The St. Louis Blues are becoming a hot topic in trade discussions as their tough start shows no signs of easing. Sitting second-last in the Central Division with a 6-9-5 record and coming off three straight losses, the latest a 3-2 overtime defeat to the Maple Leafs on Tuesday, the pressure is squarely on management to shake things up.
NHL insider Frank Seravalli has added to the speculation, hinting that a significant move involving one of the team’s top-paid stars may be on the table.
Which Blues $65M Star Is Drawing Trade Interest From Other Teams?
Speaking on “Insider Notebook,” Seravalli said the Blues are clearly frustrated with how this season has unfolded. He noted that GM Doug Armstrong signaled “10 days, two weeks ago” that the team was “open for business,” and teams around the league have taken notice.
According to Seravalli, “A lot of teams have wondered about the availability of their captain, Brayden Schenn. I’m sure teams have been calling about some of the other expensive pieces on their roster, including Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas.”
Jordan Kyrou, now in the third year of his eight-year, $65 million contract, has been surrounded by rumors ever since he was made a healthy scratch during the Blues’ 3-0 win over the Sabres on November 6.
Who’s Safe, and Who Isn’t?
Seravalli mentioned that only a small group of players are considered “non-negotiables of protected players” in St. Louis. That list is believed to include Jake Neighbours, Dylan Holloway, and likely Robert Thomas, “although that’s not an absolute stone-cold guarantee,” he said. Colton Parayko may also be in that protected group. “Outside of that, I think all bets are off on the St. Louis Blues roster. What could happen moving forward?” Seravalli added.
Seravalli also pointed out how far the Blues have fallen from last season, when they clawed their way into the second wild-card spot and pushed the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets to seven games in a tight playoff series.
“That’s just the spot that they’re in as they have fallen well short of expectations for a team that took the President’s Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets to the mat last year in the playoffs to the end before falling short in that series,” Seravalli said.
With uncertainty surrounding several key players, it’s clear the St. Louis Blues could be heading toward a roster shakeup if things don’t turn around soon. Their next test comes on Thursday on the road against the Philadelphia Flyers.
FIRE MONTGOMERY!