The St. Louis Blues need to find some scorers this offseason, and perhaps they will come in the form of a two-way blueliner like Jakob Chychrun. Or, maybe general manager Doug Armstrong would rather check out what kind of forwards may be on the trade block this offseason and go from there?
While there will be quite a few big names on the move in the coming months, three players whose names have been mentioned at one time or another may not be the best additions despite their recent performances or high potential.
Below, we’re discussing three players Armstrong would be wise to pass on thanks to factors like age, ineffective play, and just overall looking like a not-so-good fit. One name may surprise you, given their recent play, another one you’ll probably agree shouldn’t come to Gateway City, and the third name is a good defensive forward but wouldn’t give the Blues much in the offensive zone.
Brock Nelson/New York Islanders
Brock Nelson would be an ideal fit somewhere if the New York Islanders try to free up cap space this summer and trade one of their older, albeit big-time players. And if you look at Nelson’s numbers, you may ask me why he’s even on this list, as the guy has put up 34-plus goals in each of the last three seasons while accumulating 203 points in his previous 236 games.
He’s logged a 16.6 shooting percentage, 15 game-winners, plus 50 power play points (26 goals). Overall, Nelson has been one of the NHL’s top scorers, and a frenzy could erupt to trade for his services.
But heading into what will be his age-33 campaign, there is a lot of risk involved here, such as the number of elite seasons Nelson has left in accordance to what general manager Lou Lamoriello would want for him.
That said, Nelson is due just $4 million this season, and he’s also someone who, when he signs a new deal at some point, likely won’t see another AAV of $6 million, given his age. Yet if anyone trades for Nelson, they will be giving up a lot of compensation upfront, and that’s something Doug Armstrong doesn’t need to part ways with.
If Armstrong was wise, he would look ahead a few seasons and ask himself where he sees the Blues, and that should be as a much younger hockey team. Adding Nelson would immediately improve the team’s scoring, but what would the potential long-term ramifications look like?