The St. Louis Blues will enter training camp next month with different items on the agenda. Likewise, players will enter camp with their plans. For some, their goal is to stay healthy and prepare for the season. Some will look to earn a place on the NHL roster. Others face an unknown future. We talk about unrestricted and restricted free agents often. But, what about the players who qualify for Group 6 UFA?
Blues’ Pending Group 6 UFAs
What is Group 6 UFA?
For a player to qualify for Group 6 UFA, the following criteria must be met:
- A player must be 25 years old or older when their existing RFA contract ends. Age is calculated on June 30th of the year the contract expires.
- A player must have played in 80 NHL games or fewer. For goaltenders, the maximum games played is 28 games as long as they have accumulated at least 30 minutes of ice time.
- A player must have played in three or more professional seasons. A professional game is a regular season or playoff game in the NHL, minor leagues, or European leagues while under an NHL contract.
Group 6 UFA allows players who have been unable to establish a role in the NHL to sign with another team. This will help increase their chance of finding consistent NHL playing time.
The Blues’ Group 6 UFAs
The Blues have three players who enter this season with an opportunity to qualify as a Group UFA. We will list them in order of least likely to be eligible to the most likely.
Matthew Kessel– Defenceman
Kessel is unlikely to qualify for Group 6 UFA. The Arizona native enters the 2025-26 season with 70 NHL games played. He can only play in ten more NHL games before he loses eligibility.
Kessel is likely to have an expanded role with the Blues this season. That role will depend on newcomer Logan Mailloux. The young defenceman has only played in seven NHL games, so his role with the Blues is unclear. Mailloux is someone the Blues hope can be a strong, offensive-minded defenceman in the future. However, as Mailloux adjusts to a role with the Blues, Kessel may be used to split time with Mailloux.
Barring injury or Mailloux producing better than expected, Kessel will play between 30 and 40 games this season. That will exclude him from Group 6 UFA.
Nikita Alexandrov– Forward
Alexandrov has only played in 51 NHL games. Furthermore, Alexandrov has not played in an NHL game since the 2023-24 season. It appears unlikely Alexandrov will play in the 30 games he needs to lose eligibility.
Alexandrov will be an interesting forward to watch this training camp and pre-season, however. Last season in the American Hockey League, Alexandrov scored 21 goals, a career best. He has scored 27 goals in the past when he was part of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. There is offence in the forward’s arsenal.
The Blues may have an opening on their third line. Despite numerous candidates to take the spot, Alexandrov could make a case for himself to earn the spot. If nothing else, Alexandrov could start the season on the roster as a healthy scratch.
There is upside to Alexandrov’s game that could increase his playing time. However, we still think the forward qualifies for Group 6 UFA at season’s end.
Vadim Zherenko– Goaltender
Zherenko is the only player on this list who has not played in an NHL game. With Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer locked in as the tandem for the foreseeable future, we do not see an opportunity for Zherenko anytime soon. If Binnington and/or Hofer miss time with injuries this season, Zherenko could make his NHL debut. Even then, will he accumulate the 29 games played? Unlikely. If he does, the Blues will have bigger problems on their hands.
Main Photo: Jeff Curry- Imagn Images
The post A Look at the St. Louis Blues’ Pending Group 6 UFAs appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.