Last year’s trade deadline was a big one for the St. Louis Blues as they let go of some familiar faces. Some have underperformed, while others have made a name for themselves elsewhere. Let’s dive into some former Blues players from last season and how they are doing since being traded during the deadline period.
Vladimir Tarasenko
Date Traded: Feb. 9, 2023
Traded to: New York Rangers
Current Team: Ottawa Senators
The Blues trading Vladimir Tarasenko was one of the biggest trades last season. They retained half of his salary, as he saw himself and defenseman Niko Mikkola go to the Rangers in return for left winger Sammy Blais, defenseman Hunter Skinner, a conditional 2024 fourth-round pick (eventually turned into a third-rounder since the Rangers made the playoffs), and a conditional 2023 first-round pick. Performance-wise, Tarasenko scored 21 points (eight goals) in 31 games played for the Rangers during the regular season, followed by four points (three goals) in seven games played during the playoffs.
However, this season, Tarasenko signed a one-year contract worth $5 million with the Ottawa Senators and is on the right track with 13 points in 15 games played. He scored two points in two games in the NHL Global Series this week in Sweden.
Niko Mikkola
Date Traded: Feb. 9, 2023
Traded to: Rangers
Current Team: Florida Panthers
Mikkola added defensive depth to the massive deal with the Rangers. He scored three points (one goal) with the Rangers; however, his defensive game is where he has performed best. Last season, he finished one spot behind the top 30 for defensemen in hits with 151 while staying barely within the top 100 shock-blocking defensemen with 106 blocked shots.
Mikkola signed a two-year contract with the Florida Panthers worth an average annual value (AAV) of $1.9 million in July. So far, the 27-year-old is continuing to shine defensively with 39 blocked shots, putting him within the top 20 defensemen in blocked shots this season. He is a top-50 defenseman with 22 hits in the hit department and looks promising playing on the second pairing.
Ryan O’Reilly
Date Traded: Feb. 17, 2023
Traded to: Minnesota Wild/Toronto Maple Leafs
Current Team: Nashville Predators
Last season, the Blues made a massive trade that sent Ryan O’Reilly in a three-way package deal that included the Minnesota Wild and Toronto Maple Leafs. The Blues traded O’Reilly to Minnesota at 50 percent retained salary, and then Minnesota traded him again to Toronto with former Wild prospect Josh Pillar for a 2025 fourth-round pick. O’Reilly played 13 regular season games as a Leaf while scoring 11 points, including four goals and seven assists, but suffered a broken finger on March 4, 2023, in a game against the Vancouver Canucks and didn’t return until April 5, 2023.
O’Reilly finished with nine points (three goals) in the playoffs last year and was one of the main point producers to get the Maple Leafs through their first-round playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Nashville Predators signed O’Reilly to a four-year deal worth an AAV of $4.5 million in July, and he currently has the second most points on the team with 15 points (eight goals), including a hat trick, in 16 games played.
Noel Acciari
Date Traded: Feb. 17, 2023
Traded to: Toronto Maple Leafs
Current Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
Noel Acciari was involved in the three-way trade between the Wild, Blues, and Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs acquired Acciari and, in return, gave up centers Adam Gaudette and Mikhail Abramov, a 2023 first-round pick, a 2023 third-round pick, and a 2024 second-round pick. Acciari was mainly there to add some grit to the Maple Leafs’ roster ahead of the playoffs. Acciari finished the season in the top 10 in hits on the Maple Leafs and averaged about 14 hits per 60 minutes. He finished his 23 regular season games as a Maple Leaf with only five points (four goals), followed by two goals in 11 playoff games.
His performance didn’t stop him from signing a three-year deal worth an AAV of $2 million with the Pittsburgh Penguins in July. Acciari currently has one point in 16 games played with the Penguins.
Ivan Barbashev
Date Traded: March 3, 2023
Traded to: Vegas Golden Knights
Current Team: Vegas Golden Knights
Ivan Barbashev has been on a tear since he entered the Vegas Golden Knights’ locker room last season. He was traded to Vegas for center Zach Dean, who currently plays with the Springfield Thunderbirds in the American Hockey League (AHL). During the remainder of the season, he finished with 16 points (six goals) in 23 games played but played his best hockey as a Golden Knight in the playoffs. He scored 18 points (seven goals), which put him in the top five in playoff points on the Golden Knights roster and top 10 in the league, helping the team achieve their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
After re-signing with the Golden Knights on a five-year deal worth an AAV of $5 million in June, he hasn’t been putting up crazy numbers and only has six points (four goals) in 18 games played this season. Playing on the first line with Jack Eichel and Jonathan Marchessault, he’s been improving the gritty part of his game and is in the top five in hits on the team, showing that he still has something to bring to the Golden Knights.
Although there are five months left in the regular season, plus the playoffs, if all four players’ teams make it, each of them has a lot of hockey left in those coming months. For now, the Blues are barely hanging on without them, with a record of 8-7-1 so far. They’ll be looking to improve on that in their next game against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday.
