St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong recently made it clear that he isn't looking to undergo a full rebuild — the team is occupying the second wildcard berth in the Western Conference, after all.

But that doesn't mean he isn't listening to offers for some of his best players. That includes forward Pavel Buchnevich, who has been a force since being acquired from the New York Rangers in 2021.

The 28-year-old is up to 43 points in 53 games this season, and has 186 points in 189 games since coming over from the Blueshirts. His 0.98 points-per-game is second to only Robert Thomas.

Buchnevich has been generating trade buzz over the last few weeks, although Armstrong is hesitant to shop him, according to The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford.

“The thing to keep in mind in any conversation regarding trade talks involving the Blues is that Armstrong and Blues chairman Tom Stillman have already decided they want the club to remain competitive during the retool,” wrote Rutherford on Thursday. “Their reasoning is that fans could not stomach a rebuild that could take five-plus years, and truthfully, ownership may not be able to absorb it financially either.”

Blues still believe they're a postseason contender

If St. Louis were to ship Buchnevich out, it would be like waving the white flag on the season. But it could also restock the cupboards.

“Moving Buchnevich before this year’s deadline would be a clear sign that the playoffs are not as much of a priority for the Blues as building for the future,” continued Rutherford. “And unless he’s unwilling to re-sign, even trading him next season would signal that the team’s blueprint has changed.

“If you’re not keeping Buchnevich, who would be both difficult and expensive to replace, how do you stay relevant? So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that, according to a league source, the Blues aren’t actively shopping Buchnevich. But they are listening, which they’d be foolish not to, considering the current state of the trade market, with very few true difference makers available. The source said the club would have to be wowed by an offer to even consider it.”

Pavel Buchnevich has one year remaining on his contract with a $5.8 million cap hit; he'll be 30 when the deal expires. He also holds a 12-team no-trade list, meaning he has at least a little bit of a say in his future.

The Blues continue to hang around, going 16-10-6 since interim coach Drew Bannister took over for Craig Berube behind the bench in December. The team's .611 points percentage is good enough for 12th league wide in that span.

It'll be intriguing to see if Doug Armstrong gets a good enough offer to part with one of the roster's most important pieces ahead of the Mar. 8 NHL Trade Deadline.