The St. Louis Blues have began the 2024-25 common season with a 2-2-0 file, nevertheless it has not been straightforward. In each victories, the workforce needed to rally from sluggish begins, showcasing resilience but in addition elevating issues about their incapacity to search out early momentum. These sluggish begins carried into their two current losses, throughout which they allowed 3.82 anticipated targets (xG), in response to MoneyPuck. The protection has been subpar, with veteran Nick Leddy receiving a lot of the criticism. With many followers calling for change on the blueline, buying and selling for Anaheim Geese defenseman Cam Fowler wouldn’t make sense.
Nick Leddy’s Struggles
Saying Nick Leddy has struggled could be an understatement. Within the Blues’ 4-1 loss to the Wild on Oct. 15, he didn’t cowl his man on the penalty kill, permitting Ryan Hartman to simply cruise by and rating, placing Minnesota up 1-0. Issues solely received worse from there. Later within the recreation after turning the puck over, Leddy utilized no strain to Mats Zuccarello, who arrange Marco Rossi for a purpose that prolonged the Wild’s result in 3-0.
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Leddy completed the sport with three giveaways, two within the defensive zone, a 23.3% anticipated targets proportion (xG%)—the worst of any Blues defenseman—and 1.94 anticipated targets in opposition to, the second-worst of any Blues skater. After the sport, Leddy defined he “didn’t see [Hartman]” and initially thought he was offside, although he acknowledged Kirill Kaprizov’s robust play. Nevertheless, Leddy’s poor efficiency was the true challenge, not Minnesota’s ability.
THE ASSISTS 🔥
THE GOAL 🔥 pic.twitter.com/MmbIOIh0N6— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) October 16, 2024
Leddy has been paired with Colton Parayko to begin the season, and the duo has a 28.6% targets proportion (G%), the second-worst of any defensive pairing within the NHL this season (min. 50 minutes). Individually, Leddy has a 20.0% G% and 36.5% xG%. In his 4 seasons with the Blues, he has but to complete a season with a 47% or increased in both class. Irrespective of the way it’s seen, Leddy just isn’t the defenseman the Blues want him to be.
Cam Fowler Is Not the Reply
As a lot because the Blues want an improve on the blueline, bringing in Fowler wouldn’t remedy the issue. 32-year-old Leddy is incomes $6.5 million yearly via the 2025-26 season, and even when the Blues despatched his $4 million wage to Anaheim, they might nonetheless be taking over a further $2.5 million in cap house. This is able to be justifiable if Fowler had been a big improve, however he’s not.
Although Fowler has been dependable, taking part in in 241 of the Geese’ 248 video games over the previous 4 seasons, he has not been the impactful defenseman he as soon as was. He ended the 2023-24 season with a 35.0% targets proportion (G%) and 40.6% anticipated targets proportion (xG%), and he has didn’t exceed 45 xG% in every of the previous 4 full seasons. Whereas his struggles might be attributed to Anaheim’s total lack of success, his resume makes him a dangerous addition at such a excessive value.
Not Contenders
A very powerful subject within the dialogue round buying Fowler is the broader points dealing with the Blues. Even when Fowler had been to hitch the workforce and have a profession resurgence, the remainder of the roster nonetheless just isn’t the place it must be. Defensively, Philip Broberg, Matthew Kessel, and Justin Faulk have all struggled with giveaways early this season. As a workforce, the Blues have a 47.06% targets proportion (G%) and a 49.75% anticipated targets proportion (xG%), which means they’re conceding extra targets and anticipated targets than they’re producing at a league-average tempo. Final season with an analogous roster, the workforce completed with a 46.63 xG%, the sixth lowest within the NHL.
The Blues are additionally within the midst of a retool. Whereas the workforce’s long-term outlook is bettering, there’s nonetheless a lot development wanted. Younger gamers like Broberg, Dylan Holloway, and Zack Bolduc are working to safe bigger roles this season, whereas prime prospects Jimmy Snuggerud, Theo Lindstein, Adam Jiricek, and Dalibor Dvorsky are poised to make an affect within the NHL quickly. Including one other growing older veteran like Fowler may hinder the event of Broberg, Lindstein, and others striving to determine themselves.
Moreover, the Blues lack the property to make a transfer for Fowler, because the asking value is probably going too excessive. Having already traded away their second and third-round picks for the 2025 NHL Draft, St. Louis’ solely main draft asset is their first-round decide, which is clearly off the desk. They might be compelled to half with a prospect or future draft decide, which ought to as an alternative be used to construct for the longer term.
If the Blues wish to enhance the protection, they need to achieve this internally. Pierre-Olivier Joseph has performed in simply one of many workforce’s 4 video games and will support the defensive struggles, and Scott Perunovich has proven promise all through his younger profession. Regardless, the Blues want to stay affected person with Leddy’s struggles and keep away from making a rash choice, particularly one that may end in, at finest, a lateral commerce.
