Trading Jordan Kyrou Won’t Advance the Blues’ Retool

If the Blues believe they need to recommit to a heavier, more defensively accountable identity (as in 2019), trading Kyrou could help accelerate that shift. A return focused on two-way players or defenders would reinforce a more apparent organizational identity.

Clarifying the Franchise’s Direction

The Blues entered a retool during the 2022-23 season. Last season, they made the playoffs, leading many, even those within the organization, to believe that the retool was already over. The struggles this season suggest otherwise.

The time is now to decide whether the team has finished the retool or is still in the middle of it. Trading a player of Kyrou’s caliber would send a clear message that the team is seeking to improve in the long term rather than compete in the short term.

What a Kyrou Trade Would Need to Include

If the Blues decide to move Kyrou, the return cannot be futures-heavy alone. Yes, a first-round pick is a must, but it is not all. The returning package must include at least one high-end, NHL-ready player who fills a clear need. For the Blues, this could be a legitimate two-way center.

Armstrong’s trade with the Buffalo Sabres in 2018 was a prime example of this. The Blues acquired O’Reilly, but gave the Sabres Tage Thompson, a high-end, NHL-ready player who fit the need of a scorer for the Sabres. Both teams got what they needed, though many would say the Sabres did not get enough in return.

The Case Against Trading Kyrou

This is the best option. In short, trading Kyrou does not advance the team’s retool.

Elite Offense Is Hard to Replace

The second the Blues trade Kyrou, they would be looking for someone to replace his production. Players with his speed, puck-handling, and scoring are rare commodities in the NHL. The Blues have players who they hope will bloom into elite scorers, like Jimmy Snuggerud, but as of right now, Kyrou is the only one who can be counted on for 30-plus goals per season.

Trading him creates an immediate offensive void. While there is hope for players in the system to take that role, there is no guarantee it will happen. Giving up what has been offensive certainty in exchange for a hypothetical future is a gamble that can backfire.

Age, Prime Years, and Development Curve

At 27 years old, Kyrou is still firmly in his prime, rather than a declining veteran whose best hockey is behind him. An argument could be made that there is still room for growth; can he hit the 40-goal mark?

If the Blues believe the answer is a retool rather than a rebuild, holding on to prime-age talent is essential. Kyrou has been a core member of the Blues and could continue to have that role. He is to the Blues now what Vladimir Tarasenko was in the 2010s: An elite scorer on a team still needing pieces.

Trading Kyrou Does Not Help the Retool

Many, myself included, thought the retool was over after last season. This season is showing that the retool may still be active, and that is okay. However, trading Kyrou does not help the retool.

The Blues, even at their worst, can be considered a “mid” team. They will always float around .500 at the worst. Even during the 2022-23 season, in which players like Tarasenko and O’Reilly were traded, the team still finished just one game under .500.

If there were even an outside chance the Blues could be bad enough to earn a top-five pick in the NHL Draft Lottery, trading Kyrou would make sense. If someone like Kyrou’s talent was not going to make the team much better, then yes, trade him. Even without Kyrou, the Blues still have enough talent to finish around the middle of the pack.

The Blues are closer to being a playoff team than they are a bottom-feeder in the league. Kyrou is part of the core that can help the team keep making the playoffs. You do not trade someone when the team is that close to being a regular contender.

What Is This Season’s Team Capable of?

No one will argue the Blues have failed to meet expectations this season. Second periods have been awful, and goaltending has been inconsistent. However, another factor has not helped matters: The Blues cannot stay healthy.

Are some of the team’s problems beyond getting healthy? Yes. However, it would be nice to see what this roster is capable of when at full strength. Since we have not seen that yet, is it fair to start selling off core pieces?

The Bigger Question

Both sides present compelling arguments. I believe it makes too much sense to keep Kyrou. However, at the end of the day, the Blues will make their decision based on what the organization believes is best for the team and its future.

Yet, the most essential part of this decision is not the decision itself, but whether the organization commits to the direction they choose. Trading Kyrou without committing to a retool/rebuild or keeping him while failing to address other holes are equally damaging to the team’s future. At the same time, trading Kyrou without getting a sufficient return is also detrimental.

Keep Kyrou and build the rest of the team around him. He is part of the team’s core. Keep him wearing the Blue Note.