Revisiting History: Biggest Draft Day trades of the last 15 years

Though the NHL Draft is primarily about acquiring young talent and replenishing prospect pools, the two-day event also serves as one of the most active trade windows of the season. Last year's draft saw 14 different trades across the NHL, and the 2022 Draft saw more than 20.

Doug Armstrong and his newly-reshaped hockey operations staff - who enter the 2024 Draft armed with nine picks including the No. 16 overall selection - is no stranger to the NHL Draft trade market. Armstrong and the Blues have a strong recent history of capitalizing on the increased league activity, including a number of moves that paid off in the Blues' 2019 Stanley Cup victory.

Revisiting some of those key moves, here are the most impactful Draft Day trades the Blues have made in the last 15 years.

2021: The Blues acquire Pavel Buchnevich

Hours before the start of the 2021 NHL Draft, Armstrong made a big splash by acquiring then-restricted free agent forward Pavel Buchnevich from the New York Rangers in exchange for Sammy Blais and the Blues' second-round pick in the 2022 draft. The Blues then signed Buchnevich to a four-year contract worth $23.2 million ($5.8M AAV), and his tenure in St. Louis has been nothing short of productive. In 216 games over three seasons as a Blue, Buchnevich has posted 83 goals and 123 assists for 206 total points, third on the team in that span. Buchnevich is currently eligible to sign an extension to remain in St. Louis, as he and Armstrong discussed at the end of the 2023-24 season.

On the Rangers' side, injury trouble and inconsistency led Blais to just 40 games and five points in New York, ultimately dealt back to St. Louis (along with draft capital) for Vladimir Tarasenko and Niko Mikkola in February 2023. The second-round pick sent to New York was later flipped to Winnipeg for Andrew Copp (used to select defenseman Elias Salomonsson).

2017: A future Captain arrives from Philadelphia

In a move that made a major impact on the future of the franchise, the Blues traded Jori Lehtera and two first-round picks to Philadelphia for Brayden Schenn. Upon his arrival, Schenn immediately posted a career-high 70 points and made the All-Star Game in his first season as a Blue. Schenn played a major role in the 2019 Stanley Cup Champion, signed an eight-year contract extension in 2020, and was named the 24th captain in Blues history before the 2023-24 season. In seven seasons in St. Louis, Schenn has played 507 games and recorded 151 goals and 236 assists for 387 total points.

Lehtera played two seasons for the Flyers, and the draft picks (2017 Washington, 2018 St. Louis first rounders) were later used on Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee, respectively. Frost (24 years old) and Farabee (23) remain on the Flyers and scored 41 and 50 points this season, respectively.

The 2017 Draft also saw the Blues trade Ryan Reaves and a second-round pick (used on Zachary Lauzon) for Oskar Sundqvist and the pick that became Klim Kostin.

2016: Jordan Kyrou acquired for longtime goaltender Brian Elliott

A simple one-for-one trade, the Blues and Flames agreed to swap goaltender Brian Elliott for the second-round pick (2016, No. 35 overall) that became Jordan Kyrou. Kyrou has grown into a key part of the Blues' core, appearing in the 2022 All-Star Game (where he won the Fastest Skater competition) and leading the team with 95 goals over the last three seasons. Kyrou recorded 67 points in 2023-24, the first of an eight-year, $65 million contract. There was a conditional third-round pick slated to go to St. Louis as well, but Elliott's departure from the Flames the next season kept that pick in Calgary (used on Niklas Nordgren).

Elliott, who ranks seventh all-time in games played by a Blues goaltender and earned a Jennings Trophy nod in 2011-12, spent one season in Calgary before signing with Philadelphia and later Tampa Bay. On Monday, Armstrong announced that Elliott will join the Blues front office in a player development and amateur scouting role.

2014: Polák traded for eventual champion Gunnarsson

On the second day of the 2014 NHL Draft, Armstrong made a change on the blue line that ended up directly impacting the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals. Roman Polák, who had finished his seventh season as a Blue, was sent to Toronto for fellow defenseman Carl Gunnarsson and a fourth-round pick in that day's draft.

Just under five years later, Gunnarsson was responsible for one of the biggest moments and most important goals in franchise history. In Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, Gunnarsson broke a 2-2 tie with the first and only overtime goal in St. Louis' Stanley Cup Finals history. The road win tied the series 1-1, giving the Blues a crucial step toward their ultimate championship glory.

The fourth-round pick acquired in that trade was used on goaltender Ville Husso, who played two seasons in St. Louis before his trade to Detroit in 2022.

2010: Tarasenko's tenure begins

Perhaps the most impactful of these trades came 14 years ago, at the onset of the 2010 NHL Draft - early into Armstrong's tenure with the franchise.

The Blues traded David Rundblad - who was the 19th overall pick in the 2009 NHL Draft - to Ottawa for 2010's 16th overall pick. Two picks after taking Jaden Schwartz with their own selection, the Blues used this acquired pick to draft Vladimir Tarasenko. The two forwards would go on to spend a number of years with the club and both contributed substantially to the Stanley Cup Championship effort.

Long story short, Tarasenko became one of the most prolific scorers in the history of the franchise. Upon his trade to New York more than 12 years later, Tarasenko ranked No. 5 all-time in goals and points, No. 7 in assists, and No. 6 in both hat tricks and power-play goals. Tarasenko represented the Blues in four All-Star Games, earned two NHL All-Star Team honors, and scored 17 points in 26 playoff games to drive home the 2019 championship.

With just over a week to go until the draft, Armstrong and his team are assuredly evaluating all of their possible options. Will the Blues keep all of their picks, or will they aim to add another entry to this list? Only time will tell.

Browse stlouisblues.com/draft and the Blues social media channels for the latest content leading up to the 2024 NHL Draft. Round 1 begins at 6 p.m. CT on June 28 (ESPN, ESPN+), while Rounds 2-7 will be held on June 29 at 10:30 a.m. CT (ESPN+, NHL Network).