Friedman Connects Golden Knights To Brayden Schenn

As of February 12th, the St. Louis Blues sit eight points out of the second Western Conference wild-card spot. They could still go on a run and make the postseason– stranger things have happened– but it doesn’t seem likely. Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong knows this and is ready to listen to offers on some of his players.

On the latest episode of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman brought up Blues Captain Brayden Schenn. Friedman said that the price would be high but that several teams were interested in acquiring Schenn. 

Regarding fit, the Vegas Golden Knights were Friedman’s first thought.

On St. Louis: Team isn’t playing well and Doug Armstrong isn’t afraid to make moves. There is a lot of interest in Brayden Schenn and it would be a big price. Elliotte says Vegas immediately came to mind for a destination if they could make it work. #stlblues #VegasBorn #NHL pic.twitter.com/lqjfSESiID

— NHL Trade Alert (@NHLTradeAlert) February 10, 2025

“I don’t know if they have what St. Louis wants, but the team that immediately jumped into my mind was Vegas,” said Friedman. “Vegas really jumped in my mind because Brayden Schenn played for [Golden Knights GM] Kelly McCrimmon in the Western Hockey League. And you don’t underestimate Kelly McCrimmon — when he decides he wants someone, he will do what it takes to try and get that person.”

Why It Would Work

For starters, a player like Schenn would fit well into the Golden Knights system. He can score off the rush and has a nose for the net. 

In the short term, Schenn would fill a lot of holes. Regardless of where he slotted into the lineup, Schenn’s availability would only improve bottom-six scoring. He’s basically a lock for 20+ goals every season. He could slot in on the 2nd power play unit, and he’d be another option to kill penalties. Schenn blocks shots, and he hits everything that moves.

If Karlsson isn’t ready to go after the break, the Golden Knights acquiring Schenn would allow Brett Howden to slide back over to the wing. I haven’t liked Howden’s game as much in the eight games he’s slotted in at center. That’s no knock against him– playing center is accompanied by more defensive responsibilities. At wing, Howden can be more aggressive on the forecheck, which is where he thrives. It’s harder to get under your opponent’s skin when you’re responsible for taking away passes in the neutral zone.

If Karlsson is healthy and ready to play, Schenn would be another strong center on a team that’s already deep down the middle. There can be too many cooks in a kitchen, but I believe there can’t be too many centers on a Stanley Cup-contending team.

Why It Wouldn’t Work

The Golden Knights have an average age of 28.4 years, which is 14th in the league. This number is altered by younger players like Raphaël Lavoie, Jonas Røndbjerg, and Alexander Holtz filling in for the injured Karlsson. With a healthy Karlsson and a 33-year-old Schenn, that average age would go up. 

Now, older teams can still contend. Last season, the Florida Panthers were the 10th oldest team in the league at 27.65 years when they won the Stanley Cup. When the Golden Knights won in 2023, they were the 6th oldest team, averaging 27.82 years. The Tampa Bay Lightning were the 6th oldest team in both years when they won back-to-back Stanley Cups. In 2021, Ligntning players averaged 27.56 years old; their average age was 27.35 in 2020. The Colorado Avalanche are an outlier– when they won in 2022, their average age was 19th in the league at only 26.56 years. But age is still something to consider.

Other than his age, the biggest knock against Schenn is his contract. He’s set to make $6.5 million until 2028. Even with Karlsson on LTIR, the Golden Knights have just over $2 million in salary cap space. St. Louis would probably have to retain some salary, and even then, the Golden Knights would have to send a salaried player back the other way. 

That’s where things get hairy. The Golden Knights don’t have any “bad contracts” to send the other way, so they’d be forced to subtract from their roster. 

Schenn’s contract wouldn’t cause too many problems in the long run. The salary cap is going to rise significantly over the next few years. But the Golden Knights still have to consider Jack Eichel’s extension. They also still don’t have any goaltenders signed past this season. 

What Would Schenn Cost?

First, let’s look around the league. There haven’t been many, or any, comparable trades this year. Most of the significant trades this season have been player swaps between teams on relatively equal playing fields– Rantanen for Nečas, Frost and Farabee for Kuzmenko and Pelletier, JT Miller for Filip Chytil and a first-rounder. Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci commanded a first-round pick from the Dallas Stars, and the Vancouver Canucks traded the New York Rangers first-round pick for Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor.

In a seller’s market, I don’t have a clue what a player like Schenn would cost. If you factor in that St. Louis would likely have to retain some salary, I can’t imagine he’d come cheap. Elliotte Friedman said that a number of teams inquired about him, but Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong is “asking a big price.” Predicting what he might cost is difficult, and Schenn’s captaincy only inflates his value.

Let’s look at the facts here: the Golden Knights don’t have a lot of draft capital. They have 12 draft picks over the next two years but don’t have a first-rounder until 2027. The only blue-chip prospect in the system is Trevor Connelly, 2024’s first-round pick. Connelly is a top-end prospect with a lot of skill, and I’d have to imagine that the return for Schenn– or any other high-end player– would start with his rights. The Golden Knights clearly like Connelly, but the organization isn’t exactly known for holding onto youthful talent.

Final Thoughts

There aren’t many premium forwards on the trade block at this year’s deadline. That will increase the price of players like Schenn, which is already high. I can see Schenn as the focus of a bidding war, and I’m not sure that would be a good thing for a team that doesn’t have many tradable assets.