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The Blues can sign a trio of key players to contract extensions beginning July 1, but general manager Doug Armstrong said Monday that the team was “not in any rush� to extend Cam Fowler, Philip Broberg or Dylan Holloway.

Fowler, Broberg and Holloway each are entering the final year of their contracts in the fall after joining ºüÀêÊÓƵ last season. Fowler, 33, will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2025-26 season. Broberg and Holloway, both 23, will be restricted free agents next summer.

With the salary cap jumping $7.5 million this summer, at least $8.5 million next summer and at least $9.5 million in 2027, player contracts are also expected to increase. Armstrong said the Blues “don’t need to set the market� with costs rising.

“If we cap space now, we’re going to have millions more next year,� Armstrong said. “If they came to us or we went to them with something that both sides thought was good, (maybe it works). But if one side thinks that they want to leverage the other one, I don’t think it’s necessary to do.

“I don’t plan on having any big conversations with those guys prior to next season. But that all can change with one phone call from me to them or from them to us. We’re always open to do business, but it’s not something (that’s a priority).�

The Blues acquired Fowler in a trade with the Ducks in December, and Fowler became one of the most productive defensemen in the NHL with 36 points in 51 games with the Blues. Anaheim retained salary on Fowler, meaning he has a $4 million cap hit for the Blues for next season.

Broberg and Holloway each arrived from Edmonton after a successful offer sheet play by Armstrong. Broberg played top-four minutes and racked up 29 points in 68 games. Holloway, meanwhile, was one of the league’s breakout players with 26 goals and 37 assists in 77 games before his season was ended by an injury that required surgery.

Armstrong conceded that the situation might be different if the players were 26 years old and approaching unrestricted free agency for the first time. But Fowler is past that stage, and Broberg and Holloway are years from it.

“We would love those players to stay here well past next year, but it’s not something that is a priority that we feel has to be accomplished in July,� Armstrong said.

Last year, the Blues extended two pieces before their contracts expired.

In July, they extended forward Pavel Buchnevich with a six-year contract worth $8 million on average. In October, forward Jake Neighbours signed a two-year contract with a $3.75 million cap hit.

Bringing Faksa back?

The Blues only have two pending unrestricted free agents this summer: forward Radek Faksa and defenseman Ryan Suter. Armstrong said it was possible Faksa could be back in ºüÀêÊÓƵ to reprise his role as a fourth-line center.

“We’ve had conversations, and we’ll find out by the first (of July),� Armstrong said.

Faksa centered the team’s hard-hitting fourth line between Alexey Toropchenko and Nathan Walker after his trade from Dallas to ºüÀêÊÓƵ. The 31-year-old had five goals and 10 assists in 70 games.

Suter’s time in ºüÀêÊÓƵ is likely over as Armstrong said, “I talked to Sutes. I mentioned the seven (defensemen) that we have. He understands that.â€�

As it stands, the Blues have Fowler, Broberg, Colton Parayko, Justin Faulk, Nick Leddy, Tyler Tucker and Matthew Kessel under contract and expected to be on the NHL roster in the fall. Armstrong said Monday that Torey Krug would not be playing due to ankle surgery last year.

“I think we’re always looking to improve,� Armstrong said. “I think that if we came back with the four that ended the year, if they played a whole year together — Parayko and Fowler, Faulk and Broberg — it’s not the best top four in the league. But it’s certainly above average. We do want to see what Tucker can do. We do want to see what Kessel can do and do know what Leddy can do. So we have seven guys there.�

Armstrong said that “if you can improve it, yeah, we would look at doing that.�

“You have to look at where do you want to improve,� Armstrong said. “Can we get better than Colton Parayko? Probably. What’s the cost of a player like that? $10 (million), $11 (million), $12 million in today’s market.�

No buyouts

Asked whether the Blues would buy anyone out, Armstrong said there was “nothing on the horizon.� Armstrong has not bought out a player in his tenure as Blues GM, and this is his last summer as general manager before Alexander Steen takes over.

Forward Alexandre Texier (11 points in 31 games) was a buyout candidate. He has one year left on a contract with a $2.1 million cap hit.