Despite sitting third in the rigorous Central Division, it is rumored that the St. Louis Blues might be moving some parts. Looking for a boost to their 22nd ranked offense, the Blues are tied to almost every trade rumour. With attractive assets on their blue line, they may have the parts and pieces needed to get some things done by the trade deadline (Feb. 29th).
The Ken Hitchcock style of coaching can be described as thick, gritty, and one that doesn’t produce a ton of offense. Currently sitting in the lower half of the league in goals per game at 2.42, St. Louis has been tied to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Jonathan Drouin rumours. With that being a feasible target who could fit their needs, what is the likelihood of them landing a top offensive forward?
Potential Targets
The targets the Blues could have in mind vary. They want someone to slot into their top six while contributing to their offense on a regular basis. With the T.J. Oshie trade in the offseason, they lost a cog in their offensive motor and have been looking for an upgrade all season. With names like the Boston Bruins’ Loui Eriksson and the Edmonton Oilers’ Jordan Eberle making the rounds, there is offense to be had.
- Jonathan Drouin – With his latest antics, such as not showing up to practices and being suspended by the Syracuse Crunch, it makes you wonder how much interest teams will still have in him. He's a potential game breaker and would be fun to watch beside Vladimir Tarasenko, but the likelihood this gets done might not be as high as some of us hope. He's not necessarily the type of personality Hitchcock would welcome into the dressing room, which makes it hard to imagine they make a significant play on the available Drouin.
- Loui Eriksson – This all comes down to whether or not Boston sees the spending it would take to keep the pending UFA on the roster worthwhile. If they don’t see the length and term fit into their long-term plan, Eriksson could be on his way out. Don Sweeney, the Bruins GM, was quoted as saying that Loui was a priority to sign and it’d be ideal to keep him. That’s all fine and well, but if they could move someone like Loui to the Blues in a deal involving someone like Kevin Shattenkirk, it would definitely be tempting.
- Jordan Eberle – It seems like every year the Oilers find themselves in the basement of the NHL and Jordan finds his name in the rumour mill. The young winger has been one of the most consistent forwards on a struggling Oilers squad for the past couple of seasons, and is capable of a strong two-way game, which would make him an appealing option for the Blues. Edmonton is looking for help on their blue line, which could find what it's looking for amongst the St. Louis defensive corps.
- Michael Grabner – With the Toronto Maple Leafs going into a full rebuild, collecting picks and prospects for any pending UFA is a priority. Finding value in an expiring contract is key, especially if the player isn’t a part of the long term goals of the franchise. The speedy winger has had a rough season, not producing at his regular rate, but on a weak Toronto roster that is to be expected. If the Blues make a play on Grabner, he might be a cheaper option and would be a rental player as they push towards the playoffs.
- Radim Vrbata – As the Vancouver Canucks move towards a younger trend, where does that leave Vrbata? On an expiring contract, he could be another rental option heading into the playoffs. An aging veteran could be an asset to the Blues in a Stanley Cup run, and he’s been fairly productive this season. The 34 year old winger has 22 points in 47 games this season. The issue could be his -20 plus/minus and his 18 points in 42 playoff games. St. Louis has had enough trouble in the playoffs over the past few seasons.
- Mikkel Boedker – This one is more unlikely due to the weak Pacific Division and the Arizona Coyotes chances of making the playoffs. Despite their recent play, they still sit in a playoff spot just two points back of the San Jose Sharks for second in the division. Boedker might be one of the more under-rated players on this list, but could be a big asset to a team struggling to score. Mikkel has 34 points in 47 games including 12 goals. With the rise of prospects like Anthony Duclair and Max Domi, they may want to keep a skilled player like Boedker on the roster throughout their development.
There is and always will be teams looking to make big moves at the deadline, but the Blues look the most anxious to inject some scoring help. Keep an eye on St. Louis as they look to end their playoff struggles. Given that they hope to go on a deep run this year, they’re going to need help putting the puck in the net. Tarasenko can’t score all the goals, can he?