The St Louis Blues are a team to watch on the trade market this season as general manager Doug Armstrong recently fired head coach Craig Berube and could soon turn to his roster for his next set of changes. The Blues sit on the outside looking in at the Stanley Cup Playoff picture and Armstrong recently admitted no player on his team should be feeling safe right now. Another couple of weeks of hardship and there’s no doubt major changes are on the way in St Louis. Here’s three Blues trade candidates to consider:
Colton Parayko
Moving out any core piece will be tough for Armstrong as unfortunately for him, he’s given several players no-trade protection. Parayko is one of the many Blues who have a full no-trade clause, so any move will see the right-handed defenseman heavily involved in trade talks.
Parayko is a beast at 6-foot-6 and 230lbs, however he doesn’t necessarily play with a ton of sandpaper. His offensive numbers have been mediocre this season with just nine points in 28 games, but he’s an established NHL d-man, locked in long term and he’s shown he’s capable of stepping up in the postseason when the games matter most. 32 points in 82 Stanley Cup Playoff games will certainly grab the attention of contending GM’s around the league leading up to the trade deadline in March.
Parayko is signed through the 2029-30 season at $6.5 million AAV and could be of interest to the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs as we creep closer to the trade deadline.
Alexey Toropchenko
A player who the casual NHL fan may not be familiar with, Blues winger Alexey Toropchenko is a ball of energy who brings his best effort each and every shift. His $1.2 million AAV this season and next make him a target GM’s could easily fit into their cap situation moving forward.
So far in 28 games, Toropchenko has recorded eight points and last season in 69 games, the Russian winger added 19 points in 68 games. He hits, blocks shots and helps kill penalties and as a bottom-six forward can bring a ton of energy. Toropchenko also happens to be one Blue who doesn’t hold any trade protection and can be moved at will. There’s certainly going to be a ton of interest in his game leading up to the trade deadline so keep an eye on a potential deal involving the former fourth-round pick.
Torey Krug
Yes, admittedly, this one could get messy. Armstrong tried to move Krug last summer and after having a deal in place with the Philadelphia Flyers, Krug decided to hold steady on his no-trade clause and veto the move. Needless to say if things don’t improve in St Louis, Armstrong could circle back and ask Krug where he’d be open to playing.
The veteran blueliner is an offense first type of defenseman who loves to join the rush and make plays. However he’s coming off a down season in 2022-23, and this year has only managed to score once in 28 games and add 12 points.
Krug’s been a beast in the playoffs, recording an impressive 57 points in 82 Stanley Cup Playoff games. There’s little doubt several contenders will be reaching out to see what it could take to get Krug and Armstrong to agree to a deal, and the Boston Bruins could be one team to pull it off.
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