Considering the wholesale changes to the roster and coaching staff, this ended up being a pretty successful season for the St. Louis Blues. Mike Yeo successfully transitioned into the head coach spot, even if it came early at the expense of Ken Hitchcock, and proved to be a strong hire by GM Doug Armstrong.
The Blues won a round in the playoffs, and they did it even after selling Kevin Shattenkirk at the trade deadline. They even brought back Vladimir Sobotka for good measure. Considering all the changes made in St. Louis in the past year, the next offseason to-do list is comparably light. Here’s where Armstrong should focus:
1. Long-term extension for defenseman Colton Parayko
The emergence of Parayko the last two seasons is one of the reasons why the loss of Shattenkirk was relatively painless. In just his second season, Parayko registered 35 points while averaging over 21 minutes of ice time per game. This was a gem of a find by Armstrong and his scouting staff.
The second contract for young defensemen has turned into a pretty well-established market. Armstrong tends to be a GM who prefers to pay for production rather than projection, but a John Klingberg-like long-term extension around the mid-$4 million range per season wouldn’t be a contract the Blues would regret. Even despite all the changes, this defense remains in the NHL's upper echelon.
2. Add speed down the middle
The emergence of Jake Allen in the playoffs helped remove concerns in goal for the Blues, leaving tweaks at forward the top priority for Armstrong. The addition of Sobotka helps, but this team could sure use another strong skating center, with Paul Stastny and Jori Lehtera not the fleetest of foot.
The problem is, that type of player is hard to find. The Blues have two first-round picks to use as ammunition, but they might be better off trying to find the solution in the draft and going young, since skilled centers are so hard to come by.
3. Create space for the kids
The West is no longer the plodding, heavy conference it was a few years ago. The Predators and Oilers are the new breed, and you’re going to have to be able to keep up with their speed and skill to compete. The Blues have veteran depth, but might be better served giving guys like Ivan Barbashev, Jordan Schmaltz, Zach Sanford and others every opportunity to play, even if it comes with growing pains.
Armstrong has done a nice job bringing along youth in waves, and this group is ready for another one.