One of the St. Louis Blues' top objectives this off-season should be to improve their secondary scoring. This is especially the case when it comes to the center position.
When looking at potential pending unrestricted free agents who can hit the market on July 1, former Blues forward Adam Gaudette could be worth considering taking a flier on.
Gaudette, 28, appeared in two games with the Blues during the 2023-24 season, where he recorded zero points and a plus-4 rating. During the rest of his two-year stint with the Blues organization, he played in the AHL with the Springfield Thunderbirds, recording 51 goals and 88 points in 92 games. This included posting 44 goals and 71 points with Springfield in 2023-24.
After dominating with the Thunderbirds in 2023-24, Gaudette moved on from the Blues organization and signed a one-year deal with the Ottawa Senators in free agency. This was a great decision for the Massachusetts native, as he proved that he belongs in the NHL with his strong play. In 81 games with the Senators in 2024-25, he scored a career-high 19 goals and recorded 26 points.
With numbers like these, Gaudette would have the potential to give the Blues more scoring in a bottom-six role if brought back. Furthermore, he would also provide them another option to work with on their power play, which would not be a bad thing in the slightest.
After his big bounce-back year, Gaudette is likely to receive more than his $775,000 cap hit from this season on his next contract. However, even with this being the case, he would still be a very affordable option for the Blues to bring in to improve their forward depth. It will be interesting to see if they end up making a push for him from here.
Blues Urged To Target Skilled Center In Free Agency
The start of NHL free agency is right around the corner, as it begins on July 1. The<a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/st-louis-blues"> St. Louis Blues</a> will be a team to watch closely once free agency arrives, as they should be looking to improve their roster after taking a nice step forward this season.
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