The St. Louis Blues’ defense, theoretically, boasts an abundance of offensive skill. In today’s NHL, possessing this talent is imperative. However, speed and offensive contributions alone do not necessarily translate into an effective blueline.

Believe it or not, a team’s defensive unit still needs to be sound in the position’s title, defense. Over the past two seasons, St. Louis has strayed away from the physical, hard-hitting ways that led them to a Stanley Cup in 2019. Yes, Craig Berube’s coaching style still holds that mantra, but the on-ice personnel does not necessarily fit, especially on defense. The Blues need to find a way to get bigger, more physical and defensively motivated on the back-end this offseason.

Enter upcoming unrestricted free-agent Jamie Oleksiak. Playing the past two (and change) seasons with the Dallas Stars, Oleksiak possesses all the qualities the Blues need to improve their defense.

Coming in at 6’7” and 255 lbs, the 28-year-old blueliner plays a punishing game, putting his defensive responsibilities at the forefront. Last season alone, Oleksiak registered 148 hits and 88 blocks while accruing over 83 minutes of shorthanded time and playing 57% of his overall ice-time in the defensive zone. On top of that, he was averaging over 20 minutes of playing time in each contest.

Putting things into perspective, St. Louis’s leader in hits last season was Justin Faulk with 127. He also led the team in blocked shots with 87. Insert Oleksiak into the fold, and he immediately becomes the team’s best player in those areas. He also would have averaged the fourth-highest time-on-ice among blueliners. TOI can be deceiving because it all depends on surrounding players, and last season saw a drastic increase in his typical playing time. Still, you are looking at a player that can effectively play in St. Louis’s middle or bottom pairing.

Though defense is Oleksiak’s primary focus, he also contributes to the offensive efforts. Last season, he registered a career-high six goals while also posting eight assists. Not incredible numbers, but still respectable when you have more offensively-gifted defensemen to deploy.

The biggest question surrounding Oleksiak, in terms of St. Louis acquiring him, is the cost. An unrestricted free agent, he will look for a pay bump compared to his recent three-year, $6.4 million contract. At age 28, there is a good chance he will look for a bit of security in his next deal, searching for more years to go with his pay increase.

Could something like $3.5 million for four to five years work? Of course, there is always the chance another team comes in willing to overpay for what Oleksiak brings to the table. Regardless, he needs to be a name close to the top of Doug Armstrong’s list of players to pursue. Jamie Oleksiak would be a perfect fit in St. Louis.

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