Blues 2024 Off-Season Trade Proposals Thread

[Brian39]

Anyone trading for Ekblad will be holding the bag for a no longer effective defenseman.

'No longer effective' certainly wasn't true this season and I don't believe that there is a cliff coming for him in the near future. I think it is fair to say that he's not a #1 guy any more, but he just played a massive role in a Cup win averaging 22:33 a night.

That 22:33 a night overall was 3rd on the Panthers and just 7 seconds behind Montour for 2nd. It was 3 minutes up on Mikkola for 4th. He was 2nd on the team in PK TOI per game and just 2 seconds a night behind Forsling for 1st. His 19:01 at even strength was 2nd on the team. He and Forsling were very much their top pair, logging significant defensive oriented minutes against the opposition's top line. Forsling absolutely drove that pair, but Ekblad was still effective in that role.

I think whoever signs his next contract will likely overpay and it probably gets real ugly toward the end. But that team should get an effective 2/3 D man for several years.

 

[bleedblue1223]

On 101, they apparently said that JR said that Krug is willing to waive for 4-6 teams. If that's true, I imagine he's motivated by his full NTC becoming a M-NTC, which could mean he might not have a choice on a trade destination.

I do take 101 and JR with a grain of salt though.

 

[Eldon Reid]

On 101, they apparently said that JR said that Krug is willing to waive for 4-6 teams. If that's true, I imagine he's motivated by his full NTC becoming a M-NTC, which could mean he might not have a choice on a trade destination.

I do take 101 and JR with a grain of salt though.

Always take 101 with a grain of salt.

My favorite is talking about Necas. All they talked about was offer sheeting him. Why do that when you can just trade for his rights and it won't cost as much as an offer sheet.

 

[Mike Liut]

101 said the Blues are shopping Parayko. Yeah, let’s trade our only good defender. We’d be in full tank mode, which is the opposite of what Army says.

 

[bleedblue1223]

101 said the Blues are shopping Parayko. Yeah, let’s trade our only good defender. We’d be in full tank mode, which is the opposite of what Army says.

That comes from Pagnotta. Take it with a grain of salt.

• Colton Parayko’s name is starting to make the rounds again, though he has a full no-trade clause and will have a big say if the St. Louis Blues try to trade him.

 

[SirPaste]

That comes from Pagnotta. Take it with a grain of salt.

Was just going to post this, I don't really buy it. Also the way its phrased could easily mean teams are calling asking about him which would make more sense, nothing about us actually shopping him.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

Pagnuttin as always. Shopping Colton NTC Parayko. Right.

 

[Thallis]

'No longer effective' certainly wasn't true this season and I don't believe that there is a cliff coming for him in the near future. I think it is fair to say that he's not a #1 guy any more, but he just played a massive role in a Cup win averaging 22:33 a night.

That 22:33 a night overall was 3rd on the Panthers and just 7 seconds behind Montour for 2nd. It was 3 minutes up on Mikkola for 4th. He was 2nd on the team in PK TOI per game and just 2 seconds a night behind Forsling for 1st. His 19:01 at even strength was 2nd on the team. He and Forsling were very much their top pair, logging significant defensive oriented minutes against the opposition's top line. Forsling absolutely drove that pair, but Ekblad was still effective in that role.

I think whoever signs his next contract will likely overpay and it probably gets real ugly toward the end. But that team should get an effective 2/3 D man for several years.

He was -the- target in all the minutes he was out there for. Edmonton's success against that pair came from going after him off the rush and forcing him to move backwards to defend. He's lost significant mobility since his injury a couple years ago and is an overpaid 2nd pair D at this point. Florida's whole plan is to move him now before teams realize what he's become and how much was hidden by Forsling.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I can be on board with a Parayko trade, but if you do go that route, you have to just embrace a 2 year tank. Move a few others, collect as many picks as possible, sign stop gaps, and get top 10 picks in the next couple drafts.

Similar to how everyone expects us to draft a defenseman, everyone expects us to trade one, but there's no actual inside info out there on any of it.

 

[Mike Liut]

I can be on board with a Parayko trade, but if you do go that route, you have to just embrace a 2 year tank. Move a few others, collect as many picks as possible, sign stop gaps, and get top 10 picks in the next couple drafts.

Similar to how everyone expects us to draft a defenseman, everyone expects us to trade one, but there's no actual inside info out there on any of it.

Same here. It’s not the worse thing in the world. We’d come out of this thing fully re-tooled and ready to roll.

 

[Dr Robot]

Marino in Jersey is apparently on the block. He would be a good pickup for us.

 

[BleedBlue14]

I can be on board with a Parayko trade, but if you do go that route, you have to just embrace a 2 year tank. Move a few others, collect as many picks as possible, sign stop gaps, and get top 10 picks in the next couple drafts.

Similar to how everyone expects us to draft a defenseman, everyone expects us to trade one, but there's no actual inside info out there on any of it.

I'm not sure I could be on board with a Parayko trade unless a team is willing to give us a defenseman who looks to be a pretty good bet to be a #1. I can't begin to fathom how bad it would be watching some combination of Faulk and Krug on a 2nd pairing trying to play 24 minutes a night against actual top 6 players. I also can't begin to fathom how awful it would be to watch Kessel do the same with Krug or Perunovich.


There are other defenseman out there who you could use in a matchup role, but would most likely require a partner who is much more adept to the role than Nick Leddy is even if he did do a pretty admirable job this past season.

The only way to lessen the blow of trading a Parayko would be to bring in an Ekblad. And at that point whats the overall net gain from that especially given the Full NTC and the almost impossible challenge of getting a good return out of moving him. He's not an elite enough of a player that any team would pay through the nose to get him. But he certainly should be that to us if we want any hope of having a functional backend and not having the defensive structure of 23-24 Senators.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I'm not sure I could be on board with a Parayko trade unless a team is willing to give us a defenseman who looks to be a pretty good bet to be a #1. I can't begin to fathom how bad it would be watching some combination of Faulk and Krug on a 2nd pairing trying to play 24 minutes a night against actual top 6 players. I also can't begin to fathom how awful it would be to watch Kessel do the same with Krug or Perunovich.


There are other defenseman out there who you could use in a matchup role, but would most likely require a partner who is much more adept to the role than Nick Leddy is even if he did do a pretty admirable job this past season.

The only way to lessen the blow of trading a Parayko would be to bring in an Ekblad. And at that point whats the overall net gain from that especially given the Full NTC and the almost impossible challenge of getting a good return out of moving him. He's not an elite enough of a player that any team would pay through the nose to get him. But he certainly should be that to us if we want any hope of having a functional backend and not having the defensive structure of 23-24 Senators.

I could see trading for Trouba as a stop gap, assuming he's cheap and viewed as more of a cap dump for the Rangers. I don't expect that scenario to play out though. I don't expect Parayko to be traded.

 

[BleedBlue14]

I could see trading for Trouba as a stop gap, assuming he's cheap and viewed as more of a cap dump for the Rangers. I don't expect that scenario to play out though. I don't expect Parayko to be traded.

It would almost just have to be a perfect storm of a team paying a massive price for Parayko and having a stop-gap for a couple of years, and then immediately identifying/drafting a replacement that would be ready afterwards for it to be worth it. I can't imagine what these extensions for defenseman are going to look like in a couple of years.

 

[BleedBlue14]

I guess we traded a 4th for Texier?

 

[MissouriMook]

I guess we traded a 4th for Texier?

In 2025, yes.

Anyone remember why he played in Europe in 2022-23 instead of the NHL? Edit: NVM; answered in another thread.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

In 2025, yes.

Anyone remember why he played in Europe in 2022-23 instead of the NHL?

he apparently had family issue (close relatives died?).

 

[mk80]

In 2025, yes.

Anyone remember why he played in Europe in 2022-23 instead of the NHL? Edit: NVM; answered in another thread.

I know you have your edit already, but I'll leave the comment anyway for anyone else looking...

2 family member deaths was the main reason, he was also coming off an injury at the time from the prior season

Alexandre Texier will not return to Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022-23 season

The Columbus Blue Jackets announced Alexandre Texier will miss the 2022-23 season.

www.dispatch.com

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

DOESN’T DOUG KNOW HOW VALUABLE 4TH ROUND PICKS ARE?! #firearmy

 

[BleedBlue14]

I know you can’t necessarily pencil Bolduc into the lineup. But I wonder if this acquisition is just competition or if it’s signaling another forward being moved out.

Can’t really see either of them being 4th liners in the traditional sense that we have used 4th liners, but I guess under Bannister that could change.

 

[ds774622]

I know you can’t necessarily pencil Bolduc into the lineup. But I wonder if this acquisition is just competition or if it’s signaling another forward being moved out.

Can’t really see either of them being 4th liners in the traditional sense that we have used 4th liners, but I guess under Bannister that could change.

I see this as essentially a Kapanen replacement. Short term and low AAV, which is nice.

 

[WeWentBlues]

I see this as essentially a Kapanen replacement. Short term and low AAV, which is nice.

That was my first thought as well.

 

[BleedBlue14]

I see this as essentially a Kapanen replacement. Short term and low AAV, which is nice.

I completely agree. I think it’s a good move regardless.

I’m moreso curious about where the opportunities will be for the young guys. I think it’s optimistic for Dvorsky to make the jump next year. But a guy like Bolduc is probably expected to make it or either make it a really tough decision. Injuries happen so depth isn’t a bad thing.

But as it stands we have 9 top 9 forwards who either are too good to be 4th liners or not really the traditional 4th liner that we’re used to.

Thomas, Buch, Kyrou, Schenn, Saad, Neighbors, Hayes, Texier, Torpo.

I guess I miscounted at 8 due to Torpo. I still would imagine he’s earned a bit more ice time. But that’s where it’ll come from if there’s a 4th liner

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

I completely agree. I think it’s a good move regardless.

I’m moreso curious about where the opportunities will be for the young guys. I think it’s optimistic for Dvorsky to make the jump next year. But a guy like Bolduc is probably expected to make it or either make it a really tough decision. Injuries happen so depth isn’t a bad thing.

But as it stands we have 9 top 9 forwards who either are too good to be 4th liners or not really the traditional 4th liner that we’re used to.

Thomas, Buch, Kyrou, Schenn, Saad, Neighbors, Hayes, Texier, Torpo.

I guess I miscounted at 8 due to Torpo. I still would imagine he’s earned a bit more ice time. But that’s where it’ll come from if there’s a 4th liner

When we can again play Torpo as a really good 4th liner instead of an offesnively-challenged 3rd liner will be a key step towards having sufficient depth up front.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I think Bolduc is more or less in that top 9 group, he'd have to have a terrible camp not be in there. I think Dvorsky will have an opportunity, even if the expectation is Springfield.

I just see more movement in that group. I don't think Texier will be the only NHL level addition, and that means some will be moved out IMO.

This feels like a prime draft to try and pick up a 2nd with all the defensive talent available.