Countdown to TradeCentre: Could the Blues part with Schenn?
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The NHL's March 7 Trade Deadline is approaching, and teams are making decisions on whether to buy or sell, and on which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value. Check out today's trade rumours and speculation from around the NHL beat.
Blues captain Schenn available?
The St. Louis Blues are sitting outside a playoff spot and it appears general manager Doug Armstrong could be considering a seismic move ahead of the trade deadline.
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports that there's potential that the Blues could trade their captain Brayden Schenn, who would bring back a significant return.
"He does have a full no-trade clause, so it is a complicated process," Dreger said Thursday on Insider Trading. "But we also know Doug Armstrong, the general manager, very well how aggressive he can be, and the Blues are underachieving right now.
"So yes, the top contenders looking at the market, looking for a centre, are interested, and that would include the Toronto Maple Leafs. The return would have to be mammoth. Is there a team that is willing to pay it? It's too soon to say, but I do believe the Blues are at least testing or gauging the market to see what that level of interest is, and ultimately will probably have to make that call in the weeks ahead."
The 33-year-old Schenn has 11 goals and 30 points in 55 games this season. He's hit the 20-goal mark in each of the past three seasons.
Named captain of the Blues in 2023, Schenn is under contract through the 2027-28 season at a cap hit of $6.5 million.
The Blues could miss the playoffs for a third straight season, currently sitting eight points back of the Vancouver Canucks for the final wild-card spot.
Dreger reported last month that Armstrong visited the Blues dressing room in mid-January to address the team and make it clear changes will be made if the team continues to struggle.
"He basically said, ‘Look, if you guys aren't going to get the job done, I'm going to start moving bodies, and I'll change some things moving forward here,’" Dreger explained. "So not a threat, but just an acknowledgement from the GM that he needs more."
The Blues already made one significant roster change last month in waiving veteran Brandon Saad, who eventually terminated his deal with the team and signed with the Vegas Golden Knights. The team has also made a coaching change in back-to-back seasons with Jim Montgomery holding a 15-14-4 record since replacing Drew Bannister, who opened the campaign with a 9-12-1 record.
Blue Jackets set course as buyers
The Columbus Blue Jackets continue to fight for a playoff spot despite having the league's lowest payroll and a rash of injuries to deal with.
TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston reports that Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell is looking to boost his team's hopes as buyer at the trade deadline, a course that seemed highly unlikely when this season began.
"Is there more of a feel-good story than the resolve of the Columbus Blue Jackets, they're battling through so many injuries, and in speaking with GM Don Waddell on Thursday, he said he's decided to try and be a moderate buyer here before March 7, which is to say he's not going to get into the big names," Johnston explained on Insider Trading. "Obviously, the long-term vision of the team still matters most, but with all these injuries and the way his players are battling, he feels he owes it to his group to go out and try and add a top nine forward, a rental player.
"He's obviously not going to want to trade either of his first-round picks. He's got two of them this year, but if he can add a player for a more moderate price, that's his plan, and he started making calls this week to do just that."
The Blue Jackets sit one point back of the Detroit Red Wings for the the final wild-card spot after a 3-2 overtime loss to the Utah Hockey Club on Thursday.
Columbus is currently playing without leading forwards Kirill Marchenko and Sean Monahan, who are both expected to miss significant time due to injuries, and also went without leading scorer Zach Werenski as he dealt with an injury this week. The Blue Jackets are set to receive a boost after the 4 Nations break with captain Boone Jenner on track to make his season debut after shoulder surgery in the preseason.
Should the Senators be buyers?
The Ottawa Senators continue to hold a playoff spot as the team works toward ending an eight-year playoff drought.
Their place in the standings, however, is precarious with the Boston Bruins and Blue Jackets, who are outside the playoff picture, both within two points of their top wild-card spot. The Senators missed an opportunity to gain ground Thursday in a 5-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, who jumped Ottawa for third place in the Atlantic Division.
TSN Hockey analyst Martin Biron joined Domino's That's Hockey prior to Thursday's game to discuss whether the Senators should be a deadline buyer, and their areas of need.
Watch Biron's full breakdown below: