Next off-season assuming this season goes south

Équipe: 2024-25 Blues de St-Louis

Date de création initiale: 27 août 2023

Publié: 28 août 2023

Mode - plafond salarial: Basique

This is under the assumption the Blues don't forsee re-signing Buchnevich. Tried to fit the mold of the Timo Meier trade.

Justification of pieces involved
Picks - Self explanatory.
Pickering = Mukhamadullin
Eller = Johnsson
POJ = Zetterlund (possibly)
Broz = Okhotiuk

Tucker = Harrington. Younger player with team control who can adequately fill the void on the bottom pair for Pitt.

Few differences - Meier expired as an RFA
Pro for NJ - definite team control.
Dispute of difference - Qualifying offer was 10m. Buchnevich will not command 10m for term.

Meier was a bit younger. Pro - possibly a year or two more productive throughout term on long-term extension.
Dispute of difference - Meier has enough NHL experience to more or less know what you're getting there.

Buchnevich isn't the goal scorer Meier possibly is, however, he is a legitimate 3 zone player.

From my perspective, I would rather the Blues re-sign Buch long-term. I don't necessarily thing that POJ would be a deal breaker for the Blues, Considered swapping him out for Poulin. Broz also not necessary. Was the closest I could find for the Meier trade in regards to Okhutiok.

Yes this is a bit pricy for a rental. However, this is a full season with 50% eaten on the contract. To be completed between 24' draft and free agency opening (Around that time frame).

Pros for Pittsburgh - Gives flexibility to build a core that can be competitive sooner rather than later centered around Buchnevich and Guentzel.
Gives highly productive piece for their still competitive window with Crosby + Malkin + EK + letang. Allows Buchnevich to stay in an environment where he is getting alot of ice time like he has in STL where he has thrived.

Cons for Pittsburgh - Large futures package to move. Buchnevich would have to be part of future plans. Pittsburgh would lack a top end Center post-Crosby era.

Regardless of if the Blues are competitive next season or they continue a downswing, Buchnevich can fit a winning time frame for the Blues. The forward group they currently have to term along with the Prospects they have in the system are pretty inevitable that the offense will be above average to great within at the most 3 years. Buch will be in the first year of a new contract in 3 years and he will only be 30. It's not unrealistic to think he will have at minimum 4 very highly productive years still in him. None of the pieces involved here will have the individual impact Buchnevich will and what's often overlooked is that if you're generally replacing guys through UFA to fit the top of your lineup it's a very high liklihood the contract will NOT be pretty. Keeping Buchnevicih internally is probably the best option. Just wanted to see what the general consensus was here.


LATE EDIT: FORGOT TO SIGN POJ.

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