St. Louis Blues: The upcoming two weeks are crucial and revolve around Jordan Kyrou
The next two weeks are crucial in the offseason. They include the NHL Draft in Vegas and the start of free agency on July 1st. Believe it or not, both have strong implications regarding Jordan Kyrou and his future.
To set the record straight, I’ve been vocal: The St. Louis Blues shouldn’t trade Jordan Kyrou.
In my estimation, the fanbase is split on whether they want him gone.
It has been presented many times that if GM Doug Armstrong is going to trade him, he better do it soon, as his contract has a fully protected no-trade clause starting in 2025.
Two events remain that St. Louis Blues fans need to keep their eyes on, which can give us an indication of Kyrou’s future in St. Louis.
The 2024 NHL Draft
Draft trades occur all of the time. Surprises often go down when top picks get traded for proven players.
We’ve already covered this in previous pieces, but several teams with significant cap space, such as Utah, the Anaheim Ducks, and even the Chicago Blackhawks, could benefit from Kyrou’s services.
Would any of these teams be willing to part with their high-pick for a Kyrou deal? Of course, the Blues would probably have to add to the mix by throwing in their pick and perhaps additional prospects. This is especially true for the Blackhawks and Ducks, but it’s not impossible.
Kyrou is a good player and a proven scorer. He’s also young. He could be a desirable option for teams that have significant cap room.
Outside of the draft, free-agency starts on July 1st.
Free-Agency
If GM Doug Armstrong moved Kyrou before the start of free-agency, he would open up additional cap space for a potential defenseman.
Many teams, including the ones mentioned, have ample cap space to add Kyrou to their roster.
Should Armstrong pull the trigger on or before July 1, this would be exactly what he had planned.
Other options
Of course, Armstrong could try to trade Kyrou for a defenseman or another scoring threat, but analyzing the current and future roster, I doubt Armstrong goes after a proven scorer.
First, he has Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich. But more telling is the logic that Jake Neighbours could perhaps fill a significant gap made by a Kyrou departure.
And what makes things even more interesting is if Dalibor Dvorsky entered the mix sooner than later. Armstrong can also rely on Brayden Schenn and Brandon Saad, both proven veteran leaders.
Personally, I don’t think Kyrou should be traded. But we should pay close attention to the start of the draft and free-agency.
How does Alexander Steen feel about Kyrou? What has Drew Bannister said about Kyrou behind closed doors to Armstrong? These answers will dictate Kyrou’s future.
We know 2025 is around the corner, and if Armstrong and future GM Steen plan on moving Kyrou, it will happen soon.
feed