The St. Louis Blues announced that they had signed veteran defenseman. The deal includes a base salary of $775,000 and potential performance bonuses of up to $3 million. This is the second free agent signing for a defenseman this summer. It is not a showy move by any means, but it could be a good bargain for the club. They’ve prioritized depth players in their offseason moves thus far.
The Blues’ defensive makeup is unknown as the season is three months away, but with so many blueliners currently on the roster, another move is likely.
The club now possesses at least eight NHL-caliber defenseman, following the acquisitions of Pierre-Olivier Joseph and Suter this summer. I believe this signing is solid, and let me explain why.
Suter Can Still Play at the NHL Level
Suter, who is 39 years old, shown last season that he can still play NHL hockey. He appeared in 82 regular-season games and 19 playoff games for the Dallas Stars over the previous two seasons. He has also appeared in every regular season game over the last four seasons. He is dependable and seasoned, which the Blues have lacked in certain defensive spots over the last few seasons.
Despite his age, Suter can be a valuable addition to the Blues’ defense, who is in desperate need of better defenders. He had a better defensive unit in Dallas, but he remains a solid player. He might play 1,500 NHL games in the 2024-25 season if he becomes a regular in the lineup. He posted his greatest plus/minus in 2023-24 since 2016-17 with the Minnesota Wild. There’s certainly something left in the tank here, which general manager Doug Armstrong realizes. If the club isn’t competitive this season, I’m sure Suter will have some trade deadline value, which is another aspect of this deal that makes sense.
Could Suter Be Paired Alongside Parayko?
Suter is unlikely to play more than 20 minutes each game on this club, but head coach Drew Bannister may want to pair him with Colton Parayko. He has had some of his best seasons and runs while playing alongside a reliable defensive defenseman. Suter is the closest Parayko has had to Jay Bouwmeester since the 2018-19 Stanley Cup season. I could envision Suter and Parayko as the Blues’ shutdown duo in 2024-25.
It’s difficult to imagine a scenario in which the coaching staff doesn’t try this partnership. There is no reason to bring in Suter otherwise. I don’t believe this is a simply depth move.
Even at the age of 39, they believe he still has some decent play left in him.
Blues’ Defense Becomes More Interesting
The most intriguing aspect of the Blues’ defense right now is that another move must be made. Whether it’s dealing Torey Krug, Nick Leddy, Tyler Tucker, or Justin Faulk, the team has too many defensemen. Ideally, the blue line would include Parayko, Suter, Joseph, Matthew Kessel, Scott Perunovich, and whoever remains. This group contains several excellent defensive defenseman, but it lacks dynamic puck movers. That’s probably why they need Krug, Faulk, or Perunovich in the lineup as puck-moving defensemen.
I would be surprised if Armstrong did not make another move to shift defensemen. The Suter move suggests that he will undoubtedly be speaking with other teams about who is available.
Do not be surprised if the Blues make another move from the blue line before the 2024-25 season begins.
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