The St. Louis Blues appear to be standing in the doorway of going through a roster transition. Should they walk through it and reset their roster or try to keep pushing with the current core? They’re an aging club that hasn’t been able to put it together since winning the Stanley Cup a few years ago.

Two forwards on the Blues roster would be good targets for the holes that the Buffalo Sabres are looking to fill. One fills the need for another scoring winger and the other can be that two-way third-line center.

Blues Offseason Outlook

2024-25 Projected Cap Space (per CapFriendly): $15.642 million

Key Restricted Free Agents: Scott Perunovich

Key Unrestricted Free Agents: Sammy Blais, Kaspari Kapanen, and Marco Scandella

Pavel Buchnevich | F | Age 29 | One year, $5.8 million

Buchnevich is a name that I brought up around the trade deadline as an idea. The Blues hung onto the Russian forward, but the rumors have again stated that he’ll be moved this summer. He’s one of the more underrated wingers in the NHL because of the market he plays in.

The 29-year-old is a dynamic offensive player who would solidify the Sabres top six if they were to acquire him. Beyond the underlying numbers, the raw production is there. In each of the last three years, he has scored at least 25 goals and 60 points.

Making this move shouldn’t cost Kevyn Adams significant assets. Forwards that are moved in the final year of their contract before hitting unrestricted free agency, historically, do not yield large returns. The assumption would be that the Blues are open to futures and the Sabres have plenty to offer.

The bridge that would need to be crossed is Buchnevich’s no-trade clause. According to Cap Friendly, he carries a 12-team no-trade list in his contract. The familiarity with Lindy Ruff could work in the Sabres’ favor. Buchnevich was with the Rangers for the last two years of Ruff’s tenure as an assistant coach.

Kevin Hayes | F | Age 32 | Two years, $3.571 million

Hayes is an interesting option for the Sabres as a third-line matchup center. He’s 32 years old but has not shown signs of decline to this point playing as a third liner.

From a straight play style and need perspective, Hayes fits exactly what the Sabres could be after. He has shown success in the role he would be asked to play with defensive responsibility. He has winning experience and would bring size/sandpaper to the lineup. The cap hit is low and shouldn’t carry a large acquisition cost.

Hayes also has a 12-team no-trade clause in his contract. However, like Buchnevich, he has familiarity with Ruff from his time with the Rangers. That could help in getting him to waive to a team that is trying to break through at this point in his career.

Data via: Hockeyviz and Cap Friendly

Photo Credit: Joe Puetz/NHLI via Getty Images