So much chatter has gone into the potential moves by the St. Louis Blues at this year’s NHL trade deadline. With less than three days to go until the official deadline strikes, the Blues are on the verge of making a series of franchise-altering moves.
Yes, nothing big has happened thus far. But there’s one reason to believe that the Blues could blow things up before the season ends.
This year’s NHL trade deadline marks the last time Blues GM Doug Armstrong will be going through the wringer. He’ll be retiring at the end of the season, with Alex Steen taking over next season.
While some retiring folks may only care about running out the clock, Armstrong seems keen on leaving Steen in a good spot. As Elliotte Friedman noted in the latest episode of his 32 Thoughts Podcast, Armstrong wants to be the bad guy on the way out the door.
In doing so, he leaves a “clean slate” for Steen in building a winning team.
That’s actually a selfless act on Armstrong’s part. He doesn’t really care about taking the blame if the Blues falter after this season. He’s comfortable with the fan base and media pointing to him and pinning the blame on him.
If that were the case, it would take a huge load off Steen’s shoulders. He wouldn’t have to face the pressure of actually having to bear the brunt of his decisions.
The time for Blues to Trade Thomas, Binnington, and Kyrou is now
Based on the previous assessment, the time to trade big names like Robert Thomas, Jordan Binnington, and Jordan Kyrou is now.
Armstrong can get trigger-happy and make deals happen. He can recoup as many assets for Steen to work with and then push back from the table.
Meanwhile, Steen can utilize the assets in the summer to build the roster for next season. While next year may not be overly successful, it would, at the very least, help the club build for a more sustainable long-term outlook.
It’s a bit tough to tell what the Blues may have in store as we speak. But whatever happens by Friday evening, the Blues should be in a better place. The team has the legs to become a major player in the Central Division for years to come.
There will be an inevitable decline in the current powerhouses. That decline could coincide nicely with the Blues’ rising stock. That’s why fans should be cautiously optimistic about this year’s NHL trade deadline.