New Jersey Devils: 5 Teams That Should Be In On Nikita Gusev

St. Louis Blues

This one is intriguing, but it makes a lot of sense when broken down. There’s the easy explanation that playing with fellow Russian star Vladimir Tarasenko could invigorate him. There’s also a good coaching staff in place in St. Louis, and they could get creative with Gusev.

The Blues need some help at left wing. David Perron, Tarasenko, Mike Hoffman, and Oskar Sundqvist is a sick right wing group. However, injuries have left them with Zach Sanford and Jordan Kyrou in the top six. Would Gusev be the answer to their issues? Maybe not, but he would definitely get a shot if the Blues traded for him.

There’s not much a 4th or 5th-round pick can get a team in trades (although, it did get the Devils Ryan Murray), but at the deadline a team can take a chance on someone with a ton of short-term upside. Gusev still has the ability to be a really good NHL player, but something isn’t working. Going to the Blues would put him directly in a playoff race on a team that might fit his skillset better.

Not only that, but he would be going with a center who could set him up. He likely won’t play on the top line with Ryan O’Reilly, but he could play with Tyler Bozak or Brayden Schenn. This will help him gain confidence, and if he’s able to score a couple of goals, he could turn into a really nice player. It’s clear there’s a hesitance with Gusev’s game, and the Lindy Ruff coaching staff hasn’t been able to fix it. Maybe moving to the Blues is enough to get him to bounce back.