Edited Nov. 14, 2021 at 5:48 p.m.
Quoting: gpmack95
So everyone but Tarasenko Bortuzzo and Scandella are untouchables with you guys?
Quoting: mokumboi
Dude, Barby is cheap and he's having a breakout season. Army doesn't trade what's working. And we can't afford this anyway.
Quoting: BeastModeUnknown
Barbashev has been one of the best players on the Blues. Marcus Pettersson has been a meh player on the Penguins. Bortuzzo, Scandella, Clifford are most likely the guys that go due to Blues most likely not being interested, but yeah I doubt Barbashev goes anymore. He's been one of the most if not the most affective player in forechecking, defense, PK, and sometimes even on offense.
I don't really want to lose Barbashev either because I truly do think he's a useful player, but let's not overstate what he's doing right now (or understate how good Pettersson has been-
he's been the best defenseman on the Penguins by a long shot this year, if only someone had predicted this!).
Barbashev has been very very good on that line. He- and the rest of that line- are also giving up way more high danger chances than everyone else on the team, more high danger chances than they are creating. Tarasenko, Thomas and Barbashev are 1,2 and 4 on the Blues in xGA/60, so this idea that Barabshev is actually good defensively is a myth. And the idea that this has been working- The Blues have one regulation win in their last six games (against the Sharks), their only other win in that time is a shootout win against the Jets that even the most optimistic Blues fans have to admit Binnington completely stole, and they were outscored by the 2021 LA Kings and the 2021 Anaheim Ducks in that time frame as well. So something isn't working, obviously. I don't believe that every player needs to play a 200 foot game, but at some point you have to start pointing fingers at your worst defensive line, even if its your best offensive line. The fact that Barbashev has currently seen more TOI/G than Buchnevich (I am throwing out the game he got ejected, it's still less), Kyrou and Saad is truly mind boggling.
Not saying we should necessarily give him up for Pettersson (although Pettersson is very good and we should want him even though Mokumboi is right and it would be difficult to afford him) but he hasn't been a world beater like seems to be the popular narrative and if a trade comes along that makes sense he is absolutely expendable even though yes I would prefer not to (and I think BeastMode is right that the Blues will never trade him, for...reasons).