REPORT: Blues GM Doug Armstrong Tells Teams He Is 'Open For Business'

During Prime's Coast To Coast, insider Frank Seravalli reported that St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong is telling teams he is "open for business."

It's no secret that the Blues have started the season almost as poorly as possible. They sit in 31st place in the NHL and are nearing the point of pressing the panic button. On Thursday, coach Jim Montgomery resorted to healthy-scratching Jordan Kyrou, attempting to light a fire under his team.

Kyrou is among the highest-paid players on the team and among the top producers. Scratching him took a lot of guts, but the initial reaction was positive from the Blues, as the Blues beat the Buffalo Sabres 3-0.

Despite that, Armstrong isn't going to sit around and watch his team struggle. If he believes there is a move to make that will improve the team now and bring them back into the playoff race or set them up for the future, he'll do it. 

"We could," said Seravalli when asked if we could see roster changes in St. Louis. "For teams that have called the general manager Doug Armstrong, as the Blues have struggled, the message is the Blues are open for business. One name certainly to keep an eye on between now and the March trade deadline is Brayden Schenn."

Schenn was one of the top names on many trade boards heading into the 2025 trade deadline, but a midseason surge by the Blues brought them back into a playoff spot, and the Blues elected to keep their captain on the team. The start of the 2025-26 campaign hasn't been great for Schenn. 

The 34-year-old is in the sixth season of an eight-year contract, which pays him $6.5 million annually. If he continues to struggle and other young Blues forwards like Dalibor Dvorsky continue to improve, Armstrong could be in favor of moving Schenn. 

"We know that Schenn was nearly dealt in the trade deadline season in this thin center market, but Schenn, having the no-trade clause, wanted to stay, and the Blues delivered with a playoff appearance," Seravalli continued. "This time around, Schenn has a 15-team no-trade clause and is certainly a name to keep an eye on."

With his high cap hit, the Blues could find themselves in a scenario where they need to retain some of Schenn's salary or acquire a roster player's salary. The Blues organization believes in the core they have, but they plan on being a competitive team now and in the future. 

With several prospects on the cusp of breaking through, the Blues could benefit by moving Schenn, but if he can find his game once again, they could be better served by keeping him in the top nine.

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