Blues 22-23 Offseason Signing and Tarasenko Trade Thoughts

Team: 2022-23 St. Louis Blues

Initial Creation Date: Jun. 7, 2022

Published: Jun. 10, 2022

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

Not Doug Armstong here.

As a fan, I do not actually want to see the Blues trade Tarasenko. However, I can see the reasoning to trade him and how that trade would allow the signing of a LD who can be paired with Parayko.

In my opinion, even technically as a "rental", Vlad is at minimum worth an active player (either solid middle six or prospect with limited playing time, but potential), a prospect (level dependent on active player), and possibly a pick (dependent on the player/prospect in the trade). Part of the reasoning of this is 1) he is still only 30, 2) he has just shown he is still a 70ish point player with 25ish goals per year, 3) he has a full NTC and thus will not allow a trade to a team where he is not considering extending his career.

In the NJD and NYI trades, the Blues would bring in a player who could play in the 2nd or 3rd line depending on who they fit best with as their center, a good defensive prospect which I feel the team needs in their farm, and a pick really based on the other two components. Both Zacha and Beauvillier are solid players who could play with either Thomas or Schenn, but neither are true first line players at this point in their career (consistently 60+ points per season).

The NYR trade, is really about getting Tank and Panarin together because I think that would be ridiculously impressive to watch. In this case, I selected two solid prospects to add to the Blues farm system and hopefully see in a couple of years on the team.

As an aside...go Rangers! Although really....anyone but the Lightning!

I'd like to see the Blues resign Perron. I don't think, based on his play, the Blues can ask him for a "hometown discount"; however, I don't think the Blues can afford to sign him for more that $4.5/season AAV.

While the Blues could resign Leddy and I would not be disappointed in that signing, I just don't see that happening for less that $5/season AAV and again with the Blues close to the cap I just don't see them being able to do that for him. I think an interesting signing for likely near $4M/season AAV would be Zadorov. He won't get a ton of points (maybe 15ish), but he can definitely clear the net and likely won't be a detriment to the team.

I don't mind Scandella remaining on the team as a depth defenseman, but do not want the Blues to have to "pay" someone to take on his contract.

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