Despite being considered an active team leading up to Friday’s trade deadline, there hasn’t been much chatter regarding the Blues’ interest in retaining Suter beyond this season. The 20-year veteran is not even a year removed from being bought out for a second time throughout his career and is currently playing on a one-year, league minimum salary.

To put it bluntly, Suter is a shell of the defenseman he used to be during his tenure with the Nashville Predators and early on in his 13-year contract with the Minnesota Wild. Still, he hasn’t been a detriment to the Blues’ defensive core this year.

His scoring is understandably down with one goal and 12 points through 61 games this season, averaging 20:19 of ice time. Whatever speed he displayed earlier in his career has been put out to pasture, but he’s still on pace to block approximately 100 shots and has a 91.2% on-ice save percentage at even strength. The latter statistic is on par with his career average.

Unless St. Louis trades defenseman Nick Leddy before the trade deadline or during the offseason, the Blues likely won’t have room on their blue line for Suter beyond this season. The team recently signed depth defenseman Tyler Tucker to a two-year extension, and he should be expected to take over in the bottom-pairing for Suter next year.

Depending on how adamant Suter is about playing next season, he may have to reconcile with taking on a lesser role in St. Louis or elsewhere. His reduced foot speed and scoring will preclude him from playing in any team’s top four and may extend through the bottom pairing. Still, a handful of teams could give Suter another shot on a league-minimum deal or even allow him to try out during preseason action.

Boeser is certainly due for a raise on his next deal, after posting the first 40-goal season of his career last year. His statement performance came after four straight seasons of failing to even reach 25 goals. It was largely helped along by a career-high 19.6 shooting percentage, over seven percent higher than his average of 12.7 percent in six seasons prior. And while Boeser has struggled to reach that same success rate this year, his 18 goals and 17.3 shooting percentage in 52 games suggest he may have really found a new gear to his scoring.

Boeser will be a top name leading into the Trade Deadline if Vancouver isn’t willing to commit to him for a longer term. His spike in scoring and inflated shooting percentage are certainly warning flags, but he could offer the experience of a 500-game pro for the cheap cost of a deadline rental. A short-sighted trade would leave Boeser open to pick his next team in unrestricted free agency, though if he’d get another $8MM offer could hinge on how well he scores through the end of the year.

Other Trade Deadline notes from out West:

• An NHL executive pointed out the potential chemistry between the San Jose Sharks and Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram to Sheng Peng of NBC Sports. The 23-year-old Byram has been loosely circulated around trade rumors and could be a perfect addition to San Jose’s rebuild. The Sharks also have plenty to give up for the top-pair defender. Peng shares that there’s a sense Buffalo could use more size and grit. That motivation could make Sharks prospects like Quentin Musty or Kasper Halttunen enticing options. Both top prospects are performing well in the OHL this season. Musty has 43 points in just 26 games and Halttunen has 29 points in 27 games and 13 in his last 10. With the right mix of draft capital, either name could be enough to swing Byram away from Buffalo – though Peng notes he still doesn’t sense San Jose would pay such a price. He shares that the team could instead try and leverage some of their first-round draft picks to land big additions.
• The St. Louis Blues could be asking for as much as two first-round draft picks for captain Brayden Schenn, per Seravalli in his latest trade board. That’s notably the same price St. Louis asked for Pavel Buchnevich, who has five more points than Schenn this season, at last year’s Trade Deadline. The Blues couldn’t find a suitor, and it’s hard to envision they’ll make a match for Schenn at this price either. With Schenn boasting a full no-trade clause, it may take a silver tongue to convince veteran Blues GM Doug Armstrong to trade his captain… once again.

The Blues drafted Tucker with the 200th-overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. He followed his draft selection with 59 points and 105 penalty minutes in 68 games during his age-19 OHL season. The performance stamped Tucker as a bruising enforcer – a role he embraced in full when he moved to the pros two years later. Tucker played his rookie AHL season during the shortened 2020-21 campaign and posted a quaint seven points and 34 penalty minutes in 27 games as a result. But he came to life in 2021-22, leading the Springfield Thunderbirds with 114 penalty minutes in 72 games – over 40 more than anyone else on the team.

Tucker made his NHL debut in the following year and very quickly found his role as St. Louis’ bruiser in reserve. He split the 2022-23 season between recording four points and 31 PIMs in 26 NHL games; and posting 21 points and 79 PIMs in 41 AHL games. He returned to the role of seventh-defender last season, posting two points and 42 PIMs in another 26 games – though routine injury held him to just six AHL games. Tucker has found a better balance between scoring and penalties this season, with four points and 30 PIMs in 20 NHL games and 10 points and 39 PIMs in 19 AHL games.

Tucker’s 72 career NHL games are more than anyone else drafted in 2018’s seventh round. His impact has proven fairly minimal, and is often limited to the defensive zone, but the Blues have clearly taken to the physical presence he brings to the lineup. Tucker is still only 24 years old. With a lineup spot carved out, this two-year deal will represent a chance for him to truly hone his style and push for routine minutes before he hits his prime years.

The Schenn brothers have each continued their consistent, impactful play through their mid-30s. Brayden has served as St. Louis’ captain for the last two seasons, while supporting the team’s middle lines with center and wing flexibility. He has 11 goals and 32 points in 56 games on the year, while adding 48 penalty minutes, a minus-seven, and a 50.1 faceoff percentage. St. Louis acquired Brayden ahead of the 2017-18 season, and quickly pushed him into a top-six role. He embraced the opportunity out of the gates, netting a career-high 28 goals and 70 points in his first year in St. Louis. He’s leveled out as a routine mid-50s scorer in the years since, ultimately averaging 52 points a year with the Blues – though he did reach 65 in the 2022-23 campaign.

Brayden also been a stout playoff performer in the Blue-note, with 26 points in 51 games over four postseason appearances with the Blues. He has found his groove as an impactful, two-way centerman with the versatility to fill a wide variety of roles, even at 33 years old. Those traits, and his Cup-winning precedent, will make him a desirable deadline option.

But as is natural, the older brother can boast the better numbers. Luke has played in 55 more games, and won one more Stanley Cup, than Brayden while serving as a journeyman defensive-defenseman for the last 17 seasons. Luke’s career started when Toronto drafted him fifth-overall in the 2008 NHL Draft. He joined the Leafs in the following year, and quickly jumped out as a heavy-hitting, low-scoring shutdown option – stamped by his 206 hits in 70 games as an NHL rookie, an NHL record for rookie defenders at the time. Luke tamped down his hitting and penalty minutes in the name of more scoring through the first seven years of his career, but it became apparent as he entered his prime years that his best impact came in his own end.

Through trips to Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Arizona, and more – Schenn built up his propensity for winning the title of heavy-hitter everywhere he went. He averaged 15 points, 53 penalty minutes, and a staggering 245 hits each season through his 20s – stout enough to land with the golden age of the Tampa Bay Lightning when he turned 30 in 2019. Schenn only played in 63 regular season games across two years in Tampa Bay, but his bottom-pair role was enough to earn a name on both Stanley Cups when the Bolts accomplished their back-to-back wins in 2020 and 2021. Luke has continued his wandering career in the years since, leaving Tampa for Vancouver following the second Cup win, then returning to Toronto, and now spending the last two seasons in Nashville.

Brayden has been granted long-term stability, while Luke has moved seemingly every other year – but one more move could await the Saskatchewan brothers. Luke carries a manageable, $2.5MM cap hit through the end of next season, while Brayden’s $6.5MM cap hit through 2027-28 might be a bit tougher to bring in. St. Louis has all of their retention spots available, and could support the finances of a Schenn deal with the right sweeteners – though they’d have to carry the dead cap through the next three seasons. Logistics aside, the on-ice impact of the Schenn brothers likely wouldn’t command too rich of a return. Brayden has settled in as a capable third-line forward with second-line upside, while Luke seems more comfortable serving from the depths of his team’s blue-line. Both are important roles to fill when planning out a long playoff run – and finding a way to land both brothers could be a quick way for postseason hopefuls to shore up their front and back ends.

The St. Louis Blues find themselves in a similar position to the last two seasons. They aren’t good enough to make the playoffs, but they are too good to bottom out and collect a top draft pick. It’s a position not unlike the one the Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves in. Both teams are recent Stanley Cup Champions that haven’t moved into a full rebuild yet. St. Louis is currently eight points out of a playoff spot and would need to leapfrog three teams to land the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Given their position in the West, it’s fair to assume that they will be looking toward the future at this year’s NHL Trade Deadline.

Record

25-26-5, 6th in the Central Division

Deadline Status

Sellers

Deadline Cap Space

$6.025MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention spots used, 45/50 contract spots used, per PuckPedia.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2025: STL 1st, STL 5th, STL 6th
2026: STL 1st, STL 3rd, STL 4th, STL 5th, PIT 5th, NYI 5th, STL 6th, STL 7th

Trade Chips

St. Louis doesn’t have many pending unrestricted free agents of note but will try to move the handful they do have.

Veteran defenseman Ryan Suter could be traded to a team looking for a depth defenseman, but wouldn’t fetch much of a return at this point. The 40-year-old is a shell of the player he once was, but for a team looking for a veteran presence on the backend, they could do worse. Suter has remained healthy for almost all of his late 30s, and while he isn’t the minute eater he used to be, he could certainly fill the role of a seventh defenseman.

Forward Radek Faksa is another name the Blues could look to ship out. The 31-year-old would bring a strong defensive presence to any acquiring team but wouldn’t provide much in the way of offense. He does have a modified five-team no-trade clause, but it’s hard to see that being an issue at this point. Faksa is a free agent on July 1st and with a $3.25MM cap hit, he should be moveable if St. Louis is willing to retain. Trading Faksa won’t recoup all the draft pick capital St. Louis has moved away this year, but it should allow them to bring in a mid-round pick. Faksa has just three goals and seven assists in 44 games this season, but he has garnered Selke Trophy consideration in four of the last seven seasons.

Outside of Suter and Faksa, the Blues don’t have any remaining UFAs but do have some veterans with term left on their contracts who could be moved. Brayden Schenn’s name has popped up in trade rumors for weeks now, and given his resume it’s no surprise that there has been interest in the 33-year-old forward. There is no doubt that there has been a regression in Schenn’s game the past two seasons and with three more years at $6.5MM per season his market at the deadline will be limited. There is also the concern that Schenn’s defensive game has fallen off, which could scare off some teams who view him as more of a third-line option. St. Louis might wait until the summer to move Schenn if they don’t find an offer to their liking but given that it is a seller’s market right now, they could be able to convince a desperate team to overpay in the next two weeks.

St. Louis has some other veterans on expensive long-term deals who have underperformed the past few seasons, which could make significant moves difficult. Pavel Buchnevich and Jordan Kyrou have both had their names mentioned as potential trade candidates and the Blues would probably be more than happy to move on from some of their veteran defensemen as well but will likely be handcuffed by varying trade protections. Nick Leddy, Colton Parayko, Justin Faulk and Cam Fowler all make north of $4MM per season and have at least one year left on their current contracts. Couple that with the no-trade clauses and the Blues are in tough to make substantial changes if that is the direction they want to go.

Team Needs

1) Offensive Forwards – St. Louis has top forwards who can score (Kyrou, Buchnevich, and Robert Thomas). However, their depth scoring has been a huge issue this season (25th in the NHL in goals). If the Blues elect to retool this summer, getting offensive depth forwards should be at the top of their shopping list. St. Louis has not received much offense from their bottom six forwards, and it has allowed teams to focus more attention on the top six and prohibit them from scoring at their usual rates. Buchnevich, Kyrou and Thomas are all having down years and insulating them with more depth might force teams to divide their attention more when defending the Blues’ best forwards. At the very least, more offensive options should provide some help to the top six by taking the pressure off of them to chase the game when the Blues find themselves behind on the scoreboard.

2) Young Defensemen– The Blues backend is one of the oldest in the NHL, with just two defensemen under the age of 31. Philip Broberg looks like he should be a top-four defenseman for St. Louis, but outside of him, their top prospects Adam Jiricek, Theo Lindstein and Lukas Fischer are still probably two or more years away from making an NHL impact. The direction the Blues decide to go in will ultimately determine the urgency with which they will try to find young defensemen, but it is very clear at this stage that the team needs to get younger. The Blues aren’t a bad defensive team (20th in the NHL), but having a more mobile unit will help the forwards get the puck in more advantageous positions and open them up to focus more on the offensive side of the game.

Images courtesy of USA Today Sports.

• The Blues announced Thursday they’ve called up forward Zachary Bolduc from AHL Springfield. The move was widely expected after they assigned him to the minors for the first time this season at the beginning of the 4 Nations break to get playing time while St. Louis was off. The 2021 first-round pick rejoins the club after posting 6-12–18 with a +10 rating through 46 games to begin the year. Bolduc, 21, posted a pair of assists and a minus-three rating in four games with Springfield over the last two weeks.
• The Devils announced they’d recalled goaltender Nico Daws from AHL Utica and reassigned forward Chase Stillman to Utica and goalie Tyler Brennan to ECHL Adirondack in corresponding transactions. Brennan and Stillman were recalled Tuesday to practice with the Devils while some of their players were returning from the 4 Nations Face-Off and were expected to return to their respective minor-league clubs in the coming days. Daws comes back up to serve as Jake Allen’s backup coming out of the break until starter Jacob Markström is ready to return from his MCL sprain, which is set to keep him out for another two weeks. The 24-year-old won his only start of the season against the Penguins on Feb. 4, stopping 25 of 27 shots for a .926 SV%. He also saved all seven shots he faced in relief of Allen against the Sabres on Feb. 2.
• The Lightning announced they’ve reassigned left-winger Gabriel Fortier to AHL Syracuse. Tampa recalled him Tuesday to serve as an extra practice player as their contingent of 4 Nations players works their way back to Florida, but it won’t result in any NHL playing time. The 2018 second-rounder hasn’t suited up for the Bolts since 2022-23 and has 10-7–17 in 37 AHL games this season with a plus-five rating.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

While Schenn has been seen as a speculative fit for a few teams, namely the Avalanche, there hasn’t been any mention yet of a team demonstrating clear interest. That changes with Pagnotta’s report, as he notes the Golden Knights are one of “several” teams that have contacted St. Louis general manager Doug Armstrong about a Schenn trade:

[The Golden Knights] have cap space. Obviously, Shea Theodore is out. We had heard the initial prognosis was six-to-eight weeks, which would take them right towards the end of the season. So, we’ll see kind of where that goes. But (Schenn’s) on their radar and a few other teams, as well.

How high the Blues set the asking price for Schenn remains to be seen. It’s been a seller’s market thus far, but Schenn has a full no-trade clause and carries a $6.5MM cap hit that’s already a tad steep for what he’s provided offensively over the last two seasons. Considering he’s 33 years old and signed through the 2027-28 campaign, there won’t be an oversized list of teams willing to take on that contract.

St. Louis does have all three of its salary retention slots available. Still, there’s an inherent risk of limiting their retention availability for that many seasons if the Blues endure a longer retool or rebuild than expected. If someone steps up for them, they certainly won’t be keeping any money on Buchnevich or Kyrou, both signed through the 2030-31 season.

It stands to reason that Kyrou would land the most significant return of the trio. He’s the youngest at age 26 and leads the team in scoring with 23-21–44 through 56 games. He’s tied his career-best +10 rating, and while his offensive production is his worst per-game basis in four years, he boasts more substantial possession impacts than in the past and has added a bit more physicality to his game with a career-high 31 hits. An $8.125MM cap hit may stand as a small overpay at present but checks in at market value once the salary cap begins its meteoric rise next season, assuming his current 64-pace is where he bottoms out. He’s averaged 33 goals and 73 points per 82 games since his breakout 2021-22 campaign.

Buchnevich put pen to paper on a six-year, $48MM extension one day after becoming eligible to sign one last summer, but his production has continued to slide after back-to-back seasons above a point per game in 2021-22 and 2022-23. His totals dropped to 63 points in 80 games last year, and he’s only pace for 52 points over an 82-game schedule in 2024-25 with 11-23–34 through 54 appearances. His minus-two rating is his worst since arriving in St. Louis four years ago, as is his 11.1% shooting rate. With so much term attached at an $8MM annual commitment, a Buchnevich trade will likely need to wait until the summer at the earliest for teams to gauge whether the chance at a resurgence is worth the risk of him plateauing at 50-65 points per season.

• The Hurricanes announced they’ve promoted defenseman Riley Stillman from AHL Chicago. While he’d been off the roster for a few days already prior to the break, he’s been a frequent traveler between Carolina and Chicago this season. He was last rostered for a game on Jan. 28 against the Rangers – his season debut, in which he recorded a fight and a shot on goal in 7:40 of ice time. A routine healthy scratch/extra defenseman, Stillman is close to requiring waivers again to head to the minors after clearing them in November. The 26-year-old has 2-3–5 with 41 PIMs and a minus-three rating in 20 AHL contests this year.
• The Stars announced they’ve recalled defenseman Lian Bichsel from AHL Texas. He was quietly shuttled down on Feb. 8 after making eight straight appearances for Dallas leading into the break. The 2022 first-rounder has 2-3–5 and a plus-six rating through his first 16 career NHL games, all coming this season, and will continue in a regular role for the time being with Miro Heiskanen and Nils Lundkvist on the shelf.
• The Canucks announced they’ve promoted all of center Nils Åman, forward Arshdeep Bains, and defenseman Elias Pettersson from AHL Abbotsford. They also added goalie Arturs Silovs from the Baby Canucks on an emergency loan and will have Nikita Tolopilo around as a practice goaltender until Kevin Lankinen is ready to return from representing Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off, although the latter won’t take up a roster spot. Åman and Pettersson were sent to Abbotsford on Feb. 8, but this is Bains’ first recall since late November. The 24-year-old winger had one goal and a minus-four rating in 11 games earlier this season but has remained a near point-per-game threat in the minors, posting 7-20–27 in 32 AHL games. He’ll now get another crack at NHL minutes in the final season of his entry-level contract. Silovs, who’s struggled to the tune of a 1-4-1 record and .847 SV% in seven NHL appearances this season, will come up to serve as Lankinen’s No. 2 with Thatcher Demko still dealing with the undisclosed injury that caused him to leave Vancouver’s last pre-break game against the Maple Leafs. Tolopilo’s stay will be brief, and the 24-year-old will return to Abbotsford as soon as Lankinen is available.
• The Penguins called up winger Emil Bemström and goalie Joel Blomqvist from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and returned netminder Tristan Jarry to the minors in a corresponding transaction, the team announced. It’s a pure reversal of the moves Pittsburgh made after their last game on Feb. 8. Bemström has no points and two shots in two games since being recalled for the first time this season on Feb. 7, while Blomqvist has a 3-8-0 record with a .896 SV% and 3.54 GAA in 11 appearances on the year. The 23-year-old has struggled since taking over for Jarry on the roster, posting a .868 SV% in three starts since the veteran was waived in mid-January. The 29-year-old Jarry will continue to bide his time in the minors as he awaits another NHL chance, knocking on the door with a .924 SV% and 2.11 GAA in nine games.
• The Rangers announced they’ve recalled goaltender Dylan Garand from AHL Hartford. The 22-year-old comes up to serve as Jonathan Quick’s backup with Igor Shesterkin not ready to return from the upper-body injury that kept him out of New York’s final game before the break. He’s sporting a .914 SV%, 2.73 GAA, three shutouts, and a 13-7-5 record in 25 showings with Hartford this year.
• The Blackhawks summoned defenseman Ethan Del Mastro from AHL Rockford, a team announcement states. Chicago sent the 22-year-old down at the beginning of the break for additional playing time in the minors, where he posted three shots and a plus-one rating in four games over the past couple of weeks. He has one assist in six NHL games since first being called up in late January and will continue competing for bottom-pairing minutes while Louis Crevier is on injured reserve with a concussion.
• The Bruins recalled defenseman Michael Callahan, center Matthew Poitras, and left-winger Riley Tufte from AHL Providence – the latter coming up under emergency conditions, per the team. Goaltender Michael DiPietro will also practice with the team while Jeremy Swayman remains with Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off but won’t count against the active roster. Callahan’s and Poitras’ recalls are reversals of pre-break assignments, with the former’s recall serving as confirmation that Hampus Lindholm won’t be ready to come off LTIR before Saturday’s game against the Ducks. Tufte’s recall is his first since November, and his inclusion is a solid indication that Charlie McAvoy will be IR-bound after sustaining an upper-body injury and subsequent infection at the 4 Nations.
• The Jets announced they’ve recalled Kaapo Kähkönen from AHL Manitoba to serve as a practice player with Connor Hellebuyck slated to start for the Americans in Thursday’s 4 Nations championship. He’s played one NHL game since signing a one-year, $1MM deal in Winnipeg last offseason – although it was for the Avalanche, who claimed him off waivers in October but lost him back to the Jets on the wire the following month. The 28-year-old has taken a tumble in Manitoba with a .885 SV% in 20 games – a worse save percentage than he posted on last year’s league-worst Sharks.
• The Sharks announced they’ve recalled forward Collin Graf and defenseman Jack Thompson from AHL San Jose. They were both assigned to the minors after their final pre-break game, although notably, veteran Andrew Poturalski remains in the minors after being demoted along with Graf and Thompson. The rookies are both likely to play next Sunday against the Flames.
• Utah announced they’d recalled winger Josh Doan from AHL Tucson after the previously reported summons of goaltender Jaxson Stauber. His reinstatement to the roster suggests Logan Cooley won’t be quite ready to return from his lower-body injury this weekend against the Kings, but general manager Bill Armstrong said yesterday he’s not expected out for much longer. Doan has 4-5–9 in 25 NHL games and 11-15–26 in 28 AHL games this year.
• The Blues will have goaltender Will Cranley join them for practice while Jordan Binnington remains with Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off, the club announced. Cranley, 22, was a sixth-round pick of 2020 and is in his second season of pro hockey. He’s spent almost all of his time in the ECHL, where he has a .911 SV% and 2.28 GAA in 16 appearances with the Florida Everblades this year.
• The Predators recalled goalie Matt Murray to join them as a practice player while Juuse Saros returns from repping the Fins at the 4 Nations, Emma Lingan of The Hockey News reports. Murray has yet to appear in a game for Nashville after spending the past few years in the Stars organization but has been recalled a few times as injury insurance this season. The 27-year-old has a sparkling .930 SV%, 2.17 GAA, two shutouts, and a 17-7-6 record for Milwaukee.
• The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled forwards Gage Goncalves and Gabriel Fortier to join as practice players. Goncalves has served as Tampa Bay’s extra forward for much of the year. His NHL career is still young, and his one goal and seven points in 33 games with the Lightning marks the first scoring of his career. Goncalves has also scored 18 points in 14 AHL games this year. Fortier has spent his whole season in the minors and scored 10 goals and 17 points in 37 games. He ranks third on the Syracuse Crunch in goals and seventh in points.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

There’s no question Colorado has high-end talent. Even after trading Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes in late January, the Avalanche still have annual MVP candidate Nathan MacKinnon and James Norris candidate Cale Makar on the roster. Still, Colorado has failed to find a consistent answer at the second-line center position since Nazem Kadri left as an unrestricted free agent in 2022.

Kadri’s immediate replacements were Alex Newhook and J.T. Compher during the 2022-23 season but later departed the organization. The Avalanche took their biggest swing at last year’s deadline, sending emerging top-four defenseman Bowen Byram to the Buffalo Sabres for Casey Mittelstadt. The Eden Prairie, MN native performed admirably down the stretch, scoring four goals and 10 points in 18 regular season contests with another three goals and nine points in 11 games during the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.

This season hasn’t been as fruitful. Mittelstadt is fifth in scoring on the team with nine goals and 32 points in 57 games. However, his -13 rating ranks last in Colorado and his 41.8% faceoff rate is the second-worst of his eight-year career. Mittelstadt’s disappointing production has led to some reporting that the Avalanche have already engaged in trade talks regarding the center they recently signed to a three-year, $17.25MM contract.

Rawal correctly points out that Schenn and Mittelstadt’s points-per-60 are remarkably similar at 1.55 and 1.52 respectively. Still, Schenn’s track record as a physical player willing to sacrifice his body on both sides of the puck can’t be understated, and his 50.1% success rate in the faceoff dot will help Colorado pull themselves out of 30th place in the category. Additionally, it’s known that Schenn and MacKinnon have become close friends over the years which would help his transition to the Avalanche’s locker room.

Still, there would be some concerns regarding Schenn’s acquisition, especially if Colorado considers sending Mittelstadt the other way in a potential swap. For one, Schenn is signed through the 2027-28 season for $6.5MM taking him to his age 36 season. Mittelstadt is dissimilarly on the ’right side’ of 30 so the Avalanche wouldn’t be acquiring a player enthralled in his prime years of production. As a counterpoint, Schenn has never relied on his speed or quickness to create offense so he may age more gracefully than most.

Colorado has the cap space to make it work, assuming Mittelstadt is a part of the return package. There’s no indication the two Central Division rivals will link up for a trade of this magnitude but Schenn may become a top-trade candidate for the Avalanche leading up to the deadline.

Laferrière, 24, was a sixth-round pick by the Blues in 2018 and hasn’t made his NHL debut. He’s now in his fourth season of professional hockey, almost all of which has been spent in Springfield, aside from a three-game assignment to ECHL Worcester in 2020-21. He’s been a versatile depth piece in that time, recording 21-49–70 with 62 PIMs and an even rating in 207 games. The 6’2″ forward can line up at both center and right-wing and posted 2-8–10 through the first 33 games of this season with Springfield.

Because Laferrière is set to turn 25 in late June, he will be narrowly eligible for Group VI unrestricted free agency this summer. He’s thus ineligible for a qualifying offer and can sign anywhere he chooses if he doesn’t agree to an extension with the Penguins before July 1. He’s on a one-year, two-way deal he signed last June to avoid a bout with restricted free agency in St. Louis, paying him $100K in the minors.

Like Laferrière, Andonovski arrives in the Blues organization without NHL experience. Pittsburgh signed the 25-year-old as an undrafted free agent out of Princeton in 2022, and he’s spent the last three seasons and change suiting up for the Baby Pens in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The 6’1″, 209-lb winger was a capable secondary scorer as recently as last year when he recorded a career-high 30 points in 63 games. He’s fallen on hard times in 2024-25, though, limited to 3-2–5 in 27 games with 15 PIMs and a plus-one rating.

Andonovski has also accrued enough professional experience to be eligible for Group VI unrestricted free agency this summer. He earns $5K less than Laferrière at the AHL level, saving St. Louis an insignificant amount of cash.

Neither player is expected to factor into NHL minutes down the stretch, and the likelihood of them seeing the game’s highest level at all in their careers seems slim. They’ll instead serve as minor-league depth for the next few months before having the opportunity to find new life this summer in another organization or overseas.

• The Predators announced they’ve reassigned wingers Joakim Kemell, Ozzy Wiesblatt, and defenseman Kevin Gravel to AHL Milwaukee. They now have three open roster spots, two of which could go to IR-bound Mark Jankowski and Jeremy Lauzon in the likely event they’re ready to return from injury when their schedule resumes on Feb. 22. The most notable of the trio is Kemell, who made his NHL debut across Nashville’s Friday-Saturday back-to-back and managed eight shots on goal across the pair of games. However, he’s still looking for his first NHL point. The 2022 first-rounder has 9-16–25 in 38 AHL contests this season.
• Wild winger Liam Ohgren will return to AHL Iowa over the break, per a team announcement. The fellow 2022 first-rounder has bounced between Minnesota and Iowa this year but spent the past couple of weeks filling in the Wild’s top six with Marcus Johansson and Kirill Kaprizov missing time. It hasn’t been an overly productive first look in the NHL for the Swedish winger, who’s managed 2-4–6 in 23 appearances since debuting late last season. He’ll likely be back up after the break, with Kaprizov still set to miss another couple of weeks following lower-body surgery.
• The Sharks reassigned forwards Collin Graf and Andrew Poturalski and defenseman Jack Thompson to AHL San Jose, the club said. Their post-break returns likely depend on the health of Nikolai Kovalenko, Jan Rutta, and Nico Sturm, all of whom enter the break on injured reserve with day-to-day designations. If all three are ready to return, the Sharks will need those roster spots to activate them, as they were carrying a full roster before this morning’s moves.
• The Blues sent forward Zachary Bolduc down to AHL Springfield this morning. It’s just the second time this season he’s been assigned to Springfield, and the first was a one-day demotion before opening night to help St. Louis optimize their LTIR capture. The 21-year-old has 6-12–18 through 46 games and will return to the NHL following the break. In the meantime, the 2021 first-round pick will continue to get reps in Springfield amid a promising sophomore campaign in the majors with good possession numbers.
• Blackhawks rookie defenseman Ethan Del Mastro is back down with AHL Rockford, Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. The 22-year-old lefty has one assist and 13 hits in six games since being recalled on Jan. 23. His 52.0 CF% at even strength is far above team average and is a promising sign for the 2021 fourth-rounder’s prospects at making the opening night roster next year. The 6’4″, 210-lb active defender has eight assists in 38 showings with Rockford this year, along with a plus-four rating.
• The Rangers returned goaltender Dylan Garand to AHL Hartford after his services were needed to backup Jonathan Quick in last night’s 4-3 win over the Blue Jackets. The 22-year-old will only be back up after the break if Igor Shesterkin, who missed the game due to an upper-body injury, isn’t cleared to return. The 2020 fourth-rounder is coming off an appearance in the AHL All-Star Classic and has a 2.68 GAA, .913 SV%, three shutouts, and a 12-7-4 record in 23 showings for Hartford.
• The Utah Hockey Club has assigned Josh Doan to the minor-leagues per Cole Bagley of KSL Sports. This move is likely intended to keep Doan on the ice while the club prepares for their two-week break. Doan has been in the NHL roster routinely since January 10th. He has five points in 15 games in that span, including two in his last two games. He’s been highly impactful even despite modest scoring totals, and should get a chance to continue carving out a role when Utah returns on February 22nd.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Feb. 5: The St. Louis Blues have recalled depth forward Mackenzie MacEachern to the NHL. The Blues have two games remaining before going on a two-week break for the 4-Nations Face-Off. MacEachern will be insurance for bottom-six forward Mathieu Joseph, who missed the Blues’ Wednesday practice due to illness. Defenseman Tyler Tucker also missed the skate with an upper-body injury.

MacEachern has had a productive 2024-25 campaign, even despite missing nearly two months of action between late October and the end of December. He didn’t play routine minutes until the start of January and has been red-hot ever since. MacEachern has 14 points in 12 games since the calendar turned over, and six points in his last five games. Those numbers have helped him climb to 15 points in 17 games this season, good for the third-highest point-per-game scoring on the Springfield Thunderbirds. He’s also recorded 36 penalty minutes and a plus-nine this season.

Those are stout numbers for the career depth forward, and he’ll now get a chance to support the Blues amid more absences. MacEachern is no stranger to the role of injury fill-in. He’s operated as the top forward on St. Louis’ call-up chart since the 2018-19 season and played in 51 NHL games during the 2019-20 season. He’s often filled the role of fourth-line bruiser at the top level and has just 20 points in 123 career NHL games as a result. But his impact is consistent enough to stay in favor of the Blues’ top brass. That trust, and his recent scoring streak, could land MacEachern his NHL season debut before the 4-Nations break, should Joseph need to miss time.

But not all contenders are set a little higher up the lineup.  Some will be looking to add more of a second-line option, either to boost their current second line or to give them a deeper third line.  While depth centers are generally acquirable at this time of year, more impactful ones are generally harder to come by and when they do move, they typically command a strong return.

To that end, it appears the Blues may be testing the market for one of their better pivots.  TSN’s Darren Dreger reported in the latest Insider Trading segment that St. Louis might be gauging the market to see what type of interest teams would have in veteran center Brayden Schenn.

The 33-year-old has been a strong two-way player for the bulk of his career, one that is just six games away from reaching 1,000.  While he isn’t as much of a scoring threat as he was earlier on, he still has 11 goals and 19 assists in 54 games this season heading into tonight’s action.  And with three straight years of 20 or more goals before 2024-25, there’s still a recent enough stretch of goal production for a contending team to think he can come in and still be an impact contributor.

Of course, Schenn’s physicality also will endear him to potential suitors.  He’s averaging just over 2.5 hits per game this season and while he’s not deployed shorthanded quite as much as he used to, he’s still capable of taking a turn on the penalty kill as well.  Those elements will also be endearing to teams looking to make a bigger splash down the middle.

Schenn is signed at a $6.5MM price tag through the 2027-28 season so his acquisition would certainly be a lot different from the rental moves we typically see made at this time of year.  With a big jump coming for the next three seasons in the salary cap, absorbing the higher cap charge will become a little more palatable than it might have seemed a few weeks ago.  It’s worth noting that Schenn’s salary drops to $4.3MM in 2026-27 and $4MM in 2027-28 which could make him a bit more appealing to any buyers that are operating under more of a stricter budget.

That said, it would be surprising if St. Louis was willing to retain a part of Schenn’s salary as that would cost them one of their three annual retention slots for three-plus seasons.  While a few teams have taken on a multi-year retention charge, it’s still pretty uncommon.  If they don’t want to do so here, then it will be harder for a lot of contenders to take on the full freight of the contract without sending a player or two the other way to offset some of the money.  Not all teams will be willing to move what would likely be an impact piece for fear of disrupting chemistry late in the season but some would undoubtedly take that chance.

Even if the Blues were to find a suitable trade, Schenn holds plenty of control here.  He currently holds a full no-trade clause which gives him full veto power if he doesn’t want to go to the team St. Louis works out a swap with.  That said, his trade protection drops this July down to a 15-team no-trade clause so the Blues would potentially have more options to move him at that time.

Presumably, it would take a substantial return for St. Louis to seriously consider moving Schenn.  But this is the time of year when teams might get a bit more desperate which could play into their favor.  With the deadline now just four weeks away, GM Doug Armstrong has some time to assess if this is the right time to cash in on Schenn or whether they’re better off holding onto him for at least a little while longer.

Leddy will replace Tyler Tucker in his return to the lineup. Tucker left Sunday’s win over Utah late in the third period after falling into the boards and sustaining an upper-body injury. He’s day-to-day and could return Thursday against the Panthers, Lou Korac of NHL.com reports.

Whatever injury Leddy sustained wasn’t apparent during a game, and he hadn’t missed time with a lower-body issue since before the COVID-19 pandemic, it likely wasn’t plaguing him heading into the season. Nonetheless, he only recently ramped up activity in practice after being held out of the lineup since the Blues’ fourth game of the season against the Wild on Oct. 15.

After initially being labeled day-to-day, St. Louis became increasingly doubtful about whether he’d return to the lineup at all in 2024-25. His lingering ailment was a contributing factor in general manager Doug Armstrong’s decision to acquire Cam Fowler from the Ducks, he said at the time, giving them a sixth defenseman with a cap hit of at least $4MM.

Leddy, 33, failed to record a point and had a minus-three rating in his first four outings this season. He averaged 22:09 per game and controlled 53.2% of shot attempts at even strength, a number that now stands second on the team among active skaters behind Tucker.

Now in the third season of a four-year, $16MM deal, Leddy remains a serviceable top-four option. While his possession metrics haven’t been kind, he’s still turned out a +18 rating in 184 games as a Blue since they acquired him from the Red Wings before the 2022 trade deadline. He appeared in all 82 games last season, averaging 22:22 per game and recording 28 points with 127 blocks, second on the team behind Colton Parayko’s 218.

The lefty could return to the lineup playing on his off side on the third pairing with Ryan Suter, Korac relayed. Philip Broberg and Cam Fowler, both of whom have excelled in top-four usage for the Blues this season, will remain in their second-pairing and first-pairing posts, respectively.

St. Louis never placed Leddy on LTIR throughout his absence, so his activation has no salary cap impact. They opened a roster spot yesterday by reassigning Matthew Kessel to AHL Springfield.