Blues captain Brayden Schenn waives no-trade for deal to Islanders

The St. Louis Blues have traded captain Brayden Schenn to the New York Islanders, per league sources. They will receive a 2026 first-round pick (the Colorado Avalanche’s), a third-rounder and veteran winger Jonathan Drouin and goalie prospect Marcus Gidlof in return.

Schenn, 34, whose contract goes through 2028 with a $6.5 million cap hit, has 12 goals and 28 points in 61 games this season.

The Blues attempted to trade Schenn at the deadline last season, but he held a full no-trade clause and wanted to stay. This season, his clause shifted to a modified 15-team no-trade list. The Islanders weren’t on the list of teams he’d approved, per league sources, so he did have to waive the no-trade clause for the deal to go through.

With the Blues hovering near the bottom of the NHL standings and showing their intention to take a step back with the trade attempts of Robert Thomas and Colton Parayko, Schenn realized that the time to move was now.

He has spent nine his 17 NHL seasons with St. Louis and was a member of the Blues’ Stanley Cup-winning team in 2019. He’s a well-respected leader, being named captain of the club in 2023 after former captain Ryan O’Reilly was dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Schenn has been a top-six center for much of his career, but can play either wing. While the Blues have struggled the past couple of seasons and Schenn’s offensive production has fallen off, he’s a physical forward who brings playoff experience to a Cup contender.

What it means for the Blues

The Blues will be ushering in a new core, as one of the few remaining holdovers from the 2019 Stanley Cup team will be moving on. While there have been plenty of questions about the Blues’ leadership the past few seasons, Schenn has never been questioned in that regard by anyone in the organization.

There was some hesitation to trade him last season because the club knew it could benefit from the impact he has on younger players. His presence will still be missed, but it is time for players such as Jake Neighbours, 23, to have a bigger voice in the room.

On the ice, Schenn was a versatile forward who could play center and wing, but the Blues have plenty of prospects on their way to St. Louis who can help replace his production. — Rutherford

What it means for the Islanders

Schenn adds to the Islanders’ forward group, and he also provides some center insurance in case Jean-Gabriel Pageau, a pending unrestricted free agent, doesn’t re-sign.

Schenn’s scoring numbers are down with a Blues team that has struggled this season, but he had 50 points last season and has plenty of playoff experience, including the Cup win in 2019. The Islanders presumably hope his level of play will tick up now that he’s on a team contending for a playoff spot. He should bolster the team’s middle-six forward group.

It’s proved costly to acquire centers at this year’s trade deadline, and general manager Mathieu Darche paid a high price for Schenn, especially given his age. Darche had previously said he would be willing to move a first-round pick this deadline if the right deal presented itself. New York has an extra first thanks to the Brock Nelson trade to the Avalanche at last year’s deadline. That’s the pick they moved, which figures to be right at the end of the first round. — Baugh