Four St. Louis Blues RFAs Set For Massive Pay Raises In 2027-28

Tuesday, September 15, was the final day for NHL teams to sign players to an eight-year contract, as the new collective bargaining agreement states that the maximum term a player can sign for is seven years. 

That means any hope the St. Louis Blues had in extending any of their pending restricted or unrestricted free agents to eight-year deals has sailed.

With the rising salary cap, we've seen several players sign deals worth well more than we've become accustomed to. While it hasn't affected the Blues yet, it could very likely come into play next summer.

Today, we look at the four 2027 St. Louis Blues RFAs who will be in line for a massive pay raise. 

Jake Neighbours has almost quietly become one of the longest-tenured players on the Blues, and his recent receiving of the alternate captaincy is a testament to that, as well as the Blues acknowledging how important he is to the team. 

After scoring 27 goals in 2023-24 and posting 46 points in 2024-25, expectations for Neighbours grew. The hope was that he could push for 30 goals and eclipse the 50-point mark. An injury forced him to miss 13 games, but he never truly strung together many positive games.

He finished the season with 15 goals and 36 points in 69 games, and his overall effectiveness wavered. But as he enters the 2026-27 campaign, the 24-year-old carries high expectations once again, as the Blues will rely on him to improve offensively and be a factor defensively. 

If he does, the Blues front office will be delighted to offer him a seven-year contract that could be worth up to $8 million annually. 

If anyone were going to sign an eight-year contract, it likely would have been Jimmy Snuggerud. The 22-year-old had an outstanding rookie season and quickly morphed into a top-line winger. 

With contracts handed out to players like Ryan Leonard, who received an eight-year, $10.5 million AAV deal, the expectation is that Snuggerud earns something similar. Leonard posted 20 goals and 45 points in 75 games, while Snuggerud posted 21 goals and 51 points in 70 games. 

Leonard is a year younger and brings a physical element Snuggerud lacks, but Snuggerud has a shot very few NHL players can rival. A similar dollar figure is expected. 

Logan Mailloux was handed a one-year deal during the 2025-26 season when his play was at his best. It was both an acknowledgment from the front office that they believe in his skill set and a contract that asks him to prove it wasn't a one-off.

Mailloux will more than likely start the season on the top pairing with Philip Broberg, and if he excels, he could earn himself a high-paying contract with plenty of term.

At 23, Mailloux is still young for a defenseman and has plenty of room to grow. 

Joel Hofer is poised and ready to be a No. 1 netminder in the NHL. He showed he could handle the load and thrive last year, but a whole new level of pressure and expectations could be coming his way.

Jordan Binnington is still around, and whether they trade him away, let him walk in free agency, or re-sign him next off-season, the crease is Hofer's as long as he performs well enough.

Goaltender contracts can be hard to gauge, but Hofer will be 26, turning 27 when his contract expires, and will have plenty of leverage in contract talks. The Blues could position themselves nicely with a long-term contract. 

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