The talk of NHL expansion has begun to make headlines once again. It’s not surprising, as the hefty expansion fees are something the league and owners are always thinking about. But for St. Louis Blues fans, watching this process unfold is more important than ever.
The prevailing chatter is that the league is looking to move into Texas. Yes, there is already one NHL club in Texas, the Dallas Stars. But it seems the NHL wants to capitalize on the sixth-largest TV market in North America: Houston.
While Austin, Texas, is also reportedly up for consideration, there’s no way the league is picking Austin over Dallas. The NHL is all about profits. And there’s much more profitability potential in Houston than in Austin.
Irrespective of which team makes it into the league, the bottom line is that the new team could very well land in the Central Division. And if that’s the case, Blues fans need to pay close attention to what could transpire.
Now, it’s worth noting that expansion isn’t going to happen in the next couple of seasons. In fact, it won’t be until the 2030s that the next team could enter the league. But the NHL is doing its due diligence at the moment.
And before you know it, the expansion draft will be looming.
Blues fans should worry about next expansion draft
Beyond the evident possibility of getting a new neighbor is the fact that there will be another expansion draft.
It’s unlikely the NHL will change the rules for the next expansion draft, likely around 2029 or 2030. If the rules remain the same, the Blues will have two paths. They will either have a chance to follow the 7-3-1 structure or protect 9 players regardless of position.
Since St, Louis is one of the organizations with the most young players coming up through the system, it might be hard to predict who the team could protect. That’s something that Alex Steen will likely have to keep in mind when looking at future roster decisions.
Blues could lose key player to expansion
At the end of the day, the Blues could lose a key player in the next expansion draft. It’s tough to fathom who that might be at this time. Please bear in mind that the team could change over the next three to four seasons.
As such, we’ll have a better idea of who could depart. But considering the last two expansion drafts, the Blues could be willing to part with a veteran piece. In 2017, the Blues lost David Perron in the Vegas Golden Knights expansion draft. In 2021, the casualty was Vince Dunn.
That’s why it’s safe to assume that the Blues would be looking at exposing the team’s veteran pieces. As it stands, only the Blues’ core players are signed beyond 2028. The only vet under contract until 2030 is Colton Parayko.
So, don’t be surprised if the Blues make a couple of free-agent signings in 2029 with the sole purpose of using them as bait for the expansion draft. The good news is that every team has enough time to set up its pieces and avoid any unpleasant surprises.
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