The St. Louis Blues loaded up their roster with lots of depth in the offseason, which has benefited them this season because of all the injuries they’ve already experienced. However, the talent is not there yet, and they need to start looking at options to make moves now to find the players who can hold the line while their superstars are not there and considering a complete rebuild. The recent loss of Robert Thomas, while it was announced he was returning to the Blues lineup, was a significant blow that showed how much less effective the roster is when he is gone.
Getting some much-needed trade partners in line would not be a bad idea right now; let’s look at who they may be.
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins currently have a cap hit of $86.64 million of their max cap space of $88 million; however, it has already been reported that the cap may go up as much as $7 or $9 million next season. This will give teams like the Bruins a chance to add to their roster, which is struggling to keep up in the standings right now. This is also an excellent opportunity for the Blues to make a deal with the Bruins for picks. While they also struggle as the Blues do, the Bruins don’t seem to want to give up their playoff hopes, and it’s still too early in the season to do so.
Related: Robert Thomas Returning to Blues Lineup Tonight Against Wild
If the Blues were to make a deal with them, they could get some picks within the second and third rounds if they give up someone like Justin Faulk. He could be worth somewhere around a second and third-round pick, and in return, the Blues would give them a solid and experienced defenseman who also carries a right-handed shot to add to their roster.
According to NHL Network’s Kevin Weekes, forward Trent Frederic is gaining traction from some teams for a trade and seems like the perfect trade candidate. Frederic has a lot of tools that the Blues can use and fills in that offensive depth that they desperately need for now and the future. For starters, he’s a 40-plus-point player who can play on the Blues’ second and third lines, and due to his excellent toughness, he can also be instrumental on special teams with four points on the power play last season. In addition, he’s currently 26 years old, so he’s still got time to get better, and the Blues roster will give him that space to thrive.
When asking the THW Bruins reporting team, they even suggested that if the Bruins were to give up something, “it would be a forward,” and the THW Bruins reporter Zander Manning mentioned Frederic as the best possible option; he even did an article on the pros and cons of trading Frederic.
Nonetheless, the Blues would be gaining a significant piece on offense, and the Bruins, from what it sounds like, are willing to cooperate with any team in making this move happen.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Another team on the list is the Columbus Blue Jackets, who currently hold the most cap space in the league with $26.46 million and have many defensemen on their roster that they have no room for. The Blues may need those defensemen for some added depth and could add them in a package deal. However, it would have to be someone who can provide a big role and is willing to take a lower role.
The Blue Jackets also have a lot of talent in their prospect pool, and it would be great for the Blues because they have many veteran players who they can add on for some depth and to help their young players grow in return. The Blues could aim to acquire defenseman David Jiricek, who hasn’t been too happy with the management of the Blue Jackets organization after sending him down to the American Hockey League’s Cleveland Monsters. His brother Adam was drafted in the 2024 NHL Draft by the Blues, so this would bring a great defensive pair to the franchise based on that.
In a previous article, fellow THW Blues reporter Stephen Ground discussed why the Blues should trade for Jiricek. According to THW Blue Jackets reporter Mark Scheig, the Blues would have to give up a “minimum top prospect,” which shouldn’t be an issue since they have been loading up on defensive prospects in the past two or three NHL Drafts.
That said, I asked the Blue Jackets team myself if the Blue Jackets would bite at an offer that would give them Faulk from the Blues, and THW Blue Jackets reporter Jonathon Robson mentioned to me that if Faulk were to accept the trade under his no-trade clause, “the biggest issue is that the right side would be getting pretty jammed, so we might have to send a d-man back.” In this case, I think Jiricek would fall into place and can solve a lot of the defensive issues that the Blues struggle with, giving them more power play options.
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames may be questionable as a trade partner because their team is performing well, but they also have a large amount of cap space, approximately $24.66 million. They are in an excellent position to make the playoffs with a record of 11-6-3, most of which were tight games. The Flames’ success will most likely put them in the scenario to make some much-needed moves, and the Blues could use that offensively to fill in that depth they lost with all the injuries earlier this season.
When asked what THW Flames writer Derek Olsen thinks the Flames need, he said, “The only real team need is centermen.” They’d also be looking for “prospects or young roster players as we are looking to build youth.” They have defense, including many defensive prospects and a “gluttony of wingers,” as Derek described it, which could work to the Blues’ advantage and fill those spots. Goaltending also seems very good for the Flames, so offering a goalie would not be an issue.
Considering both teams’ trade needs and wants, the Blues have many top center prospects, such as Dalibor Dvorsky, Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, Otto Stenberg, Juraj Pekarcik, and Adam Jecho. Out of all those prospects, Kaskimaki could best fit the Flames. He could help with the penalty kill because he is a more defensive type of forward and has a great shot.
If the Blues are lucky, getting back someone like Aydar Suniev could be great for their future and potentially help their bottom two lines. While Suniev is only 20 years old, it wouldn’t be too bad to try him out with the AHL Springfield Thunderbirds if the Blues sign him to an entry-level deal. Suniev made a significant jump from the British Columbia Hockey League’s (BCHL) Penticton Vees, recording 90 points in 50 games in 2022-23, to playing his first season with the University of Massachusetts of NCAA with 25 points in 36 games in 2023-24.
The End Goal In a Crisis
In the grand scheme of things, the Blues’ current position is unpredictable, and it is not like they can make a big trade immediately. However, the teams listed above were the ones that could best fill in the gaps while maintaining reasonable room for cap space. Realistically, the Blues don’t need a superstar player to fill in the required areas, which shouldn’t be expected with their cap space. There have also been some very surprising turnouts this season with role players like Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway, who came in under 10 points in every NHL season they’ve played before their season with the Blues.
