According to The Athletic writers Jeremy Rutherford and Scott Wheeler, the St. Louis Blues have their sights set on adding to their blue line this season as a buyer ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline. A team that is playing well (6-3-1) in their last 10 games and sits third in the Western Conference, the Blues believe they need to add a piece that will put them in contention. Rutherford, Wheeler and Craig Button talked about their potential plans.
Next: Blues and Panthers Lead Way When It Comes to Ben Chiarot Trade
As per the article, the five left-shot defensemen — an area that the Blues are believed to be focused on — the Blues might have on their radar are Arizona’s Jakob Chychrun, Montreal’s Ben Chiarot, Seattle’s Mark Giordano, Anaheim’s Hampus Lindholm and the New York Islanders’ Zdeno Chara.
When it comes to Chychrun, each believed he was going to cost the Blues a ton to acquire, but if the organization could somehow pull it off, they would have landed a “top-notch defenseman who is young with a great contract and could ostensibly be a big-time replacement for Alex Pietrangelo.” The Blues would need to move $4.5 million to make him fit on their roster and that’s not an easy thing to do. Scandella and Perunovich would have to be included in the deal or come off the roster.
When it comes to Ben Chiarot, the Canadiens will want a first-round pick or a comparable prospect. The Blues would covet his physicality and ability to play in the top four. If the Blues offer enough, there is a chance Montreal would retain up to 50% of Chairot’s salary, which would make the fit easier.
Another player who will cost the Blues a first-round pick is Mark Giordano. Some believe he’s got some game left, others aren’t sure how much he can contribute on a good team. The Blues would certainly do some cap work to make this trade work.
The Ducks might want to re-sign Hampus Lindholm, but as the team falls out of playoff contention the potential he’s traded increases. Again, he’s not going anywhere unless a first-round pick is involved because he might be the best of the group of blueliners potentially available.
If the Blues consider Zdeno Chara, it won’t be for his ability to play, but it will be his leadership skills the team covets. There’s not really anything to suggest Chara even wants to be traded. The one plus about acquiring Chara is that it wouldn’t cost much to do. He’s working on a $750K salary and if the Islanders move him, it will be to do him a favor. They won’t be asking for much in return.
Related: Four Teams Interested in Trading for Blackhawks’ Brandon Hagel
