The Blues and Jaden Schwartz have agreed on a new contract, ending a stalemate that was scheduled for salary arbitration.
The club has signed the left winger to a five-year deal that will pay him $26.75 million for annual average value (AAV) of $5.35 million.
The Blues said earlier that Schwartz was their No. 1 priority this offseason, and while several other players were signed ahead of him, they finally got the deal done.
"We had a lot of conversation since about July 4-5, after free agency settled down," Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said. "Both sides knew what the other side wanted. He wanted some security and some term. We wanted to give him some security and some term, so it was just trying to get the value of the arbitration years and then the free-agent years and making everyone comfortable.
"From our standpoint, we think it's a contract that's very fair to the player and the team. We're putting him in a great spot to hopefully have another contract."
Schwartz is 24, so the first three years of the five-year deal fall under the time that he would be restricted, and in the final two, he would have been unrestricted. The two sides negotiated contracts that ranged from one year to the maximum of eight, but at the dollars being discussed Schwartz's camp was only comfortable extending two years into his UFA years.
"That's where the discussion ended up becoming most palatable for both sides," said Wade Arnott, Schwartz's agent.
Schwartz had recently elected for arbitration and the case had been set for July 20. But the hearing will no longer be necessary now that the sides have reached a resolution.
"We're pleased that we were able to finalize a longer-term deal for Jaden with the Blues," Arnott said. "Of course, we filed for salary arbitration. The team had the choice of a one- or a two-year deal if we went all the way through with the (arbitration) process. We were prepared for that, however, it was the player's intent to continue to negotiate something longer term and we're happy that we got something done here today."
Schwartz, who was unavailable for comment Friday, has appeared in 240 games in his five-year Blues' career, in which he's posted 70 goals and 157 points. He missed significant time last season with a fractured ankle, limiting him to only 33 games, in which he had eight goals and 22 points.
Arnott said the injury is behind Schwartz, and he's looking forward to being back with the Blues and with a new contract.
"I have spoken with him, and he's very excited to be signed longer term and he's excited to get going," Arnott said.
