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The St. Louis Blues made the playoffs and nearly upset the Winnipeg Jets this season. It was a successful run for Jim Montgomery as the coach, going 35-18-7 in the regular season after taking over. There is optimism around the team, and rightfully so. But recently, trade rumors have been swirling around Blues forward Jordan Kyrou. With not many assets to send out, St Louis's most likely trade acquisition is a haul of picks and prospects for Kyrou.
Kyrou scored 36 goals to lead the Blues' offense last year and received Selke Trophy votes as the top defensive forward. But St Louis has a stock of wingers. including prospect Jimmy Snuggerud and newly signed Pavel Buchnevich. Kyrou being the odd man out is not a commentary on his talent, but a commentary on the value he would bring back to the Blues.
The trade has to happen soon, as Kyrou has a no-trade clause that kicks in on July 1. Once that date comes, he can deny any trade the Blues agree to. Torey Krug denied a trade from St Louis two years ago, so they know how stringent these clauses can be. Kyrou has a full no-trade clause until 2030-31, the final year of his contract, which pays him $8.125 annually.
The Blues have two big restricted free agents coming up after the 2025-26 season. Freeing up money to re-sign Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway is important, considering how much they gave up to pry them from the Oilers. Kyrou, while putting up excellent numbers, has not jumped into superstardom the way they hoped. Trading him before the clause kicks in can help put them on a contending track.
The Blues could trade Kyrou, but what could they get back?
The Blues' most likely trade acquisition is draft picks
A team trading for Jordan Kyrou is likely one desperate for a top-six forward on the cusp of playoff contention. You could argue that the Blues fall into that camp, but the rumors are still out there. The Montreal Canadiens could have been a Kyrou team, but they dealt their two first-rounders to the Islanders for Noah Dobson.
The Ottawa Senators are in a great position to make a trade for Jordan Kyrou before the clause kicks in on Tuesday. Shane Pinto would be a significant part of the return, bringing a roster player back to St Louis. If they added in a few mid-round picks or a prospect like Blake Montgomery, this deal could get done quickly.
The Vancouver Canucks have just enough space to add Kyrou without having to trade a roster player. Plus, they are likely going to lose Brock Boeser in free agency, despite recent efforts. A trade involving future assets would be pretty easy in Vancouver, as they have most of their picks. But any trade Vancouver makes should involve Thatcher Demko. St Louis is not in the goalie market, as Jordan Binnington had a bounce-back season in 2024-25.
If Kyrou wants to be traded after July 1, the Carolina Hurricanes would be a great option. They should be active in free agency, going after Mitch Marner and Nikolaj Ehlers. But if they don't land either one, they have two extra first-round picks due to the Mikko Rantanen deal. Kyrou would have to waive his clause to make it work, but a legit Stanley Cup contender would not be a bad landing spot.
If the Blues are going to trade Kyrou, they need to make sure they are still getting better in 2025. That could involve picks and prospects to flip at the deadline or a center to improve their depth. The Blues have to act quickly, as they have been burned by contract clauses before.
