In the NHL Expansion Draft, the Blues face the ultimate ultimatum. At least in terms of their seventh forward. Everybody else, from Vladimir Tarasenko to Colton Parayko, is already safe from the Vegas Golden Knights.
NHL Expansion Draft
St. Louis Blues right wing Dmitrij Jaskin (23) celebrates with defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (27) because both are safe in the NHL Expansion Draft (Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports)
The NHL Expansion Draft is shaping up to be an easy process for the St. Louis Blues.
Whether it's because of valuable exempt players or made decisions, the Blues don't have to worry.
The Blues do have to choose some options, though. Who is their seventh protected forward?
Also, do the Blues protect their aged defensemen or do they keep the younger blood?
Even when the younger blood played fewer minutes in the playoffs?
Also, what are those made decisions? Who are the Blues protecting?
NHL Expansion Draft
St. Louis Blues right wing Vladimir Tarasenko (91) celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal during the third period against the Nashville Predators (Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports)
SL is for Steady Logarithm
Applicable St. Louis forwards: Vladimir Tarasenko, Paul Stastny, Alex Steen, Jaden Schwartz, Jori Lehtera, Patrik Berglund, David Perron, Vladimir Sobotka, Ryan Reaves, Dmitrij Jaskin, Kyle Brodziak, Nail Yakupov, Landon Ferraro, Jacob Doty, Magnus Paajarvi, Ty Rattie.
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Guaranteed: Vladimir Tarasenko, Alexander Steen, Jaden Schwartz
Vladimir Tarasenko is the award-winner on the St. Louis Blues. If a Blue ever wins the Hart, it will very likely be Tarasenko.
He is their perennial all-star, a leader, their best player.
Tarasenko put up 75 points, 39 goals, a 52% Corsi For, all in one season. That's the kind of player Vladimir is: great on all ends.
By all accounts. He's the kind of player other teams dream of. Which is why he's not going anywhere.
Alex Steen is 33 years old. Still, he put up 51 points bringing his total of the last four seasons to 229. In his 30's.
Steen played more minutes than even Tarasenko throughout the regular season. He controlled the puck, taking it away more than giving it up in both the regular season and playoffs.
And Steen had a fairly even zone start split. That means that he can be used on both the PK and power play. Steen, even in his old (for hockey) age, remains flexible.
Jaden Schwartz is 24, posted 55 points, and had a 53% Corsi For. He's been safe from the NHL Expansion Draft since it got brought up.
Very Probably: Paul Stastny, Dmitrij Jaskin, Magnus Paajarvi
Stastny is a defensive center, starting 53.8% of his shifts in the defensive zone. Yet his possession numbers were good. Probably because he had a 55.7 faceoff percentage throughout the regular season.
Which is very telling about Stastny. He's able to commandeer the puck, puts up enough points (40 in 66 games) at crucial times (5 game-winning goals), and remains responsible defensively. A need for St. Louis.
Jaskin and Paajarvi are young. Both put up relatively few points, but both do it at crucial times – Paajarvi had 3 game-winning goals in the regular season, one in the playoffs.
Paajarvi and Jaskin are both responsible with the puck, with good possession numbers. Both do that despite the fact that they start 51% of their shifts (or more) in the defensive zone.
They are both good young contributors, something the Blues need from their depth players.
Likely: Patrik Berglund
The last forward spot comes down to David Perron and Patrik Berglund. Both are the same age, but Perron and Berglund play different positions.
Here's where Berglund takes it for me: his contract is just 100K more for four more years. Who knows what Perron will be paid, if he even stays in St. Louis. But Berglund is under team control.
Plus the fact that Berglund put up 4 assists to Perron's one in the playoffs. And 23 goals to Perron's 18 in the regular season. Berglund just has to up his assist game.
NHL Expansion Draft
St. Louis Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (27) reaches for the puck as Minnesota Wild right wing Chris Stewart (7) defends (Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports)
blues
Bleedin' Blue 22hSt. Louis Blues 2017 Draft Prospects: Urho Vaakanainen
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B is for Blanket
Applicable Blues defensemen: Alex Pietrangelo, Jay Bouwmeester, Carl Gunnarsson, Robert Bortuzzo, Joel Edmundson
Guaranteed: Joel Edmundson, Alex Pietrangelo
Joel Edmundson, a 23-year-old defenseman, saw his minutes jump from 17 in the regular season to 21 in the playoffs.
When the going got tough, the Blues went to him.
Which means Edmundson is likely to find a permanent place in the Blues' top 4.
At just 23, that's great news for both Edmundson and the team.
Edmundson added 15 points in 69 games this season, blocked 95 shots, and raised the save percentage to .939.
Alex Pietrangelo is team captain. He was given that post this year, and his 25 minutes a night probably helped him live up to expectations.
Pietrangelo added 48 points, 4 game-winning goals, and 158 blocks in his time on ice this season. And despite his 56.9 defensive zone starts, Pietrangelo had good possession numbers.
Plus Pietrangelo is only 27.
Definitely, Probably, Maybe, but Highly Likely: Jay Bouwmeester
Jay Bouwmeester is 33 years old, literally the only reason he's not guaranteed safe in the NHL Expansion Draft.
Bouwmeester played 22 minutes a night in the regular season and stepped it up to 24 in the playoffs. That'll likely go down with the emergence of Edmundson, but it's still impressive.
He started 58.7% of his shifts in the d-zone. Had 111 blocks, 15 points, and in the playoffs had more takeaways than giveaways.
Not bad for a stay-at-home defenseman.
NHL Expansion Draft
St. Louis Blues goalie Jake Allen (34) against the Nashville Predators in game four of the second round (Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports)
JA is for Justice Association
Applicable Goaltenders: Jake Allen, Carter Hutton, Jordan Binnington
Basically NMC: Jake Allen
Jake Allen elevated his play once Mike Yeo was installed as coach. Literally from February on, it felt like Allen gained some sort of new, improved form. And that was what launched him into the playoffs.
Where Allen was a miracle. Despite being outplayed consistently by the Minnesota Wild, Allen lifted the Blues above. He couldn't do the same against the Nashville Predators, but still.
Allen is the starting goaltender for the next few years for the Blues. We'll see if his playoff performance was a fluke, or whether Mike Yeo has found his goaltender, but Allen looked good.
Young, Wild, Free
Exempt List: Robby Fabbri, Zachary Sanford, Ivan Barbashev, Jordan Schmaltz, Colton Parayko, Ville Husso.
NHL Expansion Draft
St. Louis Blues left wing David Perron (57) celebrates after scoring against the Nashville Predators during the second period (Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports)
Vaporized Glass Knight
Vegas takes David Perron. Perron put up 46 points in the regular season, had more takeaways than giveaways, and had decent Corsi numbers.
Plus, Perron's contract (3.75×1) is very NHL expansion draft-friendly. That's the kind of contract Vegas will be on the lookout for, especially for the production Perron has shown.
There's no reason to take any defenseman or goaltender from St. Louis, and Perron is likely the best forward available from the Blues. So easy decision.
