Contract extensions and trades: Blues front office continues making offseason moves
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMIZ)
The St. Louis Blues front office kept itself busy on Tuesday, as the Note extended one player's contract, completed two trades and made things official with its first-round draft pick.
The first news of the day came just before noon, as STL signed defenseman Corey Schueneman to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 in the NHL and $400,000 in the AHL. The 28-year-old appeared in 64 regular-season games for the AHL's Colorado Eagles during the 2023-24 season. During that time, he posted 22 points (four goals and 18 assists) and 24 penalty minutes.
The Michigan-native has played most of his career in the AHL, but has appeared in 31 NHL games with the Montreal Canadiens, logging seven points.
The Note also put a couple of trades in the books, on Tuesday. First, St. Louis acquired Radek Faksa from the Dallas Stars in exchange for future considerations. The 30-year-old dressed for 74 regular-season games for the Stars last season, posting 19 points courtesy of seven goals and 12 assists. He also logged one goal in his eight playoff appearances.
Faksa, a native of the Czech Republic, was originally drafted No. 13 overall by Dallas in the 2012 NHL Draft. He has spent his entire nine-year career with the Stars.
St. Louis also traded future considerations with the Ottawa Senators. STL received a forward Mathieu Joseph and a 2025 third-round draft pick.
Joseph played in 72 regular-season games for Ottawa, logging 35 points (11 goals and 24 assists) and 51 penalty minutes. The 27-year-old was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the fourth round, No. 120 overall, in the 2015 NHL Draft. Overall, he's racked up 135 points courtesy of 55 goals and 80 assists in his career. He has also made 10 playoff appearances, including six in Lightning's 2021 Stanley Cup Championship.
General Manager Doug Armstrong also announced that a familiar face will be sticking around the gateway city for six more years.
Forward Pavel Buchnevich is locked in through the 2030-31 season, after signing a six-year contract extension on Tuesday. The extension is worth $48 million and will begin with the 2025-26 season.
The 29-year-old first came to St. Louis in 2021 through a trade with the New York Rangers. In his three seasons with the Note, he has ranked third on the team in points, second in goals and second in assists. During the 2023-24 campaign, Buchnevich collected 27 goals and 36 assists in the 80 regular season games, marking his third-straight year with at least 25 goals and 60 points.
Buchnevich, a native of Russia, was originally drafted by the Rangers in the third round, No. 75 overall, in the 2013 NHL Draft.
Finally, St. Louis also made things official with first-round draft pick Adam Jiricek, on Tuesday. Armstrong and company signed the defenseman to a three-year, entry-level contract, after drafting him No. 16 overall.
The 18-year-old has spent the last three seasons with HC Plzen organization in Czechia. During the 2023-24 campaign, appeared in 22 games, including 19 with the top team and three with the U-20 team. He also represented Czechia on the world stage, earning a silver medal at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and a bronze medal at the U-20 World Junior Championships.
