The St. Louis Blues are left wondering what they can do to return to the playoffs next season. They were hot down the stretch, led by their defensive core of Torey Krug, Nick Leddy, and Justin Faulk, and almost snuck into a wild card spot. They finished six points short of that spot and fell out of the running for a good pick in the top-heavy 2024 NHL Draft.
The Blues are searching for trade candidates to convert themselves from a fringe team to a contender. The question is whether they should lean into a mini-rebuild and trade some of their top talent to get younger and have more depth. It seems like the best move, but general manager Doug Armstrong isn't willing to not be a competitive team.
Justin Faulk's time for a trade
The Blues were one of the worst offensive teams in the league last season, averaging just 2.85 goals per game. The stat put them in 24th out of 32 teams, which isn't good enough for a team trying to compete in the high-scoring Central Division. They were average at keeping goals out of their net, ranking 15th with 3.02 goals against per game. Torey Krug seemed like a good fit to get traded this offseason, as the team had plenty of defensemen to use to upgrade their offense. However, a report surfaced that he may miss the entire season with an ankle injury.
If Krug isn't available to include in a trade, Faulk may be the next best option. It's a slippery slope to trade Faulk, as that would take two of their top defensemen out of the lineup with him and Krug. The Blues look to be planning a defenseman trade, as they acquired Pierre-Olivier Joseph and Ryan Suter this offseason. They also have some younger defensemen like Scott Perunovich, Tyler Tucker, and possibly Michael Buchinger ready to jump full-time.
It isn't ideal for the Blues, but they can't continue sitting in the middle of the standings. They ended up with a 16th overall pick in this year's first round, which will never be enough to move the needle. The Blues don't seem good enough to contend, so they may as well trade an asset like Faulk and start getting younger. The question is whether the front office will be bold enough to do it with Krug out of the lineup.
Would the Blues get more in return for Nick Leddy?
Faulk has a better name value and may land a profitable return. He may not be the best defenseman on this roster to acquire, as Nick Leddy had the best season in 2023-24. It's hard for a player to have a good plus/minus when their team is 24th in goals and sits middle of the pack. It's even more difficult for a player to be a whopping +14. Leddy played all 82 games for the Blues last season and recorded three goals and 25 assists.
Leddy may not have the offensive upside he showed in his early days with the New York Islanders. However, he is still an elite defensive talent. He also has a manageable $4 million cap hit for the next two seasons, which a contending team would see value in acquiring. Leddy is a player you can imagine as a depth defenseman on a Stanley Cup-winning team. He struggled in 2013 with the Blackhawks when they won, but he's a different player now, and the value of having a ring is invaluable for a young contending team.
Leddy could be a good fit on the backend of the Edmonton Oilers to get them over the hump or a team like the Detroit Red Wings, who haven't made the playoffs with this iteration of their team but are only a few pieces away.
Is it time to part ways with Brayden Schenn?
The Blues' newest captain has plenty of highlights with the team, including the improbable Stanley Cup win in 2019. He has always been a positive contributor, but his play had a big dropoff last season. It started in 2022-23 when he was a -27 but still recorded 65 points, which was the second-best mark of his career. Last season, his plus/minus remained poor, and he also had just 46 points, which was the second-worst of his Blues' career.
Schenn still has four years with a $6.5 million cap hit. If his play continues to decline, it could be one of the worst contracts by the last couple of years of the deal. The Blues may be able to convince a team that Schenn can help them short-term.
Follow Us
Subscribe