NHL Rumors: Latest on Alex Pietrangelo, Blues' Contract Negotiations

The St. Louis Blues locked up Brayden Schenn with an eight-year contract extension on Friday, and now they are turning their attention toward captain Alex Pietrangelo.

According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the 29-year-old defenseman's camp "should have an opportunity to move forward with talks on a new deal" ahead of the team's game in Toronto on Monday night. 

Friedman added more context on Hockey Night in Canada: 

"[Pietrangelo's] agents, Newport, are based in Toronto — it is expected they will meet with the GM, Doug Armstrong and we'll see if this gets to a critical stage. ... 

"It is believed the Blues want him around Oliver Ekman-Larsson's number, which is eight [years] times $8.25 million. But if Pietrangelo was to go to unrestricted free agency, he'd do very well."

The 2019-20 NHL season, which began Wednesday, is the final year of Pietrangelo's seven-year, $45.5 million deal. Per Spotrac, he is owed a $7.5 million base salary that carries a $6.5 million cap hit.

The 6'3", 210-pound Pietrangelo scored his first goal of the season in the Blues' regular-season opener against the Washington Capitals. During St. Louis' Stanley Cup playoff run last season, ending with the franchise's first championship, his 16 assists were tied with Boston's Torey Krug for the most during the 2019 postseason. 

In the 2018-19 regular season, Pietrangelo recorded 41 points (13 goals, 28 assists), which was the two-time All-Star's lowest mark since 2015-16. His most productive campaign with 54 points (15 goals, 39 assists) in 2017-18. 

Pietrangelo has spent his entire career in St. Louis since the Blues selected him fourth overall in the 2008 draft.