Polak Signs New Five-Year Deal

photo © 2011 Bridget Samuels | more info (via: Wylio)
Just a couple days after we learned that Patrik Berglund had signed a new two-year contract, today we learn that Roman Polak will remain with the St. Louis Blues thanks to a new five-year contract worth a reported $13.75 million. Considered to be a crackdown defenseman that often matches up against the top-lines around the league, Polak is now being paid like a top young blueliner.

The Post-Dispatch reports that the deal will pay Polak $2 million in 2011-12, $2.45 million in 2012-13 and then $3.1 million the final three years.

At just 25 years of age, Polak has proved himself to general manager Doug Armstrong that he is capable of being a shutdown defenseman. Armstrong stated that he thought Polak’s value would only increase moving forward and he strongly desired to keep him off the open market.

Polak will certainly log a ton of minutes and will likely continue to face the best that the opposition throws at the Blues. He doesn’t add much to the offense, scoring just 49 points over 227 career-games, but his best qualities are all on the defensive side of the game.

With Polak’s deal now officially in the books, we again turn our attention to the remaining free agents. It’s been stated that Vladimir Sobotka has a deal in the works and it just needs the finishing touches.

Restricted Free Agents:

T.J. Oshie
Patrik Berglund (2 years, $4.5 million)
B.J. Crombeen
Vladimir Sobotka
Matt D’Agostini
Ryan Reaves
Roman Polak (5 years, $13.75 million)
Nikita Nikitin

Unrestricted Free Agents:

Cam Janssen
Chris Porter
Ty Conklin