For the first time in more than a decade, the Blues are planning to open a season without Barret Jackman on their defense.
The No. 17 overall pick in 1999 who began his career here in 2002, Jackman was informed by Blues general manager Doug Armstrong just days ago that he won’t be re-signed before becoming an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Both Jackman and the Blues acknowledged a small chance that the defenseman could return for the 2015-16 season, but that would take a combination of the defenseman being unable to land a job elsewhere in free agency and the club failing to find a fit itself in free agency.