Just about every player on the St. Louis Blues roster has been the subject of trade rumors this season. With a handful of players getting the bulk of the attention, one has seemingly flown under the radar this season.
But according to insider Jeff Marek, that may no longer be the case. That player is forward Pius Suter. Suter is currently on the shelf with an ankle injury. He is expected to be out for another couple of weeks.
That situation, however, hasn’t diminished the attention Suter could get from teams looking to add. During an appearance on Oilers Nation Everyday, Marek had this to say about Suter:
“I'll tell you one of the names that I really wonder about here is Pius Suter; how many teams will look at Suter and say that's our guy...for the playoffs.”
Marek’s comments underscore the value some teams see in Suter. Last season, the 29-year-old Swiss forward parlayed a 25-goal season with the Vancouver Canucks into a two-year, $8.25 million deal this past offseason.
The Blues, looking for help down the middle, took a swing at Suter. While he isn’t nearly on pace to break 25 goals this year, his seven goals and 14 points in 37 games have been good enough to draw attention from teams across the league.
It’s also worth pointing out that it’s been a down offensive year for the Blues across the board. Perhaps some teams might look at that and believe he could be a better scorer in a different setting.
Suter’s injury shouldn’t be an impediment for interested teams. Nevertheless, he might be a better option for teams after the Olympic break, when there’s a little more clarity on his injury.
It would be interesting, though, if Suter could return at some point in January. Getting a couple of games in before the Olympics could help the Blues move forward on a deal ahead of the roster freeze on February 4.