Blues add Hayes to help solidify center depth, spark return to playoffs

After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com is examining where each team stands in preparation for the 2023-24 regular season, which starts Oct. 10. Today, the St. Louis Blues.

2022-23 season: 37-38-7, sixth in Central Division; did not qualify for Stanley Cup Playoffs

Key arrivals

Kevin Hayes, F: Acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers for a sixth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft on June 27. The 31-year-old (6-foot-5, 216 pounds) adds an element of center depth behind Robert Thomas and Brayden Schenn the Blues have coveted since trading Ryan O'Reilly to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Feb. 17. Hayes is coming off NHL career-highs in assists (36) and points (54) last season and should help solidify the top nine for the Blues, who will use him primarily as a center. ... Oskar Sundqvist, F: The 29-year-old returns to St. Louis after signing a one-year contract on July 12 to help fill a depth role. He played five seasons with the Blues (2017-22) before being traded to the Detroit Red Wings on March 21, 2022. ... Mackenzie MacEachern, F: The 29-year-old (6-2, 190) is also back after signing a two-year contract on July 1. He played four seasons in St. Louis (2018-22) before signing with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 15, 2020; he did not appear with the Hurricanes during the regular season but had one goal and one assist in eight games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Key departures

Thomas Greiss, G: The 37-year-old provided veteran backup depth to starter Jordan Binnington last season and went 7-10-0 with a 3.64 goals-against average, .896 save percentage and one shutout in 21 games (16 starts); he announced his retirement from the NHL on July 12 after 14 seasons. But with Joel Hofer expected to be Binnington's backup this season, Greiss was expendable. ... Video: Kevin Hayes joins to talk being traded to the Blues , F: The 30-year-old was also brought in on a one-year contract last season and had 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in 51 games playing up and down the lineup mostly as a depth forward; he is an unrestricted free agent. ... Tyler Pitlick, F: The 31-year-old signed a one-year contract with the New York Rangers on July 1 after he had 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 61 games. … Logan Brown, F: The 25-year-old was limited to 30 games (two goals, four assists) last season due to injuries and lack of playing time, and hopes for a fresh start after signing a one-year, two-way contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning on July 1.

On the cusp

Scott Perunovich, D: The 2020 Hobey Baker Award winner has been close to cracking the Blues lineup for the better part of the past two seasons, but injuries have limited Perunovich (5-10, 175) to 19 games, all in 2021-22. When healthy, the 24-year-old can provide offensive pop, particularly as a quarterback on the power play. ... Video: Kevin Hayes joins to talk being traded to the Blues , F: The 22-year-old got a taste in the NHL last season when he had seven points (three goals, four assists) in 28 games. Alexandrov (6-1, 177) will get a good look in training camp and could give the Blues another option at center. ... Video: Kevin Hayes joins to talk being traded to the Blues , F: The 17th pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, the 20-year-old helped Quebec win the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Memorial Cup titles. An offensive weapon, Bolduc (6-0, 187) had 110 points (50 goals, 60 assists) in 61 QMJHL games last season after he had 99 points (55 goals, 44 assists) in 65 games in 2021-22.

What they still need

Shutdown defense. The Blues made no changes to a defensive unit that allowed 298 goals last season, sixth most in the NHL and the most they have allowed since giving up 316 in 1983-84. Their top four of Colton Parayko, Justin Faulk, Torey Krug and Nick Leddy each has a full no-trade clause, so anything new and different on the defensive unit may come from inexperienced players in Perunovich and Tyler Tucker, who signed a two-year contract on June 30. Should St. Louis shake up its blue line, it would have to be via trade.

They said it

"I know our defense gets a lot of scrutiny from the media, but we need them to play back to the best of their capability. That's our focus now to get into training camp." -- general manager Doug Armstrong

Fantasy focus

Hayes slightly rejuvenates his fantasy potential; he ranked second on the Flyers in points (54 in 81 games), second in shots on goal (209), second in power-play points (16) and led them in assists (36). He improves the depth of a St. Louis forward group that has fantasy upside in players like Thomas, Jordan Kyrou and Pavel Buchnevich. Hayes is worth taking in later rounds of drafts and should be considered a top 200 player overall in fantasy. -- Anna Dua

Projected lineup

Pavel Buchnevich -- Robert Thomas -- Jordan Kyrou

Jakub Vrana -- Brayden Schenn -- Kasperi Kapanen

Brandon Saad -- Kevin Hayes -- Sammy Blais

Jake Neighbours -- Oskar Sundqvist -- Alexey Toropchenko

Nick Leddy -- Colton Parayko

Torey Krug -- Justin Faulk

Marco Scandella -- Robert Bortuzzo

Jordan Binnington

Joel Hofer