One pending free agent the St. Louis Blues can sign away from each of their Central Division rivals
The St. Louis Blues have shown resilience down the stretch, even if winning the Central Division is no longer possible. But there is a way they can weaken their rivals.
The St. Louis Blues are so, so, so close to snagging a playoff berth, yet with just a few games to go at this point in the season and following a blowout loss to the San Jose Sharks, it’s tough to see them getting there. Yeah, they have otherwise been hot lately, and they may bounce back through the final eight games this season, but it may be a little too late.
The good news? This season was a definite upgrade over what they gave us last year, and it could entice general manager Doug Armstrong to keep most of this group together heading into October 2024. But it’s also clear they need a little more help if they want a top-three or a wild card spot heading into the final stretch of the season in March 2025.
Luckily, there is talent within the Central Division that Armstrong could pry from a rival organization in free agency this year. This article shares seven players - one defenseman and six forwards, who may be there for the taking if they don’t re-sign with their current Central Division teams.
Travis Dermott, Defense/Arizona Coyotes
Here is the truth about the St. Louis Blues this season: They are (sometimes) good defensively and below average offensively. That said, Travis Dermott is the only defenseman on this list, as St. Louis desperately needs to improve their forward rotation.
But with Marco Scandella likely heading elsewhere, they may need someone to fill the void on the bottom-pairing or, ideally, as a seventh blueliner. Travis Dermott is one player who could come into St. Louis, take a spot as the seventh guy on the blue line, and just play a physical game that involves getting in front of the puck when in the defensive zone and landing body checks.
Dermott wouldn’t cost much to bring into Gateway City, as his AAV in Arizona sat at just $800,000. He would also give St. Louis a boost in short-handed minutes should Doug Armstrong be interested in bringing the 27-year-old over, as he’s logged a career-best 119.1 minutes through his 46 appearances.