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Despite hanging around the playoff picture for most of the 2024-25 National Hockey League campaign thus far, the St. Louis Blues have begun to slide out of contention in the Western Conference. With six losses in seven tries dating back to January 23, the magic number for Jim Montgomery's club to advance to the dance is six points — and the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames are both in the way.
Is the slump enough for general manager Doug Armstrong to consider trading away captain Brayden Schenn? According to TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger, it could be.
“St. Louis is dropping, game by game. [Blues GM] Doug Armstrong, man, he can get grouchy, and we know he's aggressive, and he's not going to stand pat for this,” Dreger said on a recent episode of The Ray & Dregs Podcast. “Brayden Schenn… What I'm getting in the collection of my poking around, is, [that they are] open to ideas. So that would be a message… Is it time for St. Louis to re-tool?”
Co-host and color analyst Ray Ferraro agreed:
“I can see that happening,” the former NHL player said. “I think you might have to take a little bit of money back, but if you're looking at him as your third-line center, maybe a stretch as (2C), I think teams would be really interested in him.”
It would certainly be a surprising development if the front office was actually willing to move the captain. Schenn has been a heart and soul player in Missouri since being traded from the Philadelphia Fleurs in 2017. The former No. 5 overall pick helped the franchise win its inaugural Stanley Cup championship in 2018-19, and he's fifth on the team with 30 points in 55 games this year.
That being said, Schenn is now 33 years old and making $6.5 million per year. If there is a contender willing to take that hefty deal on — Schenn is under contract until 2028 — it might make sense for Armstrong to move on. But Schenn owns a full no-trade clause, meaning he would need to give the green light to any potential move.
If the Blues are considering a re-tool, it might make sense to give the oldest forward on the roster a change of scenery. And the 2024-25 campaign is slipping away in real time.
Brayden Schenn, Blues headed for 3rd consecutive missed postseason
After missing each of the last two postseasons, the Blues have again played at under a .500 pace, sitting 24-26-5 through 55 games — good for sixth place in the Central Division.
Although there is a path to the team making a second-half run, the way things have gone lately, that doesn't look likely. The roster is struggling mightily to score goals, and the tandem of Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer has been below-average.
St. Louis didn't enter the season as a contender, but there was some belief that the club could hang around the playoff picture all season long. Now with under 30 games left, it's going to take a herculean post-4-Nations effort to sneak in.
The Blues will be a team to keep an eye on between now and the March 7 NHL Trade Deadline. If Schenn is indeed traded, it could be part of a fire sale as the organization begins to restock for the future.