Turnin 2 SS 2b
07-17-2002, 10:34 AM
ST. LOUIS (AP) - Forward Keith Tkachuk has accepted the St. Louis Blues' $8.3 million qualifying offer for next season, satisfying the Blues' priority of re-signing the restricted free agent.
Tkachuk, 30, accepted the Blues' offer late Monday night for the same salary he made last year, ending prospects that he might file for arbitration, general manager Larry Pleau said Tuesday.
Pleau said talks continue about a long-term contract for the 6-foot-2, 225-pound Tkachuk, acquired from Phoenix in March 2001 and who after next season would become eligible to be an unrestricted free agency.
Re-signing Tkachuk, Pleau said, "was our No. 1 priority. When we traded for him, we wanted to do something on a long-term basis. We feel the exactly the same way, and the talks as far as he and his agent are moving along." Tkachuk was a physical presence for the Blues last season, leading the team with 38 goals and second only to Pavol Demitra in points with 75.
Tkachuk has 329 goals and 302 assists in 652 regular-season games over 11 NHL seasons, with 26 goals and 21 assists in 69 playoff games.
Blues goaltender Fred Brathwaite, 29, also signed a qualifying offer late Monday of $1.155 million, a 10-percent raise from last year.
Acquired by the Blues in a June 2001 draft-day deal that sent goalie Roman Turek to Calgary, Brathwaite midway through last season was replaced by Brent Johnson as the Blues' starter. In 25 games last season, Brathwaite was 9-11-4 with two shutouts, a 2.24 goals-against average and .901 save percentage. Over seven NHL seasons, Brathwaite is 65-79-32 with 13 shutouts and a 2.66 GAA.
Pleau again said Tuesday the team's $55 million payroll won't rise much, if at all, for next season.
"We are working at a certain level of payroll, and we're keeping ourselves within that level," he said.
Tkachuk, 30, accepted the Blues' offer late Monday night for the same salary he made last year, ending prospects that he might file for arbitration, general manager Larry Pleau said Tuesday.
Pleau said talks continue about a long-term contract for the 6-foot-2, 225-pound Tkachuk, acquired from Phoenix in March 2001 and who after next season would become eligible to be an unrestricted free agency.
Re-signing Tkachuk, Pleau said, "was our No. 1 priority. When we traded for him, we wanted to do something on a long-term basis. We feel the exactly the same way, and the talks as far as he and his agent are moving along." Tkachuk was a physical presence for the Blues last season, leading the team with 38 goals and second only to Pavol Demitra in points with 75.
Tkachuk has 329 goals and 302 assists in 652 regular-season games over 11 NHL seasons, with 26 goals and 21 assists in 69 playoff games.
Blues goaltender Fred Brathwaite, 29, also signed a qualifying offer late Monday of $1.155 million, a 10-percent raise from last year.
Acquired by the Blues in a June 2001 draft-day deal that sent goalie Roman Turek to Calgary, Brathwaite midway through last season was replaced by Brent Johnson as the Blues' starter. In 25 games last season, Brathwaite was 9-11-4 with two shutouts, a 2.24 goals-against average and .901 save percentage. Over seven NHL seasons, Brathwaite is 65-79-32 with 13 shutouts and a 2.66 GAA.
Pleau again said Tuesday the team's $55 million payroll won't rise much, if at all, for next season.
"We are working at a certain level of payroll, and we're keeping ourselves within that level," he said.