ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Blues, quickly losing ground in efforts to salvage their season, shake up the roster with two alarming moves in two days.

On Tuesday, the Blues placed veteran forward Brandon Saad on waivers, making him available for another tema to claim. If he clears, Saad will report to the Blues’ AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds.

On Monday, the Blues traded once highly-touted defenseman Scott Perunovich to the New York Islanders for a conditional fifth-round pick, though the terms of the conditions weren’t immediately announced.

The Blues are coming off of a disappointing winless three-game homestand, falling below .500 after Monday’s 5-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. The Blues are in jeopardy of missing playoffs for a third consecutive season, which has only happened one other time in franchise history.

It appears both roster moves stemmed from some combination of a roster logjam, decreased playing time and a lack of desired production.

“The production is not there,” said Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong on Tuesday, specifically on Saad. “For a couple of years, we’ve nibbled around the edges, bringing in different coaches and support players, but the record is still the same. There’s a group that’s been here awhile, and things don’t seem to be changing. Collectively, you have to start shipping further and further up.”

Saad, 32, had seven goals and 16 points over 43 games this season. Usually a big presence in front of the net, Saad has only scored goals in four contests this year, while his defensive abilities have taken a step back from recent years. If he gets claimed, a team will take on his contract for the rest of the year and a $4.5 million sum for next year. If not, he will stick in the Blues organization but report to the minor leagues.

Perunovich, 26, had two goals and six points over 24 games this season. A former Hobey Baker winner (given to college hockey’s best player each year), Perunovich never found much footing and lacked size and physicality compared to many defensive St. Louis counterparts.

MoneyPuck.com gives the Blues a slim 15.5% odds of making the playoffs this season. With nearly two-thirds of the season complete, the Blues will likely need to win around two out of every three games going forward for a reasonable chance at a playoff berth.