When it comes to trade rumors surrounding St. Louis Blues’ star winger Pavel Buchnevich, the question seems to be “when,” not “if.” The 28-year-old is in his third season with St. Louis and on the penultimate year of a contract that pays him just $5.8 million per season. Based on the 0.989 points per game he’s put up over the past three seasons, that contract is a steal, and almost any competitive team would love to add the Russian to their roster. The Blues have to trade him — they can’t sign another aging veteran to a long-term deal, and Buchnevich will be 30 before his next contract kicks in — but contrary to popular belief, it does not have to happen before March 8, 2024, NHL Trade Deadline.
The Blues acquired Buchnevich in the summer of 2021, surrendering Sammy Blais and a second-round pick for a player the New York Rangers felt they had to move. They quickly signed him to a four-year contract, and it was off to the races. He immediately had a breakout season, finishing with 30 goals and 76 points in 73 games. The following season was more of the same. Despite struggling with injuries, he once again surpassed a point per game and managed 26 goals. Buchnevich had always had potential with the Rangers, but with the Blues, he had found his footing as a lethal top-six winger.
This season, he has taken a modest step back, with just 40 points in 55 games, off his point-per-game pace. But his metrics are still outstanding. And with five goals in his last five games, including a hat trick against the New York Islanders on Feb. 22, he might be starting to heat up. There is no question that any team would love to have him on their roster. But what is the reason the Blues would trade him?
The Blues are clearly in a rebuild, and no veteran player close to the end of his deal is off-limits. But the trade rumors around Buchnevich started to intensify when Elliotte Friedman reported in his 32 Thoughts blog that the Blues would consider a high price for their winger. He said: “[Blues general manager] Doug Armstrong never talks about this stuff, but the price on Pavel Buchnevich is said to be very high. The versatile forward has another year under contract. Two firsts, or something like it?”
The Blues would have to consider a trade because of where they are as a franchise. The team has effectively restocked the cupboard of young prospect talent, with headliners like Dalibor Dvorský and Jimmy Snuggerud and supporting players like Zach Dean and recent NHL debutant Zachary Bolduc. But with several costly contracts left on the books, they still need to be focused on the future, and certainly cannot add more long-term deals for 30-plus players. Even as good as Buchnevich has been, they cannot now make an exception for him.
If a team is willing to pony up and offer the Blues a serious package that includes two first-round picks or a first and a top prospect, they have to consider it. And with Buchnevich playing as well as he has, on a cost-effective contract, with another full year left on his deal, they should expect top dollar. If he is moved at the deadline, he will likely be the best player traded this season. But for all of those reasons, Armstrong should be careful not to rush this decision.
With the trade deadline just over a week away, there seems to be building pressure for the Blues to make this trade before March 8. But Armstrong should not rush this decision. Most armchair quarterbacks believe that the Blues will get the most return for Buchnevich ahead of the deadline, as the team that acquires him can take advantage of this playoff run and all of next season. But that is not necessarily the case.
While any team would love to claim Buchnevich ahead of the playoffs, not every team can. They have to have $5.9 million in salary cap space available or be able to clear it, ahead of the deadline. Plus, good teams that are having a rough season might not stretch to add Buchnevich when they think next season will be better. The pool of potential suitors is shallower approaching the deadline.
In the offseason, Armstrong will have 31 teams to negotiate with. Teams that think they’re ready to take a step might add Buchnevich, and teams might be willing to pay more if they can negotiate an extension with him as part of the deal. Summer might be the right time to make the deal. There’s no need to rush.
All of that is not to say that the Blues have to wait to trade Buchnevich. If a great deal is available ahead of the deadline, Armstrong should strike while the iron is hot. But fans should prepare for their Russian winger to still be on the roster on March 9. Armstrong is not. going to do a deal this important with any haste.
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New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe joined a few NHL players, including New Jersey Devils defenseman Brett Pesce, in a supposedly friendly hockey game on Friday in Connecticut. Although the event was supposed to be just about skating for a good cause, Rempe found a way to make headlines for the opposite reason, as he nearly flattened Pesce during an offseason charity game. At the “Shoulder Check Showcase” in Stamford, Connecticut, Rempe drew attention when he locked in on the Devils defenseman and tried to deliver a high-speed check into the boards. Pesce narrowly avoided contact, dodging what could have been a serious hit in a game meant for fun, not full contact or suffering potential season-altering injuries. Pesce, who was wearing the Devils logo on his shoulder, might have flipped a switch for Rempe, who reacted instinctively despite the event’s nonprofit and non-competitive nature. That's because of the lingering tensions between the Rangers' enforcer and the Devils that track back to Rempe's rookie season in New York. The animosity started when Rempe completed a high hit on Devils player Nathan Bastian, and later escalated further during a line brawl in March, where Rempe was one of 10 players ejected two seconds into the game. The brawl got started when Rempe challenged the Devils' Kurtis MacDermid after previously knocking Jonas Siegenthaler out with a high elbow that led to a four-game suspension earlier in the season. The 23-year-old Rangers forward has yet to find an established role in New York, having played just 17 and 42 regular-season games for the franchise in the past two seasons. The Rangers must have liked Rempe's skill set, however, as they recently signed the enforcer to a two-year, $1.95 million extension.
The Kansas City Royals were hoping to bolster their outfield ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. They were able to do just that in a trade on Saturday. Steve Gilbert from MLB.com reported that the Royals have acquired outfielder Randal Grichuk from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Mark Feinsand from MLB.com reported that relief pitcher Andrew Hoffman will head to Arizona in exchange for Grichuk. The Royals desperately needed help in their outfield. Royals outfielders had been the worst in the majors, posting an atrocious .219/.273/.328 batting line with just 19 home runs entering Saturday's action. Although Grichuk is in the midst of a disappointing season himself, he is an immediate upgrade over whatever the Royals have sent into the outfield. Grichuk had posted a .243/.280/.462 batting line in 186 plate appearances entering Saturday, hitting seven homers and 15 doubles. In exchange, the Diamondbacks receive Hoffman, who FanGraphs ranked as the Royals' 22nd-best prospect entering the season. His upper-90s fastball and new kick change are both considered plus offerings, although his ability to command his arsenal is questionable at best. Hoffman's potential and flaws were evident this season. He made his major league debut for the Royals, allowing six runs, two earned, on seven hits and four walks over 4.2 innings, striking out five. However, Hoffman had dominated at Triple-A, posting a 3.60 ERA and a 1.125 WHiP over his 40 innings, striking out 55 batters with just 10 walks. He is another intriguing addition for a Diamondbacks team that has prioritized pitching in their two trades thus far. The same upside does not exist for the Royals. Kansas City had the same record as the Diamondbacks entering the second game of their doubleheader against the Guardians. Grichuk signed a one-year contract with $5 million guaranteed for 2025. There is a mutual option worth $5 million, with a $3 million buyout, for 2026. Theoretically, Grichuk could be part of the Royals' plans next season. However, mutual options are rarely picked up. As the Royals are currently under .500 and need to pass four teams in the standings to seize the final wild-card spot, adding a rental option does not make sense. It is possible that both sides can work out an arrangement for 2026, but unless that happens, the Royals' latest move is questionable at best.
Being the backup quarterback isn't necessarily the most exciting role for anyone, but for a team like the Miami Dolphins, where starter Tua Tagovailoa has suffered four concussions since entering the NFL in 2020, it could be vital. As of now, a clear battle for that spot has formed between rookie seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers and veteran former first-round selection Zach Wilson as they go head-to-head. Of course, training camp is where these kinds of questions can be solved, and so far, it appears that Ewers has done a good job in putting his best foot forward. On Friday, David Furones of the Sun Sentinel gave a very positive update on the young quarterback, stating, "Dolphins rookie QB Quinn Ewers had a strong third practice of training camp. Made several impressive, big-time throws." The update sparked conversations among many fans, both supporting Ewers and a serious showing that there's interest in seeing who comes out on top. "Show ‘em, Quinn," said one comment. "He just does a lot of things (anticipatory throws, timing throws, MOTF accuracy, etc.) that fit this system much better than what Wilson does. I think with refinement and development we could have a backup in Miami that can operate the offense efficiently…finally," said another. "Love to hear it!" a third added. A fourth stated, "I'd be surprised if he's not the backup.." "I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Quinn Ewers has the physical tools to stick at the next level. It’s just a matter of shaping the rest," a fifth continued. "That’s QB2 potential QB1 in the future Glad we drafted Ewers," said another. Another big test for both Ewers and Wilson will be during the Dolphins' three preseason games, as the coaching staff will get a much better look at how these two perform during live matchups. Luckily for both, though, being the backup is all they're truly fighting for, as Kyle Crabbs of A to Z Sports predicts that each will make the final 53-man roster, with cuts needing to be made by Aug. 27.
Things have largely gone cold on the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade front, but that does not mean teams are not thinking of the possibility of that changing. Tim Kawakami of the San Francisco Standard noted that the Warriors are being cautious in negotiations with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, as he could be possible trade bait if Antetokounmpo is traded by the Milwaukee Bucks. The Warriors are adamant about not giving away Kuminga for less than his full trade value, which is why his situation remains unresolved with August looming. Kuminga and the Warriors have yet to agree on a contract, and it remains unclear when the situation will be resolved. He has a $7.9 million qualifying offer on the table, and signing it would allow him to approve any trade he is involved in. If he signs a multiyear extension, he would not be eligible to be traded until January, which could complicate things if Antetokounmpo decides late in the offseason that he wants a move. Presumably, Kuminga would be a key part of any trade the Warriors make involving Antetokounmpo. However, with no market materializing, there seems to be a growing chance he could remain with the team next season. The former No. 7 overall pick averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 0.8 steals per game last season. He appeared in 47 games, making 10 starts and averaging 24.3 minutes per game. However, he has been unable to consistently lock down a major spot in coach Steve Kerr’s rotation, which reportedly led to some tension between the two last season. Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, still seems unlikely to be traded, but teams are still going to prepare for the possibility.