Blues Will Likely Add Through a Trade

If the St. Louis Blues plan on improving on their squad from 2011-12 they’ll probably have to do it through a trade. A recent article from Jeremy Rutherford of the Post-Dispatch discussed that the Blues are indeed moving forward in trade talks and will likely have to exchange players now that no answers have come through free agency.

St. Louis fans have been critical about the lack of noise the Blues have made so far in free agency. The team needs to improve – a fact fans are well aware of. However, the team isn’t in a position to make a big splash in a market that currently is handing out huge contracts to players that might be defined as mediocre or average. Matt Carle, recently signed by Tampa Bay, is a good defenseman. In my opinion he is not a defenseman worthy of a six-year, $33 million deal that carries an average hit against the cap of $5.5 million. These are the sort of deals the Blues can not get involved in. As a result, a trade is looking like the avenue the Blues must travel in order to secure a new piece.

This isn’t to say the Blues won’t participate in free agency. They probably will. Rumors have circulated about Shane Doan being a potential target but I struggle to see the two sides agreeing on a contract that fits the needs of both parties. As for the club’s need at defense, there are few options out on the open market that fans would clamor over.

Rutherford’s article points at Dallas’ Brenden Morrow as a target for the Blues in the trade market. Dallas has moved multiple pieces already this summer which makes it appear any Star is fair game. Morrow, 33, might be able to fill the need the Blues have at forward if they ultimately miss out on Doan, 35.

Even though this information is from a reporter from the biggest news outlet in town, keep in mind the talk about Morrow is just speculation. Rutherford’s report on the Blues heating up trade talks is fact. His guess about Morrow is just that, a guess. Morrow is a piece that would seemingly work considering the current picture. Landing Morrow would make it a lot easier to deal a forward or two in exchange for the defenseman the Blues need.

Bottom line – The Blues will make a deal this summer. It might be a signing, it might be a trade. We might even see a little of both. Either way, the Blues know where they need to improve. They might just have to move a player to make it happen.