NHL Rumor Roundup: The Blues Could Become Major Sellers At The Trade Deadline

The struggling St. Louis Blues face missing the playoffs for the third-straight season. Some pundits believe GM Doug Armstrong could become a major seller by the March trade deadline.

TSN’s Darren Dreger got things rolling last Thursday when he said there was “potential” for captain Brayden Schenn to be traded. The 33-year-old center has three years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $6.5 million. He also has a full no-trade clause for this season, which reverts to a 15-team no-trade list on July 1.

Dreger pointed out that Armstrong can be aggressive in the trade market. The Blues GM has made several notable moves this season, acquiring defenseman Cam Fowler from the Anaheim Ducks, shipping blueliner Scott Perunovich to the New York Islanders and terminating winger Brandon Saad’s contract.

According to Dreger, teams in the market for a center (such as the Toronto Maple Leafs) could be interested in Schenn, but the Blues will set a high asking price. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman echoed that opinion on Saturday, saying they’re setting “a very, very high asking price” for their captain.

The Hockey News Michael DeRosa listed the Leafs, Detroit Red Wings and New Jersey Devils as potential destinations for Schenn. Assuming he’d accept a trade to Detroit, the Red Wings have the dollars ($12.6 million in projected trade deadline space) and the depth in draft picks and prospects to outbid the Leafs and Devils, who traded away their 2025 first-rounders.

Related: Opinion: Despite Rumor About The Maple Leafs’ Interest In Sabres’ Cozens, It’s Not The Right Fit

Friedman also said the Blues were willing to discuss their players with other clubs. His colleague Nick Kypreos speculated that, in addition to Schenn, they could also consider moving forwards Pavel Buchnevich and Jordan Kyrou.

Kypreos reported Armstrong would like to shed an $8-million salary from his books. Buchnevich, who turns 30 on April 17, has a six-year contract kicking in on July 1 with an $8-million cap hit. That deal also contains a full no-trade clause, while his current deal has a 12-team no-trade list.

Meanwhile, Kyrou is in the second season of an eight-year contract with an annual cap hit of $8.125 million. His no-trade clause doesn’t go into effect until July 1.

As for Schenn, Kypreos claimed Armstrong isn’t ready yet to shock Blues fans by trading their captain, but teams were calling about him. He also wondered if the Blues GM might try to move a defenseman like Justin Faulk, Colton Parayko or the sidelined Torey Krug. All three have no-trade clauses, with Krug using his to spike a trade to the Philadelphia Flyers two years ago.

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