It seems a bit weird that there will be no NHL games this weekend. The Milano-Cortina opening ceremony on Friday officially kicked off what will be an intense next couple of weeks of hockey.
During the first week or so, players, coaches, and execs not participating in the Olympics will get some mandatory downtime. While players and coaches will certainly take that leave in stride, executives may still be looking to catch up on some unfinished business.
For the St. Louis Blues, that unfinished business could include doing some soul-searching.
In particular, the Blues will need to determine where they’re going heading into this year’s trade deadline. The anticipation is that the Blues will be sellers at the deadline. Everyone has been expecting the Blues to blow things up since late November. But that’s something that hasn’t yet materialized.
So, the Olympic break is an ideal time to figure out what the path forward will be. It’s worth pointing out that GM Doug Armstrong will be in Milano-Cortina with Team Canada. That situation means it will be up to Alex Steen to run the show back home.
Could Steen use the downtime to speak with players about potential trades? It would be a good time to do so.
Steen can also look into getting the wheels moving on deals. We’ve heard Justin Faulk’s name out there for weeks. Similarly, Jordan Kyrou and Brayden Schenn have been among trade rumors seemingly forever now.
So, wouldn’t it make sense to close the loop on that once and for all? Either move these players or definitely shut down talk.
The ultimate purpose of this exercise is to decide who goes and who stays. For those that go, the next step is to figure out the price tag on them and possible suitors. While trades can’t officially go through until after the Olympics, handshake deals can take place.
One last thing: This exercise in soul-searching should establish who the St. Louis Blues will be moving forward. If the guys like Kyrou, Schenn, and Jordan Binnington are part of the team’s future core, then so be it.
It makes no sense for the Blues moving forward if it’s unclear what the team’s core should be. But that’s a discussion for another day.