Speculation: Player Availability at the Trade Deadline

[EastonBlues22]

Seems like there is some interest in tracking the availability of players as we approach the trade deadline. Rather than clog up the Trade Discussion thread with that information (where it would be buried anyway), we can do that here.

If you want to discuss specific proposals or have an extended conversation about how a player might fit with the Blues, please do that in the trade thread to avoid clogging this one up.

I'll be periodically adjusting the OP to add and remove names:

Offense:
Jagr - Traded
Tlusty - Traded
Vermette
Stafford - Traded
Erat
Glencross*
Stewart
Briere
Letestu
Ryder
Fleischmann
Winnick - Traded
Bergenheim - Traded

Defense:
Petry
Sekera - Traded
Zidlicky*
Michalek
McQuaid
Franson - Traded

Difficult to move (long/expensive contract):
Lupul**
Read

Potentially available, but high value/cost:
Yandle
Yakupov
Kane - Traded

*Denotes NMC or NTC
**Denotes Limited NTC

Click to read more...

 

[542365]

If I was still a mod, I would edit your post and remove Stewart. Let's not even open that can of worms again. We just got rid of him

Sekera is awesome, but too expensive for what we'd need him for. Jagr would be my preference if the price wasn't too steep. Checks my boxes. Experienced, skilled, competent defensively, versatile. I thin he's exactly what we need.

 

[EastonBlues22]

If I was still a mod, I would edit your post and remove Stewart. Let's not even open that can of worms again. We just got rid of him

Sekera is awesome, but too expensive for what we'd need him for. Jagr would be my preference if the price wasn't too steep. Checks my boxes. Experienced, skilled, competent defensively, versatile. I thin he's exactly what we need.

This thread isn't necessarily for the group of players that I believe the Blues should be looking at. Just a collection of names that are realistically/probably available for any team.

Seems likely that BUF will move Stewart if they can.

 

[542365]

This thread isn't necessarily for the group of players that I believe the Blues should be looking at. Just a collection of names that are realistically/probably available for any team.

Seems likely that BUF will move Stewart if they can.

Ah okay. I'm sure they'd love to get rid of him, but I think they'd have a hard time finding a taker. Pittsburgh with salary retained? I think he could be successful there. Montreal is always looking to get bigger it seems...

 

[KirkOut]

Adam McQuaid

Lupul
Doan
Letestu
M Foligno

 

[SirPaste]

With Phoenix saying they are going into a rebuild you could add players like Vermette, Michalik(sp?), and Doan. Not sure if Doan would waive his NTC but he might want a shot for a cup before he is done, he loves it in ARZ but I could see him not wanting to be around for a rebuild

edit: Must have missed Vermette up there

 

[c-carp]

McQuaid
Doan
R. Smith
Read

 

[c-carp]

Marcus Foligno is a great call, I would rather trade for him and his upside rather then go down the Stewart road again. Stewart has all the tools but no tool box

 

[c-carp]

Lupul is an interesting player but he is hurt so often it's a huge risk

 

[EastonBlues22]

Marcus Foligno is a great call, I would rather trade for him and his upside rather then go down the Stewart road again. Stewart has all the tools but no tool box

Isn't M. Foligno an RFA in a few years?

I might have missed an obvious reason, but why would Buffalo be interested in moving him?

 

[SirPaste]

A couple other soon to be UFAs who I havent seen mentioned are Michael Ryder and Tomas Flieschman, their teams are likely to be out of the playoff race and might be open to sell.

 

[Lord Helix]

Order from chaos...As always, we're lucky to have you around Easton.

Of those listed, I of course like Jagr. Vermette would probably cost too much, otherwise he'd be my #1.

Defense-wise, none of those names intrigue me value-wise vs. depth in the lineup. We need to always be pushing the bottom pairing from within, which I hope to be happening (hopefully Schmaltz) over the next 2 years. That being said, if there is a youngish d-man for the bottom pairing that we can snipe for cheap, have at it...But I don't see one of those in that list yet.

 

[Dbrownss]

I think a 3rd pairing dman would be a nice cushion. Zidlicky is still interesting option . Unless I'm mistaken, he's excellent on an outlet pass. He'd help Jax out big time. He's a pure rental and would be cheap. So we don't burn a major asset to get him and he's not jamming up the pipeline.

Old ass 3rd pairing though...lol

 

[Meatwagon]

Would love Sekera for the Blues, we would have the best 6 in the NHL. He would be expensive though, extremely underrated Dman!

Petro-JBo
Shatt-Gunn
Jax-Sekera

Good lord

Ryder wouldn't be a bad option for the 3rd line, he has speed and is a shooter, but I wouldn't move Berglund for him.

For all the flack Berglund gets he's been playing great lately and if this is how he produces the rest of the season, we don't need to touch the forward corp.

 

[Ranksu]

So funny, we bust Polak out and now we're crying for critty 3rd pair right handed D.

I trully don't think we aren't gonna do anything to our D-core until off-season.

 

[KirkOut]

So funny, we bust Polak out and now we're crying for critty 3rd pair right handed D.

I trully don't think we aren't gonna do anything to our D-core until off-season.

Polak was a decent player but I think (I don't wanna speak for others though) if we get a 3rd pairing righty, we should look for somebody with a good transition game to uh complement Jackman and his uh lack of transition game

 

[BlueDream]

Giving up assets for a defenseman like Sekera would be a big mistake, IMO. Only interested in getting a tough one if he comes cheap.

Vermette, Glencross and Doan probably interest me most from the forward list.

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

What about Jimmy Hayes from Florida?
I'll start a discussion in the trade thread per Easton's request.

 

[Meatball]

Sekera is a left handed shot. We need a righty if we're going to forgo physicality in favor of a finely tuned transition game to back off a heavy forecheck. It'll especially help with keep-ins in the offensive zone.

Also, can't have enough size up front. Hayes scores just as much as Bergy, and can be our Bickell, as Lehterasenkshow said.

Jaskin-Stastny-Hayes would be a load to deal with. Even with Lehtera if Hitch wanted to load up the top six.

 

[KirkOut]

what about Joel Ward?

 

[The Note]

Ward or Vermette would be my first two choices. Vermette would be a great addition for this team but he's likely going to cost a lot asset wise.

 

[BlueDream]

what about Joel Ward?

Also interested but I expect the Capitals to make the playoffs.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

Vermette I feel like is a player that will go for a lot as it is a seller's market.

I'd love to have him but I don't think it'll happen. I'd like McQuaid.

 

[TheDizee]

The player the blues should aim for is a guy like a Scott Hartnell

Postseason performer, can put the puck in the net, can play physical.

Blue Jackets may be out of it, might not take much to get him, not sure what his contract looks like.

 

[c-carp]

The player the blues should aim for is a guy like a Scott Hartnell

Postseason performer, can put the puck in the net, can play physical.

Blue Jackets may be out of it, might not take much to get him, not sure what his contract looks like.

I could be wrong but I think the Jackets love Hartnells game, would love to have him but I think he is a cornerstone piece. They have been just crushed by injuries this year but have what seem to be an upcoming team