NHL Rumors: Alex Pietrangelo, the St. Louis Blues, and the Lack of Progress
There has been a lack of progress on the contract negotiations between the St. Louis Blues and pending free agent Alex Pietrangelo.
© Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Lou Korac: St. Louis Blues pending UFA defenseman Alex Pietrangelo in a text: “Contract talks haven’t gone the way both sides were hoping and unless something changes, it’s in the best interests for everyone to see what the market looks like on Oct. 9.”

Lou Korac: Believe that things are over between the Blues and Pietrangelo just yet. Though could be wrong, still have the sense that deal will get done. Pietrangelo still wants to stay in St. Louis. Don’t think that the bridge between the two is a big as some may think.

Sportsnet: If Alex Pietrangelo were to hit the open market, there won’t be a shortage of interested teams, including at least one from Canada.

“There’s no question that Toronto is going to be in the game,” Friedman said on The Lead Off. “But as part of that, Toronto — if they do get him — they’re going to have to make some moves to clear some space.”

Pietrangelo to Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic about not ruling out returning to the Blues.

“No, I never will,” Pietrangelo told Rutherford. “I’ve never once said that I’m ruling the Blues out. I’ve never said that. I don’t think you really move on. Whether you’ve played 12 years in a city or one year in a city, I don’t think you really move on until it’s pen to paper and you’re going somewhere else. I truly don’t believe that, because it’s not official until then. So maybe it’s in our best interest to see what other opportunities we can have, and maybe Doug has felt the same way, but it doesn’t mean that something can’t happen.”

Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman on Headlines Saturday night on the Alex Pietrangelo situation and if he’s on the available market or not.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

“Well Ron, last night the story broke that we was, and then he gave an interview to The Athletic confirming it. One the things people were kind of wondering ‘is this a negotiation ploy.’ It’s still three weeks until free agency begins and was he simply a guy who wants to St. Louis, who was trying to up the pressure on the Blues to improve their offer.

But, in calling around today, the thing that I found out was is that there has been a stunning lack of progress in his negotiations. There has been a lot of talk about the no-move clause, about the bonus structure, is that the reason?

From what it sounds like Ron, even the average annual value on a yearly basis, the Blues and his agents are not even close. So, when he says that he looks like he’s going to market, I don’t believe this is solely about bluffing. From what I hear, and what everybody is saying is that there has been little to no progress on this negotiations and that is indeed where we are going.”