Blues Winger Pavel Buchnevich Drawing Interest In the Trade Market

The St. Louis Blues aren't believed to be actively shopping Pavel Buchnevich, but teams are reportedly calling about the team's leading goal-scorer ahead of the trade deadline.

The St. Louis Blues are jockeying for a wild-card berth in the Western Conference. Nevertheless, that hasn't stopped some pundits from speculating over the availability of Pavel Buchnevich leading up to the March 8 trade deadline.

On Feb. 22, The Hockey News' Lou Korac noted that Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman listed Buchnevich as a trade candidate in last Wednesday's “32 Thoughts” column. The following day, Michael DeRosa suggested the Buffalo Sabres should make the 28-year-old Blues winger a trade target.

Meanwhile, The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford cited a league source claiming Blues GM Doug Armstrong was getting calls about Buchnevich. He pointed out that the winger has a year remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $5.8 million plus a 12-team no-trade list.

Rutherford's source believes Armstrong has set a high asking price for Buchnevich, who leads the Blues this season with 22 goals in 55 games. Nevertheless, some teams think it might be possible to acquire him.

Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal said the Oilers may have been scouting Buchnevich recently as a potential second-line right winger. He thinks acquiring him could take two draft picks (including a first-rounder) plus a prospect.

The Vegas Golden Knights could be in the market for a first-line right winger with captain Mark Stone sidelined indefinitely with an upper-body injury. Ben Gotz of the Las Vegas Review-Journal recently included Buchnevich among his list of potential trade candidates.

Buchnevich began his NHL career with the New York Rangers, and there's been some talk suggesting they could attempt to bring him back. However, the New York Post's Larry Brooks said former Rangers winger Frank Vatrano (now with the Anaheim Ducks) would be a better option.