NHL insider reveals St. Louis Blues plans for veteran defensemen ahead of trade deadline
According to the Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford, the St. Louis Blues are looking to trade both Justin Faulk and Ryan Suter this year.
The St. Louis Blues are currently 7 points out of a playoff spot with just 50 points through 52 games.
As such, the team will very likely be sellers at the upcoming trade deadline.
The team doesn't have too many assets that would make sense to move, but team reporter Jeremy Rutherford believes two veteran blueliners could be moved this March.
Those defensemen would be Justin Faulk and Ryan Suter.
"Faulk hasn't been the same. From 2021-23, he had 27 goals and 97 points in 158 games and was on the ice for 166 five-on-five goals for and 127 against. In the past two seasons, he has four goals and 49 points in 107 games and was on the ice for 61/77. With two years left ($6.5 million AAV), trading him would be no easy chore."
Faulk's days as a lethal goal-scorer seem to be behind him. Over the past two seasons, he has managed just four goals, a far cry from the days when he would regularly hit double-digits.
As Rutherford points out, trading him may be difficult as he is a net-neutral asset at best. More likely though, if he is moved, it will be as a cap dump and part of a larger deal.
As a result, the team shouldn't expect to get much in return for him although his absence would open up a spot on the blueline for one of the team's prospects, something many fans of the team have been waiting for.
Similarly, the Blues could look to replace 40-year-old Ryan Suter with a younger blueliner.
He is just 4 games away from hitting 1500 career regular-season appearances and he has 690 career points to show for it.
That being said, his offense is all but gone now with just 1 goal and 9 points through 52 games.
Still, though, he could fetch a mid-round pick at the deadline, and again, his absence would open the door for a younger player to get meaningful ice time in the NHL.
"Suter recently turned 40 years old, but you'd never know it. He's played in all 51 games and is averaging 20:43 of ice time. One could make a case for re-signing the UFA, but one thing to point out: He could potentially earn $600,000 more in bonuses, which could put the Blues over the cap and trigger a carryover penalty into next season."
Furthermore, this may very well be Suter's last chance to win a Stanley Cup.
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