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Sobotka Returning? (Yes, with extension)

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There's no hard feeling on my end. If Sobotka wants to come back (and with an extension), I'd welcome him with open arms. If we are extending him, however, I would hope that we have a deal in place to get rid of Lehtera.
 
Stealth JD said:
Sobotka's been gone 3 years. Skills erode. He'll be 30 next year. I'm not even sure i want a guy with that kind of mileage and limited skillset at $2.725M, let alone with an extension in tow. I wish the club would just turn the page already. Burn his year now, get him off the books for next year and bid adieu.

Considering players don't get payed for the playoffs anyway, how much could he really cost them to burn that year now? $33k/game x 3 games remaining? $100k. I'd sooner give him $100k to go away than $2.7M to stay.
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His scoring went down each year in the KHL. He had at least one concussion and a serious back injury. We've got younger guys who can play bottom six for a lot less money. I just don't see the point of signing him to an extension, especially a long one, unless it's to facilitate a trade.
 
Bluesfan54 said:
His scoring went down each year in the KHL. He had at least one concussion and a serious back injury. We've got younger guys who can play bottom six for a lot less money. I just don't see the point of signing him to an extension, especially a long one, unless it's to facilitate a trade.
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Right. We already have Brodziak (for way cheaper), Sobotka feels redundant for what he brings to the table, unless we really feel like Sobotka > Barbashev, Lehtera, and/or Berglund. Which I personally don't, with the exception of Lehtera. If Stastny is out for the season, then maybe the move to bring him in now makes more sense. But signing him to an extension before we really even know what we've got in him after 3 years away feels like a poor decision. If we want to bring him in for the last week of the season and however much time we spend in the playoffs, fine, so be it, but there's no reason to throw an extension at him until the summer unless we've got some major restructuring planned.

Maybe we sign him to a 2-year extension in order to make him a more attractive addition to a package. But I doubt he'd take a pay cut from his $2.7mil (that's why he left in the first place), and I'm convinced he's not worth any more than that. At $2.7milx2, he'd be a good deal for a team looking to bolster their bottom 6 (Winnipeg? Vancouver? Vegas? Florida? Arizona? Lots of teams could use him), but at say $3.2milx2/3, I'm not sure that's a benefit and not a burden.
 
Think outside of what benefits the Blues...a deal in place with Vegas gives Sobotka a chance to win the top 6 spot on an NHL team and get paid for it, which was the reason he left in the first place. Joining our roster for the playoffs and extending for next season gives him the chance to show what he's got in the playoffs, and then a full season playing in a higher role on a bad team.
 
Bluesfan54 said:
His scoring went down each year in the KHL. He had at least one concussion and a serious back injury. We've got younger guys who can play bottom six for a lot less money. I just don't see the point of signing him to an extension, especially a long one, unless it's to facilitate a trade.
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That's only partially true. His total points decreased because he played fewer games, but his scoring pace stayed consistent. He scored .72 ppg in year 1, .77 in year 2 and .73 in year 3. So his offensive play didn't really decrease at all. Like you alluded to though, injuries are certainly a big concern.

With all that said, I completely agree that I don't want to see an extension unless it is to facilitate a trade. I'm hoping (and to a degree believe) that Army would be seeking a 1 year extension worth around the $2.7 mil number so we basically have the same asset that we currently have but also get him for playoffs. If I were Army, I'd sell it like this:

'If you want to play in the NHL next year, it is for $2.7 mil. The upside to taking this deal is that you earn an extra $100k this week, you will get tons of media hype to grow your brand/reputation, and we will structure next years deal to include a $1 mil signing bonus on July 1, which we wouldn't do under the number awarded by the arbitrator. We want you on board as quickly as possible, but we remain firm that we expect a full year commitment at the $2.7 mil number awarded in arbitration. We believe this is a win-win situation for both parties as we get a boost for the playoffs and you get slightly more money, a large bonus quickly and media exposure that you simply won't get if you join the team in the summer. If you don't accept, then we are not interested in burning the awarded year on this playoff push and we will discuss signing the 1 year, $2.7 mil over the summer.'

I think that is an honest negotiation that does legitimately benefit both sides. It doesn't benefit Sobotka a ton, but he doesn't really have much leverage if he wants to play in the NHL. That is the offer I would make today if I were Army. If he walks away, he walks away and we still hold his rights. If he signs, then we have a locked in version of our currently-uncertain asset and we get a add a good middle six player in a position of need for the playoffs. I'd be actively looking to move him the instant our season ended and wouldn't have any heartburn about his feelings on the matter.
 
Brian39 said:
That's only partially true. His total points decreased because he played fewer games, but his scoring pace stayed consistent. He scored .72 ppg in year 1, .77 in year 2 and .73 in year 3. So his offensive play didn't really decrease at all. Like you alluded to though, injuries are certainly a big concern.

With all that said, I completely agree that I don't want to see an extension unless it is to facilitate a trade. I'm hoping (and to a degree believe) that Army would be seeking a 1 year extension worth around the $2.7 mil number so we basically have the same asset that we currently have but also get him for playoffs. If I were Army, I'd sell it like this:

'If you want to play in the NHL next year, it is for $2.7 mil. The upside to taking this deal is that you earn an extra $100k this week, you will get tons of media hype to grow your brand/reputation, and we will structure next years deal to include a $1 mil signing bonus on July 1, which we wouldn't do under the number awarded by the arbitrator. We want you on board as quickly as possible, but we remain firm that we expect a full year commitment at the $2.7 mil number awarded in arbitration. We believe this is a win-win situation for both parties as we get a boost for the playoffs and you get slightly more money, a large bonus quickly and media exposure that you simply won't get if you join the team in the summer. If you don't accept, then we are not interested in burning the awarded year on this playoff push and we will discuss signing the 1 year, $2.7 mil over the summer.'

I think that is an honest negotiation that does legitimately benefit both sides. It doesn't benefit Sobotka a ton, but he doesn't really have much leverage if he wants to play in the NHL. That is the offer I would make today if I were Army. If he walks away, he walks away and we still hold his rights. If he signs, then we have a locked in version of our currently-uncertain asset and we get a add a good middle six player in a position of need for the playoffs. I'd be actively looking to move him the instant our season ended and wouldn't have any heartburn about his feelings on the matter.
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I had thought about the same scenario. A couple points with that:
1) The Blues would have to protect Sobotka in the expansion draft (not mandatory, but they SHOULD do it).
2) I think the next year contract would be at a slight raise not identical to the 2.7M.
 
Bluesfan54 said:
His scoring went down each year in the KHL. He had at least one concussion and a serious back injury. We've got younger guys who can play bottom six for a lot less money. I just don't see the point of signing him to an extension, especially a long one, unless it's to facilitate a trade.
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He was the best player on a team that finished third in the Conference and they very much want him back, along with several other teams rumoured to be interested.

Sobotka is a better player than he gets credit for around here because people don't like the fact he left and want to focus on his fourth line numbers.

Sobotka for the next 2 or 3 seasons at $3m would be great, but that isn't realistic. Going longer is too much of a risk with his injury history and going higher isn't worth it at this point.
 
IF Sobotka comes back for the playoffs then I hope there is no extension in place.

Why? I think the expansion draft stuff could honestly go either way (it could be good or bad having Sobotka be an UFA)...However, if next season he will be an UFA then the playoffs are essentially his resume. He was a good NHL player in the past, but hasn't played in the league in several years. Other teams will be judging his current worth based on his play in the post season. Not that Sobotka would not play his hardest during the playoffs regardless, but if he doesn't have a contract in place for next season, then in a lot of ways he will be playing for his next paycheck. His future income will be on the line. I think we would see a hungry/desperate player who could be a difference maker. Just my 2 cents.
 
Falco Lombardi said:
There's no way that Berglund, Lehtera, and Sobotka can all be on this roster next year right?

Just hypothetical lines for a sec...

Fabbri-Stastny-Tarasenko
Schwartz-???-Perron
Steen-Barbashev-???
???-Brodziak-Reaves

This doesn't include Upshall, Paajarvi, Sanford, Yakupov, or Jaskin.
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I'm not sure if this is rhetorical or a legitimate inquiry, but it's possible financially if the cap increases enough and/or Gunnarsson is dumped for a cheap replacement.

Something has to give from the current status quo first, though.
 
From this week's 30 Thoughts:

St. Louis fans probably grit their teeth every time Vladimir Sobotka’s name is mentioned, but overseas sources indicate a reunion appears closer than ever. His KHL contract was terminated earlier this week. He owes the Blues another year, but word is the team was not interested in having him play just a few games to “burn†it. Instead, it asked for him to sign an extension and there appears to be progress. Yes, I know we’ve heard this before, so we’ll see where it goes.
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I wouldnt be surprised to see a 1-2 year extension. Both sides want Sobotka for the playoff run, and this seems like a good starting point.
 
Sobotka, the Blues gift that keeps giving. :sarcasm:

Here we go again... [DRAMA]

I can see why we need him. We have nobody to replace Paul's face off percentage. Sobotka had one of the highest NHL FO percentages when he was an NHLer. We just don't need to give up the farm for him. If we can get him signed for a couple of years without blowing up our cap it's worth a try. I don't think you're going to see him play at a higher level in the playoffs based upon some desire to prove he's deserving more $'ers. He is what he is -- a former KHLer.

Bring him back and if we need to package him or keep him we can always cross that bridge after the playoffs. He has some trade value if he doesn't pan out.

When we are down by one goal and we pull Jake who would you want to take that important FO? :D
 
If the rumor that we're looking at extending a player that hasn't laced up in this league in years and has dealt with at least 1 concussion and a back injury/surgery are true, I'm going to be pretty lost for words.
 
ManyIdeas said:
If the rumor that we're looking at extending a player that hasn't laced up in this league in years and has dealt with at least 1 concussion and a back injury/surgery are true, I'm going to be pretty lost for words.
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I'm more concerned with his bad shoulder. He's a bag of issues.

We have nothing down the middle for FO's. We can talk 1C or 2C's but at this point of the season we can't go out and get one. He's a FO machine. I suppose we could look away from the FO part of our game.:shakehead I know Coach Bennett likes his FO skills. Extend his one year and include some bonus's. I'm not willing to give up his owed one year for a couple of playoff games.
 


Looks like we'll be getting an answer sooner than later. I know we have heard this headline before, but the fact that he has terminated his KHL deal leads me to believe there is actual fire to go along with this smoke.
 
Schwartz-Stastny-Tarasenko
Steen-Berglund-Perron
Sobotka-Barbashev-Paajarvi
Upshall-Brodziak-Reaves

Lehtera can fight it out with Paajarvi and Sobotka. Sobotka can handle faceoffs since Barbashev still needs to work on that.

Give him a 1 year extension, and then decide in the summer if we'd rather move him or keep him. If we do decide to keep him, we'll likely have to move someone else.
 
I could live with a one year extension so we get the full year he owes us(and can trade/expose him if we'd like), but anything longer is unnecessary. He doesn't deserve that level of commitment.
 
Curious about the details, but I'm pleased that Armstrong is being creative here in a way that gives the team a little boost to their depth for the post-season. Its not a big move and it costs almost nothing except the effort to negotiate it.
 
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