We're just days away from the NHL's trade deadline, and talks are heating up all across the league--and for the St. Louis Blues, in particular. That shouldn't come as a surprise: the Blues have quite a few players that could be in a new home by 3 p.m. on Friday, many of them extremely valuable as Stanley Cup contending teams load up for a playoff push.
In the spirit of the deadline, we're going to play matchmaker and set five Blues up with their dream destinations: Robert Thomas, Justin Faulk, Jordan Binnington, Brayden Schenn, and Jordan Kyrou. The teams we're sending them to could just be a good fit, or it could be the right assets that GM Doug Armstrong should be looking to acquire as he goes about his deadline dealmaking.
Robert Thomas to the Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers may not be a team associated with Thomas right now, but they do have quite a collection of young players and prospects that could get a deal done. It's also no secret that the Flyers are desperate for a top-six center, and Thomas's age is about in line with where the Flyers are in their rebuild. They look poised to miss the playoffs again this season, despite a recent winning streak, but next year, Thomas would have some extremely talented wingers on his flanks.
Justin Faulk to the Detroit Red Wings
In another deal with an Eastern Conference team, the Blues send Faulk to the Red Wings, and the extra year of term on Faulk's contract is a big reason why. The Red Wings have an up-and-coming right-shot defenseman in Axel Sandin-Pellikka, who looks promising but may not be ready for a full-time second-pair role by next season; adding Faulk would provide something of a bridge that would ease Sandin-Pellikka into that position while providing great support behind Moritz Seider.
Jordan Binnington to the Edmonton Oilers
Goalie problems and the Edmonton Oilers, name a more iconic duo. Trading Stuart Skinner for Tristan Jarry has, unsurprisingly, worked out, and the Oilers are barely in a wildcard position--a playoff miss would be devastating after Connor McDavid gifted the Oilers two seasons to figure out how to build a winner around him. Edmonton's thin on assets, but Binnington comes with serious risk given his play all season, and that surely deflates the return. Binnington did, however, perform well in the Olympics, and maybe his countryman McDavid puts in a good word with Oilers management to bring him north of the border.
Brayden Schenn to the Utah Mammoth
The Mammoth are on the cusp of making the playoffs for the first time since relocating from Arizona--now's a good time for them to add to make sure they get over the hump. They have a pretty formidable punch down the middle with Nick Schmaltz, Logan Cooley, and Barrett Hayton, but Schmaltz is a pending UFA, and Hayton, a pending RFA, has never really lived up to his draft pedigree. With a few years of term on his contract, Schenn would be a valuable bridge until Utah's prospects (like Caleb Desnoyers) are ready to turn pro. His leadership for a team reaching the postseason for the first time would also be useful.
Jordan Kyrou to the Seattle Kraken
The Kraken want to add a game-breaking winger, and that is Kryou, even though this season has been a disappointment. Seattle also has a ton of young players and prospects, plus plenty of draft capital, that could be enough to entice the Blues into making a deal. A Kyrou trade feels like the least likely to happen at this deadline, but Seattle would be a solid landing spot for him.