St. Louis Blues Vice President of Hockey Operations, Peter Chiarelli, was in attendance for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens clash.
The St. Louis Blues Vice President of Hockey Operations, Peter Chiarelli, attended a Hockey Night in Canada showdown between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens, according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.
It was a lopsided result in favor of the Canadiens, as they defeated the Maple Leafs 5-2. Minnesota Wild and Team USA GM Bill Guerin was in attendance, but whether he was present to view possible players for Team USA or to scout for trade acquisitions for the Wild is unknown.
For Chiarelli he was almost certainly in attendance to scout for the Blues. The Canadiens started the season incredibly, but a recent skid has seen them drop in the standings, and they could be looking to address their issues in the trade market sooner rather than later.
More likely, he was there to watch Maple Leafs players. Recently, Leafs GM Brad Treliving held a press conference and mentioned that he is looking to make roster trades. The Leafs don't have the draft assets or the prospects to work out that type of deal. They need to use the roster players they have to swap with another team.
Report: Maple Leafs Looking For 'Roster-For-Roster' Trade Following Slow Start To Season
Friedman adds that Toronto isn't interested in trading futures for a roster player.
This is where the Blues could come into play. Like the Leafs, they are underperforming to their expectations. They were expected to make the playoffs and go deep into the post-season, but now, through 20 games, both teams are anticipated to miss the playoffs.
Blues GM Doug Armstrong has been open about his willingness to trade away players if the right move comes his way, and the Leafs need to be aggressive before it's too late. This isn't to say that a trade is imminent, but it's something to keep an eye on as the season progresses and the trade deadline approaches.
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