The St. Louis Blues have had a hard season, and there is no clear indicator of which way it will end. All signs are pointing toward it being over at this point, and the Trade Deadline is going to reshape this team's future.
If General Manager Doug Armstrong decides to wave the white flag and surrender the season, then they have to do a couple of things before the final game on April 16 against the Utah Mammoth.
The Trade Deadline has to be flawless and extreme. No one is safe from being moved, and those pesky No-Movement Clauses have to be lifted by the players. Call up the next generation of Blues, and let them roam free. And finally, tank this season and go chase their next franchise icon.
Tank for McKenna?
Currently, the Blues have the second-best odds at landing the first-overall pick at 13.6%. They trail the Vancouver Canucks, who sit seven points below the Blues.
In terms of the young player that will likely get selected with the first-overall pick, this is a bit tricky. It is a tight battle between Gavin McKenna of Penn State (NCAA) and Ivar Stenberg from the SHL. Yes, Stenberg is the brother of Otto Stenberg, the blossoming prospect in the Blues farm system.
Both players are destined to have great careers, and if the cards fall to the Blues, they will have a tough decision to make. McKenna and Stenberg have been electrifying this season for the respective teams, and are destined to change the trajectory of whatever NHL team they get drafted too.
Importance of #1 overall pick
As evident during this year's Olympics, the first overall picks have taken over the Tournament. In the Round Robin play, Connor McDavid led the way with nine points, followed by sensation Macklin Celebrini. Then came Juraj Slafkovský, Sidney Crosby, Auston Matthews, and Nathan MacKinnon.
Notice a pattern there, they are all first-overall picks. If that doesn't scream out that it is worth tanking for a generational talent.
McKenna and Stenberg are two viable options that could help restart this Blues championship era. This potential re-tool could be accelerated with a top pick in the next NHL draft.