Here's What It Would Cost To Nab St. Louis Blues' Pending UFA on Trade Market

Oskar Sundqvist, St. Louis Blues center, with teammates

The St. Louis Blues have a few significant pending free agents coming next offseason, some of the RFA and some of the UFA variety. As the Blues are off to a disappointing start to the season (3-6-1, last place in the Central Division), it's expected that GM Doug Armstrong may start to shake things up sooner than later and start wading into the trade market.

One of the pending UFAs is bottom-six forward Oskar Sundqvist. The 31-year-old veteran is on an expiring $1.5 million cap hit, and has two points in four games this season after starting late due to a lower-body injury.

The Blues would certainly listen to offers, and insider Cam Robinson said on the Sekeres and Price Show this week that the two-way, 6'3", 210-pound center could fetch a decent draft pick in a trade.

One name that did get mentioned to me a couple of times is Oskar Sundqvist in St. Louis. Not someone you'd instantly think of as a second-line center, but a legitimate third-line center who could be a stopgap for you.
I had one source indicate that it shouldn't cost more than a second-round pick, maybe even get him for a third if the Blues are convinced that they're gonna lose him.

A good face-off man, Sundqvist uses his heavy body and size to win puck battles along the boards, as well as causing havoc in front of the net.

"He's just a sturdy guy that plays consistently in the middle of the ice," says Robinson. "You can feel comfortable that he's not just a replacement-level player."

Trade candidate Oskar Sundqvist would be a fit on the Canucks

Robinson suggests he'd be a fit for the Vancouver Canucks, who, with Filip Chytil being out indefinitely, are having a tough time with depth down the middle. The recent addition of Lukas Reichel from the Chicago Blackhawks has yet to pay any dividends, at least on the scoresheet.

As for Sundqvist, he's in his 11th NHL season, and in his second stint with the Blues. He had a couple of decent double-digit scoring seasons with them at the end of the previous decade, but has only managed to average six goals and 20 points in the last two years back in St. Loo.