Quite a few players will come with ‘buyer beware’ tags should the St. Louis Blues decide to ‘buy’ at the trade deadline. And as a young team that’s still technically in ‘retooling mode,’ the Blues shouldn’t be looking to buy the most proven players in the NHL, or at least that shouldn’t be the case this season.
Plus, as a team that doesn’t figure to seriously compete for a playoff spot, you can even argue the Blues should strictly sell. Instead, I’ll meet you halfway if that’s your sentiment.
No, the Blues don’t need to ‘buy’ any aging talent. But they also don’t need to strictly sell. Instead, their best bet is to ‘sell’ a few key veterans who would best serve a contending team while ‘buying’ younger, high-potential, serviceable NHL talent who could prove to be long-term fixtures at a few positions.
Below, there are three players general manager Doug Armstrong should seriously consider adding to the Blues repertoire. No, he wouldn’t land all of them, but bringing in just one might work wonders long-term and help to drive this team out of perpetual mediocrity.
1 - Jack Quinn, Buffalo Sabres
Jack Quinn looked like a player on the breakout path two seasons ago, and you can argue he played well last season despite all the time he missed with injuries. This year, Quinn looked lost before he started producing. But with urgency at an all-time high in Buffalo, late and never may be one and the same.
Still, we’ve seen players find their game recently when Gateway City gave them a change of scenery. Someone like Quinn has already proven he can be a viable hockey player; he just needs to enjoy a resurgent campaign.
Pair him up with the likes of Pavel Buchnevich, Jake Neighbours, and Robert Thomas, to name a few players, and Quinn could find himself back on the up and up. In a worst-case scenario, he makes for a good third-liner who has shown he can score almost at will in the past - he had a 16.1 shooting percentage through those 27 games last season.
2 - K’Andre Miller, New York Rangers
If there’s one young player who’s likely on their way out the door in Manhattan, it’s K’Andre Miller. Miller’s been an effective player, but the young blueliner has yet to enjoy a breakout campaign and you can argue he’s stagnated in a few ways.
With the Rangers looking like a team on a resurgent path, there’s a chance they’ll look for older, more experienced veterans who will help them get back into the playoff race and transform back into serious contenders.
Yeah, it means they’ll be looking for more even after bringing J.T. Miller home. That’s where Doug Armstrong won’t be afraid to make a move to bring in yet another young blueliner like K’Andre Miller.
3 - Nick Robertson, Toronto Maple Leafs
Nick Robertson seems like the most logical addition here. For one, the Toronto Maple Leafs are surefire playoff contenders and would be an easy team to ‘sell’ an aging player, likely a defenseman, to. For another, he’d fit the same criteria of a player Doug Armstrong’s been looking for.
Someone with potential, but has yet to make a major impact or breakout. Plus, Robertson’s young, and only in his age-23 season. He’s been playing bottom-six minutes throughout his time in Toronto, and it’s something Dylan Holloway was no stranger to once upon a time during his Edmonton Oilers days.
Now, Holloway may be the Blues breakout player of the year, and it’s something Robertson could emulate next season if Armstrong acquired him. Should he come to Gateway City this season, he’ll have enough time to showcase his skills in front of the home crowd long enough to build anticipation for 2025-26.