NHL Insider Connects Golden Knights To Brayden Schenn
As of February 12th, the St.
Louis Blues sit eight points out of the second Western Conference wild-card spot.
They could still go on a run and make the postseason stranger things have happened but it doesnt seem likely.
Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong knows this and is ready to listen to offers on some of his players.
On the latest episode of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Sportsnets Elliotte Friedman brought up Blues Captain Brayden Schenn.
Friedman said that the price would be high but that several teams were interested in acquiring Schenn.
Regarding fit, the Vegas Golden Knights were Friedmans first thought.
On St.
Louis: Team isnt playing well and Doug Armstrong isnt afraid to make moves.
There is a lot of interest in Brayden Schenn and it would be a big price.
Elliotte says Vegas immediately came to mind for a destination if they could make it work.
#stlblues #VegasBorn #NHL pic.twitter.com/lqjfSESiID NHL Trade Alert (@NHLTradeAlert) February 10, 2025 I dont know if they have what St.
Louis wants, but the team that immediately jumped into my mind was Vegas, said Friedman.
Vegas really jumped in my mind because Brayden Schenn played for [Golden Knights GM] Kelly McCrimmon in the Western Hockey League.
And you dont underestimate Kelly McCrimmon when he decides he wants someone, he will do what it takes to try and get that person.
Why It Would Work For starters, a player like Schenn would fit well into the Golden Knights system.
He can score off the rush and has a nose for the net.
In the short term, Schenn would fill a lot of holes.
Regardless of where he slotted into the lineup, Schenns availability would only improve bottom-six scoring.
Hes basically a lock for 20+ goals every season.
He could slot in on the 2nd power play unit, and hed be another option to kill penalties.
Schenn blocks shots, and he hits everything that moves.
If Karlsson isnt ready to go after the break, the Golden Knights acquiring Schenn would allow Brett Howden to slide back over to the wing.
I havent liked Howdens game as much in the eight games hes slotted in at center.
Thats no knock against him playing center is accompanied by more defensive responsibilities.
At wing, Howden can be more aggressive on the forecheck, which is where he thrives.
Its harder to get under your opponents skin when youre responsible for taking away passes in the neutral zone.
If Karlsson is healthy and ready to play, Schenn would be another strong center on a team thats already deep down the middle.
There can be too many cooks in a kitchen, but I believe there cant be too many centers on a Stanley Cup-contending team.
Why It Wouldnt Work The Golden Knights have an average age of 28.4 years, which is 14th in the league.
This number is altered by younger players like Raphael Lavoie, Jonas Rondberg, and Alexander Holtz filling in for the injured Karlsson.
With a healthy Karlsson and a 33-year-old Schenn, that average age would go up.
Now, older teams can still contend.
Last season, the Florida Panthers were the 10th oldest team in the league at 27.65 years when they won the Stanley Cup.
When the Golden Knights won in 2023, they were the 6th oldest team, averaging 27.82 years.
The Tampa Bay Lightning were the 6th oldest team in both years when they won back-to-back Stanley Cups.
In 2021, Ligntning players averaged 27.56 years old; their average age was 27.35 in 2020.
The Colorado Avalanche are an outlier when they won in 2022, their average age was 19th in the league at only 26.56 years.
But age is still something to consider.
Other than his age, the biggest knock against Schenn is his contract.
Hes set to make $6.5 million until 2028.
Even with Karlsson on LTIR, the Golden Knights have just over $2 million in salary cap space.
St.
Louis would probably have to retain some salary, and even then, the Golden Knights would have to send a salaried player back the other way.
Thats where things get hairy.
The Golden Knights dont have any bad contracts to send the other way, so theyd be forced to subtract from their roster.
Schenns contract wouldnt cause too many problems in the long run.
The salary cap is going to rise significantly over the next few years.
But the Golden Knights still have to consider Jack Eichels extension.
They also still dont have any goaltenders signed past this season.
What Would Schenn Cost? First, lets look around the league.
There havent been many, or any, comparable trades this year.
Most of the significant trades this season have been player swaps between teams on relatively equal playing fields Rantanen for Necas, Frost and Farabee for Kuzmenko and Pelletier, JT Miller for Filip Chytil and a first-rounder.
Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci commanded a first-round pick from the Dallas Stars, and the Vancouver Canucks traded the New York Rangers first-round pick for Marcus Pettersson and Drew OConnor.
In a sellers market, I dont have a clue what a player like Schenn would cost.
If you factor in that St.
Louis would likely have to retain some salary, I cant imagine hed come cheap.
Elliotte Friedman said that a number of teams inquired about him, but Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong is asking a big price.
Predicting what he might cost is difficult, and Schenns captaincy only inflates his value.
Lets look at the facts here: the Golden Knights dont have a lot of draft capital.
They have 12 draft picks over the next two years but dont have a first-rounder until 2027.
The only blue-chip prospect in the system is Trevor Connelly, 2024s first-round pick.
Connelly is a top-end prospect with a lot of skill, and Id have to imagine that the return for Schenn or any other high-end player would start with his rights.
The Golden Knights clearly like Connelly, but the organization isnt exactly known for holding onto youthful talent.
Final Thoughts There arent many premium forwards on the trade block at this years deadline.
That will increase the price of players like Schenn, which is already high.
I can see Schenn as the focus of a bidding war, and Im not sure that would be a good thing for a team that doesnt have many tradable assets..
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