Nearing the finale of the 4 Nations Face-off, the focus of this break, outside of the incredible hockey being played, is to look ahead at the remainder of the St. Louis Blues season. With that said, there is an abundance of decisions to be made regarding the future trajectory of this team. It all comes down to March 7 and what General Manager Doug Armstrong will do.
Do they buy or sell at the deadline, and who do they move in either situation?
Brayden Schenn
There is a large circulation of news flying around the internet concerning Captain Brayden Schenn and where he will be after March 7. He is a highly sought-after player this trade deadline, and the return for him is to be rumored as "mammoth".
Will he inevitably be moved, releasing the Blues from his current deal worth $6.5 million? There is another variable here, in which the ball is in Schenn's court. This contract holds an NTC, No Trade Clause, meaning that Schenn has to OK the trade before he can be moved by the Blues. That means that the Blues can listen to every offer in the world, but Schenn has the final say on his future team.
This is a sticky situation, but one that has a significant impact on the next couple of seasons. Schenn is more than just a valuable player; he is the sole leader on the ice. Replacing him is a big task, but if the return is true "mammoth," it may be worth it to field some calls.
Radek Faksa
There is an overwhelming sense that the next generation of Blues will be making their way from the minor leagues to the big leagues. For that to happen, there needs to be some room at the bottom of the line-up card to plug in these young guns. Enter Dalibor Dvorsky and Jimmy Snuggerud and farewell Radek Faksa.
The 31-year-old center is in the final year of his five-year deal worth $3.25 million AAV. He has yet to make a lasting impact with the Blues, especially this season. In 44 games this season, he has amassed three goals and seven assists for 10 points. He is not known for being a goalscorer or even a playmaker to dish out assists, but he has hit double digits in goals quite a few times in his career. He isn't even close to that mark this year.
The only real saving grace he has on his stat line, which has been evident in his entire 10-year career thus far, is his success at the face-off dot. As great as that is to have, the Blues have multiple centermen at low-to-mid 50% on face-offs, so Faksa doesn't stand out of the crowd with that. Plus, the young guns coming up the ladder have proven a great ability to win face-offs and be natural-born goal scorers. Faksa has been outsourced, meaning his time in St. Louis will likely end before the season is up.