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Hitchcock a big fan of St. Louis’ signings this summer

Paul Stastny

FILE - In this Jan. 2, 2014 file photo, Colorado Avalanche center Paul Stastny (26) looks on before a face off against the Philadelphia Flyers during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Denver. NHL teams can begin making deals with free agents Tuesday, July 1, 2014. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey, File)

AP

The St. Louis Blues made perhaps the biggest splash of free agency locking down forward Paul Stastny to a four-year, $28 million deal to shore up their center position.

What did Ken Hitchcock think of the moves the team made? He’s a big fan and not just about the addition of Stastny as he told Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (paywall).

“It was really good news for us as coaches. But it was a combination of (Joakim) Lindstrom, (Jori) Lehtera and Paul,” Hitchcock said. “These are three point-producing players who really enhance our hockey club. All three are capable of playing top-six roles.

“Paul is a real good fit for us with the way he plays and the way we play. Lehtera is a real good fit, and we feel like Lindstrom has really improved his game. He has a number of good friends on the hockey club and he’s going to be given a real chance to play in the top nine and see where it goes. It gives us the competitive depth to keep up with what’s going on in the West.”

Never mind the Western Conference, the Central Division is going to be harsh enough to get out of.

The Chicago Blackhawks added Brad Richards, the Dallas Stars added Jason Spezza and Ales Hemsky, the Minnesota Wild brought on Thomas Vanek, and the Colorado Avalanche may have lost Stastny but they added Jarome Iginla.

Hitchcock said he feels his team isn’t that far away from winning the Stanley Cup and this Blues team might be the best one he’s had. That might be true, but the competition out West got a lot stiffer this summer.

Follow @JoeYerdonPHT