The St. Louis Blues have plenty to keep them busy before the start of the 2023-24 season. While the club’s top prospects continue to work their way toward a full-time role in the NHL, the front office is working to revive the team’s winning ways and return to the postseason.
Here’s a look at three things the club should accomplish over the coming months for this to happen.
Blues’ Cap Flexibility
As of this writing, the Blues have approximately $1.585 million in available cap space heading into the 2023-24 season. However, that number will drop into the negative once goaltender Joel Hofer’s, forward Alexei Toropchenko’s, and defenseman Scott Perunovich‘s contracts have been added into the mix. The Blues are in desperate need of shedding salary to provide both short and long-term flexibility.
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Only a few years removed from the COVID-shortened season, the NHL is still feeling the financial effects that have prevented the growth they once predicted. That being said, large contracts that were signed only a few years ago have become increasingly difficult for the team to manage, with players underperforming, notably their defensemen, and the cap rising and a snail’s pace.
What’s worse, their highest-paid players on defense all hold full no-trade clauses. Should the front office be able to facilitate a deal, the player must sign off it before any transaction is completed. Yet, management must make at least one trade this offseason to create financial flexibility for next season.
Blues Must Develop Forward Depth
One of the most overlooked issues surrounding the Blues is their forward depth. While the team has standout players like Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou ready to take their place on the top line, they also boast a multitude of second, third, and fourth-line players who will require decisions soon; five forwards (Oskar Sundqvist, Kasperi Kapanen, Jakub Vrana, Sammy Blais, and Nathan Walker) will become unrestricted free agents after this season. While they may not need extensions this offseason, management will have to make room for prospects like Zachary Bolduc, Nikita Alexandrov, Zach Dean, and eventually Jimmy Snuggerud to enter the lineup.
With the current state of the team, the Blues’ top prospects will likely start the season in the AHL with the Springfield Thunderbirds and work their way to playing top minutes consistently. Because of that, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong has time to make decisions about the futures of the team’s veterans. However, as fans know well, should they hesitate, they will create a logjam up front, leaving the club very little time to make a move and be forced to lose one or multiple players to free agency without recouping a return.
Defensive Depth Issues
Finally, the team’s defense must be the number one task for Armstrong to address this offseason. Before the 2023 NHL Entry Draft and free agency kicked off, there was wide speculation and traction on a multi-player deal involving one Blues defenseman being moved to the Philadelphia Flyers for defenseman Travis Sanheim and forward Kevin Hayes. Reports continued to come out about which Blues defenseman was being moved before they landed on Torey Krug. However, he used his no-trade clause to nix a trade to the Flyers, forcing the club to go back to the drawing board.
St. Louis has nine defensemen signed to one-way contracts for the 2023-24 season. While they may be able to sneak one player through the cracks of the waiver wire before the start of the season, it’s necessary that they make a change on the blue line that will give them salary cap flexibility, as well as the opportunity for younger players to earn a regular spot in the lineup.
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Armstrong and the front office have their work cut out for them this offseason to get the team ready before the puck drops on the new season. With an unwillingness to buy out players, creating room on the depth chart and cap flexibility may come from the Blues trading at a loss if time begins to dwindle and they are still needing to accomplish their goals.