ST. LOUIS -- If the St. Louis Blues to take the next step to reclaim a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, they're going to need to make improvements to their roster in order to do so. Even though they're going to stick to their process of retooling and building from within, in order to try and perhaps expedite that process, they can also do it by targeting free agents when the shopping period opens on July 1. Free agents the St. Louis Blues could target for 2024-25 General manager Doug Armstrong made it perfectly clear at his exit interview with the media at the conclusion of the season that, "We can look to be prudent in the free agent market." In other words, they won't spend lavishly. But the Blues are expected to gain roughly $9 million in cap space with the departure of their UFAs, none of which are projected to be retained, and depending on how much the salary cap rises, and the going word is it will increase roughly $5 million, there will be some money to be spent wisely at their disposal. Of course there's also potential trades to consider that could affect what cap they have, not there will be funds available. Everyone would love to pull put their rod and reel and set the hook on Jake Guentzel and/or Sam Reinhart, and there are others that the Blues, who were 43-33-6 this past season, would love to make but simply won't be able to afford, but let's take a look at some of the free agents that could be appealing to what they're trying to accomplish (of course, this is pending they don't re-sign with their current clubs): * Jake DeBrusk, RW, Bruins: If I'm the Blues, I'm all in on DeBrusk. The Blues could use a scoring winger in their top six. DeBrusk, 27, fits the bill. A left-handed shot the plays on his off-wing, one that drives the net, goes to the scoring areas, has bite to his game, forechecks, plays the net front on the power play. He would be an excellent complement to Jake Neighbours in some of those areas. DeBrusk is in that age that falls right into the Blues' lap. He's played seven seasons, and in each of those full 82-game schedules outside the 2020-21 COVID season, DeBrusk has put up at least 16 goals; he had 19 goals and 21 points this season after going for a career-tying high 27 goals, 23 assists the previous season. DeBrusk's two-year contract paid him an average annual of $4 million. He falls into the Brayden Schenn department as far as potential term, but my projection is 5-6 years at $5.5-$6 million, it could be the biggest fish for the Blues to haul in. DeBrusk is listed at 6-foot, 188 pounds and would be a perfect fit. * Elias Lindholm, C, Canucks: OK, this one might be a stretch considering what Lindholm will likely get on the open market, but I've maintained for the past two seasons now: when you have to move Pavel Buchnevich to the middle to make your top six work, you have a sizeable hole. The Blues could use a second-line center behind Robert Thomas, and Lindholm would more than fit the bill. Lindholm is coming off a rather down season (44 points; 15 goals, 29 assists) in 75 games with the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks but just two seasons ago, he had career highs in points (82) and goals (40). He's exceptional in the face-off circle (55.5 percent in 49 games with the Flames, 58.7 percent in 26 games with the Canucks), including 53.5 percent for his career and is also very well-respected defensively. Lindholm is in that Buchnevich range for a contract, and the 29-year-old (6-1, 195) is coming off a six-year contract that paid him $4.85 million AAV. There's a risk at giving Lindholm seven years, especially on the back end of it, and at the AAV he's likely to command ($7-$8 million) but this would solve a lot of the Blues' issues down the middle. Like I said, this one is a stretch, but let's not rule it out, and after all, he's a Swede, and Alex Steen is helping the Blues corner the market on his fellow countrymen. * Sean Monahan, C, Jets: Monahan would be a more realistic scenario for a 2-3 center for me, if the Blues were to go down that road. He'll be 30 when the new season starts, but unlike Lindholm, you could probably fetch him for two, perhaps three years, maybe four if you want to stretch it, at, say, $3-$3.5 million per season. Monahan is coming off a one-year, $2 million contract he signed with the Montreal Canadiens before being traded to the Winnipeg Jets; he scored 26 goals, the most since scoring 34 with the Flames in 2018-19, and had 59 points in 83 games (49 with the Canadiens, 34 with the Jets) after two tough seasons, one in Montreal and one in Calgary. Monahan also plays with some bite in his game along with the scoring. At 6-2, 202, he fits the bill of a scoring center with size, and he's another exceptional face-off guy (54.7 percent with the Jets, 55 percent with the Canadiens), 51 percent for his career. This falls in line more so with the Blues could do if they allocate their funds wisely rather that swing for the fence with Lindholm. * Chandler Stephenson, C/LW, Golden Knights: I like this player, simply for his versatility of being able to play center or the wing, in the mold of a Schenn. Stephenson is 30 and has really come into his own since being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights by the Washington Capitals in 2020. Stephenson has scored 67 goals in four seasons in Vegas, including 15 goals, 35 assists in 75 games this season. I like his size (6-0, 208) for the position, his ability to check, also good in the circle (52.6 percent this past season, which also happens to be his career number in nine seasons). Stephenson's four-year contract paid him $2.75 million AAV and could probably be had in the 3-4 year range for ... $3.3 million, give or take? Might be worth a flier. * Dakota Joshua, C/LW, Canucks: A Dakota Joshua reunion in St. Louis? Why not. When the Blues acquired Joshua from the Toronto Maple Leafs for future considerations in 2019, it took some time, but once he made an imprint on the NHL club, you could see the size, physicality, grit and sandpaper Joshua brought to the table. He needed to get a chance at a regular role, which he has most definitely gotten with the Vancouver Canucks since signing a two-year contract for $1.65 million AAV two years ago. But something Joshua, 27, learned after leaving St. Louis was how to score; he posted a career-high 18 goals, 14 assists and 32 points in 63 games this season. So not only did Joshua continue his forechecking, physical nature when he went to British Columbia, but he found a scoring touch up there, scoring 32 goals in two seasons. Joshua could fit into a bottom-six role again, playing more of a third-line role. He will be paid this offseason after putting up career numbers. Would Joshua interest the Blues if they could get him for 3-4 years at $2.5-$3 million per season, I'd think they would have to look at that. Joshua would most definitely not turn down a reunion in St. Louis. After all, the Blues are the ones that gave him his shot, but the Canucks would be foolish to let him get away. We'll see. * Tyler Bertuzzi, RW, Maple Leafs: As far as free agents are concerned, I would see Bertuzzi, 29, as a secondary or even a third option behind DeBrusk as far as the Blues would be concerned. Bertuzzi, a left-hand shot that plays the right side, would fill a number of the needs of a top-six winger, power play player, scorer, forechecker. He had 21 goals and 22 assists in 80 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season after signing a one-year, $5 million contract. I would walk away if Bertuzzi's contract demands were anything more than 4-5 years; he took a one-year, prove-it contract in Toronto this season after a tough go of it splitting last season with the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins. This player is only two years removed from 30 goals and 62 points in 68 games and could help a Blues middling power play. If Bertuzzi would take 4-5 years at, say, $5.5 million AAV, I'd be inclined to look. * Brett Pesce, D, Hurricanes: Love, love, love the way this guy plays the game. He's not going to get you gobs of points from the blue line, but he defends and prevents pucks from going into your net. Going after this player would be predicated on if the Blues are able to move one of their defensemen via trade, otherwise you can forget about him. But as a right-handed shot, wouldn't someone like this be a terrific safety valve for someone like Torey Krug? Pesce (6-3, 206) is 29 and will turn 30 early next season and he is a little longer in the tooth as far as experience (nine seasons, all with the Carolina Hurricanes), and he has averaged 20 or more minutes average per game in each of the past eight seasons, but he comes from a winning organization Pesce finished up a six-year contract that paid him $4.025 million AAV and if you are to trade one of your blue liners and get him for 5-6 years at $5.5-$6 million per season, the Blues should be interested. * Sean Walker, D, Avalanche: Also love this guy's game, and he's probably more reasonable to sign that Pesce is. Considered a little undersized (5-11, 196) but he hardly plays like it. Physical, strong, can contribute offense (10 goals, 19 assists in 81 games with the Philadelphia Flyers and Colorado Avalanche) when needed. I like the fact he can play both the left and the right side despite being a right hand shot. Again, all predicated on the Blues moving a blue liner, which proved to be hard last summer. Walker, 29, turns 30 early in the season and is coming off a very reasonable $2.65 million AAV and will want a longer-termed contract than the two years he just got. He'll get it, but if I'm the Blues, I'd be very interested if you can have him for 3-4 years at $4-4.5 AAV per season. * Joel Edmundson, D, Maple Leafs: Another reunion? Why the heck not? The Blues know Edmundson, he knows the Blues. We all know what he brings: physicality, strong on pucks, strong stick. The Blues have missed his presence since he was traded to Carolina in the Justin Faulk deal in 2020. My only concern is Edmundson, a left-handed shot who could replace Marco Scandella, has been injury-prone the past four seasons with various elements, but that's the nature of it considering the way he plays. Edmundson, drafted in the second round of the 2011 NHL Draft by the Blues, is 30 now and I'd be included not to take a flyer if he's looking for 5-7 years on his next contract, but at 3-4 at say, the AAV ($3.5 million) or slightly higher he thinks he's going to get, I'd look into it. Otherwise, best of luck. * David Perron, RW, Red Wings: Really? A fourth reunion? A fourth? It's like the 35-year-old marries and divorces the same woman multiple times, only to get it right the fourth time! But you know what, this is more than just a sentimental signing for me. Perron, who turns 36 on May 28, would instantaneously be a leader in this locker room. He knows many of the players, knows the systems and simply put, knows St. Louis. Period. I still to this day don't think the Blues should have let him go two years ago ($4.75 million AAV) because he still produces (17 goals, 30 assists in 76 games), and produces on special teams (seven power-play goals, 17 assists), something the Blues have lacked since he left. I could picture Perron still being effective as a third-line forward, second line if needed, still in top shape, still play an effective role. You can never have enough leadership, and he would most definitely provide it. What would it take? The Blues didn't go two years like the Red Wings did two years ago. Would they do it now? I don't think it's unreasonable but probably not at the AAV he got. I would go $3-$3.5 million per season. I can only imagine Blues' fan reaction if there was this possibility again. * Pat Maroon, LW/RW, Bruins: Another reunion? Bring the 'Big Rig' home for the final time? I say yes from a couple perspectives: leadership and physicality. The Blues don't have an enforcer, per say, and could use someone with those tendencies. At 36, is Maroon going to be a difference-maker? No. But will be bring intangibles that galvanize a room, galvanize a team? Most definitely. The Boston Bruins acquired him late in the season from the Minnesota Wild just for those very reasons. Maroon made $1 million in each of the past two seasons on his expiring contract and won't want more than that (well sure he'll take it if you offer it), and if you can fetch him for another 1-2 years around that price, why not if he can get you 10-20 points and eats up 8-12 minutes ice time on a fourth-line role. * Patrick Kane, RW, Red Wings: OK, hold on, just hear me out on this. There's a caveat. I'm only including the 35-year-old Chicago Blackhawks villain here under one condition: only, and only if, the Blues were interested in hiring Joel Quenneville as the head coach, don't you think one of the best America-born players would be intrigued by the thought of being reunited with the bench boss Kane had in winning three Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks? Listen, first of all, Quenneville still to this day hasn't been reinstated by the league and may not, so then it all becomes a moot point. But if he does, and if there's mutual interest by both sides here in St. Louis, don't you think Quenneville would want Armstrong to jump at the chance of getting one of, if not the greatest players he's ever coached? Yes, Kane is 35 and turns 36 in November, but when he signed the one-year, $2.75 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings and played in 50 games, he still averaged nearly a point per game (47 points; 20 goals, 27 assists). He still plays high minutes (averaged 18:22 this season), scored seven game-winners including three in overtime and would most definitely be able to play in the top six and be a big factor on the power play. I'm OK offering Kane, even at his advanced age, two years in the neighborhood of $4.5-$5 million. Now if the Quenneville stuff dies down and he doesn't get hired here, then toss this all in the waste basket. But if he does, can you imagine this scenario? Kane wearing a Bluenote? That would be one helluva sight, wouldn't it? * Steven Stamkos, RW, Lightning: OK, this is such a longshot, but you know what, I'll throw the longtime Tampa Bay Lightning captain's name in the ring. This dude, at 34, can still play at a high level. He just scored 40 goals and had 81 points in 79 games for Tampa this season. Can you imagine that one-timer in the left circle with Robert Thomas feeding him? Can you imagine that shot with either Thomas or whoever is the No. 2 center next season? I've always been a big Stamkos fan, and I still think the Lightning keep him there for the duration of his career, but if he hits the open market, I can see him getting 3-4 years at $6-$6.5 million after wrapping up an eight-year, $68 million contract ($8.5 million AAV). Lot's of possibilities here, still a guy that produces at a high level. I don't see a sliver of optimism of this happening here, but it's OK to daydream about it, isn't it? * Matt Gryzelcyk, D, Bruins: Another left-handed defenseman that has some bite to his game that the Blues could use, and another one that would be predicated on the Blues moving some real estate out of their stall. The 30-year-old, who faced the Blues in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, plays a very steady-sound game from the left side and doesn't cost a ton. Gryzelcyk made nearly $3.7 million AAV and won't command much more than that, say, $4-$4.5 million per? His offense slipped last season to 11 points, but the Blues wouldn't be bringing Gryzelcyk here to become the next Bobby Orr. * Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D, Panthers: Now this would be an addition to the blue line that's primary focus is on improving the offense through its defense. OEL is 32 and would be a risky signing for long-term years, but after playing out his eight-year, $66 million ($8.25 million AAV) contract, perhaps OEL wouldn't be as inclined to follow the money around and take a friendly deal with a winning team, say for three seasons for $3.5 million, I'd do it. OEL, who had nine goals and 23 assists in 80 games, is still a dangerous offensive-defenseman with a left-handed shot. And he's another Swede Alex Steen can corral. There are others I could have included on this list, but realistically felt they'd be out of the Blues price list. Trades and those sorts of things will also play a role in how the Blues go in attacking free agency, but this is a premise of some targets the Blues could look at. Keep in mind, the Blues may not have access to any/all of these players should they re-sign before free agency. Stay tuned. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAyODg4NjQ1ODM1NzYwNzA4/img_6513.jpg]
