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the price for pursuing back-to-back Stanley Cups, but the Blues have done well to balance their win-now window while maintaining a cache of draft choices. St. Louis has its first- and third-round picks among five selections in this year’s draft. And GM Doug Armstrong is in a similar position for the 2021 draft, too: he’ll have four or five picks, including a first- and third-rounder. IMMEDIATE NEEDS: The graduation of Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou’s rapid rise to big-league duty takes care of the team’s offensive depth for the time being, but uncertainty surrounding Jay Bouwmeester’s career and looming cap constraints put pressure on the Blues to find cost-effective blueline help. Scott Perunovich has potential to fit the bill. Jake Walman, too. But utilizing early picks to stock up on D-men who can develop into top-four rearguards would be prudent. LONG-TERM NEEDS: It won’t happen this summer, but the attack will thin in the coming years. Alexander Steen, Jaden Schwartz and Tyler Bozak are UFAs in 2021. David Perron hits the market the following summer. And then Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan O’Reilly get their turn to test free agency. Taking flyers on boom-or-bust prospects with late-round picks is one way St. Louis can begin to reload. CAP SITUATION: Inking Alex Pietrangelo will be neither cheap nor easy. The Blues captain is a Norris Trophy contender, has a Cup on his resume and is the undeniable leader on the back end. Resigning him will put the Blues, who don’t have an abundance of cap space, in a bind. Salary will have to be cut elsewhere.
IN THE SYSTEM 2020-21: St. Louis believes Klim Kostin has what it takes to be a valuable power forward in the NHL despite his modest AHL production. He has the skill set and size. Consistency is next. DID YOU KNOW: Germanborn and developed pivot Nikita Alexandrov plays for Russia internationally. He was second in team scoring and won silver at the 2020 WJC.