As training camp began, St. Louis Blues head coach Jim Montgomery offered high praise for former first-round pick Theo Lindstein, expecting him to play a big role this season.
"He might be our best defenseman at moving it up to the forwards and supporting it right away. As soon as someone's open, boom, it's tape-to-tape, and it's gone.” Montgomery said during the Blues' training camp and pre-season when talking about Lindstein and the impact he can have on the team this year. However, through the Blues' first five regular-season games, he has been healthy-scratched in the last two in favor of defenseman Justin Barron, whom the Blues claimed off waivers from the Nashville Predators just two weeks ago. With Barron playing steady hockey and the Blues reportedly keeping tabs on a few disgruntled defensemen on the trade market, the writing could be on the wall for Lindstein's short stint in St. Louis.
Replaced by Justin Barron
When Montgomery inserted Barron into the lineup for Lindstein in the home opener against the San Jose Sharks, he said it wasn't because of Lindstein's play, but because he "needed to get guys into the lineup." To Barron's credit, he's been steady and reliable in the two games he's started, but given how much the Blues have invested in Lindstein's development and the high draft capital used to select him, scratching him early without a longer leash is a curious decision. Based on the reported practice lines for Tuesday's game in Ottawa against the Ottawa Senators, Lindstein is expected to be scratched for a third consecutive game and many now are wondering when, if at all, Lindstein will be inserted back into the lineup.
The other factor in this decision that makes the move to play Barron intriguing is that, by scratching Lindstein, Barron is being forced to play on his off-hand alongside Colton Paryako. We've already seen Montgomery mix and match defensive pairings this season, rotating Philip Broberg and Paryko with different partners throughout the team's first five games. With Barron playing on his off-hand and only two left-handed defensemen, the Blues' lineup flexibility is limited, and speculation has begun about whether they have a bigger move on the horizon.
A trade on the horizon?
Several sources, including Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek, say the Blues have been keeping tabs on disgruntled Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin and Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson. While nothing concrete has emerged, a deal that sends Lindstein the other way and gives the Blues a young left-handed defenseman would be plausible. Lindstein, still only 21 years old, is a former first-round pick and was seen as one of the Blues' top prospects last season before getting the call-up. During his 17-game stint with the Blues last season, Lindstein showed great promise as a steady 200-foot defenseman with puck-moving and offensive upside, producing four points and providing a +6 plus/minus rating. He projects as a top-four defenseman with offensive upside who can contribute on the power play.
There's no indication the Blues have made an offer to Carolina or Detroit, or that those offers include Lindstein, but the fit and logistics could make sense for both parties if a trade is being negotiated. If the Blues acquired a player like Nikshin or Edvinsson, they'd certainly get a top-four role, making it unlikely Lindstein could return to the lineup, barring another injury.
Lindstein's ceiling is undoubtedly high, and his healthy scratches could be part of the Blues' development plan, similar to Logan Mailloux's stints as a healthy scratch last season. That said, with the plethora of talent the Blues have amassed, the emergence of Adam Jiricek, the eventual return of both Mailloux and Tucker, and the rumor mill swirling with trade speculation, the writing could be on the wall for the highly touted 2023 29th overall pick.
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