Contract talks between Pietrangelo and Blues have broken off!

It’s over in St. Louis. For days, it has been reported that the Blues were attempting to get a contract extension done with captain Alex Pietrangelo, however on Friday night, contract talks have broken off with the front office advising the veteran defenseman to pursue unrestricted free agency on Oct. 9, according to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger.

The Blues have just over $5 million in cap space to sign both Pietrangelo and restricted free agent Vince Dunn, meaning that they’ll likely have to make a trade to free up salary if they’re serious about bringing both players back. The 30-year-old Pietrangelo is expected to looking at a deal that will pay him $7+ million annually,. According to Darren Dreger of TSN, the Blues might have offered Pietrangelo $8M AAV, however, couldn’t what the lenght of the deal would be. Pietrangelo might be after more money than the Blues can afford. Team insider Jeremy Rutherford explained how three days ago, the team reportedly offered 7.7M and other agents think Pietrangelo could make 8.5 or even 9 on the open market. The 30-year-old is in the final year of a seven-year, $45.5 million contract signed with the Blues in 2013.

Rutherford reveals that the Blues’ current offer is $7.7 million AAV, but Pietrangelo has been asked to accept the AAV without knowing the structure of the deal.

Pietrangelo had 16 goals and 52 points in 70 games during the regular season, adding one goal and six points in games upon the NHL’s Return to Play. He has spent his entire career to date with the Blues, but is now considering wearing another uniform.

The Toronto Maple Leafs were expected to be in running to land Pietrangelo’s services however the price tag might be too high. The Vegas Golden Knights are also said to be high on Pietrangelo’s list of preferred destinations to pursue his career in the NHL. 

Dreger’s colleague Pierre LeBrun wonders if the Blues will attempt to trade Pietrangelo’s rights before Oct. 9 and if so, he asks what is the draft pick that gets it done?

Pietrangelo revealed on Monday that he is “disappointed” with how negotiations have gone between his agent and Blues general manager Doug Armstrong. 

Those negotiations are now dead it seems…