St. Louis Blues can breathe a little easier this upcoming season as it appears captain Brayden Schenn isn’t going anywhere. At least that’s what insider David Pagnotta believes.
In an appearance on the Simply Spiked podcast on July 8, Pagnotta addressed the St. Louis Blues’ plans this offseason. Pagnotta poured cold water on talk regarding Jordan Kyrou leaving St. Louis.
But most importantly, Pagnotta talked about how the Blues aren’t keen on moving Schenn. As per Pagnotta, Schenn looks cool like a cucumber this offseason.
He stated:
"St. Louis is an interesting one because they want to be competitive. They want to push forward. And it seems they’re comfortable with Schenn."
The comments underscore that the talk surrounding Schenn moving on from the Blues is just that, talk.
Pagnotta added the following insights:
"I ran into Scheen about a week or so ago, actually, I think, and he seemed pretty comfortable as if, he’s moving forward going back to St. Louis."
The news should excite Blues fans as it appears that the Blues will be looking to add rather than subtract. The team’s retool last season yielded a playoff appearance. So, the club will be looking to move forward with the next step this upcoming season.
Check out Pagnotta’s comments from the 15-minute mark onwards:
It’s unclear whether the Blues will add any other pieces this offseason. But if the club is in the playoff hunt come next spring, fans shouldn’t be surprised to see the Blues make a splash at next year’s trade deadline.
Offseason additions bolster St. Louis Blues center depth
The St. Louis Blues bolstered their center depth this summer by adding Pius Suter and Nick Bjugstad via NHL free agency.
The two signings helped boost an otherwise depleted center core. Daily Faceoff shows Robert Thomas returning as the Blues’ top-line center next season. Suter projects as the second-line center, with Brayden Schenn sliding into the third line. Finally, Bjugstad looks like he’ll command the fourth line.
It’s interesting to see Schenn slide down to the third line. But if Pius Suter can replicate his numbers from last season with the Vancouver Canucks, he’ll be too good to keep in the bottom six.
So, that situation means that the Blues could have one of the NHL’s best third lines. Schenn is projected to center Jake Neighbours and Mathieu Joseph. That line features skill, grit, and some toughness.
Plus, moving Scheen away from top-six minutes could make him the most dangerous third-line center in the NHL. It’s tantalizing to think how much damage Schenn could cause as matchups favor him more, comparatively speaking.
It’s worth pointing out that the Blues might be looking to add another top-six winger if one becomes available. While that may not be a pressing concern at the moment, the team might, at the very least, kick the tires on one such player if it had the chance.