Talks with Buchnevich "really good" according to Armstrong

Blues GM said he, GM-in-waiting Steen spoke with forward's agents recently about contract extension

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Talks between Pavel Buchnevich and the St. Louis Blues are going well, according to general manager Doug Armstrong.

The 29-year-old forward, heading into the last year of his contract in St. Louis, can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2025 should he and the Blues not come to terms on an extension.

He can sign an extension with the team starting on July 1, and at the conclusion of this past season, both parties seemed willing and anxious to keep the marriage going.

Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said at the time he likes the player, and the player liked it in St. Louis.

"They've been really good," Armstrong said of the recent talks. "I met with his representative in Buffalo with Alex [Steen]. Alex and I have had conversations with both of them recently. We're not talking economics now because we don't need to.

"For 'Buch,' when he starts his contract, he's going to be 30. We have to provide him information where he wants to be between 30 and mid-30s, whatever that term is. Now he has to weigh what I believe the next two years (look like) and then he has to talk to Alex about what he believes moving forward. There's synergy between what Steen and I think but we're not lockstep in everything and I think that's good. He has a vision of what he wants to do and how he wants to do it. They've had those conversations of what Alex wants to see moving forward, and does it correlate to what he wants out of his career."

Buchnevich, acquired by the Blues on July 23, 2021 for a 2022 second-round pick and Sammy Blais, signed a four-year, $23.2 million ($5.8 AAV) contract; he had 63 points (27 goals, 36 assists) in 80 games this season.