Blues sign Suter to 1-year deal worth up to $3M

The St. Louis Blues have signed free-agent defenseman Ryan Suter to a one-year contract, the team announced Wednesday.

The deal includes a base salary of $775,000, with the potential for Suter to earn an additional $2.225 million in performance bonuses.

This season, Suter will be on the payroll of three Central Division teams. The Dallas Stars bought out the final year of his contract earlier this offseason, and he remains on the Minnesota Wild’s books for four more seasons following his 2021 buyout. Suter is now the second player in NHL history to be bought out twice.

In the 2023-24 season, the 39-year-old defenseman recorded two goals and 15 assists in 82 games, averaging 18:56 of ice time. He also contributed four points in 19 postseason games.

Suter’s durability is a notable strength at this stage of his career. He has played in 453 consecutive games, the second-longest active ironman streak, and hasn’t missed more than five games in a season since 2010-11.

While his offensive production has declined, Suter posted strong defensive metrics last season, primarily playing in a third-pairing role with the Stars.

Suter will add experience to an already seasoned St. Louis blue line. Top-four defensemen Colton Parayko, Nick Leddy, Justin Faulk, and Torey Krug are all at least 31 years old. Suter is expected to compete for a spot on the third pair alongside younger players like Scott Perunovich, Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Tyler Tucker, and Matthew Kessel, who are all 25 or younger.