We're just over a month away from NHL free agency, which begins on July 1. This isn't a particularly strong class of free agents, and, as a result, the most in-demand players will have a real opportunity to capitalize on their success. Building a team through free agency is a dangerous game (look no further than the Nashville Predators' disastrous season), but it can be a useful tool to plug roster holes.
The St. Louis Blues have most of their key players under contract for next season: Radek Faksa and Ryan Suter are both UFAs and shouldn't be renewed, except at a steep discount, and RFA goalie Joel Hofer is the only player of note in need of a new deal. According to PuckPedia, the Blues will have just under $6 million in cap space to play with--and that's before moving Torey Krug to Long-Term Injured Reserve, which would grant an additional $6.5 million in cap room. That's not an insignificant amount of money to put to good use, and the possibility of trades or buyouts could create even more wiggle room.
The greatest areas of need for the Blues are at center and a top-four, preferably right-shot defenseman. Brayden Schenn had a decent year at 2C, but, going on 34 years old, probably isn't the best option if the Blues have their sights set on contending again next season. On the blue line, Justin Faulk and Nick Leddy--both entering their mid-30s and with limited ceilings--aren't moving the needle anymore either.
So, who should the Blues pursue? As fun as it would be to land the biggest fish on the market, signing Mitch Marner probably isn't in the cards. And while it would be great to have both roles sorted, the cap may limit the Blues to only one major free agent; center is probably a higher priority, given that defense can be done a bit more by committee.
Unfortunately for the Blues, the best center available at a reasonable age is also going to be the most in demand: Sam Bennett. The Florida Panthers may find a way to keep him in the end but, if he does hit the market, he'd bring a new dimension to the Blues' forward group. Bennett, however, is going to get paid, and the Blues may not be able to meet the ask or lure him to the organization. Behind Bennett, though, the center options are bleak: John Tavares, Brock Nelson, and Claude Giroux can all play down the middle, but signing them to any significant term at their age would be a major risk. Perhaps the best option would be Mikael Granlund, who likely won't need an enormous contract but would be a solid 2C that can play on the wings when necessary.
There are a lot more options at defense--especially if the Blues are willing to look at left-handed defensemen who play on the right side. Ivan Provorov leads the way there, as he's able to play either side and would be a solid second-pair defenseman who can play up in a pinch. If the Blues are solely focused on Panthers players, Aaron Ekblad has pedigree and should age well. Dante Fabbro's one of the younger UFAs this summer, and he had a resurgent season with the Columbus Blue Jackets that should put him on the Blues' radar. Even a more under-the-radar player like Vladislav Gavrikov or Ryan Lindgren could be an upgrade for the Blues' top-four.
Given the number of defensemen projected to hit the market on July 1, that's probably where the Blues should focus their efforts if they're going to solve either problem in free agency. However, if Sam Bennett comes knocking and is willing to accept a fair contract, then you don't say no; it just seems more likely that the Blues can acquire a center in some sort of trade or hope Schenn can hold the fort until Dalibor Dvorsky's ready for a larger role.
Free agency won't fix every problem with the Blues' roster, but if it makes sense, they should have the cap space to make a major addition to help them right now.