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'Pietrangelo-watch' set to begin as St. Louis waits to see if captain returns to the fold

NHL free agency begins later this week, and some hockey insiders think St. Louis is still very much in play for a Pietrangelo return

ST. LOUIS — Ever since the Blues were knocked out of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs in the first round against the Vancouver Canucks, there's really only been one question on the minds of Blues fans.

Is the captain going to be back?

Alex Pietrangelo is one of the biggest name on the free agent market, and with a Blues team trying to be cost-sensible and stay below the cap, it's not a given one of the most important players in franchise history will be back.

It's no secret the Blues would like him to be back in the fold, but it has to be the right situation for everyone, that much is clear.

A few weeks ago, Blues President and General Manager Doug Armstrong told 5 On Your Side sports director Frank Cusumano that he "Goes to bed thinking about it, wakes up at 2 in the morning thinking about it and then wakes up at 7 a.m. thinking about it again".

It was reported in Sept. that talks between the Blues and their captain had stalled, and that the team had advised Pietrangelo to test free agency.

Is it the years that matter most to him? Is it the money per year? Is it the chance to compete for another Stanley Cup?

Here's what a few league insiders think:

"I really do believe with a guy like Alex Pietrangelo, his heart is here, he wants to stay here. But the structure part is important," Blues radio announcer Chris Kerber said. "I do believe that Doug Armstrong wants to keep him here, but will they be able to bridge that gap?"

"I think he stays in St. Louis. I think he stays there. I do," national NHL TV broadcaster Joe Micheletti said. "Doug wants to keep having championship teams. He wants to keep contending year after year. And sometimes you have to draw that line of where that dollar amount could be. Do you think he wants to lose Alex Pietrangelo? He absolutely doesn't. And I'm convinced that Alex wants to stay in St. Louis. So will that extra year be the difference? And can they both come to a number that may work a little bit better?"

NHL free agency officially opens for business on Friday, Oct. 9 at 11 a.m. St. Louis time, with the NHL now eyeing a Jan. 1 start date for the 2021 season.

Let 'Pietrangelo-watch' commence.

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