Welcome to another edition of NHL Rumours! The NHL Trade Deadline is this Friday. We saw some trades over the weekend, and likely more are on the way. This is the time of year for those interested in rumors! Our rumour today looks at the St. Louis Blues and their trade buzz as we get closer to the trade deadline.
All rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
St. Louis Blues Trade Buzz
Rumour: On 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, NHL insiders Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas discussed the Blues approach to the upcoming deadline. They talked about how strong play, as of late, could impact their decision. They mentioned a few names who have come up in trade rumours and what the likelihood is of that player being traded. Names that came up were Brayden Schenn, Jordan Binnington, Pavel Buchnevich, and Colton Parayko.
Analysis: We will get into each player shortly, but the overall takeaway from this rumour is that the Blues could decide to go either way by this deadline. They could choose to be sellers and acquire assets for the future. On the other hand, they could keep the team together and make a run for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Furthermore, Friedman and Bukauskas drew connections between this team and the team that won the Stanley Cup in 2019. The 2019 team got red hot right before the deadline, leading to the team staying together and going on a magical run to capture Lord Stanley. However, the 2019 Blues were expected to contend, but started the season slowly. The 2025 Blues entered the season considered to be playoff contenders, which is where they are as of now.
Now, we will discuss each player mentioned in the podcast, the likelihood of their being traded, and whether or not it makes sense for the Blues to trade said player.
Brayden Schenn
Schenn is the biggest name on the trade board for the Blues. The Toronto Maple Leafs are potential suitors, as are the Vegas Golden Knights. Schenn and the Leafs make a ton of sense. The team could use a top-six centre who can also play on the wing. In addition, Schenn has played under Leafs coach Craig Berube. Berube vocalized his admiration for Schenn following Schenn’s 1000th NHL game last Thursday.
“I congratulated him today. I love that player. I love the guy. He’s a superhuman being. A thousand games is a lot of games in the league. I always say that guys who can play that long are dedicated to the game. They do all the right things throughout the summer, game in and game out preparing. He looks after his body and looks after himself and loves the game. He’s a hockey nerd. He just loves the game. It was great to see him get 1,000 games, and I’m very happy for him.”
The question that remains is whether or not the Blues want to trade their captain. It is worth noting Schenn has a no-trade clause, so he will have to approve a trade. If the Blue Note trades their captain, they will get a decent return for a player under contract for the next few seasons. On the other hand, Schenn is a respected leader in the locker room, as evident by Ryan Suter‘s desire to stay in St. Louis. Replacing Schenn would be very hard to do. However, he would bring in a nice return for the retooling Blues.
As Friedman and Bukauskus mention, it is a tough choice for Doug Armstrong.
Pavel Buchnevich
Buchnevich’s name surfaced in a rumour a few weeks ago. The apparent reason for shopping Buchnevich is that Armstrong wants to shed significant cap from the roster. Of course, that was before the Blues recent hot streak. Armstrong may feel differently now.
Freidman and Bukauskus pointed out something interesting about the Buchnevich rumour. When Buchnevich signed an extension with the Blues last summer, a no-trade clause was included in the new deal. However, that contract and its terms do not kick in until this summer. As a result, Buchnevich does not have a no-trade clause and could be traded this week.
If Armstrong wants to shed cap, trading Buchnevich would be the easiest way to do that. Again, it is a choice Armstrong has to make.
Jordan Binnington
As Freidman and Bukauskus noted, interest in Binnington skyrocketed after his performance in the championship game of the 4 Nations Face-Off. Binnington has an impressive track record. He is a Stanley Cup Champion, a former All-Star, and a 4 Nations Champion. He will likely be Team Canada’s goalie in the Olympics next year.
However, the Blues are not likely to part with Binnington. They have a strong tandem with Binnington and Joel Hofer. However, the Blues find themselves further from contending than their initial plan. In that case, the Binnington rumours may be more serious. Until then, “Winnington” will not be leaving St. Louis.
Colton Parayko
As Freidman and Bukauskus said, Parayko’s situation is identical to Binnington’s. Parayko is not going anywhere. He has emerged as the Blues best defenceman this season, setting a new career high in goals scored. Furthermore, he has been the Blues best defenceman since Alex Pietrangelo left the team. His contract runs through the 2027-28 season, but the Blues plan to be contenders before then.
Like Binnington, Parayko is getting extra attention due to his play in the 4 Nations Face-Off. While it is good that Parayko is getting the recognition he deserves, the trade rumours are going nowhere. Like Binnington, Parayko is not going anywhere.
Final Thoughts
Armstrong certainly has some decisions to make as Friday’s deadline approaches. It will be interesting to see what he does and the impact it has on the team moving forward.
Main Photo: Jeff Curry- Imagn Images
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