It's the lull of the offseason, but that doesn't mean trade rumors aren't still floating around the league. One name that hasn't seemed to drop out of the conversation is Jordan Kyrou, and the St. Louis Blues seem intent on keeping his name out there. In fact, the Blues were apparently trying to shop him for a top-ten pick at the draft last month before his No-Trade Clause kicked in. However, once July 1 passed, the NTC on Kyrou's contract came into effect, and he cannot be traded without approval; the most likely outcome is Kyrou suits up on opening night for the Blues.
That said, management is playing a dangerous game. Yes, Kyrou would have to waive his NTC and accept a trade if such a deal came together, which seems unlikely. However, at some point, perhaps Kyrou will start to ask himself, "Why am I playing for an organization that seems so desperate to get rid of me?" And the Blues could find themselves in a load of trouble if things move that way, as all of a sudden other players with contracts up for renewal--including prospects--and free agents start asking themselves the same question: "Why would I want to play for an organization that treats even their top players this poorly?"
As a smaller market team compared to the New Yorks and LAs, the Blues already have an uphill battle signing free agents, and a sloppily executed Kyrou trade could send the wrong message; if the Blues present as dysfunctional and lacking respect for their top players, nobody's going to want to play in St. Louis. The Blues need to be extremely careful with how they're handling these Kyrou rumors, and if the situation becomes so untenable and miserable for Kyrou that he's willing to waive his trade protections, that will reflect poorly on the organization as a whole. If the Blues feel they have to move their top-line winger, fine, but they have to appreciate there could be consequences if they don't respect the gravity of the situation.