After a down season in which the 21-year-old forward recorded nine goals and 20 assists in 79 games, Nichushkin was tendered a qualifying offer from the club Monday.
"He's a very important player to us," general manager Jim Nill said, according to Mike Heika of SportsDay.
Heika adds the two sides will likely begin working on a contract extension for the restricted free agent, although an offer sheet from another club is also a possibility come July 1.
Nichushkin earned $925,000 in each of the past three seasons and would be in line for a bridge-type deal during which he can demonstrate an ability to play at a higher level.
Drafted 10th overall in 2013, Nichushkin has recorded 23 goals and 41 assists in 166 games.
Let's break this down in chronological order, courtesy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Jeremy Rutherford:
Before last week's draft, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong and Shattenkirk's camp talked a long-term extension. The defender, making $4.25 million against the cap in 2016-17, is a restricted free agent after next season.
The figures were too rich for the Blues' blood, so the focus shifted to trading the 27-year-old.
Shattenkirk's agent appreciated the Blues' straightforwardness, but expected his client to be dealt during draft weekend.
Armstrong said he didn't come "anywhere close" to dealing Shattenkirk in Buffalo, stating that perhaps his price is too high.
There's no timeline, and Shattenkirk's agent wouldn't comment on whether potential preferred destinations have been discussed, or whether Shattenkirk's been able to talk contract with a future employer.
In the end, Shattenkirk's camp believes a trade is "inevitable." And based on that fact, they'd prefer a trade happen over the summer, so Shattenkirk can settle into his new home and take care of the hassles that come with moving during his time off.
A former first-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche, Shattenkirk has blossomed in St. Louis. His numbers are impressive:
Season
GP
Points
PP points
Ice time
2011-12
81
43
18
21:36
2013
48
23
9
21:18
2013-14
81
45
26
20:34
2014-15
56
44
25
22:34
2015-16
72
44
26
22:25
Shattenkirk set career highs in goals (14) and power-play points last season. There's a reason why Armstrong's asking for the moon.
"Canucks general manager Jim Benning violated the provisions of NHL By-Law 15 relating to inappropriate public comments by speaking generally to his club's potential interest in players under contract to other NHL clubs," deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement.
Benning and the Canucks made headlines before the draft, after Benning said that Vancouver was one of the teams to call the Montreal Canadiens about the availability of Subban.
"It's a high price, he's a true No. 1 defenseman," Benning told the media.
About Stamkos, Benning said No. 91 would have many suitors in free agency, "but we'll talk to him and see where it goes."
Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin was upset with the public nature of Benning's comments, saying his counterpart "crossed the line."
With speculation across the league that a Subban deal was imminent, Bergevin addressed the media after Benning's comments and said that he wasn't shopping Subban, but that he couldn't stop teams from calling about him.
Daly added that he spoke with Benning and that the Vancouver GM meant no harm with his remarks.
"(Benning) will handle similar questions from the media differently in the future," Daly's statement concluded.
Benning released the following statement after the NHL announced the fine:
Last week I was trying to be candid with our fans and media about our efforts to improve our team but said too much about players on other teams. I have spoken personally to the NHL and the general managers involved to apologize and I accept the league's ruling.
Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland made it clear when he traded Pavel Datsyuk's contract to the Arizona Coyotes last week that he wants to use that money on a dynamic offensive player.
According to TSN's Darren Dreger, Holland and the Red Wings have a list heading into free agency:
Lucic is believed to be on Detroit's want list. Stamkos and Frans Nielsen are ahead of him on the list, but he's a man of interest for DRW.
Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos is the cream of the free-agent crop. Where he lands - or if he stays down south - will have massive ramifications on the market.
Frans Nielsen's name has been for the most part absent from trade rumors. He's 32, but is coming off the second-most productive season of his career. He scored 20 goals and finished with 52 points.
Before Milan Lucic touched down in Edmonton for a visit with the Oilers, he was at home in Vancouver.
The Canucks hosted Lucic on Monday, tweeted ESPN's Pierre LeBrun, who added that Lucic's well in demand at the moment, days before the unrestricted free-agent market opens on July 1.
Not sure how many more visits are practical this point past Van/Edm but Lucic has interest from 10 teams overall... lots of phone chatter
The Canadiens have reportedly reached out to unrestricted free agent Dale Weise with a view to bringing him back to the club on a new deal, according to Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.
The 27-year-old was traded by Montreal to Chicago prior to this past season's trade deadline.
In 329 NHL games, Weise has scored 37 goals, including a career-high 14 in 56 games with Montreal in 2016-17.
Eric Staal's looking for a job, but he'd rather not settle.
NHL.com's Tom Gulitti spoke with Staal's agent, Rick Curran, on Tuesday, who said that he's had conversations with a number of teams, while adding that his client is seeking a top-six role, preferably in the middle.
Door is not completely closed on Eric Staal returning to Carolina, but he's looking at other options/ challenges right now.
The only problem: Staal may not be a top-six forward anymore. He had the least productive season of his career in 2015-16, finishing with 39 points (13 goals, 26 assists). He had 31 points as a rookie in 2003-04, before exploding for 100 in his sophomore season. He was a lock for 70 or more points for the remainder of the decade.
Staal was traded to the New York Rangers prior to the 2016 trade deadline, and it didn't work out too well. He had three goals and three assists in 20 games on Broadway and went pointless and a minus-7 in five playoff games.
The Thunder Bay, Ontario native will be 32 on Oct. 29, so he's far from finished, but a short-term deal - and a significant pay decrease from his whopping $9.5-million salary - to resurrect his career may be in order.
The St. Louis Blues could be set to welcome back a familiar face.
Vladimir Sobotka is expected to exercise an option in his KHL contract that would allow him to return to the NHL, according to Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.
His agent, Petr Svoboda, is working on his release from Omsk, while Blues general manager Doug Armstrong is said to be ready to open the door for the 28-year-old.
Sobotka left for the KHL in 2014 after eschewing a one-year, $2.725-million contract awarded to him in arbitration. Once he honors that deal with the Blues, he'll be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent.
In 97 KHL games over the past two seasons, Sobotka scored 28 goals and added 44 assists.
His return would help the Blues absorb the sting of the likely departures of David Backes and Troy Brouwer in free agency.
The current mandate on free agency was designed to make it easier on teams in retaining assets. But in recent seasons we've seen that its negotiations with restricted free agents, players without options elsewhere, that have not just become the most difficult, but present the most critical decisions NHL GMs will make.
None are trickier than talks with defenseman, who typically require the seven-year window allotted before unrestricted free agency to realize NHL potential.
Here's a list of defensemen who must either work out a contract with their parent clubs this summer, or hope for the rare instance of a big-money offer sheet:
Hampus Lindholm, Anaheim Ducks
Though Lindholm contributed nine points at even strength last season, the 22-year-old is truly invaluable under that condition. He's a premier possession defender who's versatile in that he can both facilitate an attack and lock down defensively with his skating and puck skills. With the Ducks working on a self-imposed budget, Lindholm is nothing if not an obvious offer-sheet candidate.
Seth Jones, Columbus Blue Jackets
From shelter to franchise defenseman in a single transaction, Jones' learning program was accelerated last season, and in the process he proved he has the makings of a true No. 1 defender. Jones logged almost 25 minutes a night after being traded from Nashville to Columbus at the midway point of the year, and with Ryan Murphy, formed the makings of something novel to the Blue Jackets: A shutdown pair.
Tyson Barrie, Colorado Avalanche
Barrie is one of seven defensemen to reach 100 points over the last two seasons, and only Erik Karlsson, Brent Burns, Roman Josi, and P.K. Subban have tallied more at even strength. He's hardly dominant in a defensive sense, but it's on the Avalanche to surround that type of talent on the back end with capable help and an efficient strategy.
Jacob Trouba, Winnipeg Jets
With three years experience, Trouba, a big, strong-skating throwback defender with an offensive aspect to his game, has shown signs he will develop into a dominant player. Problem is, all accounts suggest he wants to be compensated as such now, and he's not there yet. He and the Jets just have not appeared to see eye-to-eye since he broke in, and they will have to agree on something for this partnership to continue.
Rasmus Ristolainen, Buffalo Sabres
After being exposed two years back, wearing the label as one of the league's worst statistical defenders as he took big minutes for a club with no intention on winning, Ristolainen took a massive step forward this season. Just four blue-liners logged more ice time league-wide, and with that, he provided more single-season points among Sabres defensemen this decade. Similar to Lindholm and Jones, it behooves Ristolainen's employer to maximize term on a deal this summer.
Matt Dumba, Minnesota Wild
He boasted solid possession and efficiency numbers, and, with a heavy shot on solid puck skills, Dumba has more offense in his game that he's shown. (He ranked 58th among defenders in even-strength scoring rate). The Wild's corps will remain in flux until the expansion draft - it'll be interesting to see how they handle the former No. 7 overall selection.
Cody Ceci, Ottawa Senators
Ottawa's negotiations with the 22-year-old Ceci are critical; this is a team with upwards of $57 million invested in three pieces on the back end over the next three seasons. A long-term contract at a reasonable price point might be the most club-friendly option, but if Ceci's development stalls, the Senators run the risk of being severely hamstrung by big-money investments on their blue line.
Torey Krug, Boston Bruins
Boston's lone puck mover on the back end, and really the only one they can lean on for a little offense, Krug, and his distinctive tool set, is of considerable importance to the club.
Danny DeKeyser, Detroit Red Wings
Dekeyser posted career-worst offensive numbers as well as advanced stats, but had arguably the best of his three seasons as a pro last year. He took on a greater defensive role and steadily improved as the season went on - isolated development critical to a unit that has depreciating assets.
Michael Stone, Arizona Coyotes
The Coyotes have a pair of fascinating restricted contract cases with Connor Murphy also in need of a new deal, but the emerging offensive talent in Stone adds a wrinkle exclusive to the fifth-year man. Stone has a booming shot and the fourth-most assists among those previously listed, but is still working toward being a consistently-sound defender.
Florida Panthers right-winger Jaromir Jagr was home in the Czech Republic recently when he noticed a paparazzo lurking outside.
Jagr approached the man, and, after a brief conversation, went back inside to make him a lunch consisting of a sandwich, a banana, and a Twix bar while broadcasting on Facebook Live. What a nice guy.
