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The St. Louis Blues just finished an exciting season, during which they had an incredible run that propelled them to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Despite losing to the Winnipeg Jets in the First Round, St. Louis showed why they are a tough team to beat. But the Blues must figure out what to do with their captain, the guy who motivates the team. The Blues should not trade Brayden Schenn if they wish to take the next step in their dreams of winning another Stanley Cup.
Schenn was productive in the 2024-2025 season, scoring 18 goals and 32 assists in 82 games. Even at 33 years old, he demonstrated his productivity while helping the Blues improve. Their captain continued to push the Blues and did a solid job.
Before the hot streak, there was potential for the Blues to send Schenn to other teams. While it did not come to fruition, it raised questions about what the Blues should do with their captain. There are four reasons why the Blues should do everything in their power to keep Schenn.
Brayden Schenn helped spark a playoff push
Schenn is not the best player on the team. Yet, he helped spark the playoff push. When the Blues had their 12-game winning streak, Schenn notched three goals and five assists. His physicality was a big reason why the Blues were able to rise from the bottom of the standings and into a playoff spot. Schenn continues to be a great prescience in front of the net, with his screening abilities allowing defenseman like Cam Fowler to fire shots past the goalie.
Schenn was also very gritty. Ultimately, the Blues utilized him on both the power play and the penalty kill, and his ability to retrieve loose pucks helped spark some strong runs for St. Louis.
Schenn built chemistry on the second line with Jake Neighbors and Jimmy Snuggerud. Subsequently, this enabled them to formulate some offense and make good things happen during an incredible run. The Blues regularly used his line against top lines, partially due to Schenn's abilities.
Brayden Schenn offers leadership and experience
Schenn has served as captain for the past two seasons, bringing significant leadership to the role. When the Blues are in a rut, the team looks to him to provide direction. While Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas offer more offensive firepower, Schenn brings the peace when things get chaotic. One cannot undervalue how important that is in the NHL.
His leadership helps Kyrou and Thomas evolve. When things get tough, Schenn is there to offer guidance and mentorship. The Blues don't have anyone else on the roster who can do that, as they recently got younger. While having top scorers like Kyrou and Thomas is important, balancing it out with veterans is equally essential.
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His contract is tough to move
Schenn has a no-trade clause. This means that he can approve or deny any team the Blues try to trade him to. Because of this, it kills any leverage the Blues have. Other teams know the situation with Schenn and will definitely attempt to take advantage of it as a power move.
Let's say a team like the Toronto Maple Leafs wanted to acquire him to improve their chances of making it past the Second Round. Consequently, Schenn could reject the trade. Or, Schenn could approve the trade, but the Blues would have to agree to pay a hefty portion of the cap. That does not work to the Blues' advantage at all.
There are 15 teams on his list of clubs that Schenn would approve a trade to. Because of this, it gives the teams the knowledge of exclusivity, which hurts any bargaining power the Blues have should they want to trade him.
Fans like him
St. Louis had an incredible run that reinvigorated the fan base. Overall, the fan base is very high on Schenn. They appreciate his leadership and the way he inspires the team. While rumors have circulated about the Blues trading Schenn, the trade has not materialized.
With the recent surge to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Blues must retain Schenn, as he energizes both the team and the fan base. Remember, the Blues won all three home playoff games against the Jets, with Schenn notching a goal and two assists in these contests with a combined plus/minus of +2.
While Schenn is not the most skilled player on the team at his current age, he still serves great value for the Blues going forward. The best course of action would be to retain him and give him a minor extension to keep him in St. Louis for the foreseeable future.
