The St. Louis Blues are at a standstill as they are the only team in the NHL that has not reached 10 wins yet. In fact, they have a chance to be on the wrong side of history and join the 1974-75 Washington Capitals with how terribly they are playing.
How can they fix this and right the ship? Do they have to take out a once-crucial piece to the puzzle, in hopes of giving it a better shot next season? Who can they take out of the core group?
So many questions, but realistically, there is only one answer. Let's talk about it.
Brayden Schenn on his way out?
It was a little further into the year last season when captain Brayden Schenn was starting to be thrown around the rumor mill. But the Blues were also in a much better spot last season, at this point, than they are right now. This current team is broken, with either one area of the ice failing or the entire team failing almost every single game.
Schenn refuted his no-trade clause last season, giving him a chance to stay on with the Blues and help bring them to the Playoffs. This season, however, it might be best for both parties to rid of the captain and start over.
At -16 on the season, four goals and five assists for nine points, that is not the kind of production you want from a top-six player. Not to mention that Father Time is catching up with the 34-year-old center.
The Core needs a re-tool
Robert Thomas is entering the prime of his career, and Jordan Kyrou as well. Philip Broberg is establishing himself as a first-ranked d-man, and the chips are not completely out on Logan Mailloux. Jimmy Snuggerud, Dalibor Dvorksky, Adam Jecho, Adam Jiricek, and of course Justin Carbonneau are the future of this franchise.
The Blues need to get rid of at least Schenn, and potentially Colton Parayko and Cam Fowler on the defensive end. That would bring in more youth, or potentially some help in goaltending should the front office decide to move on from the franchise-leading goaltender, Jordan Binnington.
It all starts with Schenn. And with how many scouts are catching Blues games at the moment, that has to be who they are looking at.