Throughout the course of negotiations for a new contract, Blues right winger Brett Hull had maintained he wanted to stay in St. Louis.

Saturday, the Blues announced that the club and Hull had agreed on a four-year contract (three years plus an option).

Blues chairman Michael Shanahan said that with incentives Hull could earn between $5 million and $6 million over the next four seasons.

“The key is we have a marquee player, and he'll earn what a marquee player earns,” Shanahan said.

Only Los Angeles' Wayne Gretzky and Pittsburgh's Mario Lemieux, who make more than $2 million per year, will earn more than Hull, who would have become a free agent on July 1.

“No way,” Hull said to questions about whether he was interested in playing in another city. “I never even thought about it.

“Ron Caron [Blues vice president and general manager] dealt for me from Calgary when I was nothing.”

The Blues acquired Hull and Steve Bozek from the Calgary Flames for Rob Ramage and Rick Wamsley on March 7,1988. At the time, Hull was just a kid with a famous surname and a slap shot, reminiscent of his father's — Hall-of-Famer Bobby Hull.

“When I came here, the fans … maybe they didn't treat me like Wayne Gretzky, but they treated me like a great player,” Hull said. “I fell in love with the city and I'm very excited to be part of the St. Louis Blues for the next four years.”

Speculation about Hull's future first arose last September when the Blues and Hull couldn't reach an agreement on a new contract.

Hull decided to play out his option, earning $125,000 last season in the final year of a three-year deal he had signed with Calgary.

At that price, he was the biggest bargain in the National Hockey League.

“Brett felt he had to prove something to himself and to the league,” said Bob Goodenow, Hull's agent.

And he did. Hull finished the 1989-90 regular season with 72 goals and 41 assists for 113 points. The goals and total points were the most ever by a Blues player; the 72 goals were the most ever by an NHL right winger. Edmonton's Jari Kurri had held the mark with 71.

Hull continued his strong play in the postseason with 13 goals in the Blues' two playoff series.
“As the season went on, he evolved and cemented his place with the elite in the league,” Goodenow said. “Brett Hull's a premier player in the league.”

But as Hull's point totals increased, so did speculation among St. Louis fans that the Blues would not be able to meet his financial demands. Hull could have become a free agent July 1.

“These were difficult negotiations because of the substantial change in Brett's performance,” Shanahan said.

Before last season, Hull never had scored more than 41 goals in an NHL campaign. But on Feb. 6, he broke Wayne Babych's single-season mark for right wingers of 54 goals. He also had a scoring streak of 20 games, one of eight team records he set.

Hull won the Lady Byng Trophy given annually “to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.” He also was third in the balloting for the Hart Trophy given the league's most valuable player.

After receiving the Lady Byng Trophy last week in Toronto, Hull and Goodenow returned to St. Louis where negotiations resumed with Caron and Blues President Jack Quinn. The two sides negotiated extensively Friday and Saturday until they reached an accord at about 5 p.m.

“I think it's a great thing for our fans,” Quinn said. “They wanted Brett Hull to be signed; we wanted Brett Hull to be signed.

“There was some fear, some doubt, as to how far we'd go to keep a player of this caliber. There had been some talk that St. Louis was developing into a city that couldn't keep its star players.

“He's one of the top five players in this league, and he's being paid accordingly.”

Hull is not certain how many more goals he can score, but he thinks he can still improve. “Maybe I will never get 72 again,” Hull said, “but maybe I'll be better in other areas.”

Hull said he won't approach the game any differently. “After this past season,” Hull said, “if I approach things any differently, I'd be stupid.”

Caron said that Hull's contract should not have too great an Impact on negotiations with other players. “He is our franchise player. We will get those who we want to stay on board.”

By Cathie Burnes Beebe Of the Post-Dispatch Staff