Blues 2024 Off-Season Trade Proposals Thread

[SirPaste]

We will soon have a surplus of top 6 forwards, that was even assuming Buch was on the move.

Now it is almost imoerative to deal one for a top D young player / prospect.

I guess it's possible we will have surplus as early as this year but I think the argument can be made that we really only have 4 top 6 players right now so I would be pretty surprised if that was the case. Either way, it is very unlikely Kyrou gets moved as its hard to see any of those guys being as good as he is.

 

[EastVillageBlues]

I guess it's possible we will have surplus as early as this year but I think the argument can be made that we really only have 4 top 6 players right now so I would be pretty surprised if that was the case. Either way, it is very unlikely Kyrou gets moved as its hard to see any of those guys being as good as he is.

Maybe, but by 25-26, we should have Bolduc and Neighbors firmly established as top6 NHLers. Stenberg and Dvorsky should be close as well. Dean should have tsken over as the 3rd line C. Kyrou would likely be surplus by then, given that Buch is here for the long term.

 

[SirPaste]

Maybe, but by 25-26, we should have Bolduc and Neighbors firmly established as top6 NHLers. Stenberg and Dvorsky should be close as well. Dean should have tsken over as the 3rd line C. Kyrou would likely be surplus by then, given that Buch is here for the long term.

I get what you are saying but there is no way Kyrou would be surplus, he would still be the best winger on the team and best goal scorer, and still pretty young as well. I already have Neighbours penciled in as one of the 4, Bolduc could get there but I think its more likely he is a third liner. Dvorsky, Stenberg, Snuggerud are all unknowns and will take at least a couple years to find their stride in the league and that's after they are integrated into the NHL lineup.

 

[Celtic Note]

Maybe, but by 25-26, we should have Bolduc and Neighbors firmly established as top6 NHLers. Stenberg and Dvorsky should be close as well. Dean should have tsken over as the 3rd line C. Kyrou would likely be surplus by then, given that Buch is here for the long term.

Are any of those wingers projected to be better than Kyrou? I am not sure surplus is the term.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Are any of those wingers projected to be better than Kyrou? I am not sure surplus is the term.

They are all gonna be 30-40 goal wingers who are amazing defensively and get throw their bodies around. Of course they are gonna be better than Kyrou.

 

[LetsGoBooze]

Screw the Joseph brothers, lets reunite the Jiriceks!

 

[Blanick]

Wait, what happening? Were trading Kyrou now? How about we wait until some of these prospects actually win a roster spot before we trade away established top line talent with years of term left.

 

[Reality Czech]

Screw the Joseph brothers, lets reunite the Jiriceks!

You read my mind. If we do trade Kyrou, and it's a big if, Jiricek would be a good target.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Wait, what happening? Were trading Kyrou now? How about we wait until some of these prospects actually win a roster spot before we trade away established top line talent with years of term left.

Why would we do that? All prospects are total locks to hit their ceiling. A 30-35 goal scorer is completely replaceable

 

[Brian39]

Maybe, but by 25-26, we should have Bolduc and Neighbors firmly established as top6 NHLers. Stenberg and Dvorsky should be close as well. Dean should have tsken over as the 3rd line C. Kyrou would likely be surplus by then, given that Buch is here for the long term.

I think we are a long way from being able to pencil in both as 'firmly established top 6 players,' especially if we are talking 2025/26 as the timeline.

I'm extremely happy with Jake's step forward last season, but he still has major areas of improvement on both sides of the ice to be a complete top 6 player. There is no guarantee that he takes those steps forward. Look at a guy like Saad. He hit the ground running with a 17 goal pace his rookie year at age 20 in the shortened 2013 season. He followed that up with 19, 23, and 31 goal seasons in his age 21-23 years. His assist rate never improved and he's hovered in the 20-25 goal and 40-50 point range the rest of his career. The defense improved and he carved out a great overall career. But is he top 6 or middle 6? Assuming we call him top 6, is it so good that he makes others expendable? That could be the ultimate career trajectory for Neighbours and it would be a hell of a success.

Bolduc hasn't played a full season yet and he played at a 16 goal, 30 point pace while up here. I was pleased with his game as a 21 year old, but we have a long way to go before he's even knocking on the door as a top 6 player. Even longer before he's making guys expendable and forcing his way onto top 6 lines instead of being a borderline top 6 guy that you have on your 3rd line.

Dean is also a ways away from being a 3C.

Let's say everything goes great and by the start of 2026/27 Neighbours is a 35 goal, 65 point guy who defends at an NHL level. Bolduc is a 25 goal, 55 point guy by then. Dean is a legit 3C, Dvorsky proved it as a middle 6 winger and is now getting his shot at the 2C for his age 21 season. Stenberg is a legit 3rd line LW in his age 21 season. Those are all successful development trajectories over the next couple seasons. You still have an open wing spot in your top nine for Snuggy in this scenario and unless Snuggy has massive success in his first full NHL season in 2025/26 Kyrou enters the 2026/27 season as the top RW on the team by a pretty noticeable margin.

I think our timeline for potentially having this glut of top 6 players is more like 4 years from now than 1-2. And even on that timeline it requires a lot to go perfectly right. I'm all for trading from a position of organizational strength if a D becomes available. And I'm open to trading Kyrou for the right D man. But I certainly wouldn't say that our prospects make him a surplus in the near future. If they do, we genuinely don't need to defend because it will be the best 9 man forward group ever established in the cap era by a wide margin.

 

[MissouriMook]

...

I think our timeline for potentially having this glut of top 6 players is more like 4 years from now than 1-2. And even on that timeline it requires a lot to go perfectly right. I'm all for trading from a position of organizational strength if a D becomes available. And I'm open to trading Kyrou for the right D man. But I certainly wouldn't say that our prospects make him a surplus in the near future. If they do, we genuinely don't need to defend because it will be the best 9 man forward group ever established in the cap era by a wide margin.

I will add to these thoughts that by the time we have this "surplus" of Top 6 forwards, let's say in three seasons, Kyrou is going to be 29 and only have four years left on his deal. He probably won't be the forward that other teams are targeting to give up their top D talent.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

What I'm getting from this, is that NEXT year will be a fun year to watch young players breaking into the league. But this year may be a dud. I guess we get to see how the coaching looks. But if they flirt with a playoff spot there will probably be grumbling instead of cheers.

 

[542365]

What I'm getting from this, is that NEXT year will be a fun year to watch young players breaking into the league. But this year may be a dud. I guess we get to see how the coaching looks. But if they flirt with a playoff spot there will probably be grumbling instead of cheers.

I think you're going to see plenty of Bolduc this year. Kessel should be a regular I would imagine, Neighbours will get an elevated role, and guys like Dean and Dvorsky have a good shot at filling in for injuries throughout the year. The Blues were insanely lucky with injuries last year and are almost certainly not going to repeat that luck this year. Young players will get their shot.

 

[Xerloris]

What I'm getting from this, is that NEXT year will be a fun year to watch young players breaking into the league. But this year may be a dud. I guess we get to see how the coaching looks. But if they flirt with a playoff spot there will probably be grumbling instead of cheers.

Grumbling from the usual suspects. I don't want to watch a bottom feeder that's there on purpose.

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

Screw the Joseph brothers, lets reunite the Jiriceks!

We have one set of brothers, what about second set of brothers?

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

With Detroit being a place we think Krug might waive to, would you guys be interested in something around him for Chiarot? He’s at $4.75 mil for one less year.

He’s not my favorite player by any means, but Lord knows we need some size and physicality on the blue line.

Leddy-Parayko
Chiarot-Faulk
Peru/POJ-Kessel

He’d allow Faulk to actually play to his strengths, and not have to constantly cover for Krug.

 

[SirPaste]

With Detroit being a place we think Krug might waive to, would you guys be interested in something around him for Chiarot? He’s at $4.75 mil for one less year.

He’s not my favorite player by any means, but Lord knows we need some size and physicality on the blue line.

Leddy-Parayko
Chiarot-Faulk
Peru/POJ-Kessel

He’d allow Faulk to actually play to his strengths, and not have to constantly cover for Krug.

I am not a big Chiarot fan either but I would definitely do this

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

I am not a big Chiarot fan either but I would definitely do this

I would do this as well.

 

[Beauterham]

With Detroit being a place we think Krug might waive to, would you guys be interested in something around him for Chiarot? He’s at $4.75 mil for one less year.

He’s not my favorite player by any means, but Lord knows we need some size and physicality on the blue line.

Leddy-Parayko
Chiarot-Faulk
Peru/POJ-Kessel

He’d allow Faulk to actually play to his strengths, and not have to constantly cover for Krug.

I've suggested a Chiarot for Krug trade before and I'm definitely up for it. Evethough I don't think Chiarot is a great player, I think his playing style will probably fit the Blues a lot better. Having said that, I do think we probably will need to add, maybe retain a little bit on Krug's contract to even out both contracts?

Can also see an expanded trade, for example:
Krug + Tucker for Chiarot + Holl + pick/prospect
Krug has one extra year on his contract compared to Chiariot (plus, his caphit is higher), so we take on a second bad contract in Holl to negate that. Holl will serve as (an overpayed) 7th D. instead of Tucker and DET will add a pick or prospect to even out the value. After both Chiarot and Holl's contracts are up, they can hopefully be replaced by guys like Lindstein or Loof.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

I’m glad that you guys also think the move is a good idea lol. It’s a rare situation where a bad contract swap makes both team’s better. Detroit badly needs a PPQB now that Ghost is gone.

I don’t know that I’d do the expanded trade that @Beauterham mentioned, I just kinda figured there’d be mid-round picks by each to even it out if need be.

I’d still look to acquire the elusive top pair guy, but who knows who’s actually available at this point.

 

[simon IC]

With Detroit being a place we think Krug might waive to, would you guys be interested in something around him for Chiarot? He’s at $4.75 mil for one less year.

He’s not my favorite player by any means, but Lord knows we need some size and physicality on the blue line.

Leddy-Parayko
Chiarot-Faulk
Peru/POJ-Kessel

He’d allow Faulk to actually play to his strengths, and not have to constantly cover for Krug.

I like this idea a lot! Chiarot has his warts, but I think he would be a better "fit" than Krug.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

Are we talking about a one for one swap with no retention? If that’s the case then absolutely yes. I’m not a huge Chiarot fan but I he’s a a better fit for us than Krug. And his contract is a year shorter.

But I can’t see Detroit making that move for exactly the reasons we would.

 

[BleedBlue14]

I’m glad that you guys also think the move is a good idea lol. It’s a rare situation where a bad contract swap makes both team’s better. Detroit badly needs a PPQB now that Ghost is gone.

I don’t know that I’d do the expanded trade that @Beauterham mentioned, I just kinda figured there’d be mid-round picks by each to even it out if need be.

I’d still look to acquire the elusive top pair guy, but who knows who’s actually available at this point.

I am not sure we then have a PPQB or a puck mover on the backend if we do that. That’s the only issue.

I think if we can somehow figure out how to turn Faulks pair into a competitive 2nd line that doesn’t need sheltered the need to move Krug is less than our need for someone to run our powerplay. There’s a lot to like about Perunovichs puck moving, but there’s also a lot to dislike about his game, like Krug.

This doesn’t even account for his durability issues.

I’m all for moving Krug. But I think in order to do that we have to bring in a legit number 1 who can run the powerplay. I think it’s much more likely that we find a guy who isn’t a high end puck mover but is a solid defender to pair there in the meantime and that would still open up a hole on the powerplay that we aren’t ready to fill

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

I am not sure we then have a PPQB or a puck mover on the backend if we do that. That’s the only issue.

I think if we can somehow figure out how to turn Faulks pair into a competitive 2nd line that doesn’t need sheltered the need to move Krug is less than our need for someone to run our powerplay. There’s a lot to like about Perunovichs puck moving, but there’s also a lot to dislike about his game, like Krug.

This doesn’t even account for his durability issues.

I’m all for moving Krug. But I think in order to do that we have to bring in a legit number 1 who can run the powerplay. I think it’s much more likely that we find a guy who isn’t a high end puck mover but is a solid defender to pair there in the meantime and that would still open up a hole on the powerplay that we aren’t ready to fill

Perunovich, Faulk, Leddy, and Parayko all have experience playing on the PP.

I do agree on still trying to go get a number 1LD though that can do that role as well. It sucks that Ottawa dealt Chychrun already, because I doubt they’ll move Chabot now.

 

[BleedBlue14]

Perunovich, Faulk, Leddy, and Parayko all have experience playing on the PP.

I do agree on still trying to go get a number 1LD though that can do that role as well. It sucks that Ottawa dealt Chychrun already, because I doubt they’ll move Chabot now.

None of them are really great puck movers. Parayko and Leddy are great skaters. Faulk is more of a shooter. I’m just not sure we can count on Perunovich for more than 40 games in a season, and even at that rate he’s so reluctant to shoot on our powerplay which already has issues of being too cute with over passing. Phenomenal puck mover though.