St. Louis Blues' Jordan Kyrou was nearly sent to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NHL draft, according to Elliotte Friedman.
According to Elliotte Friedman, there was a deal in place between the St. Louis Blues and the Seattle Kraken involving Jordan Kyrou.
Friedman joined the Fan Hockey Show and mentioned that he believes there was a deal in place during the summer that would have seen the Blues send Kyrou to the Kraken in exchange for the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NHL draft. The complete package wasn't revealed, but Kyrou and the eighth overall pick were the main pieces involved.
Kyrou now has a full no-trade clause in his contract, which makes moving him more challenging, as he would have to agree to the trade before it commenced, but in the summer, the possibility of moving him was high.
Recently, the 27-year-old was healthy scratched by coach Jim Montgomery, which served as a wake-up call for him and the rest of the Blues roster, but Friedman noted that it tends to be Kyrou who is always punished in these circumstances.
“Every time things get tough or someone gets benched, it always seems to be him,” adding that it wouldn’t be shocking if the player himself starts to wonder about his future in St. Louis.
Trading Kyrou and landing the eighth overall pick would have really shaken things up in St. Louis. Trading Kyrou could have also meant the Blues would have kept Zack Bolduc, and that they could have drafted Jake O'Brien, who the Kraken selected at eighth overall.
O'Brien is currently the captain of the OHL's Brantford Bulldogs and leads the OHL in points with nine goals and 37 points in 17 games. The Bulldogs, where Blues prospect Adam Jiricek plays, lead the OHL in points and post a 15-0-3 record.
The 18-year-old O'Brien would have joined a Blues prospect pool that is headlined by Dalibor Dvorsky, Jimmy Snuggerud, Otto Stenberg, Justin Carbonneau, Theo Lindstein and Jiricek.
It's interesting to look back on it now, but the threat of Kyrou being dealt remains alive. The Blues sit in 31st place in the NHL, and if things don't turn around quickly, GM Doug Armstrong has been open about his willingness to make drastic changes. Kyrou, alongside Brayden Schenn, highlight the players who could be dealt.
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