Vladimir Sobotka might be back in a St. Louis Blues uniform next season. A report from Pierre LeBrun suggests that Sobotka’s time in the KHL may end this summer and he’d return to the Blues in time for 2016-17.
Via The Hockey News:
According to ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun, Sobotka has a one-month window each June in order to opt out of his deal with Avangard, and “all indications” point to Sobotka leaving the KHL when he gets the chance this off-season. Sobotka signed a three-year deal with Omsk following the 2013-14 season, which is reportedly worth $4 million per season.
Should Sobotka return to the NHL, he’d have to play at least one season with the Blues after being awarded a one-year, $2.725-million contract through arbitration when he was a restricted free agent. Sobotka balked at that salary and left for the KHL. Now it sounds like he may return in the hopes of playing well and scoring a larger contract beyond 2016-17.
While in the KHL, Sobotka has picked up his game offensively. He had 38 points in 53 games last season and has 34 points through 44 games this season. There’s no promising that offensive boost would translate back over to the NHL, but it’s a positive sign should he return.
Where would Sobotka land in the lineup? It’s difficult to predict, but it’s safe to say the Blues would find a spot considering his extremely manageable salary cap hit. Several Blues forwards are in the last year of their current contract (Backes, Brodziak, Paajarvi, Brouwer, Schwartz and Upshall), so it’s likely the Blues will have a spot for Sobotka should he return.
Assuming a return, how would Blues fans react to Sobotka? The old saying in sports is that fans are willing to put aside or ignore the most egregious of offenses and wrongdoings if the final result is a win or a championship. Sobotka isn’t the most impactful of hockey players, but Blues fans will immediately warm up to him again should he produce.
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