ST. LOUIS — The lone remaining defensive domino fell for the Blues as they usher out 2020.
The team announced on Thursday that they've agreed to terms with restricted free agent defenseman Vince Dunn on a one-year contract worth $1.875 million.
The 24-year-old Dunn, a second-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, finished with 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in 71 games last season, the only defenseman to play in all 71 games. In 224 NHL games, Dunn has 82 points (26 goals, 56 assists).
With Dunn, who had no arbitration rights but will have them after the upcoming season, on board, the Blues are $3.050 million over the salary cap ceiling of $81.5 million, and with forward Mike Hoffman, who was signed to a professional tryout contract on Sunday, yet to sign, the Blues will look to make the cap space available when they place Alexander Steen and his $5.75 million cap hit on long-term injured-reserve, and when Tarasenko, who is coming off surgery on his left shoulder, to likely go on LTIR at the start of the season, the Blues will have enough cap space to sign Hoffman to a contract.
Dunn is coming off an entry-level contract that paid him an average annual value of $888,333, with a $722.5 million cap hit. He was due a raise but probably came in under what the Blues could have been viewing to pay him heading into this past season.
Dunn, who had what was considered a breakout season in 2018-19 with 35 points (12 goals, 23 assists) in 78 games, will have plenty of motivation heading into a new season after having a subpar-playoff season; he missed all of the Return to Play Plan training camp stemming from COVID-19.
Blues announce camp roster
The Blues also announced on Thursday they will have 40 players in training camp when players report on Sunday for physicals and fitness testing.
They will be on the ice Monday at Tuesday at Centene Community Ice Center and scrimmage at Enterprise Center Wednesday at 7 p.m. The season-opener is Jan. 13 at Colorado.
Due to COVID-19 regulations, training camp will be closed to the public.
A couple notable omissions from this year's camp roster include forwards Klim Kostin, Alexey Toropchenko and Nikita Alexandrov.
The Blues announced Tuesday that Toropchenko and Alexandrov, who were playing for Kunlun Red Star of the Kontinental Hockey League and KooKoo in the Finnish Liiga League respectively, were loaned to their respective clubs for the season.
Toropchenko, 21, a fourth-round pick in 2017, has eight points (six goals, two assists) in 25 games this season for Kunlun. Alexandrov, 20, is a second-round pick in 2019.
The 21-year-old Kostin, a first-round pick in 2017, has a goal and four assists in 23 games while on load for Avangard Omsk of the KHL, and it is still unclear what the Blues' plans are for him this season but it was believed he would return in time for camp.
