ST. LOUIS – The NHL trade deadline has passed. The St. Louis Blues pretty much stayed pat.
The Blues did not trade any players from the top, holding onto several pending free agents and one forward whose name increasingly became linked to trade buzz in Pavel Buchnevich.
In their only deadline day deal, the Blues moved AHL goaltender Malcolm Subban to the Columbus Blues Jackets for future considerations.
The Blues entered the deadline in a bit of a tough situation, having won just four times over their last 11 games and recently slipping out of a Western Conference playoff spot. Playoff hopes look bleak at the moment, and St. Louis could have pivoted toward selling at the deadline while also competing.
Buchnevich, the Blues’ current goals leader (24) has one more year after this season remaining on his current contract. Leading up to the deadline, there was belief the Blues could fetch more trading Buchnevich then compared to the offseason or his contract season next year.
The Blues dressed Buchnevich on Thursday, likely indicating that a deal wasn’t particularly close. Some hockey insiders felt he could have commanded two first-round picks or player equivalents in a deal this season. The Vegas Golden Knights, one potential suitor, instead used multiple picks to acquire San Jose’s Tomas Hertl in the final hour of the deadline.
For better or for worse, the Blues decided to stick with their current core in hopes to squeeze out a playoff spot. St. Louis signed forward Oskar Sundqvist to a two-year contract extension, bringing more stability to the fourth line. Pending free agents Marco Scandella, Kasperi Kapanen and Sammy Blais also remain with the Blues after the deadline.
It was also a busy trade deadline for former Blues. Vladimir Tarasenko joined the Florida Panthers on Wednesday. Hometown favorite Pat Maroon also joined the Boston Bruins at deadline, nearly half a decade after he and the Blues won their only Stanley Cup title over Boston.
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