ST. LOUIS -- Forward Vladimir Sobotka was nowhere near the arbitration proceedings in Toronto. He is at training camp with Avangard Omsk in the Kontinental Hockey League, where he will play at least this season. But the Blues were there, and they will return to St. Louis with a one-year arbitration award.
Which means that if Sobotka returns to the Blues a year from now, the terms of his deal are in place.
"We are looking forward to having Vladimir in a Blues uniform when he returns to the NHL," Blues GM Doug Armstrong said in a press release. "We wish him the best of luck in the upcoming season."
Sobotka, 27, signed a three-year deal with the KHL team about a week-and-a-half ago. The deal reportedly was for more than $4 million a season.
Sobotka posted a career-high 33 points (nine goals, 24 assists) in 61 games last season. He also was the Blues' go-to guy on faceoffs, leading the NHL with a 61.9 percent success rate.
