On Saturday, the St. Louis Blues extended veteran defenceman Cam Fowler to a three-year contract. When the contract ends, Fowler will be 37 years old. Extending Fowler until his age 37 season certainly seems like a risk, but it is one worth taking.
Fowler Extension Is a Risk Worth Taking
Great First Impression
Fowler joined the Blues via trade last December. He made an immediate impact with the team. Playing mainly alongside Colton Parayko, Fowler scored nine goals and added 27 assists in 51 games. In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Fowler recorded ten points in seven games, including five points in one game.
Fowler’s performance since joining the Blues certainly warranted the possibility of a contract extension. It should come as no surprise that Doug Armstrong and Alexander Steen wanted to keep him beyond this coming season.
The Risk
Whenever a player in his thirties is offered a multi-year extension, there is risk involved. Father Time is undefeated. As productive as Fowler has been in his career, a day may come when that production dips. That day could come during this new contract.
For Blues fans, the idea of Fowler declining during this contract is troubling for a few reasons. To start, the Blues are now emerging from a period during which they had multiple large contracts. This abundance of large contracts put the Blues in a tough spot with their salary cap. Furthermore, the play of the players in question was not always equaling the money the Blues were paying.
As a result, the idea of signing another player to a multi-year contract, one who is in his early thirties, may cause some concern for fans. To be concerned is reasonable considering everything we have discussed.
Why the Risk Is Worth It
Father Time Has Not Shown Up Yet
Fowler has played 15 seasons in his career. His 82-game average is 82 games played, eight goals, and 31 assists. Fowler nearly matched all those totals in just 51 games with the Blues last season.
Furthermore, the last time Fowler failed to record 30 or more points was during the 2020-21 season, a shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The last 82-game season in which Fowler failed to record 30+ points was the 2018-19 season.
Not only has Fowler been a consistent point producer, but he has also done so on an Anaheim Ducks team that has not been competitive. The Ducks last made the playoffs in the 2017-18 season. Fowler has consistently put up points, even when playing for a team that was not contending.
Simply put, there are no signs yet that Fowler is slowing down. Could that change? Of course. However, it is harder to justify a trade when the evidence suggests Father Time is catching up to the player.
Blues Do Not Need Fowler to be the Guy For Long
Fowler can be considered the third-best defenceman on the Blues, alongside Parayko and Philip Broberg. The Blues will be counting on Fowler to be a key part of the Blues’ defensive core.
However, the Blues do not need Fowler to be that guy for long. The team hopes Broberg can continue to develop as someone who takes the role Fowler has: a reliable, left-handed, offensive defenceman. Furthermore, there is hope that Logan Mailloux can become a strong offensive defenceman at some point. There are even names swimming in the Blues’ prospect pool who could emerge to take a bigger role on defence. The biggest name at the moment is Theo Lindstein, another left-handed defenceman.
In a perfect world, Fowler plays the role of a key member for the next two seasons before other players begin taking that role. This would then place Fowler in a bottom pair role, which is reasonable for someone of Fowler’s age by that point. Is $6.1 million a high price to pay for a bottom-pair defenceman? It may be a price worth paying if other players are stepping up to a bigger role.
Final Thoughts
This deal is a unique type of bridge deal. Instead of a deal for a young player to bring them closer to free agency without the threat of an offer sheet, this deal seems to be taking the Blues from now to the point where players like Lindstein, Broberg, and Mailloux are ready to take the reins.
Is there a risk? Absolutely. Is this risk worth it? Absolutely.
Main Photo: Jeff Le- Imagn Images
The post The Cam Fowler Extension Is a Risk Worth Taking appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.