One pending free agent the St. Louis Blues can sign away from each of their Central Division rivals

Colin Blackwell, Forward/Chicago Blackhawks

Hey, we had to name someone from the Blackhawks, right? Overall, the best of the bunch was Colin Blackwell, the first of many potential forwards on this list. No, it won’t be possible for Doug Armstrong to sign everyone mentioned, but this exercise is all about identifying real possibilities, and Blackwell would serve this team well when in the correct role. 

It’s been a rough year for Chicago, so predictably, Blackwell’s production has been far below average. But the lower lines are where he plays his best hockey, something that hasn’t always been the case with the Hawks, as he’s logged a career-high in average total ice time. 

His basic stats won’t wow you, but Blackwell has, in previous stops, shown off a decent shot selection. Through 47 games in 2020-21, that shot selection led to an 18.8 shooting percentage before he ended the 2021-22 season with 13.0 percent. 

We haven’t seen much of it over the past two seasons, but Blackwell is also a player who can finish checks and add a much-needed edge to the Blues. Overall, Blackwell would be an adequate, serviceable signing, but as you would have guessed without even reading this section, there are much better options out there, especially for the lower lines.