Not one thing has gone well for the St. Louis Blues this year. Their 6-9-5 record has them near the bottom of the Western Conference, and one measly point ahead of the Nashville Predators in the Central Division. Their goaltenders have been a disaster, and their "star" players haven't lived up to what's expected of them. Things aren't looking great!
It's no surprise, then, that several Blues players appear on this early-season trade board from over at The Athletic. It's getting late early, and trading away roster players may be the only course of action moving forward.
Highest on the list is a little surprising: Brayden Schenn, the captain of the team, comes in at number six. Schenn has two years remaining after this season on his $6.5-million AAV contract, and it's becoming clear he may not fit the timeline for this team nor be good enough to get them over the hump. He's got a 15-team no-trade clause, though, so he has some control over where he goes--but if GM Doug Armstrong woke up tomorrow and wanted to trade him, there are plenty of other teams he could send Schenn to without issue.
Not far behind Schenn, at number eight, is Justin Faulk. Faulk only has one additional year on his $6.5-million AAV contract, but, like Schenn, he also carries a 15-team no-trade clause. Faulk isn't what he once was, though with some retention, he could still bring quite a bit of value to a contending team.
The lowest Blue on the list is none other than Jordan Kyrou, at number 20. Kyrou is one of the aforementioned underperforming stars on this roster, but it's easy to forget he's still considered a very good top-six winger. His $8.125-million AAV contract runs all the way through 2031 and has a full no-move clause, so Kyrou will have the final say on whether he stays or goes.
It's early for trade talk, of course, but if the Blues' season continues to spiral downwards, get used to seeing more players popping up in trade rumors.