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Trade Deadline Primer: St. Louis Blues

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We are now less than a week away from the NHL Trade Deadline and talks are heating up. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the St. Louis Blues.

It has been a disappointing season in St. Louis, to put it lightly.  They were comfortably in the playoff mix until a month ago when things went completely off the rails as they’ve won just twice since then, falling out of the postseason picture in the process.  All of a sudden, a team that looked like they were poised to be potential buyers may very well be changing course and moving some players out over the next few days.

Record

16-16-6, T-5th in West Division

Deadline Status

Potential Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$0 in regular cap space, $1.2MM in LTIR space, 0/3 retention slots used, 48/50 contracts used per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2021: STL 1st, STL 3rd, STL 5th, STL 6th, DET 7th
2022: STL 1st, STL 2nd, STL 3rd, STL 4th, STL 5th, STL 6th

Trade Chips

Vince Dunn has been in trade speculation dating back to last season and the Blues were involved in trade talks involving him earlier in the year.  Though he’s only two years removed from a 35-point sophomore campaign, his production has tapered off since then and he has just a dozen points (5-7-12) in 36 games this season despite averaging more than 19 minutes a night, the most of his career.  With Torey Krug and Colton Parayko serving as two sure-fire protectees in expansion, there’s only one slot remaining and Justin Faulk could be staking a claim to that spot.  It feels like a matter of when, not if, Dunn gets moved and as he’s rather cheap now ($1.875MM), his market may be stronger now than this summer when he’ll be arbitration-eligible for the first time and in need of protection by whoever makes a move for him.

Mike Hoffman was brought in to help offset the loss of Vladimir Tarasenko who started the season on LTIR with recurring shoulder troubles.  21 points (9-12-21) in 36 isn’t bad but it’s safe to say he has underperformed relative to expectations.  It was extremely unlikely he’d be back next year regardless of how he played due to their cap situation so if they believe they’re going to miss the playoffs, it would make sense for GM Doug Armstrong to try to flip him.  With a $4MM price tag, they may need to retain to facilitate a move though.  Tyler Bozak ($5MM) is in a similar situation but with declining production, his market will be more limited.  Jaden Schwartz ($5.35MM) is another pending UFA but if there is mutual interest in an extension, they may not move him.

Veteran defensemen are always in demand at this time of year and while he’s not a rental, Robert Bortuzzo could generate some interest.  He’s a third-pairing or seventh option at this stage of his career but he can still play with physicality and kill penalties, elements that are often coveted at this time of year.  He has another year left at $1.375MM, a rate that isn’t all that high for someone in that role but St. Louis would ideally likely to fill that spot with someone making a bit less to try to give themselves some more cap flexibility for next year.

Others to Watch For: Ivan Barbashev ($1.475MM, RFA), F Kyle Clifford ($1MM through 2021-22), D Steven Santini ($700K, RFA)

Team Needs

1) Draft Picks – With only two picks in the first four rounds, there’s a clear need to restock the cupboard.  They didn’t have their second-round selection last year and their first rounder the year before that as well.  Hoffman and Dunn give them two options that may be able to yield a high pick or impact prospect and there is going to be a definite need to supplement that core with cost-controlled entry-level deals.  It’s hard to get those with only two picks in the first 130 selections.

2) Backup Goalie Upgrade – For a few years, Ville Husso was seen as a goalie of the future for St. Louis.  That future came this season with Jake Allen moved to Montreal, giving Husso a path to NHL action.  The initial returns haven’t been great as he has a save percentage of just .883 this season.  If the Blues think they’re still in the mix, a better backup helps.  If they’re thinking about next season, a better backup may be needed in the offseason but if they can get that player now, they may as well go ahead and do so.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Blues Open To Moving Some Pending Unrestricted Free Agents

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The Blues have been in a slump for the last month.  They’ve lost seven straight and 12 of their last 14 games and as a result, they’ve gone from a team that’s in a playoff spot in the West Division to one that is tied for fifth with San Jose and now sit five points behind Arizona for fourth place.  As a result, Pierre LeBrun notes in TSN’s latest Insider Trading segment (video link) that Blues GM Doug Armstrong is indicating that he’s open to moving some of his pending unrestricted free agents, highlighting winger Mike Hoffman and center Tyler Bozak as potential options to me.

Hoffman is clearly the headliner of the two.  He was pegged to be one of the more highly sought-after players in free agency last fall but it took a long time for a market to materialize.  He ultimately settled on a PTO with the Blues with the framework of an agreement in place; the two sides worked out a one-year, $4MM pact just before the regular season got underway.  Unfortunately for him and St. Louis, it hasn’t been the best of fits as the 31-year-old has just 21 points (9-12-21) in 36 games and was recently a healthy scratch.  For someone that had 65 goals over the previous two years, they were hoping for more from him.  On the other hand, that recent track record should generate some interest on the trade front in the coming days as well.

As for Bozak, he has had a limited role this season while also missing significant time due to a concussion.  As a result, he has been limited to just two goals and two assists in 14 games while averaging a career-low 13:14 per contest.  While he would serve as capable bottom-six depth, he also carries a $5MM AAV which, even if St. Louis pays up to half of it down, will limit his market considerably.

Jaden Schwartz is another pending unrestricted free agent but wasn’t mentioned by LeBrun as a possible trade option.  The 28-year-old has been with St. Louis for his whole career spanning parts of 10 years and at this point, it’s quite possible that the intent at this point is to try to work on a contract extension.  If that’s the case, those discussions would logically need to intensify over the next few days.

Armstrong is no stranger to selling when his team has been hanging around the playoff race before.  He moved Kevin Shattenkirk four years ago when they were in a playoff spot and the following season, sent Paul Stastny to Winnipeg when they were only a point out.  With that in mind, even if they pick up a couple of wins by next week, the GM could still lean towards selling.  As teams that are looking to buy start honing in on their desired candidates, they’ll now need to take a look at the Blues as well.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Luke Johnson, Jacob de La Rose Clear Waivers

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April 5: Both players have cleared waivers and can now be assigned to the taxi squad or minor leagues.

April 4: A pair of depth forwards hit the waiver wire today, added by a couple of competing West Division contenders no less. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Minnesota Wild’s Luke Johnson and the St. Louis Blues’ Jacob de La Rose have been waived. Edmonton’s Joakim Nygard, the only player on waivers on Saturday, has cleared.

Johnson, 26, cleared waivers early this season, but his most recent outing with Minnesota marked the ten-game limit that necessitated another go-round. The former Chicago Blackhawks prospect, now in his second season with the Wild, is unlikely to be claimed. Johnson has one point in 28 career NHL games and has yet to record a point with Minnesota in two years. While his minor league production has previously been impressive, he has only played in two games with AHL Iowa this season, spending most of his time on the Minnesota taxi squad. And that is where Johnson is likely to remain for much of the remainder of this season.

De La Rose, 25, could be more of a risk, albeit is still unlikely to be claimed. The 2013 second-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens was claimed the very first time he was waived, snagged by the Detroit Red Wings back in 2018. Detroit then traded de La Rose to the Blues early last season in a one-for-one deal to land Robby Fabbri, a swap that has worked out nicely for the Red Wings. In St. Louis, de La Rose has failed to make much of an impact and has been slowed by injuries as well. While his offensive game has never reached his draft expectations, de La Rose’s physical contributions have also slipped this year, leading to a career-low in ice time. For the Blues, it likely no longer made sense to reserve an active roster spot for the Swedish forward. Whether another team sees enough ice time to make a claim remains to be seen, but it would not be a major loss for St. Louis if it does happen.

Colton Parayko Won't Play On Road Trip But Is Close To Returning

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  • The Blues won’t have Colton Parayko back this weekend but his return appears to be on the horizon. Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes that the defenseman is not with the team for their two-game set in Colorado but he has been skating for more than a week now as he works his way back from a back injury.  The team has not yet ruled him out for Monday’s matchup against Vegas and he would be a huge boost to a St. Louis squad that has struggled as of late, dropping four straight and nine of their last 11 games.

Snapshots: MacKinnon, NHLPA, April Fool’s

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Nathan MacKinnon’s comical misconduct on Wednesday night drew plenty of attention at the expense of Arizona Coyotes forward Conor Garland. Even in the midst of an 8-3 blowout in his favor, the Colorado Avalanche superstar lost his head in a scrum late in the third period, grappling with Garland and then picking up his opponent’s fallen helmet and bowling it back into his face. (video) While the helmet toss itself did not appear to do much damage (and has supplied many a laugh on April Fool’s Day), it was clearly a penalty. MacKinnon was handed a ten-minute misconduct and an ejection, but most expected that he could receive some supplemental discipline for the act. Well, the NHL Department of Player Safety has handed down their decision, but it isn’t what many – especially Coyotes fans – expected or hoped for. MacKinnon has been fined $5,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct, but will not be suspended. This is the maximum fine for that particular penalty, but in the big picture means little to MacKinnon. There has been mounting scrutiny over the league’s handling of egregious penalties committed by its biggest stars and the recent leniency with MacKinnon and Connor McDavid will not help their cause.

  • The NHLPA is adding a pair of noteworthy names to its staff. The Players’ Association announced today that former NHLers Ron Hainsey and Sean Bergenheim have been hired to executive positions. Hainsey, whose hiring seemingly marks his retirement after playing last season and speaking to team’s this off-season, has been named Assistant to the Executive Director for Special Projects and Development Initiatives. Bergenheim, who hung up his skates in 2018 and last played in the NHL in 2014-15, will hold the title of  NHLPA European Affairs Representative. Bergenheim’s 506 career NHL games with four teams is impressive enough, but pales in comparison to Hainsey’s 1,132 career games with seven different teams. The NHLPA adds plenty of veteran hockey know-how with these additions, while both have held administrative roles in their careers as well. As for their specific duties with the Players’ Association, the press release describes each role as follows:

Bergenheim will work closely with NHL players from Europe, and on behalf of the NHLPA on matters relating to international competitions as well as professional hockey in Europe… Hainsey will work on a variety of matters related to the administration of the CBA, media and broadcast partners, and new opportunities for marketing and sponsorship, all with special emphasis on the enhancement of player communication within the NHLPA.

  • For a daily dose of hockey history, it is worth noting that the last time the NHL had a trade deadline date in April was in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. Unlike today, there were a number of April 1 trades that year as well. And it was the Calgary Flames who sadly held the title of April Fools that year. The team dealt star defenseman Jay Bouwmeester to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for prospect forward Mark Cundari, the rights to goaltender Reto Berra, and a 2013 first-round pick. Bouwmeester would go on to play at a high level for seven more seasons with the Blues, going to the postseason six times and winning a Stanley Cup, before retiring this past off-season. As for the Flames’ return? Cundari played eight games over two seasons with Calgary and then never played in the NHL again. Berra played just half a season in Calgary, posting poor numbers, before being traded away for a second-round pick. That second-rounder became Hunter Smith, who played two AHL seasons and two ECHL seasons before retiring, having never seen NHL action. And the first-rounder from the initial deal? That was used to select Emile Poirier, who played just eight games over two seasons with Calgary and is currently playing in Europe. As they say, four strikes and you’re out. This is a trade that the Flames wish had only been an April Fool’s Day prank.

St. Louis Blues Legend Bob Plager Passes Away At 78

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Longtime St. Louis Blues defenseman Bob Plager passed away on Wednesday at the age of 78 due to injuries sustained in a car accident. Plager played 14 seasons in the NHL, from 1964 to 1978, including 11 years with the Blues after beginning his career with the New York Rangers. Though undersized for a defenseman at that time, especially one that focused primarily on the defensive aspects of the game, Plager was no pushover. His reputation on the ice was built on his physicality and smart defensive play, which made him a difficult match-up. Plager channeled his passionate and intelligent playing ability into a career beyond his playing days, serving as a scout, coach, and top executive. Plager’s reputation off the ice was one of kindness and humor.

Plager will always be remembered more for his connection to the Blues and to the city of St. Louis than for any one thing he did on or off the ice with the team. A member of the inaugural St. Louis Blues of 1967, Plager was the longest-serving member of that original roster. When he retired from playing, he jumped immediately into serving the club in other ways. Quite literally, too; Plager went from playing with the Blues and their CHL affiliate, the Salt Lake Golden Eagles, to coaching the Golden Eagles all over the course of one season. He then spent the next six years as a scout for St. Louis, three years as Assistant General Manager, and five years as Director of Player Development. He also had stints as head coach of the Blues and their IHL affiliate, the Peoria Rivermen, mixed in as well. Plager retired from hockey in 2000, having spent a combined 33 years in the service of the Blues. However, he very much remained involved with the team as an iconic alumnus.

The response to Plager’s passing has come from all corners of the hockey world. Tom Timmerman of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch collected comments from names such as former Blues coach Scotty Bowman, Blues owner Tom Stillman, a fellow Blues honoree in Bernie Federko, and current Blues GM Doug Armstrong in a detailed story on the life of a legend. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman also released a statement on Plager’s passing. Even Ben Bishop, goaltender for the rival Dallas Stars but also a St. Louis native, shared his memories of a man that meant so much to he and others who grew up in the city.

All of us at PHR send our condolences to the family and friends of Bob Plager and the hockey community of St. Louis.

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 03/21/21

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Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is the complete, updated list for today:

Boston – Sean Kuraly, Jake DeBrusk, David Krejci, David Pastrnak, Craig Smith
NY Islanders – Noah Dobson
NY Rangers – Phil Di Giuseppe (plus their coaching staff)
St. Louis – Zach Sanford

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: Alexandre Texier, Columbus

It’s certainly encouraging that there were no new additions to the list from Boston given their recent outbreak or from anywhere else in the league.  Things went in the right direction today with Texier being activated and immediately sent to the taxi squad, a move that may be more procedural than anything else since the youngster only missed two games while being in the protocols.

*denotes new addition

Blues’ Oskar Sundqvist Out For Season With Torn ACL

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No sooner after it reported that Oskar Sundqvist would be sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury, the St. Louis Blues put that “indefinitely” in more certain terms. The team has announced that Sundqvist is out for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL in his left knee. Sundqvist will undergo surgery when the teams returns to St. Louis from their current road trip. The Blues hope that Sundqvist will be ready for 2021-22 training camp and will re-evaluate the injury at that time.

The injury occurred early in the Blues’ Friday night game against the San Jose Sharks. Sundqvist appeared to collide with teammate Kyle Clifford and went down in visible pain. He had to be helped off the ice by Ryan O’Reilly and Sammy Blais, placing no pressure on his left leg. Sundqvist did not return to the game, missing the second and third periods entirely. Despite what seemed to be a serious injury, the Blues did not make any snap judgements, merely stating that Sundqvist would be sidelined for the time being while they awaited the results of an MRI. That MRI apparently took place on the road, revealing a torn ACL.

The ACL injury is a difficult one to overcome in hockey. The knee ligament plays a crucial part in the mechanics of skating. A torn ACL takes a while to heal from surgery regardless, but to get back to skating strength is whole other level of timely recovery, rehab, and re-strengthening. The injury always ends a season and, depending on the severity, usually takes at least six months prior to a return and then often a period of time to re-adjust to game speed. The outlook for Sundqvist, as noted by the team, is a return for training camp at the very earliest. A sixth-month period from the date of surgery will line up with late September. The Blues know too well that all recovery periods for ACL injuries are merely speculation and that the return to full strength is not an easy, straightforward path; the team has seen both Robby Fabbri and Carl Gunnarsson suffer ACL tears in recent years that ended their seasons and impacted their play upon return.

In Sundqvist, St. Louis loses a reliable bottom-six forward who has gained ice time and special teams responsibility in each of his four years with the club. A member of the 2019 Stanley Cup-winning roster, Sundqvist provided nine points in 25 games and top-six minutes en route to a title. He was on a similar scoring pace early this season with nine points through 28 games and has recorded 31 and 23 points respectively in each of the past two seasons. Sundqvist’s absence leaves a hole at third-line center for the Blues and his penalty kill ability and physical style will be missed as well. Sundqvist joins a laundry list of injuries for St. Louis; he’s their third season-ending injury behind Gunnarsson and Alex Steen (unofficially retired), while defenseman Colton Parayko and forwards Ivan Barbashev, Jacob de La Rose, Erik Foley, Mackenzie MacEachern, and Robert Thomas are also on Injured Reserve and Zach Sanford and Scott Perunovich are otherwise sidelined as well. With the injuries mounting up, suddenly the Los Angeles Kings biting at the Blues’ heels in the West Division look like a real threat to steal the final playoff spot.

Injury Notes: Bertuzzi, Brown, Sundqvist

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The prognosis is not good for Detroit Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi and a potential return this season. Bertuzzi, who got off to a hot start early this season and looked like he could be in for a breakout campaign, was instead injured before January was even over and has not played since. According to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, Bertuzzi has not been making consistent progress toward a return in the past six weeks either. Head coach Jeff Blashill has stated that Bertuzzi’s rehab of his undisclosed upper-body injury has been “back-and-forth” and at the current time he is not skating. Blashill believes that Bertuzzi is not “close at all” to a return. The coach says that they are taking the situation day-by-day and that all options are on the table, including season-ending surgery. While the Red Wings are not playing for a playoff spot this season, there is still reason to avoid sending Bertuzzi under the knife if he is able to get back to full strength without it. Blashill did acknowledge that they will not rush Bertuzzi back before he is ready and that they need to see him skating over a longer period of time before they will even consider a return this year. Everything seems to be pointing toward Bertuzzi likely being done for the year in this shortened season.

  • Another player who has not yet returned to skating is young Ottawa Senators forward Logan Brown. Brown, whose usage (or lack thereof) by the Senators has been a hot topic in Ottawa, suffered an undisclosed injury in practice earlier this month. Though not initially believed to be a long-term absence, Brown’s injury still lingers. AHL Belleville head coach Troy Mann tells The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch that Brown has yet to return to the ice since his injury occurred and “isn’t close”. Mann does not expect the prospect center to be back in action any time soon. This was intended to be a make-or-break year for Brown; the No. 11 overall pick from 2016 had been used sparingly through his first two pro seasons, playing in just 29 total NHL games, but this year was supposed to see him earn a regular role. Instead, he has yet to suit up for Ottawa at all in 2020-21. Prior to his injury, GM Pierre Dorion shared that there were plans to give Brown his shot later this season, but that is now in doubt given the apparent severity of his injury and a possible prolonged absence. Brown will be a restricted free agent at the end of this season, with little to show for his entry-level contract.
  • The St. Louis Blues continue to have tough luck with injuries this season. Whenever a player returns to the lineup, it seems another is forced out. This time, Oskar Sundqvist is the victim. The veteran forward suffered an injury on Friday night in a collision with teammate Kyle Clifford and had to leave the game. The team has announced that the lower-body injury will sideline Sundqvist indefinitely, but that more information will be known following an MRI next week. Sundqvist is one of eleven Blues currently out with an injury or ailment.

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 03/20/21

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Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is the complete, updated list for today:

Boston – Sean Kuraly, Jake DeBrusk, David Krejci, David Pastrnak, Craig Smith
Columbus – Alexandre Texier
NY Islanders – Noah Dobson
NY Rangers – Phil Di Giuseppe (plus coaching staff)
St. Louis – Zach Sanford*

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: None

The outbreak in Boston remains a concern, but no additional Bruins and no Buffalo Sabres being added to the list today is encouraging. The hopes is that Boston, who will remain quarantined until Wednesday, will then be able to move forward and the NHL can get back to trending toward an empty CPRA list.

They did move in the wrong direction today, though. Sanford’s addition in St. Louis adds a ninth player and fifth team to the list. However, if this is another case of a false positive then Sanford’s stay could be short. In the meantime, Sanford will miss the Blues’ Saturday night match-up.

*denotes new addition

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