The st louis blues locked in Zach Dean and Dylan Peterson on one-year, two-way contract extensions, giving both forwards a clear path into next season. Dean is 23 and Peterson is 24, and each was a pending restricted free agent before the new deals were announced.
Dean and Peterson Stay in Place
The extensions are the first contracts for both players outside the entry-level system. That makes the deals a useful checkpoint for two young forwards still trying to turn AHL production into a longer-term NHL role.
Peterson’s season gave the Blues one of the stronger talking points in the group. He set career highs with 12 goals and 24 points in 57 games for the Springfield Thunderbirds in 2025-26, then landed a one-year, two-way extension that carries an $850,000 NHL salary, a $100,000 AHL salary and a $125,000 guarantee.
Dean’s Return and Production
Dean’s path to the extension looked different. He entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program in September of last year and returned to the ice in January, then finished the season with 17 points across 48 regular-season and playoff contests.
His new deal carries an $850,000 NHL salary and a $95,000 AHL salary. For a player who has posted 32 points in 96 AHL games since turning pro, the contract keeps him in the organization with a small bump on the minor-league side after a season interrupted before he got back on the ice.
Blues Keep Two Young Forwards
Both signings help the Blues avoid carrying the pair into the open market as restricted free agents. Peterson’s deal also reflects a modest shift from the $172,500 he took home last season, while Dean’s package is a raise from his prior $80,000 AHL salary.
For St. Louis, the practical result is simple: two forwards who were already in the system remain under club control on one-year two-way terms, with their next step likely coming from how they handle another full season in the organization.
