The Blues entered the weekend with a whopping four first-round picks, giving management a lot of different options and a lot of flexibility on what it could do.
Load up on first-rounders and give yourself more swings at finding a future star?
Or perhaps trade some of them for a proven NHL star that can help right now?
In the end, they combined options two and three, making two selections and packaging them together to the Anaheim Ducks to acquire forward Mason McTavish.
On the surface, it’s an underwhelming move, especially after they were reportedly rejected by Jason Robertson as well. McTavish has some talent, but his game also has some serious concerns, from his skating to his defensive play, and he even found himself as a healthy scratch in the playoffs after an underwhelming regular season offensively.
Paying two first-round picks for a player with so many flaws and questions, not to mention a contract worth over $7 million per season for several more years, is a risky move.
Later in the weekend, the Blues spent a couple more mid-round picks to acquire Brandon Carlo from the Toronto Maple Leafs. While the price isn’t outrageously high, nor is his contract for this season, it just seems to be more of the same for what the Blues have on defense that hasn’t been good enough.
Was it a terrible weekend? No.
Was it a little underwhelming? Yes.