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25-26

Created by: jwg314
Team: 2025-26 St. Louis Blues
Initial Creation Date: Jun. 29, 2023
Published: Jun. 29, 2023
Salary Cap Mode: Basic
Description
Just wanted to look at how Blues could look after the draft. Things should be heading in a different direction with no trades/dumps made.

Gonna add some situational context to each trade so people don't rage about current values and stuff.
Free Agent Signings
RESERVE LISTYEARSCAP HIT
3$950,000
2$900,000
RFAYEARSCAP HIT
2$3,000,000
1$3,000,000
2$1,375,000
1$1,000,000
3$2,000,000
3$2,500,000
1$900,000
UFAYEARSCAP HIT
7$8,000,000
7$8,000,000
2$2,500,000
1$1,500,000
Trades
1.
STL
  1. 2024 1st round pick (EDM)
Additional Details:
In this context, Vrana plays out a whole season and scores at the rate of a 30+ goal scorer.
EDM
    '24 TDL
    Vrana (50% retained)
    2.
    STL
    1. 2024 3rd round pick (TBL)
    2. 2025 2nd round pick (TBL)
    Additional Details:
    Don't expect Kapanen to bounce back to a form that he demands a 1st or anything like that. But maybe he returns to form at the rate he did last year with the Blues and scores at a rate of like 40-50 with PK utility. At a $1.6M cap hit, this seems a reasonable proposal.
    TBL
      '24 TDL
      Kapanen (50%)
      3.
      STL
      1. 2024 3rd round pick (FLA)
      Additional Details:
      Scandella has a healthy season and plays like a big, reliable 3rd pairing depth D that teams often look for at the TDL. Modest return.
      FLA
        '24 TDL
        Scandella (50%)
        4.
        STL
        1. 2024 6th round pick (TOR)
        TOR
          TDL '24
          Bortuzzo
          5.
          STL
          1. 2025 3rd round pick (BOS)
          BOS
          1. Krug, Torey
          2. 2025 2nd round pick (STL)
          Additional Details:
          Summer '24
          2nd is sent to someone else to retain $2M
          6.
          STL
          1. 2026 3rd round pick (LAK)
          LAK
          1. Leddy, Nick
          2. 2026 4th round pick (STL)
          Additional Details:
          TDL '25
          Pick goes to someone else to retain $1M
          7.
          CBJ
          1. Hayes, Kevin ($1,700,000 retained)
          2. 2026 5th round pick (STL)
          Additional Details:
          Hayes goes to Columbus 50% retained to finish off his contract with his BFF Gaudreau
          8.
          STL
          1. 2026 4th round pick (PIT)
          PIT
          1. Saad, Brandon
          Additional Details:
          Summer ‘25
          9.
          STL
          1. Chytil, Filip
          Additional Details:
          Stopgap 60-70 point 2C while Dvorsky develops as 3C his rookie/sophomore years
          NYR
          1. Buchinger, Michael
          2. Neighbours, Jake
          3. 2026 1st round pick (STL)
          Additional Details:
          Summer ‘25
          Retained Salary Transactions
          DraftRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4Round 5Round 6Round 7
          2024
          Logo of the STL
          Logo of the EDM
          Logo of the STL
          Logo of the TOR
          Logo of the STL
          Logo of the NYR
          Logo of the TBL
          Logo of the FLA
          Logo of the STL
          Logo of the STL
          Logo of the TOR
          Logo of the STL
          2025
          Logo of the STL
          Logo of the TBL
          Logo of the STL
          Logo of the BOS
          Logo of the STL
          Logo of the STL
          Logo of the STL
          2026
          Logo of the STL
          Logo of the STL
          Logo of the LAK
          Logo of the PIT
          Logo of the STL
          Logo of the STL
          ROSTER SIZESALARY CAPCAP HITOVERAGES TooltipBONUSESCAP SPACE
          23$87,500,000$86,345,833$0$482,500$1,154,167

          Roster

          Left WingCentreRight Wing
          Logo of the St. Louis Blues
          $863,333$863,333 (Performance Bonus$425,000$425K)
          LW
          RFA - 1
          Logo of the St. Louis Blues
          $8,125,000$8,125,000
          C, RW
          NTC
          UFA - 6
          Logo of the St. Louis Blues
          $8,125,000$8,125,000
          RW
          NTC
          UFA - 6
          Logo of the St. Louis Blues
          $8,000,000$8,000,000
          LW, RW, C
          UFA
          Logo of the New York Rangers
          $4,437,500$4,437,500
          C, LW
          UFA - 2
          Logo of the St. Louis Blues
          $900,000$900,000
          RW, C
          RFA
          Logo of the St. Louis Blues
          $6,500,000$6,500,000
          C, LW
          M-NTC
          UFA - 3
          Logo of the St. Louis Blues
          $950,000$950,000
          C
          RFA - 1
          Logo of the St. Louis Blues
          $2,500,000$2,500,000
          LW, RW
          UFA
          Logo of the St. Louis Blues
          $1,000,000$1,000,000
          LW, RW
          RFA
          Logo of the St. Louis Blues
          $852,500$852,500
          C
          RFA - 1
          $1,500,000$1,500,000
          RW, C
          UFA - 1
          Left DefenseRight DefenseGoaltender
          $8,000,000$8,000,000
          LD/RD
          UFA
          Logo of the St. Louis Blues
          $6,500,000$6,500,000
          RD
          NTC
          UFA - 5
          Logo of the St. Louis Blues
          $3,000,000$3,000,000
          G
          RFA
          Logo of the St. Louis Blues
          $3,000,000$3,000,000
          LD
          RFA
          Logo of the St. Louis Blues
          $6,500,000$6,500,000
          RD
          M-NTC
          UFA - 2
          Logo of the St. Louis Blues
          $6,000,000$6,000,000
          G
          M-NTC
          UFA - 2
          Logo of the St. Louis Blues
          $2,000,000$2,000,000
          LD/RD
          RFA
          Logo of the Columbus Blue Jackets
          $2,750,000$2,750,000
          RD
          UFA - 1
          ScratchesInjured Reserve (IR)Long Term IR (LTIR)
          Logo of the St. Louis Blues
          $867,500$867,500 (Performance Bonus$57,500$58K)
          LD
          RFA - 1
          Logo of the St. Louis Blues
          $1,375,000$1,375,000
          C
          RFA
          Logo of the St. Louis Blues
          $900,000$900,000
          RD
          RFA - 1

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          Jun. 29, 2023 at 5:40 p.m.
          #1
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          Joined: May 2023
          Posts: 166
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          Boston… accepts!
          jwg314 liked this.
          Jun. 29, 2023 at 6:14 p.m.
          #2
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          Joined: Sep. 2016
          Posts: 39
          Likes: 16
          Not giving up a first for Vrana
          Jun. 29, 2023 at 6:18 p.m.
          #3
          Birddog
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          Joined: May 2023
          Posts: 1,161
          Likes: 241
          If the Leafs need to trade for Bortuzzo they are in trouble.
          Jun. 29, 2023 at 6:33 p.m.
          #4
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          Joined: Dec. 2022
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          I think this is a pretty realistic approach.

          Vrana at 1.3m would have immense value assuming he is scoring at his career pace per game and isn't missing time like he has been of late. I could certainly see hesitance to move a 1st for a guy with recent question marks, but you wont a better goal scorer that's affordable to almost every team cap wise and isn't going to cost an arm and a leg.

          Kapanen, also fairly reasonable to expect a 2nd + a little.

          Back and forth on Scandella, but that profile of player is typically traded for a 3rd-5th every year in volume.

          Bortuzzo would be a great depth add for a team that needs PK support and veteran leadership + experience

          I think we tend to undervalue Leddy and Krug's body of work. Their contracts aren't certainly ideal, but they have alot of playoff experience and Krug has a pretty special skillset on point production. Could realistically see something like this being benefical just to clear open roster slots at around those time frame. I don't think the Leddy deal is a back breaker though if we have to push him down to a 3rd pair role. However, he doesn't really do anything spectacular enough aside from skating to really need him for a lot of teams unless they lack a #4/5 LD.

          Don't think Peeke would be a direction the Blues would go, but I certainly could be wrong. It's not really bad value for either team unless Hayes plays great here, then I'd expect a bit more.

          Saad reasonable, but very dependent on what Pittsburgh does and what direction they go. Could see him to a number of teams that need a contributing 3rd line guy they can trust in almost all situations. Cap hit really isn't that unreasonable. Little high for a 3rd liner but certainly not back breaking.

          I don't think the Blues will go the direction of adding a guy like Chytil who will probably progress into something more at that point. I'd have to imagine the plan of progression for Dvorsky is pretty tied to Schenn at the center position. Schenn will probably hold down the 2C spot until Dvorsky is ready, or they may go a route in which they look for a stop-gap 2C if they are contending by that time as a rental/short term option that they can slide down like what the thought process with Bozak was prior to Buffalo accepting the ROR deal.

          I'm not sure i have as much faith as you do for Tucker and Perunovich to be long term pieces to the team. I think Perunovich gets a shot this year or next to prove something. After that I'd bet they are pretty hesitant especially if they can add a top end LD to allot cap to a specialist. Having a specialist puts alot of pressure on Parayko's pairing when Faulk is hit or miss in his own zone and requires OZ starts as is at ES. It's alot of the root of our current issues. It could possibly work if Perunovich/Krug are able to play more minutes with Faulk and you can run a pretty heavy defensive 3rd pair, which is what i'd imagine we work back towards next season assuming Krug isn't moved before camp which is fine by me.
          jwg314 liked this.
          Jun. 29, 2023 at 6:34 p.m.
          #5
          Thread Starter
          STL
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          Joined: Jul. 2019
          Posts: 3,622
          Likes: 1,639
          Quoting: Newtown
          If the Leafs need to trade for Bortuzzo they are in trouble.

          It’s a perfectly normal trade deadline acquisition.

          Quoting: nsorochan
          Not giving up a first for Vrana

          A 30 goal scorer at a $1.3M cap hit? Your loss.
          Jun. 29, 2023 at 6:41 p.m.
          #6
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          Joined: Sep. 2016
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          Quoting: jwg314
          A 30 goal scorer at a $1.3M cap hit? Your loss.

          What Year did he score 30? He is talented, guy has to show he has put his past behind him.
          Jun. 29, 2023 at 6:45 p.m.
          #7
          Thread Starter
          STL
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          Joined: Jul. 2019
          Posts: 3,622
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          Quoting: nsorochan
          What Year did he score 30? He is talented, guy has to show he has put his past behind him.


          In 23-24, like I said. He’s scored at a 40-goal rate in his time in DET and STL. I’m not saying it’s going to happen, but in this instance it does. That’s why I added the extra context.
           
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