St. Louis Blues looking to move veteran forward Brandon Saad this off-season
The St. Louis Blues have taken a major step back over the past two years, and now they are looking to move a veteran name in order to improve their middling roster.
After a successful string of post-season performances, including a Stanley Cup victory, the Blues have now missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, the first time they've done that in over 13 years. Now, the team are looking for a big shakeup this summer, with NHL Insider Frank Seravalli revealing that the Blues may look to move Brandon Saad this summer to clear up cap space and a roster spot for a young, emerging player.
"There are rumblings that Saad is available as GM Doug Armstrong checks market prices as part of his due diligence in a quest to make the Blues better. It's a bit surprising considering Saad is coming off the second-best goal scoring season of his career, netting 26 last year to finish tied for fourth on the team with Robert Thomas." Seravalli said.
He added, "However, if you think about it from Armstrong's perspective, this might be the exact time to cash in on Saad with strong value on the market considering the two years remaining on his deal. It's also the same old, same old in St. Louis: Saad has a full �no-trade' clause for one more year, and he also happens to have the same agent as Krug, who blocked a trade last summer with that very clause."
He added, "However, if you think about it from Armstrong's perspective, this might be the exact time to cash in on Saad with strong value on the market considering the two years remaining on his deal. It's also the same old, same old in St. Louis: Saad has a full �no-trade' clause for one more year, and he also happens to have the same agent as Krug, who blocked a trade last summer with that very clause."
Saad has been a member of two Stanley Cup winning teams in Chicago and Colorado, and after putting up a solid 42 points with 26 goals in 2023-24, his value will likely never be higher. Saad has topped 40 points just three times since the 2018 season, but remains a perfect middle-six forward in today's NHL, so the Blues could realistically get a solid return for the 31-year old winger.
The Blues are a team that have become accustomed to playoff success, and while it's unclear what they could get in return for Saad, it's a move that makes perfect sense for both parties.
Source: Blade of Steel
Blues reportedly make veteran forward Brandon Saad available for trade
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Will the St. Louis Blues move Brandon Saad this summer? | ||
| Yes | 178 | 70.6 % |
| No | 74 | 29.4 % |
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