The St. Louis Blues' future plans are not set in stone, and there is no indication yet from General Manager Doug Armstrong on what the next steps will be. The vibe is leaning toward it being a retooling phase, in which the current core group is going to be moved around to make way for a new look.
After the Blues pulled off an unbelievable victory against the Florida Panthers on Thursday night, 5-4 in the final seconds of the third period, there was one player who was on the ice who would be a perfect fit in the Blue Note. Just like his father before him, Matthew Tkachuk fits the mold of the Blues so well, and he is entering the prime of his career.
Can the Blues sway him home, and build the next era of this franchise's history around him?
I'm coming home
Tkachuk still holds onto his roots of St. Louis, and the time his father, Keith Tkachuk, was with the Blues from 2000 through 2010. There is a solid chance that he could eventually make his way back there at some point in his career, and now might be the best time for it.
The Panthers are still a powerhouse team in the Eastern Conference, and let us not forget that they ran the gauntlet with a "weaker" team last season and won the Stanley Cup. That aspect of a consistently successful franchise is hard to argue when trying to move a player with a No Movement Clause attached for the rest of his $9.5 Million AAV contract, set until the end of 2029-30.
But, with a blossoming young core of Jimmy Snuggerud, Dalibor Dvorsky, Justin Carbonneau, Dylan Holloway, and Otto Stenberg, it is not like the Blues have nothing to offer Tkachuk to build around. The idea of naming Tkachuk the captain of the Blues is another angle to try here, as Brayden Schenn is one of the more likely Blues to leave at the trade deadline this season.
Another name has to come off of the Blues roster in order for this to happen however, as Robert Thomas is likely the only trade chip that will get Tkachuk anywhere close to the 'Lou. At this point, it might not be a bad deal if it is a one-for-one trade.
Is it worth going all-in on Tkachuk becoming a Blue and coming home?