What's next? A look at the Blues' offseason

"We understand this fan base is thirsty for a championship team. We've taken a step backwards this year… We understand your frustration, we share your frustration, and we'll do something about your frustration."
Those were the words of Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong during a press conference at Scottrade Center last Tuesday morning. The season-ending press conference was held earlier than expected this year as the St. Louis Blues fell just one point short of reaching the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the seventh consecutive season.
Despite the disappointing end and a few tough stretches along the way, there was a lot to like during the 2017-18 season.

Jaden Schwartz and Brayden Schenn proved to be a terrific combo with undeniable chemistry, and along with Vladimir Tarasenko were one of the League's most dominant lines for the first two months of the regular season.
Alex Pietrangelo proved again that he is one of the League's elite defensemen, setting new career highs and finishing 13th overall amongst defensemen in points (53) and eighth in goals (15). He also ranked first overall among defensemen in game-winning goals (5).

Tarasenko became the first Blue to record at least 70 points in three consecutive seasons since Brett Hull (1995-98), the defense finished sixth overall in the League by scoring 44 goals and Jake Allen and Carter Hutton combined to give the Blues a 2.71 goals-against average, good for sixth-best in the League.
But falling short of the playoffs and the ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup means the club has work to do this summer. Armstrong and his staff will have plenty of options: some top prospects might be ready to compete for a spot on the roster next season, free agency is looming on July 1, and the Blues have a first-round pick in the NHL Draft which might come in handy should Armstrong choose to accent his roster through trades.
"The (trade) market is going to open up," Armstrong said. "There are a number of teams disappointed now and in two weeks, there are going to be eight more that are really disappointed. As that number starts to grow, talks start to continue."
Here's a look at the Blues' situation entering the offseason:

PROSPECTS THAT COULD MAKE AN IMPACT

Tage Thompson
Jordan Kyrou
Robert Thomas
Klim Kostin
At the trade deadline, Armstrong consistently said that teams were asking for the club's top prospects, including Tage Thompson, Jordan Kyrou, Robert Thomas and Klim Kostin, but bringing up those names would often signal the end of the conversation.
Thompson is probably ahead of the pack after getting his feet wet with 41 games last season, but the others will also compete for a roster spot next season, though Armstrong said he wouldn't expect to see all of them suiting up for the Blues in 2018-19.
Instead, expect to see one or two.
"I don't envision a roster next year that has nine or 10 players that are 21 and under on it," Armstrong said. "I don't think that's the recipe for us to get to where we need to go… (but) it's competition between those guys for one or two spots."
Kyrou became the first OHL player to reach 100 points last season and finished as the top-scoring right-winger in the League with 39 goals and 70 assists (109 points) in just 56 games.
Thomas, a first-round draft pick of the Blues in 2017, played in 49 games for the London Knights and Hamilton Bulldogs of the OHL, posting 24 goals and 51 assists (75 points).
Kostin, who played for the San Antonio Rampage, registered six goals and 22 assists (28 points) in 67 games.

BLUES UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

Kyle Brodziak
Carter Hutton
Scottie Upshall
Brodziak was arguably one of the Blues' most consistent forwards after the trade deadline and was promoted to the club's second-line center position following the trade deadline deal of Paul Stastny to Winnipeg. Armstrong said he will meet with Brodziak this summer to discuss options for bringing him back next season.
Hutton had an outstanding season in 2017-18, leading the League in goals-against average (2.09) and save-percentage (.931). He started 26 games - the second most of his NHL career - and went 17-7-3. Armstrong said he would like to bring Hutton back, but it's possible Hutton will look elsewhere for work as a No. 1 goalie. "A lot will depend on what Carter wants to do," Armstrong said. "He may view this as an opportunity with a different team looking for a No.1 and be paid like that. It's a negotiation more than anything. It's not a lack of desire for him to want to stay in St. Louis. He started a family here, and there's certainly not a lack of desire for us to keep him in St. Louis."
Upshall is currently recovering from a lacerated kidney he sustained on March 31 against the Coyotes.

#

AVAILABLE UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

John Tavares, C, New York Islanders
John Carlson, D, Washington Capitals
James Van Riemsdyk, LW, Toronto Maple Leafs
James Neal, RW, Vegas Golden Knights
Evander Kane, LW, San Jose Sharks
Joe Thornton, C, San Jose Sharks
David Perron, LW, Vegas Golden Knights
Patrick Maroon, LW, New Jersey Devils
Paul Stastny, C, Winnipeg Jets
Michael Grabner, RW, New Jersey Devils
Those are just a few of the prominent free agents available this summer, although that could change if they sign with their current clubs before July 1.
Armstrong reminded everyone in last week's press conference that the Blues ownership group is willing to spend to the salary cap to win, so it's possible the club will be looking into the free agent market this season.
"We can look outside of this group to see if we can get better," Armstrong said. "Free agency is an avenue, but the reality is, we're one of 31 (teams), and probably one of eight or nine with decent cap space that has an ownership group willing to spend it. Our ownership group for seven years has allowed us to spend to the cap… Commitment from ownership, commitment to compete against the New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, we spend the same money they spend. I'm excited about working for an ownership group that won't allow us to use market size as a reason why we don't compete."
Armstrong said the salary cap could rise as much as $4 million next season.
"I think we have enough cap space," he said. "We've created some space, I think we could be active in the (free agent) market or active in trades for any player under contract in the NHL."

BLUES RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

Joel Edmundson
Robby Fabbri
Dmitrij Jaskin
Jordan Schmaltz
Oskar Sundqvist
Nikita Soshnikov
The Blues will have to make qualifying offers to each of their restricted free agents if they want to retain their rights and be able to match a contract offer should one of these players get an offer from another team.
"It's a bad year to be a restricted free agent on a team that doesn't make the playoffs," Armstrong said. "It's hard to justify big raises, and some of them have earned big raises... but (some) might have to go to arbitration to get it."

INJURIES

Jay Bouwmeester - hip (out four to six months)
Carl Gunnarsson - ACL (re-evaluated in six months)
Robby Fabbri - ACL (re-evaluated at training camp)
Vladimir Tarasenko - shoulder (re-evaluated at training camp)
Scottie Upshall - lacerated kidney (out indefinitely)
Injuries played a big part in the outcome of the 2017-18 season, and although the Blues won't use that as an excuse, things certainly would have been a lot easier down the stretch had the club been healthy. The Blues started with the season without Fabbri, lost Alexander Steen for a stretch with a wrist injury he sustained in the preseason and lost Schwartz, too, for almost two months with an ankle injury.
Later, Bouwmeester, Gunnarsson and Upshall all sustained significant injuries, and Tarasenko was injured in the final game of the season and will need the entire summer to recover.
Fortunately, it appears nearly everyone is expected to be healthy for the start of the 2018-19 season, or close to it.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Ultimately, right now, it's uncertain what Armstrong will do this summer. The picture will start to become more clear over the next several weeks as the NHL Draft and free agency approaches, but there is no doubt Armstrong is already working to return the Blues to their elite status in the NHL.
"We were viewed from our competition as an elite team, and you earn that right with 100-point seasons for six or seven years," Armstrong said. "We're not viewed like that now. When it's all said and done with, I only have my own pride to look back on. I want to restore the pride in the organization and restore the pride in wearing the Blue Note and I want to be here for the success.
"This is a big summer for me."