NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, the St. Louis Blues.
The St. Louis Blues will not deviate from their plan of retooling and building from within in order to get back to a place they've been comfortable with in years past: the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Though the Blues took steps forward last season by finishing 43-33-6 (fifth in the Central Division), they missed the playoffs for the second straight year after qualifying in 10 of the previous 11 seasons, including their first Cup title in 2019.
General manager Doug Armstrong did not spend a lot of money and cap space in free agency, but he did raise eyebrows when he tendered offer sheets Aug. 13 to two players from the Stanley Cup finalist Edmonton Oilers: Philip Broberg (two years, $9.16 million; $4.58 million average annual value), who the Blues view as a top-four defenseman and Dylan Holloway (two years, $4.58 million; $2.29 million AAV), who St. Louis sees as a top-nine forward.
The Oilers had a week to match and did not, and were compensated a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft for Broberg, 23, and a third-round pick in 2025 for Holloway, 22.
"These are two young players we’ve obviously watched when they were in their draft year and watched them develop," Armstrong said Tuesday. "They’ve been on a very competitive team over the last couple of years and shuffled between (the) American (Hockey) League and NHL as Edmonton worked its salary cap. We saw really good growth from them in the American League and what they did last year in the playoffs. It seemed to be consistent with where they were drafted, and it looked like an opportunity for us to stay consistent with our message of trying to add as many as players as we can in a certain age bracket."
The objective was clear.
"I think we're a better team right now than we were at the end of last season just with the three additions to that part of our lineup," Armstrong said last month, referring to the forward position. "We're faster, we're more determined, we're bigger."
The Blues began their makeover June 28 when they acquired center Alexandre Texier in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets for a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. St. Louis then signed the 24-year-old, who could have become a restricted free agent July 1, to a two-year, $4.2 million contract.
"He fits in our age bracket," Armstrong said of Texier. "We have (cap) space, so it felt like a risk-reward deal that made sense for us. It's an opportunity for him and for us, a fresh start for him and a new player for us."
On July 2, the Blues acquired forward Mathieu Joseph and a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft from the Ottawa Senators for future considerations, and the same day acquired forward Radek Faksa from the Dallas Stars for future considerations.
"That was something where we felt we have to be a harder team to play against, a team that can play stronger along the walls, stronger in front of the net,” said Blues coach Drew Bannister, who signed a two-year contract May 7 to remove the interim tag. "I think that's something that certainly was addressed. The aspect of speed and skating. We're a quicker team today than we were yesterday.
"Their strengths are plays away from the puck and certainly being able to kill penalties."
After trading center Kevin Hayes and a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft to the Pittsburgh Penguins for future considerations on June 29 to free up cap space, perhaps St. Louis' most important commitment was keeping one of its own when it signed forward Pavel Buchnevich to a six-year, $48 million contract ($8 million AAV) July 2. It begins with the 2025-26 season and keeps the 29-year-old under team control for the next seven seasons.
"Our goal is to have the players maximize their prime, and I think 'Buch' can do this," Armstrong said. "But the actuary tables say not everyone does it. So you're looking out moving forward, and I just think that's just the cost of doing business in today's NHL."
Buchnevich was third on the Blues in scoring last season with 63 points (27 goals, 36 assists) in 80 games, his third consecutive season with at least 25 goals and 60 points.
"I think since he's been here, he's performed to the level that he felt he could perform at, and he's a point-a-game player," Armstrong said. "He's a multi-positional player. ... I just think it's his hockey sense and his commitment to being a pro makes you feel very comfortable that this will age as well as any of these contracts."
St. Louis felt it had to address its defensive unit and did so beginning July 3, when it signed Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Mathieu Joseph's younger brother, to a one-year, $950,000 contract. The Blues also signed 39-year-old Ryan Suter to a one-year, $775,000 contract on July 10 with the chance to make up to $3 million with performance bonuses.
The signing of Suter, who was bought out of the final year of his contract by the Stars on June 28, became insurance when the Blues announced Sept. 3 that defenseman Torey Krug would miss the entire 2024-25 season after needing surgery to address pre-arthritic changes in his left ankle.
Armstrong wouldn't say with conviction that St. Louis is done altering its roster, and has cap space available if needed.
"We can alter a little bit," he said. "... I'm excited about our goaltenders (Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer), I'm excited about the depth on our roster now. But if somebody gets in a jam, we might be there to help them get out of their jam."
