Équipe: 2017-18 Blues de St-Louis

Date de création initiale: 13 déc. 2017

Publié: 13 déc. 2017

Mode - plafond salarial: Basique

I think these trades could give us a great chance at the cup this year with a wide open western conference. Going after big names in order to make a playoff push rarely works and only the Kings (Carter in 2012 and Gaborik in 2014) have been able to do this in the last ten years. All other stanley cup winners have done minor moves to add more depth type players.

Vancouver continues their rebuild getting two more draft picks. Paajarvi is included for cap reasons. Blues get a right handed rental that should fit in well on the Schenn/Schwartz line. Trade based on last year's trade deadline trade of Vanek for Dylan McIrath and a 3rd rd pick.

Oilers are trying to get faster and Schmaltz is a fast two-way RHD that is good on the PP and is lost on our depth chart with both Petro and Parayko on the right side. My bet is he would probably flourish in the system Edmonton is trying to build. Letestu would fit our third line perfectly and can play both the PP and PK, wins faceoffs and is also another right hander. Type of player that provides big dividends in the playoffs. Trade based off of last year's deadline deal of David Desharnais for Brandon Davidson, although both Letestu and Schmaltz are better than their counterparts. Conditional pick is added because of the comments made from the first Armchair-GM: https://capfriendly.com/armchair-gm/team/534085.

So we get two right-handed top 9 forwards for the playoff run without sacrificing too much of the future and if healthy I'd take this team over any team in a 7 game series. Lines are as follows but could also shape up as the lines in the first Armchair-GM.

Line 1: Vanek is a finisher and would add another legit weapon to flank Tarasenko and either give him some more room to operate or capitalize when teams over commit to him.
Line 2: Schenn and Schwartz are dynamic together and Letestu could be a good compliment to the pair, if not, we have Steen, Sobotka and Bergy that could switch spots with him.
Line 3: Three defensively responsible veterans that could pay huge dividends in the playoffs getting favorable match-ups
Line 4: Brodziak and Upshall are great fourth liners and Jaskin seems to play well with them.

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