I think you're right you almost certainly have to sell off a defensive piece to make it work (cap wise as well as just real dollars wise), but I also think you probably need to move several defensive pieces to get the defense moving towards contention level anyway.

If they're able to send one or more of the big three to the shadow realm to get a different mix on the blue line and then use the cap savings to extend Meier, that could go a longer way to getting the team back into it beyond just acquiring an elite winger.

Buddy Timo Meier has more giveaways/60 this year than Jordan Kyrou. He has blocked fewer shots per 60 than Jordan Kyrou. Meier has been one of the best rush players in the league for two years now, better than Kyrou. The things you're mad about Jordan Kyrou doing is stuff that Timo Meier does as well.

The difference is that Meier is willing to hit more people and he has several different ways of creating offense, including one timers, deflections, and yes including out muscling people on the puck where Kyrou is comparatively a guy who is going to opt to pass if he doesn't have the exact shot he wants. Meier's a better player, there's a reason he's going to make close to 10million on his next contract and Kyrou is making 8. But the things he's good at and the things that Kyrou is good at are not as far apart as you might think.

Also extremely funny that you put Vladimir Tarasenko on that list because all the things you're mad about Kyrou doing is the same stuff Tarasenko did the first few years in his career, and now you're like "that guy was a true blue". Not every player needs to be a 200ft guy!

Ultimately, the reality of this is that if Jordan Kyrou and Timo Meier are both on the Blues, and have the same contract - which seems unlikely given Meier’s performance (he should get a tad more), the Blues would have over 25 million dollars in 3 forwards for 8 years.

That is extremely unsustainable, given the defense is near 30 million, and goaltending is roughly 7.

That’s 62 million.

Spread the remaining 20 million on the remaining 10 forwards.

That’s 2 million a piece.

Brayden Schenn and Pavel Buchnevich are 12 million together.

It’s not gonna work.

Even if 4 million is shaved off the defense cap somehow, it’s not gonna work.

Kyrou has to go if Meier comes. You cannot have nearly 25% of the total salary cap in 2 wingers.

Tarasenko always had his issues. Every season there was a period where a postgame coach interview mentioned him driving the net. They wanted him to do it more.

I don’t demand every skater be some wrecking ball. In fact hitting isn’t even a requirement. But there’s a difference between sometimes and never.

There is nothing wrong with being good on the rush. It isn’t a negative to be good on the rush. It is when that’s basically all ya got.

Blocking shots is not a stand alone requirement.

Nothing is this one thing that has to happen.

It’s all of the things put together.

Back to Tarasenko - he rarely hit, most were reverse hits, maybe a few dozen total ever. And he rarely drove the net. But he did sometimes. He never blocked shots - well - super rare. It isn’t like these are hard line requirements. Kyrou is simply void of all physicality at all times.

I can clearly remember the statement “Vladimir is at his best when he’s playing physical”. I heard it more than a few times over the years.