Blues Looking To Get Rid Of Defenseman To Balance Roster

The St. Louis Blues, even though they succeeded in acquiring two players from the Edmonton Oilers via offer sheets, might have to solve some issues soon following such a bold move.

The Blues acquired Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway, and with the former now added to the blueline rotation, St. Louis' defense corps is more crowded than ever, boasting 10 defensemen on one-way contracts with only six slots to fill on a game-to-game basis.

According to James Wilson of NHL Trade Rumors , this has prompted the team to explore trading one of their defensemen, even as they navigate the uncertainty surrounding Torey Krug's injury status, which could require season-ending surgery.

“The team is expected to keep no more than eight defensemen on their NHL roster, which means tough decisions lie ahead, particularly given Krug’s uncertain status due to a pre-arthritic ankle condition that might require season-ending surgery,” Wilson wrote.

Krug’s injury could temporarily alleviate the Blues' salary cap concerns. That'd be the case if the Blues place Krug's $6.5 million cap hit on Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR) for the season.

All things considered, and with Krug signed through the end of the 2026-27 season, St. Louis will need to move some defenseman eventually to free some cap space as placing Krug on LTIR won't be a viable long-term solution to their cap situation and roster construction.

Related: Blues GM Names His Mother Joking About Offer Sheets