ST. LOUIS – The last time the St. Louis Blues missed the playoffs prior to this year, they went on to win a Stanley Cup championship the following season.
That’s a tough order to fulfill again, but with the NHL offseason nearly a week underway, now is the time to think about moves that could help the team reach another level. Some are convinced it could start with a homegrown talent.
Clayton Keller, born and raised in the St. Louis metro, has spent the last seven seasons with the Arizona Coyotes. Last year, at age 24, he set career highs in goals (37), assists (49) and points (86), earning around 21 minutes of ice time per game.
Keller is nearing the midway point of a contract that will pay him around $57 million over eight years. Given his age and recent progressions, it’s a team-friendly contract that would likely make him untouchable in most settings. With some uncertainty facing his current team, that might not be the case.
Last month, Arizona voters turned down a proposal for a $2.1 billion proposal in Phoenix suburb Tempe. The franchise used a college-built venue last year and has dealt with repercussions of bankruptcy since 2009. This oftentimes leaves the Coyotes with one of the lowest payrolls in the NHL and consistently looking for young, controllable and cheap assets to try and build a window to be competitive. Moving Keller, though not ideal, could be part of a long-term plan, especially if the franchise relocates out of Arizona.
What does that mean for the Blues? Keller was born in Chesterfield, Missouri and raised in Swansea, Illinois. He played in many St. Louis-area junior leagues in the past, along with emerging star Matthew Tkachuk. He’s dominated his hometown Blues for much of his career with 10 goals and 24 points in 24 games.
If the Blues explore a trade for Keller, they would not only bring on a local kid, but someone who is still nearing his prime years and could immediately slot into a top-line setting. Keller fits the bill for the type of pieces that general manager Doug Armstrong has wanted to acquire since last year’s trade deadline, particularly due to his age and skill set.
We’ve seen a similar story unfold with Keller’s close friend Matthew Tkachuk as recently as last offseason, but that didn’t pan out for St. Louis. It’s not a guarantee that Keller would either, but one at least one high-profile NHL Insider thinks he would be a great match for the Blues.
Sportsnet hockey insider Elliotte Friedman offered this insight on “32 Thoughts,” a weekly NHL podcast:
“St. Louis is a team to look out for this offseason. They are waiting to see if there is any chance that Clayton Keller becomes available because he’s a St. Louis native. There is no way the Blues are sticking with the status quo.”
The Blues will have around $7.5 million available in cap space next season after the recent departures of Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan O’Reilly and Ivan Barbashev. It’s enough to at least keep Keller’s name in mind. St. Louis also has three first-round draft picks, the highest at No. 10 overall, for this upcoming draft that could also be enticing trade pieces.
The Blues are now allowed to make trades in anticipation of the 2023-24 season, but timing could certainly be a factor worth considering. The NHL draft is next week from June 28-29. NHL free agency will begin a couple of days later on July 1.
Trying to make a trade before these dates could change the team’s overall strategy for drafting and free agency, just as much as draft picks or free agents pick-ups might affect the team’s ability to be aggressive on the trade market around cap and roster restrictions. It’ll be a lot of wait-and-see over the next several weeks, both on the possibility of Keller and other potential moves.