2024-2025 Blues Trade Proposals Thread.

[Brian39]

To me Montgomery’s usage of Kyrou is about weaponizing his speed. Thats largely irrelevant on the PP. a lot of his danger to opponents is off the rush, and that is more lethal with Holloway on the rush with him.

Gives more opportunities for a Snuggerud shot to find a spot. Next season should be interesting.

I really don’t understand the calls to trade Kyrou. To me the solution is to add another threat as dangerous as he is that makes it impossible for opponents to account for both of them as effectively. Suddenly Kyrou will have more impact.

Yup. I think Kyrou's biggest asset on the PP is his ability to create easy zone entries with his speed, but then once we are in the zone I prefer Thomas and Fowler to have the puck on their sticks. I'm content giving up Kyrou's puck carrying up ice through the neutral zone in favor of better one-time threats, especially since I mostly want Kyrou to give up the puck once we've gained the zone.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Yup. I think Kyrou's biggest asset on the PP is his ability to create easy zone entries with his speed, but then once we are in the zone I prefer Thomas and Fowler to have the puck on their sticks. I'm content giving up Kyrou's puck carrying up ice through the neutral zone in favor of better one-time threats, especially since I mostly want Kyrou to give up the puck once we've gained the zone.

If you account for Thomas, it’s nice to have a fresh Kyrou ready to take the ice the shift after the PP too. If the other team’s best defenders are tired, it’s a nice opportunity being created.

 

[Drubilly]

To me Montgomery’s usage of Kyrou is about weaponizing his speed. Thats largely irrelevant on the PP. a lot of his danger to opponents is off the rush, and that is more lethal with Holloway on the rush with him.

Gives more opportunities for a Snuggerud shot to find a spot. Next season should be interesting.

I really don’t understand the calls to trade Kyrou. To me the solution is to add another threat as dangerous as he is that makes it impossible for opponents to account for both of them as effectively. Suddenly Kyrou will have more impact.

Add Bolduc, Dvorsky, and Robertsson’s shots to the offense. My pants might be getting snugg.

 

[Mike Liut]

To me Montgomery’s usage of Kyrou is about weaponizing his speed. Thats largely irrelevant on the PP. a lot of his danger to opponents is off the rush, and that is more lethal with Holloway on the rush with him.

Gives more opportunities for a Snuggerud shot to find a spot. Next season should be interesting.

I really don’t understand the calls to trade Kyrou. To me the solution is to add another threat as dangerous as he is that makes it impossible for opponents to account for both of them as effectively. Suddenly Kyrou will have more impact.

Holloway

 

[ChicagoBlues]

Add Bolduc, Dvorsky, and Robertsson’s shots to the offense. My pants might be getting snugg.

Oooohhhh!! Snuggy!!!

 

[WeWentBlues]

A name I keep fixating on is Chandler Stephenson. His 6.25M cap hit suddenly doesn't look bad in today's NHL. What a difference a year makes if you ask me. Probably signed for a year or two longer than you'd like but that's the price of doing business for signing UFAs. Would also love to have Montour over Faulk.

 

[SirPaste]

A name I keep fixating on is Chandler Stephenson. His 6.25M cap hit suddenly doesn't look bad in today's NHL. What a difference a year makes if you ask me. Probably signed for a year or two longer than you'd like but that's the price of doing business for signing UFAs. Would also love to have Montour over Faulk.

Meh, he is a solid player but only 2 years younger than Schenn and is going to start declining very soon as well and that contract will be another anchor torwards the end, I have no interest in spending assets on him via trade unless he came very cheap but then why would Seattle move him? Doesn't really fit for us IMO. Same goes for Mountour whose best days are already behind him and is signed for another 6 years at a huge cap hit, just don't see the appeal.

 

[oPlaiD]

Agree that Kyrou had a very underwhelming playoff series, Game 7 in particular. However, he's also been able to elevate his game in the playoffs in the past as a much less mature player in the 21-22 season when he registered 7 goals and 2 assists in 12 games and was probably our best forward 5on5 that playoff.

The Kyrou contract will be an absolute bargain in the rising cap era. I'd also be concerned about breaking up Kyrou/Holloway as those two were electric on the same line. The only way I would move Kyrou would be for an upgrade at a position of need (2C/RHD) and not for a collection of magic beans. The emergence of Snuggerud and Bolduc and the pending NTC kicking in on July 1 have really brought this discussion to a fever pitch. I do not envy the position Armstrong is in here. Getting Oshie 2.0 vibes. Hoping Army won't make the same mistake twice.

I don't think you need to feel bad for Armstrong. He's made his position on Kyrou pretty clear, that the fan's fixation on him as a whipping boy is unwarranted. I know Army has no incentive to say otherwise and keeps his card close to his vest, and there's still a chance Kyrou is moved if the right deal presents itself, but everything indicates Armstrong is happy keeping Kyrou's contract on the books and feels no pressure to move him ahead of the NTC. The fixation with moving Kyrou is just fan fantasy.

 

[MissouriMook]

A name I keep fixating on is Chandler Stephenson. His 6.25M cap hit suddenly doesn't look bad in today's NHL. What a difference a year makes if you ask me. Probably signed for a year or two longer than you'd like but that's the price of doing business for signing UFAs. Would also love to have Montour over Faulk.

I think I would prefer someone who is more of a threat to shoot and not another "pass first" (or in his case, it's almost "pass always") center. He has taken 170 shots in 153 games the last two seasons. For comparison, Thomas has taken 315 shots in 152 games the last two seasons, and I feel like most (myself included) are dying to see him shoot more.

Two names I have been looking at from a trade standpoint lately are William Karlsson and Nic Roy for Vegas. Both seem like they would fit in very well with Holloway and Kyrou. Karlsson has a bit more offense to his game, but Roy might be a guy who could unlock more in the right situation and would come in at half the price. Karlsson in particular would be a guy I would expect Vegas to move if they're big game hunting for Marner.

 

[Beninnola]

Is there another Ryan McLeod that I’m not aware of? Wtf is with people here over-rating the shit out of him?

The number of young centers with super questionable status for like right now is basically 1.

The sabres are bent over the barrel a bit with byram and McLeod being so close to ufa and thus far unsigned.

If either skater intends to leave then the window to do that is upon us. If this is a scenario where the players get/force deals from the Sabres that walk them to ufa; i have to think the trading scenario changes a little once those deals are signed. Since they aren’t signed, maybe the trading partner is a little happier with the flexibility; they get to hold the aav down a little by packaging a rfa year. If the two players sign deals that walk them to ufa then their next deal is entirely ufa years, the more expensive version of themselves.

You’d guess maybe that the Sabres would do the thing on their terms instead of waiting a little bit and losing their dude(s) for free or some eleventh hour fire sale.

Only reason I bring ppl up is for fun or i think it’s likely they’re about to move. I don’t do player analysis. Just can predict movement. Mcleod could still sign…If it’s less than 4.75 per year and more than 2 years i think he’s making a mistake.

 

[Beninnola]

The number of young centers with super questionable status for like right now is basically 1.

The sabres are bent over the barrel a bit with byram and McLeod being so close to ufa and thus far unsigned.

If either skater intends to leave then the window to do that is upon us. If this is a scenario where the players get/force deals from the Sabres that walk them to ufa; i have to think the trading scenario changes a little once those deals are signed. Since they aren’t signed, maybe the trading partner is a little happier with the flexibility; they get to hold the aav down a little by packaging a rfa year. If the two players sign deals that walk them to ufa then their next deal is entirely ufa years, the more expensive version of themselves.

You’d guess maybe that the Sabres would do the thing on their terms instead of waiting a little bit and losing their dude(s) for free or some eleventh hour fire sale.

Only reason I bring ppl up is for fun or i think it’s likely they’re about to move. I don’t do player analysis. Just can predict movement. Mcleod could still sign…If it’s less than 4.75 per year and more than 2 years i think he’s making a mistake.

Also, just for funsies:

McLeod was drafted by our VP of hockey ops.

When the oilers pushed for a comeback last cup finals, the duo of McLeod Holloway did work so hard that it’s on Wikipedia. McLeod scored in 3 different games, Holloway had two big impact games, both super young. They weren’t together all the time but it was one of the successful bits of the whole ordeal

Ryan McLeod scored his first nhl goal on Jordan binnington.

Goal video

As you can see

The hockey gods have somewhat spoken already on this matter. Chances are well above 0 that the dude moves and there’s enough ties to us plus positional need that it seems like a thing to predict.

 

[HighNote]

And the excuses go on and on lol. Can you just admit that he let the team down in this playoff series? Players with higher expectations get criticized more, that's just how it works. We needed more from our highest paid winger.

No one credible is saying to trade him just to trade him, so it's kind of silly to keep bringing that up. I just find it funny that Kyrou gets so much leeway while someone like Neighbours doesn't get credit for what he does. He had a great first playoff run but people will still keep downplaying him next year I'm sure. I guess it's just human nature to play favorites.

I'm confused by the bolded line. I feel like Kyrou gets the least amount of leeway...? He's been the undisputed #1 whipping boy since the day his biggest competition was put on LTIR (Krug).

 

[The Note]

I'm confused by the bolded line. I feel like Kyrou gets the least amount of leeway...? He's been the undisputed #1 whipping boy since the day his biggest competition was put on LTIR (Krug).

Yeah every 3rd post on this board since they got eliminated has been about trading Kyrou or how he’s a choking loser, or a combination of the two. If he’s getting leeway I’d hate to see what the alternative is.

 

[BleedBlue14]

Completely false. Colorado just did it with Rant. We did it with Oshie, Stasney etc. Happens all the time.

Did you read the entire text?

 

[BleedBlue14]

I'm confused by the bolded line. I feel like Kyrou gets the least amount of leeway...? He's been the undisputed #1 whipping boy since the day his biggest competition was put on LTIR (Krug).

He's been the whipping boy for a very loud group since the Berube firing.

Some of the critiques certainly aren't wrong. But I think we all get so engrained in watching every game that we see the good and the bad amplified x10 versus guys we see highlight reels of or don't really watch for more than 3 games a season we really only focus on the good.

 

[joe galiba]

He's been the whipping boy for a very loud group since the Berube firing.

Some of the critiques certainly aren't wrong. But I think we all get so engrained in watching every game that we see the good and the bad amplified x10 versus guys we see highlight reels of or don't really watch for more than 3 games a season we really only focus on the good.

some people develop irrational dislike for players
it happens
Jim Edmonds had 6 gold gloves in 8 seasons for the cardinals and had a .947 ops and paced around 35 home runs, 105 RBI, and 100 runs a year
and the haters said he showboated, didn’t try hard, was overrated, etc…

never underestimate how much hate and dislike can color peoples view of reality, sometimes people are unable to move off a narrative now matter how much evidence is in front of them

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

He's been the whipping boy for a very loud group since the Berube firing.

Yep, didn't help that JR threw gasoline on that fire with his absolutely abhorrent reporting, and people still can't get that out of their heads either.

 

[Reality Czech]

I'm confused by the bolded line. I feel like Kyrou gets the least amount of leeway...? He's been the undisputed #1 whipping boy since the day his biggest competition was put on LTIR (Krug).

Maybe if you had Dizee on ignore, you'd feel differently. Schenn, Neighbours, Faulk, get way more flak than Kyrou and fewer people defending them. Whenever Kyrou is criticized, 5 posters come flying in to shield him as if they take the criticism personally.

The way I see it is he's not a kid anymore and he's getting paid like a top line player, and we needed a lot more out of him in this playoff series. He's too streaky for my liking and seems to rely on others to make the most out of his ice time. People keep saying his contract is 100% gonna be a bargain in the future, but if Holloway picks up where he left off then Kyrou might find himself the 2nd best winger on our team real soon.

Re: the previous posts, I don't read JR and I certainly don't "hate" Kyrou. I just expect more out of an $8 million player. You see flashes of what he could be from time to time and wonder why he can't find that gear more often. I look at Kyle Connor on the Jets and wish Kyrou could get the that level where he's a pain in the ass to play against every game. I'm just not sure he has that in him.

 

[SirPaste]

Maybe if you had Dizee on ignore, you'd feel differently. Schenn, Neighbours, Faulk, get way more flak than Kyrou and fewer people defending them. Whenever Kyrou is criticized, 5 posters come flying in to shield him as if they take the criticism personally.

The way I see it is he's not a kid anymore and he's getting paid like a top line player, and we needed a lot more out of him in this playoff series. He's too streaky for my liking and seems to rely on others to make the most out of his ice time. People keep saying his contract is 100% gonna be a bargain in the future, but if Holloway picks up where he left off then Kyrou might find himself the 2nd best winger on our team real soon.

Re: the previous posts, I don't read JR and I certainly don't "hate" Kyrou. I just expect more out of an $8 million player. You see flashes of what he could be from time to time and wonder why he can't find that gear more often. I look at Kyle Connor on the Jets and wish Kyrou could get the that level where he's a pain in the ass to play against every game. I'm just not sure he has that in him.

This is patently false. Faulk might be close but none of them get nearly as much flak as Kyrou does around here.

 

[bleedblue1223]

This is patently false. Faulk might be close but none of them get nearly as much flak as Kyrou does around here.

Schenn does, it's just not controversial since it's widely accepted that his play has declined significantly, his contract isn't great, Holloway elevated him to passable, but he's a good captain.

We all agree our areas to upgrade are the spots that Schenn and Faulk currently play. Kyrou is just a more divisive player because we don't all agree on if he's an issue or not.

 

[HighNote]

Maybe if you had Dizee on ignore, you'd feel differently. Schenn, Neighbours, Faulk, get way more flak than Kyrou and fewer people defending them. Whenever Kyrou is criticized, 5 posters come flying in to shield him as if they take the criticism personally.

I don't mean just on these boards.

The way I see it is he's not a kid anymore and he's getting paid like a top line player, and we needed a lot more out of him in this playoff series. He's too streaky for my liking and seems to rely on others to make the most out of his ice time. People keep saying his contract is 100% gonna be a bargain in the future, but if Holloway picks up where he left off then Kyrou might find himself the 2nd best winger on our team real soon.

It would be a good thing if Holloway ends up better than Kyrou, and that doesn't affect the fact that Kyrou's contract is going to be a bargain in the future barring a big drop off in play.

Re: the previous posts, I don't read JR and I certainly don't "hate" Kyrou. I just expect more out of an $8 million player. You see flashes of what he could be from time to time and wonder why he can't find that gear more often. I look at Kyle Connor on the Jets and wish Kyrou could get the that level where he's a pain in the ass to play against every game. I'm just not sure he has that in him.

I'm not so sure you understand how much the cap is increasing. Let's use Tarasenko as an example. Kyrou has a lesser cap hit percentage than Tarasenko's contract had, and it will be significantly less as each year goes by because the cap did not rise even close to as much over the duration of Tarasenko's contract. For reference, the salary cap increased just 11.1 million over the entirety of Tarasenko's 8-year contract. Starting next season, the salary cap will have already increased by 12 million since the 1st year of Kyrou's contract, and there are still 5 more seasons left for it to go up even more. By comparison, heading into the 3rd season of Tarasenko's contract, the cap had only risen 3.6 million (so over 3 times less).

The upper limit for the 2027-28 season is set at 113.5 million, that means the cap would have increased by 30 million heading into the 5th year of Kyrou's contract with 3 more seasons still to go. His cap hit percentage would be 7.2% in 27-28. Tarasenko heading into his 5th season had a cap hit percentage of 9.2%. In 27-28, that's the difference between a 10.4 million dollar contract and a 8.125 million dollar contract. Will Kyrou be worth 2.275 million less than Tarasenko was in the 5th year of his contract? I don't think so.

Tarasenko made more money because he was the better player. His contract was absolutely worth it. The difference between Tarasenko and Kyrou is not massive. Kyrou's contract is fair right now, great next season, and a steal after that. Even if he declines much sooner than predicted, like year 5 or 6 of his contract, instead of the contract being a steal, it will be "just" great, or at worst fair.

 

[LetsGoBooze]

Sounds like Kyrou's contract will be a true bargain for whoever trades for him, should increase trade value even further

 

[stl76]

Elias Lindholm could be an interesting trade target. Legit 2C IMO with solid defensive chops and a history of chemistry with wingers somewhat similar stylistically to Kyrou/Holloway (Gaudreau/Tkachuk).

I’d imagine the acquisition cost would be relatively low, 30 years old with a large cap hit for a long time (including some signing bonuses and a NMC). Have to think he would be opening to waiving with Boston staring down the barrel of a re-whatever.




EDIT:
Forgot to add - the Steen Swedish connection could be a real factor. Lindholm is currently playing very well over at the WC for team Sweden…

 

[Xanadude]

I agree with most posters here that McLeod is the most pragmatic young center to trade for--we just have to hope that either he wants out of Buffalo or that Buffalo likes their center group enough without him. Honestly, I think they should keep him--Buffalo needs to prevent every goal they can. However, if they continue to be dumb...

On the RHD front, our defense is old...old old. Parayko is a stud but in the back nine of his prime. Fowler was incredible this year but is 33. Faulk is deteriorating in front of our eyes. Leddy hasn't looked the same all year. Suter can practically sign up for AARP. That leaves Broberg, who is amazing but only signed one more year, and Tucker, who I like a lot but just had a knee injury and has only recently shown promise. Also there's Kessel, who never really regained the magic last year and might not be a factor.

There is a real risk Broberg goes to market, or Fowler or Parakyo or Faulk or Leddy deteriorate further, and we are in a bad way on the back end in a flash.

IMO the more important add is to the blue line. While McLeod would be a great add, maybe you just sign Pius Suter/Brock Nelson instead and then focus on trading Bolduc or whoever else for that long-term defense addition. The bottom line is that I trust our scouting--if we think Clarke, Spence, Willander, Nemec or Morrow are affordable and can be that guy, we should pull the trigger. The future is now, old men.

Of course, if we can't rob someone blind again, maybe we ship out Faulk/Leddy for peanuts and then get a veteran stopgap better than what we have. Rasmus Anderssen wants out and I've always liked his game; Rasmus Ristolainen really turned it around last year and Philly is full rebuild. Maybe a non-Rasmus option is Dougie Hamilton from New Jersey, whose defensive logjam is absurd at this point. We almost got Sanheim for Krug a few summers ago (where would we be if we did?) and maybe a futures package and the chance to contend gets Sanheim to waive his NTC (he played with Parakyo in 4 nations too IIRC). People talk Dobson here, but with NYI about to draft Schaefer, maybe they are willing to shop Pulock or Pelech to facilitate a retool.

IMO you try and get one of the blue chip prospects and then inquire about, in order, Sanheim, Pulock, Anderssen, Ristolainen and Hamilton.

Or maybe history repeats itself and we trade 1/5th of the team for an elite 'final piece' defenseman from Vancouver. No way that backfires again...

 

[HighNote]

Sounds like Kyrou's contract will be a true bargain for whoever trades for him, should increase trade value even further

I mean, I'm certainly not opposed to trading him, but it would need to be either a 1 for 1 where we get a similarly skilled player with a similar contract at a different position, or we're adding to Kyrou to make a big splash.