Blues bet on McTavish's upside

The St. Louis Blues acquired Mason McTavish from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for the No. 15 and 29 overall picks in the 2024 NHL Draft. This trade comes after significant turnover for the Blues, including the departure of Brayden Schenn and Jordan Kyrou.

McTavish is now expected to slot in as the second-line center behind Robert Thomas. His recent performance in Anaheim was underwhelming, with a disappointing last season where he posted 17 goals, 24 assists, and a minus-15 plus/minus ratio.

According to The Athletic's Harman Dayal, McTavish has solid offensive tools, evidenced by his 52-point season as a 22-year-old, but he has been criticized for poor defensive metrics and skating. The report also notes that he lost his second-center role with the Ducks, which raises questions about his readiness for the Blues.

McTavish's potential is seen as a gamble for St. Louis, but he has a familiar face in assistant coach Greg Cronin, who previously coached him in Anaheim. McTavish is under contract for five more seasons at an annual cap hit of $7 million.

With the Blues finishing just four points outside of a Wild Card spot last season, there is pressure for McTavish to quickly deliver results in his new role.