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Blues struggling in negotiations with 3 key free agents, two of which should interest the Leafs

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Ryan Smitheram
July 2, 2022 (10:07)

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The St. Louis Blues were bounced from the playoffs by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Avalanche again this year, this time in round 2. Following their second round exit, Blues GM Doug Armstrong admitted they had a lot of work to do with regards to their free agents, including Nick Leddy, Ville Husso and David Perron. Yesterday, when asked about negotiations, Armstrong said there was "nothing new to report." That is somewhat concerning given we are less than 2 weeks from free agency.

Perron is the most likely candidate to be back as both he and the team have said they want to make something work. At 34 years old and coming off of a 57-point campaign where he was paid $4M, it will be a tricky negotiation. Surely Perron would like a similar type deal to the one he just finished ($16M over 4 years), but the Blues have to be careful given his age and that Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou are due for massive deals next summer.

Ville Husso on the other hand, wants a chance to prove he can be a number one goalie after taking the net from Jordan Binnington last season. Reports have indicated that Husso could be seeking between $3M-$4M per season, which would likely be too rich for the Blues, given the fact that they have Binnington locked up for another 5 years at $6M per year. Husso made just $750K last season and will be seeking a pay raise and long term deal.

Nick Leddy likely won't be back either. At 31, he just completed a 7-year deal that paid him $5M per season. He is still young enough to cash in on a long-term, high priced deal - likely in the same price range. Split between Detroit and St Louis, Leddy put up just 24 points in 75 games.

I doubt that the Leafs would have any interest in a player like Nick Leddy at the price he's going to command, but both David Perron and Ville Husso do make some sense for the Buds. Perron would provide a bona-fide, experienced top 6 winger for Tavares and Nylander and, as long as his cap hit doesn't come in too high, the risk-reward of a Husso deal could pay off.

With just $9M in cap space, the Blues would be hard pressed to bring back even two of the three, as they have 6 roster spots to fill. If Perron were to return, despite playing for Edmonton, Vegas, Pittsburgh and Anaheim, he would have signed every one of his contracts with the Blues.

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Previously on Maple Leafs Daily

Mikko Rantanen responds to fan's question about whether Kadri will re-sign this summer

Oilers GM Ken Holland reveals what he's looking for in exchange for Puljujarvi's rights; here's what the Leafs could offer

With Ryan McDonagh's name floating around, at least one team has emerged with serious interest

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JUILLET 2 \| 110 ANSWERS Blues struggling in negotiations with 3 key free agents, two of which should interest the Leafs Which of these players do you think the Leafs should go after if all 3 reach free agency?
Husso	86	78.2 %
Perron	16	14.5 %
Leddy	8	7.3 %
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Blues struggling in negotiations with 3 key free agents, two of which should interest the Leafs

Which of these players do you think the Leafs should go after if all 3 reach free agency?