Three Free Agent Centers the St. Louis Blues Should Consider

After trading Kevin Hayes, the St. Louis Blues are down one center on their roster. To fill the void, there are three free agent centers the Blues should consider signing.

What the Blues have now determines what they need

Prior to the trade, Hayes was listed as a third-line center. A presumed depth chart for next season would have Robert Thomas as a first-line center. Pavel Buchnevich would be a second-line center. Hayes would have been a third-line center. Oskar Sundqvist would be a fourth-line center. Brayden Schenn, Zachary Bolduc and Nikita Alexandrov are other center options.

The Hayes trade creates one void, but there could be other voids. It is unclear at this time if the Blues will convert Buchnevich to center. Buchnevich could also play his usual position on a wing.

The Blues should tackle this unknown by looking for a center who can play on the second or third line. If Buchnevich ends up playing the wing, the center they sign can jump to the second line and Schenn will be moved to the third line center.

In summary, the Blues need a second/third line center.

What does the cap allow?

The Hayes trade freed up another $3.5 million on the Blues’ cap. They have just over $16 million to spend in free agency this year. The Blues have a few restricted free agents whose new salaries will count toward that $16 million. As such, the Blues are unlikely to spend $8 million on a center. Yes, that means our dreams of Steven Stamkos or Jake Guentzel in a Blues jersey will have to remain dreams for the time being.

The price of a second/third line center depends on how the free agent market develops. There is no set amount we should expect a team to spend on a second/third line center. That said, it’s safe to assume a contract for a second/third line center will be in the $4-$6 million range.

Three free agent centres the Blues should look at

This list will not be in any specific order.

Elias Lindholm

Lindholm is a former 40-goal scorer who used to comfortably score 50-60 points per season. His numbers have dropped off a bit in the last few seasons, but Lindholm is still a productive player. In last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs with the Vancouver Canucks, Lindholm scored five goals in 13 games for a total of 10 points. Lindholm’s performance was seen as a major reason the Canucks advanced to the second round.

Lindholm would fit in as the Blues’ second-line center. He would also be an asset on the power play.

What does the contract look like?

Lindholm had a cap hit of $4.85 million last season. Even if he wanted a raise, the Blues could still offer him a deal that fits in the $4-$6 million range. A three-year deal with an average annual revenue of $5.5 million seems fair for both sides.

Tyler Johnson

Don’t let that $5 million cap hit fool you. Johnson got that contract from the Tampa Bay Lightning. At the time of the contract, Johnson was scoring nearly 50 points per season. When he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks, his numbers began to decline. Injuries were also a problem during his time in Chicago.

Johnson bounced back last season, however, scoring 17 goals and having 31 points, showing he has the potential to be an asset to a team’s offense.

Unlike Lindholm, Johnson may not be a perfect fit for the Blues second line, but he would certainly fit into the third line. If he could find success in attack, he could be promoted.

What would the contract look like?

The Blues should offer Johnson a two-year, $3.5 million contract. This is a nice deal for Johnson. It’s not the money he was making before, but he’s also not the player he was when he got that contract. Johnson would also get the chance to play with playmakers like Jordan Kyrou and Brandon Saad. If Johnson produces, he could earn a bigger contract in two seasons. Additionally, The Blues to acquire an attacking asset in those two seasons.

Chandler Stephenson

This is the most interesting name on the list of available centers. Any team pursuing Stephenson will ask themselves, “Which Stephenson do we get?” In three seasons with the Washington Capitals, Stephenson did not score more than six goals in a season. In his last three seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights, Stephenson scored no fewer than 16 goals. Is Stephen’s success a result of NHL maturity or a product of being on a better offensive team? It’s a fair question to ask.

This would be a risky move for the Blues, but they should consider pursuing Stephenson. He has a track record of recent success in both the regular season and the playoffs. In the 2023 Stanley Cup Championship run for Vegas, Stephenson recorded 20 points in 22 games.

Stephenson would slide into the center position on the Blues’ second line. He would be an interesting player to play alongside Pavel Buchnevich, Jake Neighbors or Jordan Kyrou.

What does the contract look like?

Stephenson’s last contract came before his breakout season with Vegas. As such, he will have a bigger cap hit than $2.75 million. However, the Blues could still afford to sign him. A three-year, $5.5 million contract, the same as the proposed Lindholm contract, would seem fair for both sides.

The Blues need a #2 center

There are other centers on the market that the Blues could look at instead of these three. Regardless of who they pursue, the Blues need to find someone who can play as a second-line center or play another role while someone else takes over.

General Manager Doug Armstrong made great strides in retooling the team by trading Hayes. It will be interesting to see what happens next.

Main photo credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports