The St. Louis Blues needed their best to come out and beat the Montreal Canadiens. With a 4-3 victory, securing the back-to-back wins North of the Border, they did is without their starpower on offense.
Jimmy Snuggerud, Nathan Walker, Alexey Toropchenko and Jordan Kyrou are still out, and the stretched-thin forward group still potted their second four-goal performance over the last 12 games. One player in particular really went all out to secure the win for the Blues.
That would be captain Brayden Schenn, the only member of this team who needed to play a superb game, and it leads to one question. Does this enhance this trade value, or is this a sign to keep him through whatever is the next stage of this Blues franchise?
Shenn nets first three-point night of the season, when it mattered most
The Blues need to win hockey games. Driving the game to Overtime is not even worth it at this point, as they do not win in the extra frame or shootout, and a point does not move this team any closer to the playoff hunt in the Central Division and Western Conference wildcard.
This season has been all over the place, and there is no clear indicator as to what this team's direction will be. The Blues hold a record of 11-12-7 for 29 points, and they sit six points back of the Minnesota Wild for the third spot in the Central Division. For the Wildcard, they sit one win behind the Utah Mammoth and Edmonton Oilers for both spots at 31 points. The tank is not on yet, as after all of the disappointment settles, they are still within earshot.
For Schenn, and the future of his tenure with the Blues, that is even more unclear. His contract unlocked a 15-team No Trade List and is no longer a No-Trade Clause. That means that if the Blues needed to blow up this core to prepare for a rebuild, Schenn can be moved.
His most recent three-point night revealed the 34-year-old still has it in the tank. Not to mention the gravity of the situation, as some of the top six are out with injury, someone needed to step up. Schenn repped that "C" on his chest with a masterful performance and pulled out a big "W".
There will likely not be a decision made on the future of the Blues until after the Olympic break in February. Up until the Trade Deadline, which is March 6, 2026, there will be a lot of decisions to be made. Schenn's future will certainly be at the top of the list at that time.