St. Louis Blues Better Have Carolina Hurricanes On Speed Dial
By Todd Panula
The St. Louis Blues are not in desperation mode this offseason, but they cannot leave any stone unturned in the search to improve. There may be plenty of stones to turn in Carolina.
The St. Louis Blues are in need of some upgrades and plenty of people know it. The problem with that is when sales people know you need an item, the price tends to go up.
So, you have to shop around and look for the bargains. If you can find a team that is looking to sell, then you need to cozy right up to them. A seller and a buyer can be the other’s best friend. Such could be the case with the Blues and the Carolina Hurricanes.
I have read several articles lately that seem to hint that the Hurricanes are in sell-mode. Don’t ask me why since they have a ton of cap space and several free agents, but those are the rumors. It is not as though Carolina was terrible in 2017-18, finishing with 83 points, but I digress. The point is, if they are looking to sell, the Blues should definitely be in talks to buy.
If this is firewagon sale, then the Blues have to be interested. For example, Jeff Skinner is only 26 and entering the final year of a deal that only pays him $5.75 million per season.
Skinner just came off his worst season in three years and still had 24 goals and 49 points. Those are numbers that get you $7 million these days. The Blues would have to worry about re-signing him rather quickly, but he fits in today’s NHL. He’s got good hands, he is fast and he can score. Those are all things the Blues could use.
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Sebastian Aho only has one season left, but we’ll leave him alone. Carolina can’t be dumb enough to deal off a 20 year old that just scored 29 goals and 65 points and will only be a restricted free agent next summer.
I would not be crazy about a deal, myself, but you have to kick the tires on guys like Jordan Staal and Justin Williams as well. If you can get them for peanuts as far as what you trade off, it could be worth it.
Staal is still 29. He’s averaged in the 40’s as far as points go and is getting $6 million per year. The problem is he’s on a long-term deal that might not look good in a few seasons.
Williams is much older at 36. He still put up 51 points this past season and could be a huge help to a somewhat questionable Blues locker room.
Former Blackhawk Teuvo Teravainen is another player of interest. He’s only 23, coming into his abilities and just put up 23 goals and 64 points.
He’s currently only getting paid just north of $2 million per season. While he will be a free agent in 2019, it will be restricted, so the raise you would have to give him would not be insane.
None of these guys are world breakers that would move the needle for every Blues fan. They are definitely players that could help this roster a lot.
If you get someone like Staal, you are basically saying Brayden Schenn is your number one center. However, Schenn and Staal as your top two guys is not bad.
Teravainen would be a nice wing addition that gives you more flexibility where to put some other guys. As mentioned, Williams could still be a Troy Brouwer-like addition to the locker room.
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Doug Armstrong does not have to make a deal with Carolina. If he is not making the calls to ask about it though, he’s doing his team a disservice.
If Carolina is in sell-mode, you have to inquire about these guys. They would definitely make the Blues a better team. If other teams, such as Chicago, get any of these players for cheap, we should all be very upset with Army.