Following the trade of Kevin Hayes, the St. Louis Blues find themselves with one less centre on their roster. To fill the void, there are three free agent centres the Blues should consider signing.
What The Blues Have Now Determines What They Need
Prior to the trade, Hayes was pencilled in as the centre on the third line. On a presumed depth chart for the upcoming season, Robert Thomas would be the first-line centre. Pavel Buchnevich would be the second-line centre. Hayes would have been the third-line centre. Oskar Sundqvist would be the fourth-line centre. Brayden Schenn, Zachary Bolduc, and Nikita Alexandrov are other centre options.
The Hayes trade creates one void, but there could be some other voids as well. It is unclear at this time whether or not the Blues will have Buchnevich convert to centre. Buchnevich could also play his usual position on a wing.
The Blues should address this unknown by looking at a centre who can play on the second or third line. If Buchnevich ends up playing on the wing, then the centre they sign can jump on the second line and Schenn gets moved to third-line centre.
To recap, the Blues need a second/third-line centre.
What Does the Cap Allow?
The Hayes trade freed an additional $3.5 million on the Blues cap. They have a little over $16 million to spend in free agency this year. The Blues do have a few restricted free agents whose new salaries will count against that $16 million. As such, the Blues will most likely not be spending $8 million on a centre. Yes, that means our dreams of Steven Stamkos or Jake Guentzel in a Blues jersey will have to remain dreams for now.
The price of a second/third-line centre depends on how the free agent market is playing out. There is no set number we should expect any team to spend on a second/third line centre. With that being said, it can be assumed a contract for a second/third line centre will be in the range of $4-$6 million.
Three Free Agent Centres the Blues Should Look At
This list will not be in any specific order.
Elias Lindholm
Lindholm is a former 40-goal scorer who used to consistently hit 50-60 points in a season with ease. The numbers have dipped a little bit the last few seasons, but Lindholm has still been a productive player. In the Stanley Cup Playoffs this past year with the Vancouver Canucks, Lindholm scored five goals in 13 games and totalled ten points. Lindholm’s performance was considered a key reason why the Canucks advanced to the second round.
Lindholm would fit in as the Blues second-line centre. He would also be an asset on the power play.
What Would The Contract Look Like?
Lindholm had a cap hit of $4.85 million last season. Even if he were to want a salary increase, the Blues could still offer him a deal that fits in the $4-$6 million range. A three-year deal with a $5.5 million average annual seems reasonable to both sides.
Tyler Johnson
Do not let that $5 million cap hit fool you. Johnson received that contract from the Tampa Bay Lightning. At the time of the contract, Johnson was putting up near 50 points a season. When he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks, his numbers began to dip. Injuries have also been a problem in his time in Chicago.
Johnson did bounce back last season, however. He scored 17 goals and had 31 points. He showed there is potential for him to be an asset for a team’s offence.
Unlike Lindholm, Johnson may not fit right on the Blues second line, but he would certainly fit on the third line. If he found success on offence, he could get promoted.
What Would The Contract Look Like?
The Blues should offer Johnson a two-year contract worth $3.5 million. This is a nice deal for Johnson. It is not the money he was making previously, but he is also not the player he was when he got that contract. Johnson would also have the opportunity to play with playmakers like Jordan Kyrou and Brandon Saad. If Johnson produces, he could be earning himself a bigger contract in two seasons. Furthermore, the Blues would be getting an offensive asset in those two seasons.
Chandler Stephenson
This is the most interesting name on the list of available centres. For any team that pursues Stephenson, they will be asking, “Which Stephenson are we getting?” In three seasons with the Washington Capitals, Stephenson scored no more than six goals in a season. In his last three seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights, Stephenson has scored no less than 16 goals. Is Stephen’s success a result of NHL maturity or a product of being on a better offensive team? It is a fair question to ask.
This would be a risky move for the Blues, but they should consider pursuing Stephenson. He has a track record of recent success, both in the regular season and in the playoffs. In the 2023 Stanley Cup Championship run for Vegas, Stephenson recorded 20 points in 22 games.
Stephenson would slide into the Blues second-line centre position. He would be an interesting player to play alongside Pavel Buchnevich, Jake Neighbours, or Jordan Kyrou.
What Would The Contract Look Like?
Stephenson’s last contract came before his breakout season with Vegas. As such, he will have a bigger cap hit than $2.75 million. However, the Blues could still afford a contract with him. A three-year contract worth $5.5, the same as the suggested Lindholm contract, would seem reasonable for both sides.
The Blues Need a #2 Centre
There are other centres on the market the Blues could look at instead of these three. Regardless of who they pursue, the Blues need to find someone who could play as a second-line centre or could take another role while someone else slides into that role.
General Manager Doug Armstrong made great progress in retooling the team by trading Hayes. It will be interesting to see what is next.
Main Photo Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
