The start of NHL free agency is right around the corner, as it begins on July 1. The St. Louis Blues 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.
With free agency beginning shortly, The Athletic named one free agent that each team in the NHL should consider targeting in a recent article. For the Blues, The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford argued that St. Louis should target Dallas Stars forward Mikael Granlund to improve at the center position. When looking at Granlund's numbers, he undoubtedly would help the Blues do just that.
Granlund would have the potential to be a very good addition, as he is still an impactful offensive contributor at this stage of his career. In 83 games this season split between the San Jose Sharks and Stars, he posted 22 goals and 66 points in 83 games. This is after he had 60 points in 69 games with the Sharks in 2023-24.
When looking at the Blues' lineup, Granlund could slot very nicely as their second-line center. However, he is capable of playing all three forward positions, so he could fit virtually anywhere in the Blues' top nine. Furthermore, due to his solid two-way play, he works on both the penalty kill and the power play.
Overall, on a short-term deal, a player like Granlund could be a nice pickup for the Blues. It will be interesting to see if the Blues end up targeting him this off-season, but they look like they could be a good match on paper.
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