A Blues roster without Vladimir Sobotka in 2015-16 is probable, according to a published report Friday.
The Russian-based website Hawk.ru reported that Sobotka has elected to play a second season with Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League.
Sobotka, whose NHL rights are owned by the Blues, had a two-week window in which he could have opted out of his contract with Omsk. According to the website report, he notified Omsk president Vladimir Shalaev of his intentions to stay on Thursday.
“We had a conversation with Vladimir Sobotka, and we agreed that he is a player of our club for another season,” Shalaev said, according to the report.