The St. Louis Blues' sell-off is set to begin at some point this season. While the clock may have run out on the sell-off beginning ahead of the Olympics, the three-week hiatus should give the team enough time to figure out what to do moving forward.
That said, one of the biggest questions has focused on which big name could go first. That’s a matter that Blues insider Jeremy Rutherford took a stab at in a recent mailbag in The Athletic. Rutherford responded to a reader’s question, asking about the likelihood of players being moved.
Rutherford answered by stating that Justin Faulk could be the first out the door. Faulk would be followed by Brayden Schenn, Jordan Kyrou, Jordan Binnington, Robert Thomas, and Pavel Buchnevich.
The notable Blues insider offered a precise reason why Buchnevich would be the last to go:
“Thomas would be last, but I don’t think there’s a team out there that’s going to take the remaining five years of Buchnevich’s contract ($8 million average annual value).”
In other words, Robert Thomas would be the last guy the Blues would want to move. However, Buchnevich’s albatross of a contract would scare off just about every team. Unless the Blues were willing to eat up a chunk of that contract for the next five seasons, Buchnevich is pretty much cast into the team’s roster.
There’s always the possibility that some GM out there succumbs to pressure and decides to take a swing at Buchnevich. But even if that were the case, the Blues wouldn’t likely get much in return beyond cap space.
The Blues may just hold on to their pieces until offseason
There is a case to be made for the Blues holding on to their pieces until the offseason. The trade deadline tends to be a very reactionary time in which some GMs look to make moves for the sake of making them.
If the Blues find themselves dealing with someone in that position, there could be an opportunity for a massive fleecing. Otherwise, Doug Armstrong and Alex Steen might just sit by and wait for the dust to settle.
During the offseason, especially leading up to the NHL Draft, teams have a better shot at making massive moves.
Yes, there might be a club out there wanting to make a splash by trading for Justin Faulk or Brayden Schenn. But unless the offers are solid, the Blues may do well to push back from the table and wait for the offseason.
The likelihood of making a blockbuster trade in the offseason is much higher than in-season. That said, the Olympic break should give the Blues plenty of time to work something big out. Without games and roster management to consider, general managers will have less to worry about.
And that could open the floodgates.
But there’s one thing that Blues fans will have to keep in mind. Armstrong is Team Canada’s GM. So, he’ll be off in Milano-Cortina focused on winning a gold medal. Whatever happened, it will ultimately be Alex Steen who works behind the scenes.
The next four weeks or so could yield some very interesting times for Blues fans. So, stay tuned.