Let's Go Blues

The more I think about it, the more I like this signing. I know Berglund hasn't lived up to his hype, but I think he's better than the average 3rd liner and has significantly more upside.

He's getting a raise, but it's pretty rare for a player going through their pre-UFA years to not get a raise even if he's been disappointing. More importantly, I only care about a player's salary in relation to our payroll flexibility. Perhaps a pay decrease to $2.5 mil or something would have been nice. But, that $1.2 mil/year difference isn't going to be a big hindrance to our flexibility. He's frustrating, sure, but I think he's better than whoever we'd have replace him, and his salary isn't preventing us from improving elsewhere. And, should we decide to trade him, that's better than letting him walk in free agency.

Clearly, Berglund is worth a LOT less in trade if he's unsigned. He probably didn't cooperate with Army on The Blues' offer, so, Army wanting to use Bergland as one of the main "current roster" player assets in the trade for Spezza, had to give in and "overpay" Berglund a bit, to get him signed, and "tradable". As it turned out, The Blues were able to "agree"(at least get a pretty good idea they were going to end up with him) with Stastny during the 5 day window, and then with Ottawa holding out for an unreasonable price for Spezza (Schwartz included), The Blues gave up on Spezza, and ended up having to keep Berglund at a "higher than wanted" $3.7 million.

Given that The blues would have been worse of getting Spezza if they had to give up Schwartz, I can live with their keeping Berglund at his new salary. He's still a decent trade chip, if Army waits for an opportunity caused by another team's injury before this or next season's trade deadline. In the meantime, having a 3rd line of Berglund-Lehterä-Tarasenko or Berglund-Sobotka-Oshie won't be bad at all, considering what Stastny adds to the team, AND that with Morrow, Roy and Ott gone, The Blues are a team full of young players and players in their prime, other than only Jackman. I think I'd rather have that than adding a downward-headed, Spezza, with back problems, and a high salary for several years.