On the St. Louis Blues …
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: The Blues have three games before the NHL trade deadline. Last month Blues GM Doug Armstrong said their championship window might be a year or two away, and that they were going to protect their “good young pieces.”
Armstrong thinks they are a top-ten team, but not a leading contender.
The Blues don’t want to go all-in on a rental, but that doesn’t mean they won’t look to add one for the right price.
Available rental wingers include Evander Kane, Patrick Maroon, Rick Nash and Michael Grabner.
Would the Blues trade any of Tage Thompson, Robert Thomas, Jordan Kyrou or Klim Kostin in a deal for a rental?
Senators Mike Hoffman has two years left on his deal at a $5.19 million cap hit. Derick Brassard has a year left on his deal at $5 million.
There has been growing speculation around Robby Fabbri, Patrik Berglund, and Vladimir Sobotka.
The Blues don’t have a lot of salary cap space, just under $340,000 according to Cap Friendly.
The Philadelphia Flyers hold the Blues first-round pick this year.
The Blues have over $14 million in cap space for next year, so it may be better for the Blues to make a big move in the offseason as opposed to the deadline.
On the Montreal Canadiens …
TSN: Bob McKenzie on TSN 1200 on the Montreal Canadiens and Max Pacioretty.
“Montreal can’t just trade Pacioretty for some magic beans, a couple of drafts picks and some kid that may or may not be a player. If they’re trading Pacioretty, they have to get themselves a sure-fire guy that can play in the National Hockey League in the relative near future and preferably at the centre-ice position, otherwise it’s hard to justify trading the only guy on your team that’s a consistent threat to score goals,” McKenzie told TSN Radio 1200 Ottawa.
