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3 NHL buyout candidates the St. Louis Blues must keep an eye on

The St. Louis Blues could remain on the cusp of returning to the playoffs in the 2024-25 season, and signing an NHL buyout candidate could be the way to go.

By Todd Matthews

Nov 30, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Buffalo Sabres left wing Jeff Skinner (53) controls the puck against the St. Louis Blues during the first period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 30, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Buffalo Sabres left wing Jeff Skinner (53) controls the puck against the St. Louis Blues during the first period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports / Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
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A change of scenery could more than benefit Josh Anderson

You can look at Josh Anderson’s points total across his four seasons and Montreal and ask why he’s even on this list. But look at his number of goals scored, and you’ll see why he would be an asset for the Blues if Doug Armstrong wishes to upgrade the team’s scoring units. He scored 66 times over the previous four seasons, good for between 16 and 17 per year, a number that would have been higher if he didn’t struggle in 2023-24. 

Take out the previous year (everyone has an off-year at some point, right?) and measure his output between 2020-21 and 2022-23: He finished with 57 goals, good for 19, on average, over those three seasons, and a 13.0 shooting percentage. 

But scoring isn’t the only reason Josh Anderson would make a good fit for the Blues should the Canadiens buy out his contract later this month. He’s also someone who will disrupt plays and provide insurance in the defensive zone. 

Anderson made a lot of defensive zone starts at even strength, and he averaged 150 hits per season while in Montreal, not to mention the fact he was trusted enough to play primarily top-six minutes throughout most of his time in Quebec. Yeah, Anderson fell short of expectations, but he wouldn’t be a half-bad pickup if he ended up in Gateway City for the 2024-25 season. 

As mentioned in the previous slide, all three of the buyout candidates listed would be good fits if Doug Armstrong opted to sign experienced players. If he wanted to keep retooling and trying to make this team younger, then neither Anderson, Johansen, nor Player No. 3 on this list would be coming. 

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