The St. Louis Blues enter the 4 Nations Face-Off in an interesting spot. The team is only eight points out of the final Western Conference playoff spot. However, the team’s inconsistent play since New Year’s shows the team may not be ready for a playoff push. The Blues have thought this, too, as they have already parted ways with veteran Brandon Saad. Suppose the Blues are committed to shifting their focus to the 2025-26 season. In that case, they should take advantage of the apparent interest in their captain, Brayden Schenn.
Blues Should Take Advantage of Apparent Interest in Their Captain
Who is Interested?
The first mention of a team being interested in Schenn came last week. Darren Dreger on Insider Trading mentioned the Toronto Maple Leafs were interested in the former All-Star. Furthermore, Elliotte Friedman, in 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, believes the Vegas Golden Knights could also be interested in Schenn.
“I don’t know if they have what St. Louis wants, but the team that immediately jumped into my mind was Vegas,” he said. “Toronto, sure, because we know Toronto’s looking for a centre, and that’s a [Brad] Treliving kind of guy, but Vegas really jumped in my mind, because Brayden Schenn played for [Golden Knights GM] Kelly McCrimmon in the Western Hockey League. And you don’t underestimate Kelly McCrimmon — when he decides he wants someone, he will do what it takes to try and get that person.”
Furthermore, Michael DeRosa of the Hockey News has also listed the Detroit Red Wings and New Jersey Devils as potential landing spots for the Blues captain. There could be other teams that have not been mentioned and are interested in the former 20-goal scorer.
This is the first time since the 2022-23 season that the Blues have someone gathering great interest in trade talks. Two years ago, the Blues were able to trade Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan O’Reilly, and Ivan Barbashev for a decent haul that started the retool. Currently, general manager Doug Armstrong can do the same with Schenn.
Schenn Adds Value to Any Team
This season, the 33-year-old has scored 11 goals. The veteran has played well in a top-six role, mainly as the second-line centre. Furthermore, Schenn was the first-line centre when the Blues won the Stanley Cup in 2019. The centre scored three goals in the Stanley Cup Final, including a back-breaking goal in the third period of Game 7.
In addition to his offence, Schenn uses his body to make plays. He is not afraid to drop the gloves to stand up for a teammate. He has been a respected member of the Blues locker room since he joined the team, and that respect and leadership would carry over to a new team.
Armstrong Rightfully Setting a High Price
It has been reported that Armstrong is asking for a significant return for Schenn. Considering what Schenn offers and the number of teams expressing interest, that makes sense. Another first-round pick in the upcoming draft is a good starting point.
The rising salary cap could also help the Blues in this situation. Schenn has three years left on his contract with a cap hit of $6.5 million a season, and a rising salary cap makes that $6.5 million easier to take on. In addition, if a team still wanted the Blues to retain some salary, the amount retained may not be as much as it would have been prior.
Armstrong Needs to Take Advantage and Pull the Trigger
The Blues can get a decent haul in return for their captain. This is something Armstrong has to take advantage of. Trading Schenn would check a lot of boxes for the Blues. It would clear up additional salary from the team’s cap. Secondly, the return package could include high-draft picks and/or prospects. Lastly, trading Schenn would free up a roster spot for a younger player to take and get some NHL experience. If Schenn were traded, it would create the perfect opportunity to call up Dalibor Dvorsky.
Trading away a leader like Schenn would be challenging, but the Blues are not going anywhere meaningful right now. There is a golden opportunity that was not available a few months ago. A move like this has the potential to drastically speed up the retool.
Armstrong has orchestrated some brilliant trades in his career. The time is now to do it again.
Main Photo: Chris Nicoll- Imagn Images
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