The St. Louis Blues sit sixth in the Central Division and 24th in the league with a 24-26-5 record. The Blues acquired valuable pieces this season, such as Dylan Holloway, Philip Broberg, and Cam Fowler. However, the team is still finding themselves in the trenches as of late. With the trade deadline in a few weeks, the Blues may need to make even more trades, with the majority being a team departure rather than an acquisition.
Here are the three names that stick out the most as potential trade candidates.
Blues Willing to Hear Out Offers for Schenn
It was reported by NHL insider Darren Dreger that the Blues are opening captain Brayden Schenn to the trading market. Schenn, 33, has been gaining attention from teams all across the league. Given his skills on and off the ice, the Blues could get a decent haul in return. The former Philadelphia Flyer has 30 points (eleven goals and 19 assists) in 55 games this season. Throughout his career with the Blues organization, he has 347 points (162g, 185a) in 562 games.
He is in year five of his eight-year, $52 million deal, which was signed back in 2020. It is the final year that Schenn carries a full no-trade clause; the term turns into a 15-team no-trade. If captain Schenn is willing to waive his NMC to land himself on a playoff-ready team, the Blues may capitalize on the right offer.
Faksa Set to Be UFA; Blues Need to Gain Something from Him
If you have a player who is signed long-term with an expiring deal, it is best to trade them for something rather than giving up tenure for basically nothing. While Radek Faksa may have only played for the Blues in one of his five contract years, there is still reason behind trading him for something. He currently has ten points (three goals, seven assists) in 43 games played. While his scoring numbers may not be impressive, the Czech centermen has an impressive 54.6 faceoff percentage.
He carries a cap hit of $3.25 million and a five-team no-trade-clause. Faksa is a solid bottom-six forward with the ability to play two-way. Given his non-team-friendly contract, the Blues will more than likely retain some salary to obtain more assets. Trading him on retention is almost a given, as the Blues have 3/3 retention spots left to use, making a deal surrounding him very possible.
Blues May Help Suter Get His First Cup if He is Traded
Ryan Suter, 40, has played the most games without winning a single Stanley Cup among active players with 1499. Drafted seventh overall by the Nashville Predators in 2003, Suter has been one of the most consistent defensive defensemen during his time in the league. He has one of the highest +/- stat lines among all active defensemen with +124. Despite his impressive career resume, he has never won a cup. If the Blues feel generous by this deadline, they may send Sutur to a cup contender in need of defensive depth.
Suter is signed to a one-year, league minimum of $750k deal. With a contract like this for what he brings to the rink, teams will surely be interested. At a height of 6’1” and a weight of 205 lbs, Suter rarely knocked off his feet. While he may be one of the older players in the league, his presence is still apparent. He is a defensive threat in his zone and a solid player for any team to have on their blueline.
Next: Lightning Pushing for Depth; Team Eyeing Two Big Names
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