NHL Trade Rumors: Three teams that should trade for Scott Hartnell

3. St. Louis Blues

The St. Louis Blues are hoping that they can re-sign David Backes and Troy Brouwer. They bring a blue-collar approach to the ice and they were significant helpers during their playoff run. However, since both Brouwer and Backes had impressive playoff performances, it might not be cost efficient to keep either of the two. It’s quite possible that Scott Hartnell could give the Blues similar production at a potentially cheaper price.

There is some inherent risk with Hartnell – he’s on the wrong end of 30 years old at the age of 34. However, he has yet to slow down that much and he’s still a pretty productive player despite his age. In fact, Hartnell had more points (49) during the 2015-16 regular season than Backes (45) and Brouwer (39). While Hartnell does spend a fair bit of time in the penalty box, he tends to make it worth it with his production.

Hartnell could add the same dimension that Backes added to their power play. Their penalty kill is likely good enough to withstand the extra penalty minutes that Hartnell will inevitably acquire. His playing style is perfectly tailored for the Western Conference.

St. Louis has some extra draft picks to play with during the 2016 NHL Draft. If they aren’t confident that they can re-sign Brouwer and Backes, look for them to pursue trading for Scott Hartnell.

Next: 2. Florida Panthers