- Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: The Blues offense struggled in their series loss to the Blackhawks. GM Doug Armstrong on if they’ll look at free agency or a trade to add scoring.
“I look at last year’s free-agent pool that was available — what players from that pool are excelling in this year’s playoffs … are they the players that are pushing you over the top?” Armstrong said. “I’m not sure if free agency is the way to go.
“Then it’s getting a team to want to move a top-scoring player, and I know the cost of doing that. I haven’t found the team that really wants to give us the 50-goal guy yet. But I know the two or three names they’re going to ask for and that’s robbing Peter to pay Paul. There are good players out there. As I said, most of them usually stay with the teams that they’re at.”
The Blues and Ken Hitchcock have a mutual option for next year, which is expected to be picked up.
- John Kelly: Blues GM Doug Armstrong said that Jake Allen will be with the Blues next year. Lou Korac: Armstrong: “I view Jake Allen coming in here next year competing for starts.”
- Lou Korac: Doug Armstrong: “With all due respect, and not to come off as a smartass, but when Barrett Jackman and Chris Porter are tied for third for scoring, you need more from other people.” (Korac notes that this tells him that Armstrong will be looking)
- Jeremy Rutherford: Doug Armstrong on Ryan Miller: “It’s a two-way street with Ryan at this time. He has opportunities. I want to sit and talk to him. I want to get his feelings about our organization … where he thinks we’re at … see if he even has any interest being a Blue.”
