The St. Louis Blues have to figure out their offensive problems, and all signs are pointing toward demolishing their core group. One of those members, who just signed a big contract extension prior to this season, may be on the move.
Pavel Buchnevich, who has been on a downward spiral over the last couple of seasons, has added to the mediocrity of the Blues' offensive display this season. His lack of positive production has been a detriment, and there is only one real move to make with him going forward.
The next move for Buchnevich is painfully obvious, but it also might relieve the die-hard Blue Note fans.
Trading Buchnevich
With 25 points at this stage in the season, it has been a pitiful showing from No. 89 this season. He is projected to finish the season with 41 points in total, and this is not worth an AAV of $8 million, when scoring goals and adding assists is his sole job. The Blues rely on him for his ability to score and lay a little bit of pressure with his bigger frame, and neither of those things has been seen this season.
Now, the same can be said for much of this Blues team, as nobody has really shown any real stride of excellence. That goes for the offense and defense, and especially the goaltending tandem. Buchnevich continues to be a hot topic of discussion, as his first year under his new deal has been his worst since joining the Blues in 2021-22.
The Blues could get a marginally lucrative return for No. 89, but it will be a tough sell with his contract. General Manager Doug Armstrong can make the argument that when he enters a new home, much like he did when he was traded from the New York Rangers to St. Louis, he did excel in the beginning. Another change of scenery could help Buchnevich.
It all depends on what direction the Blues are looking to go into when the Olympic Break wraps up. There will be very little time for Armstrong and the rest of the front office to build a game plan on what the future of the Blue Note looks like. From here, it looks like one of the easier moves to make will be to move on from Buchnevich and get the best possible return.