It’s that time of year when we look at the sellers around the league. With the Olympic break beginning after Thursday’s slate of games, the division being playoff teams and non-playoff teams is becoming clear.

After just barely squeaking into the playoffs last season and being seconds away from defeating the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets, the St. Louis Blues are toward the bottom of the league’s standings.

Let’s identify the Oilers’ needs and what the Blues have to offer, looking at some of the players who could be available from Daily Faceoff’s trade board.

Identifying the Oilers’ needs

The Oilers are in an okay spot, just four points out of the top spot in the Pacific Division, but also four points from being out of a playoff spot. In terms of on-ice, they need a middle six winger, a third line centre (who is preferably right-handed), and could add a right-shot defenceman on their backend.

Their problem is cap space. When Adam Henrique returns from the long-term injured reserve, the Oilers will be over the cap hit by nearly $3 million, and that’s before they even add anyone. They’ll need to move someone, likely Andrew Mangiapane, to even make space for any additions ahead of the March 6th trade deadline.

That said, who would the Blues have to offer?

Brayden Schenn

One option for the third-line centre role is Brayden Schenn. The veteran isn’t quite the player he once was, but he’s still entirely capable of producing as a third-line centre. Through 57 games this season, the Saskatoon native has 12 goals and 24 points, which is on pace for 17 goals and 34 points. Those totals would be his worst in a full season ever. Still, he’s a strong faceoff taker and is reliable defensively.

Schenn is under contract until after the 2027-28 season and earns a cap hit of $6.5 million with a 15-team no-trade list. To make the cap work, the Blues would have to retain a significant portion of his contract, which just doesn’t seem likely.

Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas

I’ve lumped Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas together because both players would slot in nicely in the Oilers’ top six. That said, from all reports, both players have a heavy price tag, one that the Oilers surely couldn’t match given their prospect pool and draft pick capital.

Thomas, a right-shot centre, has just 11 goals and 33 points in 42 games this season, which is on pace for 20 fewer points than he’s had the last two seasons. He’s also missed a handful of games due to an injury.

Kyrou, a right winger, scored 36 goals and 70 points last season, the third consecutive season he’s reached the 30-goal mark and the third season in the last four he had hit 70+ points. Through 47 games this season, Kyrou has just 13 goals and 32 points, which is on pace for 22 goals and 55 points over 82 games.

Another thing that makes both players hard for any team to get them is the fact they both have a no-trade clause and have a cap hit of $8.125 million. There’s next to no way that the Oilers can fit that type of salary in 2025-26.

Justin Faulk

Believe it or not, Justin Faulk is still in the league, and he’s on pace for one of his most productive seasons as a Blue. Over 57 games this season, the right-shot defenceman has 11 goals and 30 points, on pace for 15 goals and 43 points over 82 games. The 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons were statistically better for the 33-year-old, but that’s some good production.

Faulk has a cap hit of $6.5 million until the end of the 2026-27 season with a 15-team no-trade clause. So again, retention on the Blues end would be required to even make this work for the Oilers. Who knows if the Oilers even have the picks/prospects to acquire the right-shot defenceman.

Colton Parayko

Has Colton Parayko been mentioned in any trade rumours? Not that I have seen, but neither was Mattias Ekholm in 2022-23. If, and it’s a big if, Parayko is shopped, the Oilers should be doing everything in their power to bring the St. Albert native home.

The right-shot defenceman has just one goal and 13 points in 57 games this season, but he’s coming off a career-high season in 2024-25 where he scored 16 goals and 36 points in 64 games, which is on pace for 20 goals and 46 points over 82 games. Parayko is also a strong defender and may be the Darnell Nurse whisper that the Oilers desperately need.

As for his contract situation, the 32-year-old has a cap hit of $6.5 million with a no-trade clause until after the 2027-28 season, when it’ll be a 15-team no trade list. Parayko is set to hit free agency after the 2029-30 season.

Other Blues who could be on the move…

While Parayko wasn’t one of the seven St. Louis Blues on Daily Faceoff’s latest trade board, there were three others Blues not named above who could be on the move:

Jordan Binnington
Mathieu Joseph
Oskar Sundqvist

Oilersnation wants to hear from you, the reader, in our new weekly “Letters to the Editor” segment. Letters can be emailed to Oilersnation’s managing editor Zach Laing (zach.laing@bettercollective.com), titled “Letters to the Editor.” Please include a letter up to 200 words, including your name, place of residence (city, town, province, or state). Your letters may be edited for length and/or clarity. Letters must be submitted by 6 PM MT Saturday night to be considered for feature on Sunday mornings.

Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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