ST. LOUIS (KMOX) – The NHL Trade Deadline is Friday and a few St. Louis Blues players have seen their name pop around trade rumors.
While the Blues aren’t expected to go after anyone at the deadline, some players on the roster, most notably Pavel Buchnevich, has seen their name on the trade rumors mill.
Oskar Sundqvist was a smaller name who name could’ve popped up on the trade rumors, with Sundqvist was only on a one-year deal, but he won’t be going anywhere soon.
On Thursday, the Blues announced they have agreed to a two-year extension with Sundqvist worth $3 million total and an average annual value of $1.5 million.
BREAKING NEWS! We’ve signed Oskar Sundqvist to a two-year contract extension. #stlblues
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) March 7, 2024
Sundqvist said in a team statement that he didn’t want to leave at the Trade Deadline.
“It was my plan the whole time,” Sundqvist said. “I wanted to be part of the team and turning the ship around. For me personally, I didn’t want to abandon it and leave (at the Trade Deadline). I wanted to stay here, help this team get back to being successful and getting back into the playoffs and (being) a competitor again. It was a huge part to stay here and hopefully help this team win hockey games.”
Sundqvist rejoined the Blues last off-season after quick stops with the Detroit Red Wings and Minnesota Wild.
Overall, Sundqvist is putting respectable bottom-six forward production, amassing 21 points in 63 games, along with amassing 76 hits and causing 25 takeaways in an average 13.5 minutes on ice.
The move will take Sundqvist off trade boards of teams looking for more bottom six depth and while Buchnevich has seen his name pop up over the last couple days, it would be significantly shocking to see him get moved Friday, when Buchnevich still has a year left on his contract and the reported asking price has been around similar to a deal Calgary Flames got for defenseman Elias Lindholm from the Vancouver Canucks: a first round pick, two NHL prospects and a NHL player (Calgary got F Andrei Kuzmenko).
