The trading of Vladimir Tarasenko signaled the retool is in full swing for the St. Louis Blues. However, with the trade deadline of March 3 still two weeks away, there is still time for the Blues to turn in a hot streak and get back into the playoff race. A 6-5 win over their nemesis, the Arizona Coyotes, in their first game post all star break, and a 6-2 thrashing of the Florida Panthers puts them eight points back of a playoff spot with 29 games remaining in the season. Assuming, though, that the Blues continue their mediocre pace, there are a few moves GM Doug Armstrong could make to build towards the future. Pending UFA and Captain, Ryan O’Reilly, is the biggest fish left in the pond, but he has already made it clear he wishes to remain in St. Louis. With him off the table, that leaves two very obvious trade candidates, Noel Acciari and Ivan Barbashev, that could fetch a far higher return than some may think.
At the 2019-20 NHL trade deadline the Tampa Bay Lightning went all in. After suffering arguably the most embarrassing playoff exit in the history of the NHL to the Columbus Blue Jackets the year prior, they made sure history did not repeat itself. Swarming with Top Six talent, they looked to sure up their Bottom Six. On February 16 they made their first move by acquiring Blake Coleman from the New Jersey Devils. Eight days later they swung another trade to acquire Barclay Goodrow from the San Jose Sharks. Both players were career Bottom Six forwards in the midst of career years with a year of control beyond the 2019-20 season. Coleman had 21 goals in 57 games to go along with 40 blocked shots and 166 hits. Goodrow boasted 24 points in 62 games, as well as 63 blocked shots and 140 hits. Tampa paid a steep price for the duo. Coleman cost them a first round pick and a prospect. Goodrow also garnered a first round pick and a prospect, albeit an older one. All in all, Tampa dealt a first and a prospect for a third line player twice. I do not think Tampa cares all that much though. In 48 playoff games over two seasons, Coleman put up 24 points, 134 hits, and 26 blocked shots. In 43 playoff games over the same two seasons, Goodrow put up 12 points, 171 hits, and 44 blocked shots. The Lightning won the Stanley Cup in both those seasons.
Acciari and Barbashev will not return a first round pick and a prospect each. While they are very similar players to Coleman and Goodrow playstyle wise, neither possesses extra term on their contracts to warrant the steeper price. In 53 games so far this season, Acciari has 18 points, including 10 goals, as well as 53 blocked shots and 166 hits. After a three point night against the Panthers, Barbashev is up to 10 goals and 17 assists, for 27 points, to go along with 24 blocked shots and 109 hits. Both players’ physicality could be the difference for a team in their playoff run. However, each year as the Trade Deadline approaches, the desperation to add players, and the prices to acquire them, increases. If Doug Armstrong plays his card right, there is no reason he could not get a second round pick each for Acciari and Barbashev, if not more. A team like the New Jersey Devils comes to mind as a good fit, a high flying offense that lacks a bit of the physicality displayed by successful playoff teams. The Edmonton Oilers could also be a good fit as they rank towards the bottom of the league in blocked shots per game. Either way, both players should fetch a pretty penny.