Several reasons can lead to Dunn’s availability
Jeremy Rutherford from The Athletic: St. Louis Blues defender Vince Dunn struggled early in the season and was healthy and scratched.
“He has to fix the mistakes, that’s the bottom line,” said Berube. “That’s it, that’s all I’m going to say about it. He knows we talked. I love Dunner, but you have to fix the mistakes. “
Dunn will be a restricted free agent after this season with arbitration rights. A few days before camp, he signed $ 1.85 million for a year and may have a little resentment.
With the advent of Niko Mikkola, Dunn’s slow start, draft expansion, and future cap situation of the blues could all help keep him in the trade rumor mill.
Despite having a decent deal this year, they’ll have to postpone a bit of salary if Vladimir Tarasenko is ready to return and it could give them a little more wiggle room at close of trade.
If the Blues left with seven forwards, three defenders and one goalkeeper for the Seattle expansion draft, they would have to expose one of Colton Parayko, Torey Krug, Justin Faulk and Dunn.
It is believed that the Blues are looking for a first choice for Dunn or an equivalent player. Given your cap situation, a high pull force is more likely.
The Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets could be among the interested teams.
The Canucks might be in the market for a defender
Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman on the Vancouver Canucks and whether there are defenders in the trading market.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
“In this COVID year you have only one choice, namely to give up completely or simply to march into the headwind and deal with it as best as possible. I don’t think the Canucks are giving up completely, nor should they, and that’s why I think they will try to march into the headwind and solve it on their own.
Now there are a few defenders out there that I wonder about. Victor Mete in Montreal. I wonder, Dermott is a scratch in Toronto and Vince Dunn is in St. Louis who I think is available. He’s obviously coming with a longer quarantine. I don’t know the answer to any of that.
I’m sure the Canucks will be looking around to see if they can get help, but there’s no guarantee you’ll get it. I think your only choice is to say, “You know what, this is our group, this is what we have, and we will try to make it work.”
Bik Nizzar and Jamie Dodd discuss Friedman’s comments. It won’t be easy for Mete to get the Canadians’ depth map up. So it makes sense to trade in a surplus for the Canadians and the Canucks could look there.
Now the St. Louis Blues might want a first choice for Vince Dunn, but there is a difference between what you want and if someone would pay for it. I’m not sure it’s worth that much. The Canucks should be interested in Dunn, but not at that price point, a first rounder should be a non-runner.
