Blues Captaincy Candidates: Breaking Down Five Possible Scenarios

Pavel Buchnevich

Next is a guy that I have not heard many, if any, rumblings about wearing the “C”, but I believe he could be a legitimate candidate. Pavel Buchnevich has quietly been the Blues most productive offensive player in terms of points-per-game over the past two seasons, averaging 1.05 PPG.

He is the first Blues player to average more than a point per game over the course of back-to-back full seasons since Pavol Demitra (’98-’99 & ’99-’00).  Buch plays a strong two-way game, logging plenty of minutes on both the power play and penalty kill.

Not one to shy away from the dirty areas on the ice, he provides some occasional and surprising physicality. He has been arguably the best skater wearing the Blue Note since he came to town. He’s not often referred to as a particularly vocal guy, but he’s a smart player who is well liked by his teammates. The loudest guy is not always the best leader, after all.

Buchnevich’s biggest problem is staying healthy. While he has managed to avoid long-term stints on the IR, he has often missed a handful of games here and there, amounting to 28 games missed over his two seasons in St. Louis. This could play an important role in whether or not he could be considered as not only a potential Captain, but also a player that deserves a long-term extension when he enters the final year of his four year contract in ’23-’24.