Over the past couple of games, Nick Bjugstad has been one of the Blues' biggest producers. After missing 15 games due to an upper-body injury, Bjugstad has returned to the lineup red hot. In two games, he has recorded two goals. This includes a short-handed goal in the game against the Hurricanes, which turned out to be the game-winner. He's been a big reason why the Blues have won the past couple of games.
While Bjugstad's performance has been great over the past couple of games, it's unknown whether he can keep it up. We have seen scoring spurts like this from Bjugstad before, and he usually comes back down to earth. However, as long as Bjugstad continues to play well, he could become one of the most valuable players the Blues could move at the deadline. But why would they trade him, and what are the potential landing spots?
Nick Bjugstad could be one of the most valuable trade assets for the Blues
So far this season, Bjugstad has played in 27 games, racking up six goals and one assist for seven points. He has also delivered 54 hits, 19 blocked shots, and forced two takeaways. He's the kind of player who can bring a physical edge to a bottom-six, while having some offensive upside. His advance numbers show a similar story. According to Natural Stat Trick, he has a 44.60 CF%, a 45.97 SCF%, and a 48.43 xG%. Not great, but just below the level of an average offensive player.
Bjugsatd is the type of player that teams are desperate to acquire at the trade deadline. He won't be the best player available, but his style of play translates well to the playoffs. Throughout his career, he has played in 27 playoff games, scoring six goals and adding two assists for eight points. His 6'6" frame allows him to provide the physicality and grit that is needed if a team wants to make a deep playoff run. This will make him one of the hottest commodities at the deadline.
It's not just his play style that makes him valuable; his contract is also very reasonable. During the offseason, he signed a two-year deal with an average annual value of $1.75 million. This means whoever lands him will get a season and a half of Bjugstad at a highly cheap contract. This makes Bjugstad's value even higher. He's someone who contending teams can rely on over the next couple of seasons.
Every contender should have some interest in Bjugstad. While Bjugstad's value is higher with his experience and contract, he still should only cost a couple of draft picks. This is a very affordable price. One team, like the Sharks, could jump on. The Sharks are currently in a playoff spot but are still seen as ahead of schedule. A cheap player like Bjugstad is perfect because he'll improve the lineup without jeopardizing the future. We could also see teams like the Maple Leafs and Oilers make a run at him to add some physicality.
While Bjugstad's performance has been great these past couple of games, he does not have a future with the Blues. The best thing to do is to trade him while his value is high.