AUDIO: Kevin Shattenkirk Conference Call | Doug Armstrong Comments



The Blues have signed defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk to a new four-year contract.

"(Kevin) has probably been the most consistent player we've had in our organization," General Manager Doug Armstrong said. "In each of his first three seasons, Kevin has finished in the Top 25 in scoring by a defenseman and we expect him to continue to be among the NHL leaders."

Said Shattenkirk, "Obviously I'm on cloud nine right now. This is a great opportunity for me," Shattenkirk said. "To have the type of commitment that the Blues made and the faith that they have in me to perform and showing it in this way is pretty special.

"We both wanted to get something done and I think there was a deal to be had the whole way through...it's nice to have this weight off my back and focus on things going forward for the rest of the summer."



Shattenkirk, 24, dressed in all 48 games last season, ranking second among Blues defensemen in points (23). He was tied for the team lead in goals by a defenseman with five. Since entering the NHL in 2010, Shattenkirk ranks fourth among all American-born defensemen in points (109) and is fifth in both goals (23) and assists (86).



In each of the past three seasons, Shattenkirk has finished in the Top 25 in scoring by a defenseman, a feat accomplished by only five other players (Alex Pietrangelo, Keith Yandle, Dustin Byfuglien and Duncan Keith).

In 2011-12, his first full season with the Blues, Shattenkirk (43 points) and Pietrangelo (51 points) became just the fourth set of defensemen in Blues history to each record over 40 points in the same season (the last two were Chris Pronger (47) and Al MacInnis (46) in 2001-02). In addition, in 2010-11 Shattenkirk became just the second rookie defensemen in NHL history to record a point streak of at least nine games.

Overall, the 5-foot-11, 207-pound defenseman has appeared in three NHL seasons, accumulating 109 points (23 goals and 86 assists) to go along with 116 penalty minutes in 201 career regular season games. He has four points (one goal, three assists) in 15 career postseason games.

The Greenwich, Connecticut native was originally acquired by the Blues along with Chris Stewart from Colorado on Feb. 19, 2011.

He was drafted by Colorado in the first round (14th overall) of the 2007 NHL Draft.