3 players the St. Louis Blues can steal from the Red Wings in NHL free agency
Shayne Gostisbehere, D
I’m not the biggest fan of bringing in another over-30 defenseman or journeyman. But Shayne Gostisbehere is an outlier, as he’s someone who would also help the Blues power play by playing quarterback on the top unit and also helping the team score at even strength.
Gostisbehere helped the Wings score 42 times at 5-on-4 this past season, and the 15.6 on-ice shooting percentage is a career-high. Further, 29 of Gostisbehere’s 56 points occurred on the power play, and if nothing else, that should entice Doug Armstrong to at least put the blueliner on his shortlist if he’s interested in bringing in a player who has proven he can regularly help put his team in scoring position.
This also isn’t the first time Gostisbehere has erupted on a points frenzy, as he’s put up at least 41 over the past three seasons. So, like Sprong, the Blues would get someone proven to help them offensively should they be lucky enough to bring in a player like Gostisbehere.
Unlike the other two names listed, it would make sense to sign Gostisbehere to something at a longer contract length, as they can always look to move one of their current blueliners like Torey Krug, whose name circulated trade rumors during deadline season. He would also factor in as more than just a role player earning minimal ice time, so he would make a sound investment.
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(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)