With the St. Louis Blues on pace to at least finish near the final wild card spot, if not outright sneak into it, they have some offseason flexibility. St. Louis has won enough this season that general manager Doug Armstrong may decide to try and make another big move or two that could turn the Blues into a more legitimate contender in the Central Division.
If he takes such a route, that’s fine, but he should also be warned that it should not come at the expense of a few A-prospects. Some of those names you may already be familiar with, as the likes of Zachary Bolduc and Zach Dean are already on the radar for potential full-time roles next season.
But these aren’t the only players who started the 2023-24 season in the prospects pool who should stick around the organization for 2024-25, regardless of what Armstrong decides to do.
The St. Louis Blues cannot afford to move a few high-potential prospects
While the Blues don’t have an outstanding prospects pool, they do have a few players who have been stellar in their respective organizations this season, whether in the NCAA, the junior leagues, or overseas. So, regardless of who Armstrong wants to bring in if he’s looking to maximize the Blues playoff chances next season, the following trio of prospects should be off-limits to any and all trade talks.
One player had an outstanding season last year, and he followed that up with yet another solid showing in 2023-24. Another prospect has been making plays since he arrived in North America, and that trend is showing zero signs of slowing as his first year in North America winds down. Finally, there is a prominent two-way defenseman in the system who hasn’t made the move yet, but you will know them soon enough.