One Potential Trade Could Transform the Blues’ 2025-26 Season
The St. Louis Blues may need to make a strategic move to fill a critical gap on their roster—and one bold trade could make a huge difference heading into the 2025-26 season.
Despite a shaky start, the Blues turned heads this season with a remarkable 12-game win streak, showing they may be closer to contending than expected. Their fast-track retooling allowed them to compete without undergoing a painful, long-term rebuild.
Still, their season ended in a hard-fought first-round loss to the Winnipeg Jets, the league’s top regular-season team. Pushing the series to seven games suggests they’re just a few pieces away from becoming true contenders in the Central Division.
One trade, in particular, could reshape the team’s trajectory.
Addressing a Key Roster Need
The Blues’ forward group looks solid. Brayden Schenn provides veteran leadership, Robert Thomas broke out with 81 points in 70 games, and Jordan Kyrou came close to reaching 40 goals. But the standout story was Dylan Holloway, whose 26 goals and 63 points validated the Blues’ bold move to sign him to an offer sheet last year.
Since the top-six forward group is mostly set, the focus now shifts to the blue line.
Philip Broberg had a promising season, posting eight goals and 29 points in 68 games, showing potential to become a top-pairing defenseman. Meanwhile, veterans Justin Faulk and Colton Parayko remain dependable, but neither has the elite talent to anchor a defensive core.
That’s why targeting a legitimate No. 1 defenseman should be on the Blues’ radar.
A Bold Trade for Noah Dobson
A potential solution? The Blues could pursue restricted free agent Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders. This wouldn’t have seemed realistic until the Islanders unexpectedly won the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery, leaping nine spots to secure the top pick.
Top prospect Matthew Schaefer is widely expected to go No. 1 overall and projects as a future top-pairing defenseman with two-way upside. Combined with Alexander Romanov’s emergence as a reliable top-pairing option, the Isles may be more open to moving Dobson—especially after a down year lowered his contract leverage.
If New York doubts its ability to re-sign Dobson, trading his rights could be a smart move. The Blues, in turn, could offer a combination of picks or a depth defenseman like Tyler Tucker. The Islanders already claimed Scott Perunovich from the Blues earlier this year, so they’ve shown interest in St. Louis defensemen before.
Timing Matters for St. Louis
Torey Krug’s playing future is uncertain, with the Blues indicating he may not return. That creates a clear need for another top-four defenseman—ideally one with top-pair potential.
Acquiring Dobson could fill that void and elevate the Blues from fringe contenders to serious threats in the Western Conference. With the right offer, this single trade could define their 2025-26 campaign.
Leave a Reply