The St. Louis Blues were premier sellers leading up to the 2022-23 trade deadline, with four trades. General manager (GM) Doug Armstrong made quality moves to add the necessary assets to push the retool forward.
Here’s a look back at the trades to evaluate how the Blues have managed every asset they’ve acquired to this point. Some assets won’t be used until the 2024 Draft, but the Blues got several assets that they used last season and in the 2023 Draft.
Vladimir Tarasenko Trade to the Rangers
In the Vladimir Tarasenko trade, the Blues received prospect defenseman Hunter Skinner and forward Sammy Blais, along with a 2023 first-round pick (29th) and a 2024 third-round pick.
Tarasenko played in 31 regular-season games and seven playoff games with the Rangers before signing with the Ottawa Senators as a free agent this summer. He reportedly weighed offers from the Carolina Hurricanes, San Jose Sharks, and Florida Panthers before signing with the Senators, so it’s unclear if the Rangers made a push to re-sign him. I’m not sure that the Rangers would do this deal again, but the Blues would do it in a heartbeat.
Defenseman Hunter Skinner and Forward Sammy Blais
It remains to be seen what Skinner will become, but Blais was excellent last season. After scoring zero goals and nine points in 54 games with the Rangers, he returned to St. Louis and tallied 20 points in 31 games. He signed a one-year extension for $1 million for the 2023-24 season, and that’s a steal as he seemed to find a new gear when he returned to St. Louis.
What the Picks Became
- D Theo Lindstein (29th overall pick)
- 2024 Third-Round Pick (Unknown)
I think the Blues did pretty well in this trade, especially given Blais’ performance with the team. The Blues needed to move on from Tarasenko, as he was set to hit free agency, and their relationship with him over the past few years had grown awkward. St. Louis has the opportunity to add another prospect in the 2024 Draft with the third-round pick, while defenseman Theo Lindstein projects to be a solid NHL blueliner.
Ryan O’Reilly Trade to the Maple Leafs
The Blues’ second move before the deadline involved sending Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari to the Toronto Maple Leafs. In the trade, the Blues received forwards Adam Gaudette and Mikhail Abramov, as well as a first and third-round pick in the 2023 Draft and a 2024 second-round pick.
O’Reilly’s tenure with the Maple Leafs was short but solid overall, with nine points in 11 playoff games after an injury-plagued regular season. While there was some buzz about O’Reilly reuniting with the Blues, that didn’t happen, and he signed a four-year deal with the Nashville Predators with an annual average value (AAV) of $4.5 million. The Blues had an interest in bringing O’Reilly back, but they couldn’t afford the four-year term. Acciari had a solid run with the Maple Leafs, with goals in both the regular season and playoffs. He signed a three-year deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the offseason with an AAV of $2 million.
Forwards Adam Gaudette and Mikhail Abramov
The Blues re-signed Adam Gaudette to a one-year, two-way deal in June with the intention of making him a depth forward with the Springfield Thunderbirds of the American Hockey League (AHL). As for Mikhail Abramov, he is under contract for the 2023-24 season for less than $1 million per season. I don’t expect Gaudette or Abramov to factor into the Blues’ roster this season, but they are valuable pieces for the Thunderbirds.
What the Picks Became
- C Otto Stenberg (25th overall pick)
- LW Juraj Pekarcik (76th overall pick)
- 2024 Second Round Pick (Unknown)
This is where the Blues did well, acquiring two picks in the top 80 of the 2023 Draft and a potentially valuable second-round pick in the 2024 Draft. Their second of three first-round picks was center Otto Stenberg, who projects as a middle-six forward in the NHL. Their next pick, Juraj Pekarcik, is another potential steal. Pekarcik was one of the best players for Slovakia at the 2023 World Junior Championships (WJC), and he could end up being a solid bottom or middle-six forward with scoring ability.
Ivan Barbashev Trade to the Golden Knights
In their final big trade before the deadline, the Blues sent Ivan Barbashev to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for prospect forward Zach Dean. This trade paid major dividends for the Golden Knights. He had a phenomenal playoff run, with seven goals and 18 points in 22 games, helping lead Vegas to their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
The Golden Knights re-signed Barbashev to a five-year deal with an AAV of $5 million before free agency began. He capitalized on a great 2021-22 regular season and a terrific run in the playoffs, more than doubling his previous cap hit of $2.25 million. I’m not sure how this contract will age for either side, but he is a two-time Cup champion.
Prospect Forward Zach Dean
Dean was the 30th overall pick by Vegas in the 2021 Draft and has spent four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the Gatineau Olympiques. He signed an entry-level contract with the Blues this summer, so he’ll make the jump to Springfield this season. He is one of the most valuable center prospects in the organization as they lack depth at the position in the minors. I don’t know if Dean will see any NHL action this season, but I’d be surprised if he doesn’t get a look sometime in the next two seasons. It remains to be seen how the Blues did with this trade, but Vegas has already benefited greatly from it.
Acquiring Jakub Vrana from the Red Wings
Jakub Vrana has been a quality acquisition for the Blues so far, especially given what they sacrificed to get him, sending minor league center Dylan McLaughlin and a 2025 seventh-round pick, while the Detroit Red Wings retained 50 percent of Vrana’s salary. This is one of the best value deals that Armstrong has made in his decade-plus as the Blues GM.
Related: Blues 2022-23 Report Cards: Jakub Vrána
Vrana appeared in 20 games with the Blues last season and scored 10 goals while averaging over 15 minutes of ice time. He earned more ice time with the Blues than he did in any other season of his career with the exception of his first couple of months with the Red Wings after being traded by the Washington Capitals in 2021. He should continue to average those minutes this season as one of the team’s best goal-scorers. Vrana’s numbers this season won’t affect the winner of this trade, as the Blues won this deal after giving up so little to get him.
Waiver Claim on Kasperi Kapanen from the Penguins
The Blues claimed Kasperi Kapanen off of waivers in late February after he struggled with the Penguins. This was another low-risk move by Armstrong to bolster the forward depth and offer Kapanen a change of scenery.
In St. Louis, Kapanen produced, and similar to Vrana, he earned much more ice time. He had eight goals and 14 points in 23 games after he had just seven goals in 43 games with the Penguins before being waived. One of the biggest reasons for claiming Kapanen is that the Blues have him under contract for this season at a solid AAV of $3.2 million. With Kapanen and Vrana, Armstrong added two forwards with a lot of skill who needed a change of scenery. Both moves have worked out well for the Blues and any production this season will be an added bonus.
Blues’ Plan Moving Forward
The Blues are in a tough spot moving forward as they try to pick a direction. They can’t fully rebuild because of their cap commitments, but they can’t go for it either for the same reason. As constructed, the Blues could be a fringe playoff team this season, but I don’t see them going much further beyond that. Armstrong put himself in a tough position with numerous bad contracts. Expectations are a mystery for the Blues as they head into this season, but the picture will become clearer as training camp approaches.
