The Blues will have decisions to make before the deadline
TSN: Darren Dreger notes that the St. Louis Blues have injuries to Ryan O’Reilly, Vladimir Tarasenko and Torey Krug. They will all be back by the deadline but Blues GM Doug Armstrong will eventually have some decisions to make.
“It seems likely that he is going to think hard on the trade value, the return of Ryan O’Reilly, especially because we know that he is a hot commodity, but there has to be an extension with or conversation of extension with O’Reilly, maybe with Tarasenko, and then you make that call closer to the deadline.
The Blues have been keeping an eye on the Bruins
Jimmy Murphy of Boston Hockey Now: The injuries to Blues forwards Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko could have an effect on the Boston Bruins trade deadline line plans.
The Blues have been scouting the Bruins frequently for the past month. A source would only say the Blues were scouting and wouldn’t add anything else.
There has been lots of speculation that the Blues could consider moving O’Reilly and/or Tarasenko. The Blues aren’t giving up on the season just yet and are may be looking to add.
The Bruins have forward Craig Smith and defenseman Mike Reilly available. The Blues could use scoring help, so Smith and Reilly likely aren’t their targets. A scout suggested that maybe the Blues are looking at Matt Grzelcyk to fill in for the injured Torey Krug.
Three things that Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews will have to consider
TSN: Darren Dreger touches on three things that Chicago Blackhawks forwards Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews will have to consider leading up to the trade deadline.
“The three things that they’ve got determined: No. 1, do they want to be traded? I mean, that pretty much starts it and ends it. No. 2, what does the contending field look like? They might need a little bit more time to figure that out in terms of the standings. And then No. 3, is it best to just accept a trade and then look at the open market as free agents in the summer or is a trade and sign a possibility? Those are the three options that Kane and Toews have to work through.”