Ranking St. Louis Blues Offseason Moves from Least to Most Impactful

John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

2. Carl Gunnarsson, D

27 years old, traded by Toronto Maple Leafs along with 94th pick in NHL Draft for Roman Polak

The surprising draft-day swap of Gunnarsson for Roman Polak was one in a series of moves the Blues are making this offseason to change the makeup of the lower half of their defensive corps. They’re sacrificing the intense physicality of Polak to gain the offensive prowess of Gunnarsson, who the Blues believe can be a very successful puck mover and move things up the ice to create more chances for guys like Paul Stastny and Alexander Steen. He’ll need to return to full health after offseason hip surgery, but if Gunnarsson plays to his normal ability the Blues should expect about 15 assists from him as well as natural offensive skills that are superior to those of Polak’s.

Of course, the Gunnarson move also forces the Blues to take a gamble on former first-rounder Ian Cole being consistent in the defensive end while also providing physicality as part of the regular group of defensemen, but if those two players can perform the trade will likely end up being considered an upgrade.