St. Louis acquires depth at forward, defense The St. Louis Blues are heading into the 2024-25 season with the expectations of getting back into the dance and avoiding a third consecutive failed season. GM Doug Armstrong did not shake up the core of his roster, but he didn’t stand idle, made numerous moves, and improved the depth of his team, providing additional weapons for Head Coach Drew Bannister to utilize. However, if the team fails to deliver again, Armstrong could choose to be a seller leading up to the trade deadline and auction off members from his roster to recoup for the lost season. For Blues fans, let’s hope this doesn’t materialize. But let’s discuss three Blues who are trade candidates heading into the 2024-25 campaign. Oskar Sundqvist Oskar Sundqvist earned himself a two-year extension worth $1.5 million per year after recording 21 points in 71 games in a fourth-line role for the team in 2023-24. Alas, while there is a good chance he is on the team’s opening night roster, Oskar will have to outbattle numerous depth players to keep his spot in the lineup. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA4NDAwNzIwOTY0MTAxNTcz/usatsi_22381833.jpg] St. Louis has Kasperi Kapanen, Nathan Walker, and a couple of young budding prospects looking to make the jump full-time to the big league this year in Dalibor Dvorsky and Zachary Bolduc. If Sundqvist struggles and loses his full-time roster spot, Armstrong could pick up the phone and see what he could get in return for his 30-year-old depth forward. Brandon Saad Brandon Saad has a full no-trade clause and moving him requires the goal-scoring winger to be open to a trade with one year left on his contract. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA4NDAxNDc3OTUyMDg3NDkz/usatsi_22639176.jpg] Although a trade involving Saad seems unlikely at the moment, he will turn 32 in October. If St. Louis is not a contending team, there is reason to believe he would be open to waiving his no-trade clause in order to compete for the Stanley Cup elsewhere. Brandon’s cap hit is $4.5 million. He is a proven 20-goal scorer in the NHL. His foot speed has slowed down with age, but he’s still lethal in between the hash marks when he has time and space to let off his precise shot. The Blues would most likely have to retain some salary if they were to trade him, which would make things more complicated. Kasperi Kapanen Kasperi Kapanen’s season last year can be best described as a struggle. Regardless, the former first-round draft pick received a one-year extension by the Blues worth $1 million to return to the team for the 2024-25 season. The team sees something they like in the speedy winger. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA4NDAxNDkzNzg5Nzc5NjAw/usatsi_22168505.jpg] Kapanen had his least productive season since becoming a full-time NHL player in 2018-19 with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Even in 2017-18, when he played 38 games, he scored more goals (7) than he did this past year (6) in 73 games. The Finnish speedster would be the No. 1 trade candidate for the Blues at the moment and could even be dealt before the start of the season if he falls down the pecking order during training camp and preseason. Radek Faksa and Ryan Suter are pending UFAs and would be considered trade candidates for the Blues. But it’s more likely that the team will look to hold onto Faksa (as long as he fits in with the team’s system) as he is a depth upgrade from a player like Oskar Sundqvist and Kasperi Kapanen. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RELATED
