St. Louis Blues could become major sellers, reshaping their lineup as the NHL trade deadline approaches.
The St. Louis Blues are facing the possibility of missing the playoffs for the third consecutive season, which has sparked speculation that General Manager Doug Armstrong might turn into a major seller before the NHL trade deadline in March.
TSN’s Darren Dreger fueled the conversation last Thursday by mentioning the “potential” for captain Brayden Schenn to be traded. The 33-year-old center still has three years left on his contract with a $6.5 million annual cap hit. However, Schenn holds a full no-trade clause this season, which transitions to a 15-team no-trade list on July 1. Dreger emphasized that Armstrong is known for his aggressive moves in the trade market, pointing to recent deals such as acquiring defenseman Cam Fowler from the Anaheim Ducks, trading Scott Perunovich to the New York Islanders, and terminating Brandon Saad’s contract.
Teams in need of a center, like the Toronto Maple Leafs, could be interested in Schenn, but the Blues are reportedly setting a steep asking price. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman backed this up, saying the Blues are demanding a “very, very high” price for their captain. The Hockey News’ Michael DeRosa named the Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, and New Jersey Devils as potential suitors. Detroit, with $12.6 million in projected trade deadline cap space and plenty of draft picks and prospects, could outbid Toronto and New Jersey, both of whom have already traded their 2025 first-round picks.
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Friedman also noted that the Blues are open to discussions about other players on their roster. Nick Kypreos speculated that forwards Pavel Buchnevich and Jordan Kyrou could also be in play. Buchnevich, who will turn 30 in April, is set to start a six-year contract on July 1 with an $8 million cap hit and a full no-trade clause. His current deal includes a 12-team no-trade list.
Kyrou, meanwhile, is in the second year of his eight-year contract, which carries an $8.125 million annual cap hit. His no-trade clause doesn’t kick in until July 1. While Schenn remains a focal point of trade rumors, Kypreos noted that Armstrong may not yet be ready to part with his captain, though he acknowledged other teams have been inquiring about him.
Kypreos also wondered if the Blues might explore moving a defenseman such as Justin Faulk, Colton Parayko, or Torey Krug. All three have no-trade clauses, and Krug famously used his clause to block a trade to the Philadelphia Flyers two years ago. As the trade deadline approaches, it’s clear the Blues are at a crossroads and could be gearing up for significant changes to their roster.
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