The St. Louis Blues' failed postseason bid means their attention now turns to acquiring new players, in a variety of ways. There are plenty of options in the UFA market and the best options will come from players whose contracts expire prior to 2024-25, if they are not extended. Of course, things could change in the following months, but for now, here's a shortlist of players the Blues could bid on.
Jake DeBrusk, Boston Bruins
If the Blues made a wish list as to who they'd most want to snag, DeBrusk, still only 27, is clearly at the top. A right winger who can do everything from excelling on the opposite wing of the ice, to driving to the net,while still being able to provide an equally effective defense - the Bruins' star winger has it all.
He would perfectly compliment the Blues' own star RW in Jake Neighbours. DeBrusk had 19 goals and 21 assists for 40 assists this season, a slight drop from 2022-23 (27 g, 23 ast, 50 pts), but he does already have 3 goals and 2 assists in 7 playoff games this season as Boston took down Toronto in the first round.
If the Blues want to go all in during free agency this June, DeBrusk is undoubtedly their top priority in making a return to the playoffs.
Chandler Stevenson, Vegas Golden Knights
Stevenson draws a few comparisons to current Blues captain Brayden Schenn, notably his size. At 6 feet even, the 30-year-old Golden Knights star has flourished in 5 seasons with the VGK after spending the other and 1st 5 years of his career with Washington.
Stevenson has 75 goals and 162 career assists for 237 points during his tenure in Sin City, after a 16 goal 35 assist and 51-point regular season this year. This might seem like another big-time make-or-break deal for St. Louis, but remember- so is the DeBrusk deal. If the Blues want another playoff run, they need to amp up some of their lines and Stevenson is a pretty good candidate, especially given his faceoff prowess.
He did have a slight dip in wins in the circle this season compared to the previous two, but any team in a partial rebuild like the Blues would want a guy who can win the offensive or defensive zone duels.
Dakota Joshua, Vancouver Canucks
Joshua logged 42 games in two seasons with the Blues in 2020-21 and 2021-22, but wasn't quite developed enough to be a star player in St. Louis. But since heading further west and further north to Vancouver, the 27-year-old has more than doubled his numbers, with 18 goals, 14 assists and 32 points in the regular season. He's done well in the playoffs so far, too, with 2 goals and 2 assists in 6 games. It might not be the worst idea in the world for a St. Louis reunion for a guy that started his 4-year career in the Gateway City.
Joshua also had similar regular season numbers for Vancouver in 2022-23, so he's becoming a consistent player as well, something the Blues desparately need more of heading into 2024/25. He could be a solid replacement for someone like Sammy Blais, who fell flat this past year.
There are many other young star players out there on the free agent market in a variety of positions, so like always, the Blues must play their cards wisely if they want the best players possible that will help them next October. Otherwise, it could mean a 3rd straight postseason miss, and no team's fanbase ever likes to see that.