3 potential offseason trades we’re happy the St. Louis Blues never made

General manager Doug Armstrong could have dismantled the St. Louis Blues lineup further in 2024, but, fortunately, that wasn’t the case.

Mar 28, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA;  St. Louis Blues left wing Pavel Buchnevich (89) is congratulated by teammates after scoring against the Calgary Flames during the second period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 28, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Blues left wing Pavel Buchnevich (89) is congratulated by teammates after scoring against the Calgary Flames during the second period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports | Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

While it’s still technically rumor season, and for that, we can talk extensively about how the St. Louis Blues can still pull off a blockbuster trade before the season begins, there were a few would-be trades that could have happened this offseason involving some key players that we should all heave a sigh of relief and celebrate that they never happened. 

Okay, so maybe not all of us, as I’m sure some in Blues Nation would have wanted to see one or more of the following players traded. But at this point, they provide too much value to the team to go anywhere, especially since we can’t resign ourselves just yet into thinking the Blues won’t contend for a playoff spot this season. 

Pavel Buchnevich 

Throughout the second half of the 2023-24 season and into the offseason, we didn’t know what was going on with Pavel Buchnevich. Was Doug Armstrong going to trade him, or would he ultimately end up sticking around for another year in Gateway City before going elsewhere?

As it turned out, none of the above were the correct answers. Instead, Buchnevich signed on to stay long-term, allowing him to lead a young core of forwards that will include Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas, among other incoming assets.  

Colton Parayko

While I’ve stated several times that I wouldn’t mind seeing the Blues trade away some of their defensemen, Colton Parayko is the one I’d be most willing to see stick around. Parayko is the team’s best defenseman, and he provides substantial help to the Blues when they need to disrupt an opponent’s sequence. 

This isn’t to say I won’t change my mind during the season, as we have no idea what to make of the Blues at the moment. If they’re not contending, there’s a good chance Parayko will bring in quite a bit of compensation. But if the Blues find themselves at least nearing the pace of their Central Division rivals, Parayko will be a major reason why. 

Jordan Kyrou 

No, Jordan Kyrou hasn’t been consistent, and yes, he’s said some controversial things in the recent past. But he produces well enough to at least give us faith that he’ll ultimately break out and enjoy the best season of his career in 2024-25. 

If that’s the case, and it’s not an incredibly big ‘if,’ there’s a chance Kyrou’s numbers could rival that of Robert Thomas should they both enjoy some consistency this season. Even if the Blues end up struggling, I wouldn’t want to see Kyrou going anywhere just yet - he’s young, and he boasts way too much potential.

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