It hasn’t been an easy start for the St. Louis Blues this season. The club is 3-6-2 after 11 games to start the year. The Blues are riding a six-game losing skid and looking to get back on the plus side.
But that isn’t exactly straightforward. There’s always the chance that the Blues could end up falling off the rails before the season is said and done.
That situation prompted executives around the league to keep an eye on the situation in St. Louis. As RG Media’s Marco D’Amico reported, one anonymous league source feels the Blues are the most intriguing team in the league.
Here’s what the aforementioned source stated in an October 30 piece:
“St. Louis has to be the most intriguing team to me going into the stretch,” said a Western Conference source. “They’ve done a good job of re-tooling on the fly, but are kind of caught in the middle with a young offense and an aging defense.”
That statement seems on par with what we’re seeing on the ice. The Blues forward group boasts plenty of young talent. But the blueline seems like a fixer-upper.
So, what do the Blues do? Do they continue the retool on the fly or blow things up? If the Blues choose to sell, the market could explode.
The source added:
“Brayden Schenn could be made available should they continue this way and many teams will be interested, but I wonder about Jordan Kyrou, Colton Parayko, and Robert Thomas. Are they going to want to undergo a retool or potential rebuild? That’s going to create some noise, maybe not immediately, but closer to the trade deadline, if the Blues remain a bottom-feeding team in the standings.”
You would have to think that Kyrou and Thomas would get the most attention. Just about every contending team would come up with some sort of trade package to land one of them. In that event, the Blues could suddenly blow the doors off the trade market instantly.
Blues rebuild would have to start with their defense
While selling off veteran pieces upfront may seem like the first choice, the fact is that any St. Louis Blues rebuild would have to start with the blue line.
We can assume that Philip Broberg stays put. Beyond that, Colton Parayko, Cam Fowler, and Justin Faulk would be fair game. That trio could garner significant attention, especially for contending teams looking for help on the blue line.
The Vancouver Canucks come to mind as they have three defensemen on the shelf, including captain Quinn Hughes. The New Jersey Devils may be looking to get depth help. Perhaps someone like Tyler Tucker would provide them with a little more support down the stretch.
The Colorado Avalanche may want to dip their toes in the water if Samuel Girard continues to have injury concerns. But none of those teams could really offer young blueliners in return. So, the Blues may have to pivot to other clubs like the Anaheim Ducks or the Chicago Blackhawks.
Then, there are the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks have been rumored to want to clean out their blue line. That could be an avenue to consider, as well.
Ultimately, the decision to blow things up could come down to the next month. If the Blues continue mired in last place, GM Doug Armstrong may have to make a difficult choice. Fans may not like it, but there may be little choice left.