While it was expected that the Blue were going to make a move or two before the trade deadline, the moves that have been made so far are not the moves that were anticipated. In a minor deal the Blues shipped Ben Hutton to Winnipeg for $4 Million in cash. When asked about the move GM Semyck had this to say:
“While we like Hutton as a player and can see what he would bring to the team with more development, Winnipeg has a spot where he can play more of a role, and we can use the cash to develop the deep prospect pool that we have”
The other move that has been made is the more surprising move. The Blues send Philip Larsen and Nicolas Meloche to Anaheim in exchange for Michael Funk, Klim Kostin, Dante Fabbro and the Blues 2nd round pick in 2027.
GM Semyck on moving Larsen: “When we made the deal to acquire Larsen this offseason, we looked at him as the anchor of a young defensive core for seasons to come. He played that role very well all season and we were extremely happy with his play. This deal kind of came out of nowhere. Anaheim approached us about what it would take to move Larsen, and when they said that Kostin and Fabbro may be available, we had to jump at the chance to make this deal. It took a little time and some back and forth, but it is a deal that will really benefit both teams. Anaheim gets a top line defenseman and a prospect, we get two prospects with very bright futures, a vet on the back end to slot into the spot that Larsen vacated, and our 2nd round pick back. It was a deal that checked all the boxes for us.”
The deadline is still a week away, will there be other moves made between now and then? It will be interesting to see what happens based on the surprising deal that has already been made.
1/15/2021 - 341 words
