One dream, one realistic, and one bargain player the St. Louis Blues can sign in NHL free agency

Bargain Free Agent: Eric Robinson, Buffalo Sabres

I remember laughing a little when Kevyn Adams “answered” a contingent of Buffalo Sabres fans urging him to “do something” by trading for Eric Robinson. Robinson appeared in just seven NHL games last season before the Columbus Blue Jackets traded him to the Sabres, where he finished the year with just 10 points in a combined 47 games for both clubs. 

But what Robinson did well is what landed him in the “bargain free agent” category in this article, and it involved some strong supplementary defense and his relentless approach to the game that saw him attacking the crease when helping his linemates move the puck. In those 40 games with Buffalo, Robinson saw just 15 goals go by his netminder when on the ice at even strength, and he finished the year above 50 percent in the Corsi. 

A 92.6 on-ice save percentage in the same situation also jumps out, which further indicates upper-echelon defense from the winger. And it’s something the Blues need to see from their entire team. That would also make a player like Robinson more valuable on the fourth line, as would his physical style. 

Overall, there would be a lot of raised eyebrows if Doug Armstrong signed a player like Robinson to a deal, given his status as a part-time player this year and the fact he lost his spot in the Blue Jackets lineup before he was traded. But his overall upside in what was a redemption run with the Sabres showed he could be valuable, even if he’s not a scorer. 

(Statistics powered by Hockey-Reference)