The St. Louis Blues made a trade with two of their remaining three first-round picks by giving up the 15th and 29th selections for Mason McTavish of Anaheim. This is a gigantic move by General Manager Doug Armstrong.
McTavish is another center added this week, after Connor McMichael was added in the trade with Washington for Jordan Kyrou. This puts a lot of pressure on the competition for the second and third lines for centers.
There was a need to fill out the middle of the lineup, and Armstrong nailed it presently and in the future. With the 11th pick, they selected Tynan Lawrence, and absolutely nailed it. McTavish is a young player, looking for a fresh start, and he can get it in St. Louis.
Now, after all the dust settles, the Blues are still going to be on the clock with the 16th pick, and that can be used to grab a defenseman. There are a ton of players still available for them to grab, and using the 29th pick to help bring in an established player is a very smart decision by Armstrong.
The Blues can now build around McTavish and plug him right into the new core group as early as this upcoming season. At $7 million AAV through the 2030-31 season, he is going to have a huge set of expectations. But if head coach Jim Montgomery gives him the right motivation, he can turn his career up a notch in his new city.
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