St. Louis Blues Rumors: Playoff Push Requires Trade
The St. Louis Blues are going to make the playoffs and expect to compete for the Stanley Cup. The likely first round opponent commands extra attention leading up to the trade deadline.
The St. Louis Blues are on the way to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the fourth consecutive year under head coach Ken Hitchcock. With the talent throughout the roster expectations are growing to avoid a third straight first-round elimination. Those expectations would make most general managers aggressive at the trade deadline.
St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong will likely not be as aggressive as he was in the face of last years attempts to improve the roster. Last season Armstrong thought the St. Louis Blues were a goaltender away and acquired Ryan Miller to fill that role. The substantial price paid for Miller, combined with the lackluster results, would cause any general manager to pause before their next big trade. It’s one of the big reasons you aren’t hearing major St. Louis Blues rumors circulating. There aren’t a great deal of holes left to fill on the roster so bold moves aren’t necessary. But one move certainly is and it remains the focus of many St. Louis Blues rumors.
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Bleedin' Blue
The trade to consider this season due to injury is on defense due to the injury to All-Star Kevin Shattenkirk. With 40 points in 49 games, Shattenkirk has been a critical offensive piece for the St. Louis Blues. While is return is expected closer to the start of the playoffs, Armstrong needs to protect his blue line and find a defenseman capable of replacing Shattenkirk short-term should he reaggrivate his abdominal injury.
The focus of many St. Louis Blues rumors are surrounding Andrej Sekera from the Carolina Hurricanes. While Sekera (19 points in 56 games) hasn’t produced at Shattenkirk’s pace he doesn’t have comparable talent around him either. Plugging Sekera into the Blues lineup, with or without Shattenkirk, would give added depth and punch to a team looking to push deep into the playoffs. Adding Sekera is important considering the team the Blues are facing in a likely first round matchup.
The St. Louis Blues are five points behind the Nashville Predators for the Central Division lead. Catching the Predators for the division crown is a stretch, which puts the Blues into the 2 vs 3 matchup within the division. The third place team is the Chicago Blackhawks, yet another Stanley Cup contender in a loaded Western Conference. While it’s possible the Winnipeg Jets make up the four points they trail the Blackhawks by, that feels about as likely as the Blues catching the Predators. Which means the Blues/Blackhawks series is all but certain.
Expect St. Louis Blues rumors linking the team Andrej Sekera and other unrestricted free agent defencemen to intensify in the week leading up to the trade deadline. Getting out of the first round may depend on finding the right deal to replace and eventually complement Shattenkirk and the rest of the defensive unit.
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