The St. Louis Blues are coming off a promising playoff appearance. St. Louis rallied under head coach Jim Montgomery, who joined the team early in the season after being fired by the Boston Bruins. Montgomery aided the likes of Brayden Schenn and goalie Jordan Binnington as they pushed for a spot in the postseason.
The Blues met with the Presidents' Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets in round one. And it was a tale of two halves in a way. In Winnipeg, the Jets showed why they were a force to be reckoned with. In St. Louis, though, the Blues did whatever they wanted. NHL MVP Connor Hellebuyck struggled mightily on the road, and it nearly ended Winnipeg's season.
However, the Jets eliminated the Blues in seven games to advance. St. Louis hit the offseason hoping to make a splash move. After finishing second in the Noah Dobson trade sweepstakes, the team went with Pius Suter and Nick Bjugstad as the major offseason additions.
St. Louis is hoping to contend once again in 2025-26. If things go south, though, they have some very intriguing trade candidates. Here are two way-too-early trade candidates on the Blues roster before the season begins in a little over a month.
Blues' Brayden Schenn is no stranger to trade rumors
The Blues explored trading Brayden Schenn at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. At the time, it was unclear whether the team would make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Even if they were in contention, trading Schenn could've netted a haul too good to turn down. In the end, they elected to hang on to their captain for the remainder of the season.
Once the Blues made the playoffs, the trade winds around Schenn obviously died down. And it is hard to imagine the team moving him at this point. However, teams around the NHL are looking for second-line centers. Schenn is one of the best second-line centers in the league at this time. He is also signed for another season beyond the 2025-26 campaign.
Schenn's $6.5 million cap hit could cause some teams to balk. But if the Blues are out of contention, the 34-year-old Schenn is going to be in demand. It's certainly not the outcome St. Louis is hoping for. In a seller's market, though, a trade could help St. Louis quickly retool and return to contention.
Jordan Binnington could fetch a huge return
Jordan Binnington has etched his name in the annals of Blues history already. His very ascension to NHL stardom brought the franchise its first Stanley Cup in 2019. He never became a truly elite goalie in this league. In saying this, he could be one of the most sought-after netminders on the trade market.
Binnington usually does well when the lights are bright. He has a .909 save percentage in 48 postseason contests. Moreover, he was a standout member for Team Canada at the 2025 4 Nations Faceoff Tournament. In fact, he was one of the best players for the Canadians at the tournament, regardless of position.
The Blues star has struggled with inconsistency over the last few seasons. He has recorded a .902 save percentage over the last four years, while posting -9.44 Goals Saved Above Average and 20.26 Goals Saved Above Expected.
All this said, he does have a solid enough track record. He has a Stanley Cup to his name. And goaltendng is in demand around the NHL. All of this creates a perfect storm for the Blues to explore the trade market on him if they fall off. Especially with a young, NHL-caliber goalie already on the roster waiting for a larger role.
