Canadian Team Nearly Acquired Brayden Schenn Last Season And Could Be Back In The Mix

The St. Louis Blues are reportedly testing the trade waters for captain Brayden Schenn, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.

Schenn, 33, has been considered a top leader in St. Louis and was a shock considering that he has a full no-move clause. He has a reasonable $6.5 million cap hit over the next three seasons, reducing to a 15-team no-trade list after one year.

A Stanley Cup veteran forward in 2019, Schenn would make a great addition for playoff teams looking for depth at center.

But a trade won't come cheap. Dreger termed the price asked by the Blues "mammoth," a view seconded by Blues insider Lou Korac.

GM Doug Armstrong will not be retaining salary, and any trade would require a first to third-round draft pick, along with a high-end young forward.

One team to watch is the Ottawa Senators, who showed interest in Schenn a year ago. While they are not a Cup favorite at the moment, their continued interest is always in the mix, per NHL insider Elliotte Friedman.

The Devils, Golden Knights, Red Wings, and Maple Leafs have all been tabbed as potential bidders for Schenn, with Toronto reportedly having called.

The Blues, who are 25-26-5 going into the Four Nations break, are not playoff contenders with +1400 odds.

Trading Schenn may represent a change of course. Whether or not a trade takes place is ultimately up to Schenn to waive his NMC and a contender to satisfy St. Louis' lofty asking price.