Blues, Parayko agree on $52 mln, 8-year extension
ST. LOUIS, Sept 2, (AP): Colton Parayko’s name is out of trade rumors and in the St. Louis Blues’ longterm plans after agreeing to terms on a $52 million, eight-year contract.
The team’s top defenseman was set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, and his impending departure threatened to remove another key performer from the blue line that helped St. Louis hoist the Stanley Cup in 2019. Instead, Parayko will count $6.5 million against the salary cap when his new deal starts in the 2022-23 season until it runs out in 2030.
Parayko put up 12 points during the Blues’ Cup run two years ago. He was limited to that many during an injury-plagued 2021 season. The departures of captain Alex Pietrangelo, Jay Bouwmeester, Joel Edmundson, Carl Gunnarsson and Vince Dunn made Parayko and Robert Bortuzzo as the only defensemen left from the Blues team that won the Cup in 2019.
“Winning here in 2019 was special, and I want the chance to stay here and do that again,” Parayko said.
The Buffalo Sabres re-signed center Casey Mittelstadt to a three-year, $7.5 million contract.
Mittelstadt, a restricted free agent, was selected in the first round of the 2017 draft. The 22-year-old from Minnesota overcame early career inconsistencies to finish third on the Sabres with 10 goals and fourth with 22 points in just 41 games last season.
That’s a jump from 2019-20 when his struggles led to Mittelstadt being demoted to the minors.
Used sparingly to open last season, Mittelstadt saw his production jump when he gained additional playing time after coach Ralph Krueger was fired in mid-March and replaced by Don Granato, who has taken over on a full-time basis.
Overall, Mittelstadt has 27 goals and 61 points in 155 career games.
After Lou Lamoriello was conspicuously quiet for most of the summer, he completed most of the New York Islanders’ offseason work by signing four players to multiyear contracts.
Goaltender Ilya Sorokin got $12 million over three years, homegrown winger Anthony Beauvillier $12.45 million over three years, trade deadline pickup Kyle Palmieri $20 million over four years and fourth-line mainstay Casey Cizikas $15 million over six years. The deals keep together a core that reached the third round of the playoffs each of the past two seasons.
“It’s exciting what we’re doing right now,” Cizikas said. “We’re gearing up for another big year.”