St. Louis native Paul Stastny, in the final year of his four-year deal with the Blues, agreed to a trade and was sent to the Central Division rival Winnipeg Jets. A move that will bolster the playoff-bound Jets with a veteran presence in their locker room and lean the Blues towards a youth movement as their hopes for a deep playoff run lessen.
Stastny was traded in exchange for a conditional first-round pick in 2018, a conditional fourth-round pick in 2020 and forward prospect Erik Foley.
“It was a difficult direction I think for our organization and for Paul…” Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong said. “It gives us an opportunity to continue down the path we’re on with our younger players and prospects.”
Those include Klim Kostin, Tage Thompson, Robert Thomas, and Jordan Kyrou. It also allows Doug Armstrong the ability to have another first-round draft pick this summer.
Stastny has posted 40 points (12 goals, 28 assists) in 63 games for the Blues this season. Overall, Stastny has accumulated 633 points (216 goals, 417 assists) in 805 career regular season games.
The prospect the Blues get in return with Erik Foley will have a familiar face with him. Foley won a gold medal with the United States along with Blues forward Tage Thompson at the 2017 World Junior Championships. The 20-year old Foley played this past season for Providence College.