Welcome to another edition of NHL Rumours! The Christmas season is in full swing. Everyone is hitting the malls and online shops to get that must-needed gift of 2024. In the NHL, general managers are doing some shopping as well. This includes Doug Armstrong of the St. Louis Blues. Today’s rumour looks at Armstrong looking to move a veteran forward.
NHL Rumours
St. Louis Blues Looking to Trade Veteran Forward
Rumour: On Saturday night’s Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada, Elliotte Friedman said that the Blues are looking to trade veteran forward, Brandon Saad.
Saturday Headlines: https://t.co/rbygiDgGFi
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) December 15, 2024
Why Trade Saad?
Analysis: Saad signed with the Blues prior to the 2021-22 season. His first three seasons with the Blues were a success, scoring no less than 19 goals in any season. Furthermore, he scored 26 goals last year while the Blues made a push for the playoffs. The last seasons have included many storylines from the Blues, from disappointing playoff exits to trading Stanley Cup heroes. Saad’s success has flown under the radar, but there is no denying he has been an unheralded member of the Blues.
However, the 32-year-old has not had the same success this season. In 27 games, Saad only has four goals. Furthermore, he was a healthy scratch for the Blues on Saturday.
The Blues have been looking for ways to improve the roster to speed up the retool. Their most recent move was acquiring veteran defenceman Cam Fowler on Saturday. It appears the Blues are not done making trades.
Saad Would Bring Championship Experience to New Team
Whoever ends up trading for Saad would be getting someone with playoff experience. Saad has won the Stanley Cup twice, both with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Saad would also not be an expensive addition. His cap hit is only $4.5 million. Furthermore, Saad has one year left on his current contract. As such, the team that acquires him would not be just adding a rental for one playoff push. They would get the remainder of this season, the playoffs, then all of next season. This can also benefit the Blues, as they can promote getting two playoff pushes from Saad as a reason to set a higher price tag.
What Could the Return Look Like?
Trying to predict an exact return for a Brandon Saad trade is impossible, so we will not even try to defy the odds. However, we can assume the Blues will look to add some draft capital for the upcoming draft. It is hard to say if Saad is worth a first-round pick, but the Blues could likely get a second-round pick in a trade.
The Blues probably are not interested in getting NHL-ready talent in return, unless the talent in question is exceptional. The team already has a great deal of options on the current roster, with more waiting in the American Hockey League. The last thing the Blues need is to create a log jam on the roster, so looking to build up their draft capital would be their best move.
Main Photo Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
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