Blues Rumors: Insider Hints At Big Move Coming For St. Louis This Summer

The St. Louis Blues enter the offseason in an awkward position, facing the prospect of missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season.

Central to their plans for revitalization is the potential movement of a defenseman to address pressing needs and alleviate their financial burden, according to Frank Seravalli.

General Manager Doug Armstrong shoulders the responsibility of evaluating each defenseman's trade value, including Colton Parayko, Justin Faulk, Torey Krug, and Nick Leddy, all of whom carry significant contracts and present challenges in terms of their no-trade clauses.

Three Blues goals in the first 4:37 as Torey Krug finds twine from deep!#STLBlues pic.twitter.com/9mRteTsCsE

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Armstrong's approach involves assessing the market interest in these players and exploring potential trade scenarios that could benefit the team in both the short and long term.

While Parayko stands out as a valuable asset, his importance to the defensive core complicates any potential move. Faulk's leadership qualities and Krug's experience add layers to the decision-making process, while Leddy's contract may present hurdles in finding suitors.

This season, the 30-year-old Parayko has 10 goals, 16 assists, 26 total points, a +4 plus/minus rating, 109 hits, and a whopping 206 blocked shots across 79 games played.

BRAVO! 👏👏👏 Colton Parayko scores on his first-ever penalty shot.

Stream: https://t.co/MMzXK7Ea4w#stlblues pic.twitter.com/eVxgEI4yMh

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Nevertheless, Armstrong remains focused on striking a balance between shedding salary and maintaining the team's competitiveness.

Whether through packaging players with draft picks or prospects or exploring creative trade avenues, the Blues seek to emerge from this offseason with a strengthened roster and renewed playoff aspirations.

The impending decisions regarding their defensive lineup could set the tone for the team's trajectory in the seasons to come, as they strive to return to championship contention. Photo Credit: Jeff Le-USA TODAY Sports