This summer is going to bring some major changes for the St. Louis Blues. The front office succession plan will occur, with Alex Steen taking over as general manager from Doug Armstrong. There could be some roster-shaking trades on the horizon, in line with the moves made at the trade deadline back in March. Finally, there's the draft, where the Blues have three first-round picks to play with, and any number of prospects could find themselves donning the Blue Note on draft day, laying the foundation for the Blues' rebuild.
What if, however, those draft picks could serve a different purpose? The team went on a heater down the stretch and, while it didn't result in a playoff berth, it could give management pause when it comes to committing to a full-fledged rebuild. First-round draft picks are valuable capital in trades--and the Blues could use them to accelerate a retool, rather than descending into a long, drawn out rebuild.
The Blues have their own pick at 11th overall, closely followed by the Detroit Red Wings' selection at 15, and finally the Colorado Avalanche's pick somewhere in the late 20s or early 30s, depending on how the Stanley Cup playoffs shake out (though after last night's win over the Minnesota Wild, it's looking like it could be 31). Using a combination of those picks could land the Blues a player in their prime, capable of stepping into the lineup and making an immediate impact for the 2026-27 season. Free agency is looking barren this summer, so trades may be the only way to add some top-end talent.
That's not to say they should be throwing first-round picks at veterans who are on the verge of declining. If the Blues do opt to retool this offseason, they can target players in their early and mid-20s and make those premium picks centerpieces of a trade package. The Blues have the assets to retool if they so choose--all they have to do is determine whether that's the best course of action or not.
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