Rumor: Surprise new suitor emerges in Timo Meier trade talks

NHL insider Frank Seravalli shocked the hockey world today with his latest trade rumor report, linking the St. Louis Blues to San Jose Sharks forward and pending RFA Timo Meier.

You read that right... the same Blues team who just traded away their captain is now looking to load up with Timo Meier, despite being 10 points out of the Western Conference playoff race.

From Seravalli:

A new team that has entered the chat with Timo Meier I am told it’s the St. Louis Blues, and that may be a surprise to some but it shouldn’t be. I’m told that the Blues did inquire with the Sharks earlier this week about Timo Meier after executing the trades with Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan O’Reilly. This shouldn’t be a shock, this is exactly what Blues general manager Doug Armstrong has done in his playbook previously. Think back to the trades he’s done in recent years: Kevin Shattenkirk for a first-round pick, he then takes that pick and uses it to acquire Brayden Schenn in the summer. More recently than that, Paul Stastny moved at the deadline for a first-round pick, he then takes that pick in a package to get Ryan O’Reilly.

Now you fast forward, Tarasenko and O’Reilly both fetch first-round picks and the Blues now have three first-round picks this year. My guess is that the Blues will now leverage those first-round picks, and may even keep their first-round pick to try and bring someone like Timo Meier into the fold who can then play with Jordan Kyrou, Robert Thomas and Brayden Schenn and be a part of that Blues core moving forward with a long term extension. So we know the Hurricanes are very interested, we know the Devils are very interested but I think this race has really heated up in a big big way.

- Frank Seravalli

This all makes sense if we assume that Blues GM Doug Armstrong can negotiate a long-term contract extension with Meier prior to making a deal for him. Because if Meier is coming over in some sort of rental situation then I really don't see how this deal makes sense for the Blues.