didn't get a bigger offer somewhere else...or at least the same offer with more years.

There were a lot of defensemen out there this year. Good signing for the Blues.