2024-2025 Blues Trade Proposals Thread.

[StlBigFly]

I had binner on my trade prediction list specifically for the reason he had the chance to be a champion and the implications.

Now that it has happened, if there was ever a time another team could pry him away, it’s now. Unless this team has figured out some new technology over the break it just doesn’t seem like the next few years will have us as strong contenders. By the time we are strong contenders a guy like Binner may be at the end of his career. He’s in championship form today by definition, just beat playoff hellebyuck when it mattered. Helle was beat clean by McDavid, beat clean by Bennett, and was lost on the first goal. Binnington showed what champion level goaltending looks like.

I don’t specifically want the team torn down, to go on some non-competitive traditional rebuild, but I do think we would be set up for more success with one more dip into the prospect pool. It’s McDavid and Eichel and Matthews and MacKinnon’s time right now. The 4 teams these dudes are on and a small handful of others are loading up to the teeth. Let’s go ahead and be there when they slow down in a few years, when they’re paying the price for the choices they’re making today. Let’s take one shot at a high value draft position because it’s just so hard to get into the position to do so, and the way we do that is one bittersweet and painful subtraction, especially if it involves ahl level goaltending (see Mario Lemieux -and- Sidney Crosby - both cases the gm shifted goaltending down the stretch to a lower tier).

Between binner, Parayko, Schenn, Kyrou, Buch; perhaps we get an offer for one guy who makes it worthwhile.

 

[greybush314]

I appreciate the sentiment but I'm more concerned about long term outlook than keeping a guy around solely because of his legacy. He could always sign a one day contract at the end of his career and retire a Blue.

And I highly doubt we're gonna re-sign a 34 yr old goalie to an extension with Hofer on board. So the chances of him retiring as a Blue are very slim rather traded or not.

Strike while the iron is hot imo. I did notice that Will Cranley was assigned to Springfield the other day. Don't know if Ellis or Zherenko are hurt or something but it makes me wonder a bit.

 

[ds774622]

And I highly doubt we're gonna re-sign a 34 yr old goalie to an extension with Hofer on board. So the chances of him retiring as a Blue are very slim rather traded or not.

Strike while the iron is hot imo. I did notice that Will Cranley was assigned to Springfield the other day. Don't know if Ellis or Zherenko are hurt or something but it makes me wonder a bit.

I'm curious if there's going to be a corresponding NHL transaction here with the b2b this weekend. Binner has to either get the whole weekend off to rest, or at least take Saturday. So wondering if Ellis gets called up for a few days.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

I'm curious if there's going to be a corresponding NHL transaction here with the b2b this weekend. Binner has to either get the whole weekend off to rest, or at least take Saturday. So wondering if Ellis gets called up for a few days.

Perry posted that Ellis has been ill.

 

[ds774622]

Perry posted that Ellis has been ill.

Man, the damn sicknesses going on here on the east coast have been brutal since Thanksgiving. Back to back to back, just constantly picking up some garbage virus. I'm 90 mins from Springfield so I'm not surprised about the illnesses going through locker rooms right now.

 

[BleedBlue14]

I want him to retire a Blue, he's been one his entire career.

I’m not wanting to trade him because I don’t like him. I’m wanting to explore it because it’s practical timing. We’re underachieving yet again, he just shined on the international stage, Hofers having a bit worse of a season.

I just think it really makes sense for both sides to explore it right now.

 

[BleedBlue14]

I had binner on my trade prediction list specifically for the reason he had the chance to be a champion and the implications.

Now that it has happened, if there was ever a time another team could pry him away, it’s now. Unless this team has figured out some new technology over the break it just doesn’t seem like the next few years will have us as strong contenders. By the time we are strong contenders a guy like Binner may be at the end of his career. He’s in championship form today by definition, just beat playoff hellebyuck when it mattered. Helle was beat clean by McDavid, beat clean by Bennett, and was lost on the first goal. Binnington showed what champion level goaltending looks like.

I don’t specifically want the team torn down, to go on some non-competitive traditional rebuild, but I do think we would be set up for more success with one more dip into the prospect pool. It’s McDavid and Eichel and Matthews and MacKinnon’s time right now. The 4 teams these dudes are on and a small handful of others are loading up to the teeth. Let’s go ahead and be there when they slow down in a few years, when they’re paying the price for the choices they’re making today. Let’s take one shot at a high value draft position because it’s just so hard to get into the position to do so, and the way we do that is one bittersweet and painful subtraction, especially if it involves ahl level goaltending (see Mario Lemieux -and- Sidney Crosby - both cases the gm shifted goaltending down the stretch to a lower tier).

Between binner, Parayko, Schenn, Kyrou, Buch; perhaps we get an offer for one guy who makes it worthwhile.

I still wouldn’t be too interested in moving Parayko, Kyrou or Buch without getting a nearly perfect return of fitting what the team needs. I’m hesitant on Schenn because I don’t love the upcoming UFA market and we can’t go into next season with Thomas, Dvorsky, Sunny and a 4C as our center options. That season would be DOA and most likely be lost for development as well.

 

[Brian39]

If this is the yr Carolina is going all in they should make a run at him.

Carolina makes so, so, so much sense as a team that should be interested in Binner.

They have been plagued by wilting playoff goaltending for years now and they have a clear path to a deep playoff run if they can get the goaltending.

They have massive cap space in 2025/26 ($38.7M) and 2026/27 ($48.1M) to fit Binner's full cap hit over the remaining 2 years of his deal after this one. They don't have the space to fit Binner right now, but I'm sure they would be fine flipping Hall to us to make the deal cap neutral for this season. We also have the space to take Freddy's full contract and open up space for them to target another middle/bottom 6 forward. Hell, if they want to bolster their bottom 6 we could include Faksa at 50% retention.

Kochetkov is locked in at $2M for the same term as Binner. That would lock in their goaltending through 2026/27 at $8M. Kochetkov is good enough for that to be a damn good tandem and to keep Binner's workload reasonable. And if they still believe that Kochetkov can develop into 'the guy' they would have the perfect timeline for him to eventually overtake Binner and then give him a big raise when Binner's contract drops off the books.

They have all of their upcoming 1st round picks, their 2nd rounders in 2026+2027, an extremely well regarded RHD prospect in Morrow and a well regarded RHD prospect in Badinka. I can't imagine that Nikishin is remotely on the table, but they very much have the types of futures that we should be targeting without discussing/including him.

If (and it is still a pretty large if) the Blues are prepared to start making deeper cuts to the core and take a longer-term step backwards, Carolina is pretty much a perfect fit for a deal involving Binner

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

Carolina makes so, so, so much sense as a team that should be interested in Binner.

They have been plagued by wilting playoff goaltending for years now and they have a clear path to a deep playoff run if they can get the goaltending.

They have massive cap space in 2025/26 ($38.7M) and 2026/27 ($48.1M) to fit Binner's full cap hit over the remaining 2 years of his deal after this one. They don't have the space to fit Binner right now, but I'm sure they would be fine flipping Hall to us to make the deal cap neutral for this season. We also have the space to take Freddy's full contract and open up space for them to target another middle/bottom 6 forward. Hell, if they want to bolster their bottom 6 we could include Faksa at 50% retention.

Kochetkov is locked in at $2M for the same term as Binner. That would lock in their goaltending through 2026/27 at $8M. Kochetkov is good enough for that to be a damn good tandem and to keep Binner's workload reasonable. And if they still believe that Kochetkov can develop into 'the guy' they would have the perfect timeline for him to eventually overtake Binner and then give him a big raise when Binner's contract drops off the books.

They have all of their upcoming 1st round picks, their 2nd rounders in 2026+2027, an extremely well regarded RHD prospect in Morrow and a well regarded RHD prospect in Badinka. I can't imagine that Nikishin is remotely on the table, but they very much have the types of futures that we should be targeting without discussing/including him.

If (and it is still a pretty large if) the Blues are prepared to start making deeper cuts to the core and take a longer-term step backwards, Carolina is pretty much a perfect fit for a deal involving Binner

I agree and that's exactly the team I posted about a few months ago when I predicted Binnington would get traded after a strong 4 Nations. He makes a ton of sense for the Hurricanes.

Send back Freddy Anderson who can free up salary this season and wouldn't be a bad tandem goaltender with Joel Hofer for the moment and they have the futures that should be of a lot of interest to the Blues.

 

[BadgersandBlues]

I think Carolina would make a ton of sense for us as a trade partner for Binny. They have a lot of NHL ready D prospects that are very appealing. If we wanted to expand the deal, I think Kotkaniemi is an interesting player. He's a big guy, he fits into our new core age group, and he's fairly good on the dot since he went to the Rod Brind'amour school of not sucking at faceoffs, and doing other stuff good too. He's overpaid for a 3C today, but with the cap rising he could be a solid choice for us in that spot long term, especially if we're serious about moving Schenn in the next year or so.

He's got a 2.08 p/60 at 5v5, which would be 2nd on our team this season and omg I'm going to jump off a f***ing bridge now.

It's not that I'm fully advocating for him, but I get the sense that Carolina doesn't really know what to do with him, and we are in such desparate need for Centers, especially if we trade Schenn.

 

[Xerloris]

And I highly doubt we're gonna re-sign a 34 yr old goalie to an extension with Hofer on board. So the chances of him retiring as a Blue are very slim rather traded or not.

Strike while the iron is hot imo. I did notice that Will Cranley was assigned to Springfield the other day. Don't know if Ellis or Zherenko are hurt or something but it makes me wonder a bit.

I think we will/would. Just like veteran Dmen and Forwards you need a veteran goalie to help the young guy through bad times. I just want to remind people that Allen was always a head case but when Broduer was here he played significantly better with a veteran goalie that could help him through the bad times.

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

I think Carolina would make a ton of sense for us as a trade partner for Binny. They have a lot of NHL ready D prospects that are very appealing. If we wanted to expand the deal, I think Kotkaniemi is an interesting player. He's a big guy, he fits into our new core age group, and he's fairly good on the dot since he went to the Rod Brind'amour school of not sucking at faceoffs, and doing other stuff good too. He's overpaid for a 3C today, but with the cap rising he could be a solid choice for us in that spot long term, especially if we're serious about moving Schenn in the next year or so.

He's got a 2.08 p/60 at 5v5, which would be 2nd on our team this season and omg I'm going to jump off a f***ing bridge now.

It's not that I'm fully advocating for him, but I get the sense that Carolina doesn't really know what to do with him, and we are in such desparate need for Centers, especially if we trade Schenn.

That makes a lot of sense and could actually fetch us a better return. That contract is an albatross for a contending team but one the Blues could reasonably swallow. Don't love the player, but the deal is manageable if it helps us land a better package of futures.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

I think Carolina would make a ton of sense for us as a trade partner for Binny. They have a lot of NHL ready D prospects that are very appealing. If we wanted to expand the deal, I think Kotkaniemi is an interesting player. He's a big guy, he fits into our new core age group, and he's fairly good on the dot since he went to the Rod Brind'amour school of not sucking at faceoffs, and doing other stuff good too. He's overpaid for a 3C today, but with the cap rising he could be a solid choice for us in that spot long term, especially if we're serious about moving Schenn in the next year or so.

He's got a 2.08 p/60 at 5v5, which would be 2nd on our team this season and omg I'm going to jump off a f***ing bridge now.

It's not that I'm fully advocating for him, but I get the sense that Carolina doesn't really know what to do with him, and we are in such desparate need for Centers, especially if we trade Schenn.

Why would they trade him on a cup run?

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

Why would they trade him on a cup run?

To get out of 5 more seasons of Jesper Kotkaniemi after this one. There aren't going to be a lot of teams willing to take on that contract.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

To get out of 5 more seasons of Jesper Kotkaniemi after this one. There aren't going to be a lot of teams willing to take on that contract.

I don't think he has negative value. A relatively young center with size in rising cap era who was high draft pick and showed promise, someone would probably pay mid round pick for him.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

I don't think he has negative value. A relatively young center with size in rising cap era who was high draft pick and showed promise, someone would probably pay mid round pick for him.

Carolina is loaded with young prospects too.

 

[StlBigFly]

I’m guessing the blues group gets to mull about some impactful decisions and I’m envious. Seems like a fun exercise. It would be fun to build to run systems that identified value in odd, time constrained scenarios like trading pro athletes and athlete futures.

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

I don't think he has negative value. A relatively young center with size in rising cap era who was high draft pick and showed promise, someone would probably pay mid round pick for him.

I don't think he has negative value but I think the Hurricanes would jump at the chance to get out from under that 5-year $24M-ish commitment for a player that has struggled to rack up 30+ points most seasons thus far in his career, especially in a hockey trade that could improve their team now.

There's no way they're not actively looking to find a 2C option that's better than Kotkaniemi heading into the playoffs.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

I don't think he has negative value but I think the Hurricanes would jump at the chance to get out from under that 5-year $24M-ish commitment for a player that has struggled to rack up 30+ points most seasons thus far in his career, especially in a hockey trade that could improve their team now.

There's no way they're not actively looking to find a 2C option that's better than Kotkaniemi heading into the playoffs.

Makes you wonder if Schenn would waive for there..

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

Makes you wonder if Schenn would waive for there..

You read my mind.

 

[Brian39]

I don't think he has negative value but I think the Hurricanes would jump at the chance to get out from under that 5-year $24M-ish commitment for a player that has struggled to rack up 30+ points most seasons thus far in his career, especially in a hockey trade that could improve their team now.

There's no way they're not actively looking to find a 2C option that's better than Kotkaniemi heading into the playoffs.

I get your overall point about wanting to upgrade, but I think your description is underselling him a bit. He's on pace for 38 points this year, he had 43 points in 2022/23, and his 29 points in 66 games in 2021/22 was a 36 point pace. He finished with 29 points that year due to injury, but it isn't like he's been an injury prone player. I think he has played like a 35-40 point player pretty consistently in his time with Carolina. His lone season below that pace was a 27 point effort last season.

They also haven't used him in a 2C role. His even strength TOI per game is 9th among their forwards (7th if you exclude Rants/Hall) and 3rd among the guys they are playing at center. He is also tied for 7th in PP TOI per game among their forwards (6th if you exclude Rants/Hall). He's playing 13:58 a night total. He's been deployed like a 3C.

Again, I get your overall point. They could use an upgrade to deploy like a 2C and they very well may want out of that contract because they don't feel he is a 2C. But it isn't like he's been unproductive in a 2C role. For the most part, he's been a 35-40 point sheltered 3C for them.

Makes you wonder if Schenn would waive for there..

Not sure if Schenn solves that problem. He's only mildly outproducing Kotkaniemi, but with way more ice time.

 

[MissouriMook]

I'm not sure I believe that Binnington gets traded, if for no other reason than someone still has to put butts in seats and, like it or not, he's arguably the most popular guy on the team with the fan base. If we do trade him in the next few weeks while his value is high, it needs to be a deal that really stings for the acquiring team. Something along the lines of:

EDM - Skinner, EDM 2026 1st, STL 2025 2nd, cap dump; or
CAR - Andersen, Morrow, Kotkaniemi, CAR 2026 2nd (essentially Morrow + 2nd with Andersen as a cap dump and KK as a sweetener/cap to add another C/W)

 

[Brian39]

I'm not sure I believe that Binnington gets traded, if for no other reason than someone still has to put butts in seats and, like it or not, he's arguably the most popular guy on the team with the fan base. If we do trade him in the next few weeks while his value is high, it needs to be a deal that really stings for the acquiring team. Something along the lines of:

EDM - Skinner, EDM 2026 1st, STL 2025 2nd, cap dump; or
CAR - Andersen, Morrow, Kotkaniemi, CAR 2026 2nd (essentially Morrow + 2nd with Andersen as a cap dump and KK as a sweetener/cap to add another C/W)

I think that @BleedBlue14 was right in the ballpark about a return value similar to the Markstrom deal (1st round pick and Kevin Bahl). Bahl was a 2nd round pick and was effective as the Devils 4th/5th D man as a 23 year old in the year before that trade. Markstrom has his own consistency issues, is older, and doesn't have the 'big game' reputation. He was probably viewed as playing better in the season immediately prior to the trade, but he also got hurt that year. I think the Blues could push for a bit more value after Binner just stepped up on a big stage again.

I think your Carolina proposal pretty fairly mirrors the Markstrom return when you consider the cap implications, although I think they probably feel that Kotkaniemi has more value as just a sweetener. Morrow may be worth more than a basic mid-late 1st round pick, but he isn't a can't miss, elite prospect who is a lock to be an impact NHL player in the short term. And I also think that a 2026 2nd rounder from Carolina is probably worth less than Kevin Bahl was this past summer. So I think those two as the base is a pretty reasonable and fair ask.

 

[BleedBlue14]

I'm not sure I believe that Binnington gets traded, if for no other reason than someone still has to put butts in seats and, like it or not, he's arguably the most popular guy on the team with the fan base. If we do trade him in the next few weeks while his value is high, it needs to be a deal that really stings for the acquiring team. Something along the lines of:

EDM - Skinner, EDM 2026 1st, STL 2025 2nd, cap dump; or
CAR - Andersen, Morrow, Kotkaniemi, CAR 2026 2nd (essentially Morrow + 2nd with Andersen as a cap dump and KK as a sweetener/cap to add another C/W)

I think the Carolina one would work pretty good with Schenn included as well with Carolina adding potentially a 1st. Or switching the 2nd to a 1st and a 3rd. Kotkaniemi although not great solves a lot of our issues if we are moving Schenn out as well.

2C who can slide up or down to 3C as Dvorsky finds his footing.

Let’s Carolina also take a real shot this year with the Rantanen situation looming.

 

[TruBlueFan1970]

I don't think he has negative value. A relatively young center with size in rising cap era who was high draft pick and showed promise, someone would probably pay mid round pick for him.

I think the Carolina one would work pretty good with Schenn included as well with Carolina adding potentially a 1st. Or switching the 2nd to a 1st and a 3rd. Kotkaniemi although not great solves a lot of our issues if we are moving Schenn out as well.

2C who can slide up or down to 3C as Dvorsky finds his footing.

Let’s Carolina also take a real shot this year with the Rantanen situation looming.

I’m dreaming here, but they do seem like a good fit. ZERO chance we get Nikishin, but I want him.

To CAR: Binner (20% retained), Schenn
To STL: Anderson (cap), Kotkaniemi (cap) and Nikishin!!!