The 2017 Kevin Shattenkirk Trade and the Blues’ 2019 Stanley Cup Run

The 2017 trade deadline saw St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong make one of the boldest decisions of his career, shipping fan-favorite defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk to the Washington Capitals. At the time, the move seemed risky—trading a skilled offensive defenseman from a playoff-bound team rarely wins immediate approval from fans or pundits. Yet two years later, when the Blues hoisted their first Stanley Cup in franchise history, that controversial decision revealed itself as a masterstroke of strategic planning. The ripple effects of moving Shattenkirk created the foundation for a championship roster that would defy all odds.

The trade itself sent Shattenkirk and goaltender Pheonix Copley to Washington in exchange for forward Zach Sanford, veteran Brad Malone, a 2017 first-round pick, and a conditional 2019 second-rounder. While Shattenkirk’s departure left a hole on the blue line, the assets Armstrong acquired became crucial building blocks. The first-round pick was immediately flipped to Philadelphia as part of the package for Brayden Schenn, while Sanford would develop into a key contributor. These pieces, combined with the salary cap flexibility the trade created, positioned St. Louis perfectly for their historic 2019 run.

Why the 2017 Kevin Shattenkirk trade impact on St. Louis Blues’ 2019 Stanley Cup run started with difficult timing

The context surrounding Shattenkirk’s departure made the decision even more complex. The 2016-17 season represented a transitional period for the Blues organization. Long-time captain David Backes had departed in free agency to Boston, along with veteran forward Troy Brouwer. Alex Pietrangelo had just assumed the captaincy, and the team was navigating new leadership dynamics while trying to maintain their status as Western Conference contenders.

Shattenkirk, then 28 years old, was in the final year of his contract and openly seeking a long-term deal that would ideally land him with his hometown New York Rangers. The Blues faced an impossible situation: they couldn’t afford to pay Shattenkirk the $6-plus million annually he would command on the open market, not with Pietrangelo already established as the top defenseman and young Colton Parayko emerging as a future cornerstone. Armstrong could either hold onto Shattenkirk for one playoff run and lose him for nothing in free agency, or trade him for assets that could reshape the franchise’s future.

The decision became clearer when the Blues stumbled heading into the trade deadline, losing three consecutive games. Armstrong recognized that 2017 wasn’t going to be their year. The offseason losses had created deeper wounds than initially apparent, and the upcoming Vegas expansion draft would claim another roster player. Rather than chase a likely futile playoff run, Armstrong chose to build for the future.

On February 27, 2017, the trade was announced, sending shockwaves through the St. Louis fanbase. Shattenkirk had recorded 42 points in 61 games that season, leading Blues defensemen in assists. His power play quarterbacking would be sorely missed. Yet Armstrong’s vision extended beyond one season, and the return he negotiated would prove far more valuable than anyone anticipated at the time.

How the 2017 Kevin Shattenkirk trade impact on St. Louis Blues’ 2019 Stanley Cup run materialized through key acquisitions

The immediate beneficiary of the Shattenkirk trade was Brayden Schenn, though the connection wasn’t initially obvious. Armstrong took the 2017 first-round pick he’d acquired from Washington and packaged it with additional assets to acquire Schenn from Philadelphia just months later. This move proved instrumental to the Blues’ championship formula.

Schenn posted 70 points in his first season with St. Louis during 2017-18, establishing himself as a dynamic two-way center who could produce offense while winning crucial faceoffs. His ability to play in all situations made him invaluable. Though his regular season production dipped to 54 points in 2018-19, Schenn elevated his game when it mattered most, contributing 12 points across 26 playoff games during the championship run.

His impact in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final was particularly significant. Schenn scored five goals in seven games against Boston, including the opening goal of the series. In the decisive Game 7 at TD Garden, he netted the Blues’ third goal, effectively sealing the championship with a 3-0 lead that the Bruins couldn’t overcome. After the Cup victory, Armstrong rewarded Schenn’s consistency and leadership with an eight-year, $52 million contract extension, cementing him as a franchise cornerstone.

The financial flexibility created by moving Shattenkirk’s expiring contract also allowed the Blues to make other crucial roster moves. They could sign Ryan O’Reilly to a team-friendly extension, bring in depth pieces, and maintain the defensive core of Pietrangelo and Parayko—both of whom would play massive roles averaging over 25 minutes per game during the 2019 playoff run. The salary cap space that Shattenkirk would have commanded gave Armstrong room to construct a deeper, more balanced roster.

The 2017 Kevin Shattenkirk trade impact on St. Louis Blues’ 2019 Stanley Cup run became clear through Zach Sanford’s emergence

While Schenn represented the flashier return from the Shattenkirk trade, Zach Sanford’s development embodied the patient, long-term thinking that characterized Armstrong’s strategy. The Blues had specifically targeted the 6-foot-4 forward with soft hands during trade negotiations, seeing untapped potential in the Boston College product.

Sanford’s path to contributing wasn’t immediate. He scored in his second NHL game with St. Louis in 2017, showing flashes of the skill that attracted the organization. However, a shoulder injury cost him the entire 2017-18 season, testing both his resolve and the organization’s patience. The Blues remained committed to his development, believing the lost year would ultimately pay dividends.

The 2018-19 regular season saw modest production from Sanford—just 20 points in 60 games. He was used sparingly through the first three rounds of the playoffs as the Blues battled through Winnipeg, Dallas, and San Jose. But when St. Louis reached the Stanley Cup Final against Boston, head coach Craig Berube made a crucial decision to insert Sanford into the lineup more consistently.

Playing in his hometown, Sanford transformed into a difference-maker. He recorded four points in the final five games of the series, using his size and skill to create havoc in Boston’s defensive zone. Ryan O’Reilly, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, praised Sanford’s impact: “He’s been a huge piece in us finding a way to create against this team.” The Washington Post even dubbed Sanford the Blues’ secret weapon in the Stanley Cup Finals.

His defining moment came in Game 7. With the Blues leading 3-0 and under six minutes remaining, Sanford collected a pass from David Perron and buried the insurance goal that clinched the franchise’s first championship. Scoring in your hometown, in a Game 7, to seal a Stanley Cup—it represented the perfect culmination of the journey that began when he was acquired for Shattenkirk two years earlier.

Understanding how the 2017 Kevin Shattenkirk trade impact on St. Louis Blues’ 2019 Stanley Cup run shaped defensive development

While the Shattenkirk trade brought in offensive pieces like Schenn and Sanford, its impact on the Blues’ defensive structure proved equally important. Removing Shattenkirk from the equation forced younger defensemen to assume larger roles and accelerated their development in ways that shaped the championship roster.

Colton Parayko, who was in just his second NHL season when Shattenkirk departed, became the clear number-two defenseman behind Pietrangelo. The 6-foot-6 Alberta native had shown promise with a plus-28 rating as a rookie, but Shattenkirk’s presence had limited his offensive opportunities. With that veteran gone, Parayko’s role expanded significantly.

By the 2019 playoffs, Parayko had developed into one of the league’s most reliable shutdown defensemen. He averaged over 26 minutes per game during the Stanley Cup Final, using his remarkable reach and skating ability to neutralize Boston’s dangerous top line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and David Pastrnak. His defensive reliability allowed Pietrangelo to jump into the rush more often, creating the balanced attack that overwhelmed opponents.

The defensive corps that hoisted the Cup in 2019—Pietrangelo, Parayko, Joel Edmundson, Vince Dunn, Jay Bouwmeester, and Carl Gunnarsson—operated as a cohesive unit with clearly defined roles. This wouldn’t have been possible if the Blues had committed long-term money to Shattenkirk. The financial resources would have been tied up in a player whose defensive limitations were well-documented, potentially preventing the development of younger, more defensively sound options.

Pietrangelo, who led all defensemen in playoff scoring with 16 assists and was a finalist for the Conn Smythe Trophy, benefited from Parayko’s emergence. The captain didn’t have to shoulder the entire defensive burden, allowing him to play with more freedom and creativity. Their partnership became the foundation of St. Louis’s championship defense, and it was forged in the space created by Shattenkirk’s departure.

The 2017 Kevin Shattenkirk trade impact on St. Louis Blues’ 2019 Stanley Cup run reflected organizational culture shift

Beyond the tangible assets and roster construction, the Shattenkirk trade represented a philosophical shift in how the Blues approached team building. Armstrong’s willingness to trade a popular player in the middle of a playoff race signaled that short-term thinking wouldn’t drive decisions. This long-term vision permeated the organization and created the patience necessary to weather the historic 2018-19 regular season.

The Blues famously sat in last place in the entire NHL on January 3, 2019. Most organizations would have panicked, made desperate trades, or fired the coaching staff. Instead, the Blues remained committed to their core group—many of whom arrived via the cascade of moves stemming from the Shattenkirk trade. They promoted Craig Berube from assistant to head coach and rode rookie goaltender Jordan Binnington, trusting in the process rather than making reactive decisions.

The turnaround that followed—from last place to Stanley Cup champions in less than six months—became one of hockey’s greatest stories. Players adopted “Gloria” by Laura Branigan as their victory song, creating an infectious energy that carried them through 26 playoff games. But the foundation for that magical run had been laid two years earlier when Armstrong made the difficult choice to trade Shattenkirk.

The culture that developed emphasized depth, accountability, and team-first mentality. Schenn became a leader who could play any role asked of him. Sanford waited patiently for his opportunity and seized it when the moment arrived. Parayko embraced the shutdown role without complaint. These players embodied the organizational philosophy that Armstrong had been building—one where individual stars mattered less than collective excellence.

This approach stood in stark contrast to how the trade worked out for Washington. Despite acquiring Shattenkirk, the Capitals couldn’t escape the second round in 2017, and the defenseman managed just six points in 13 playoff games. He left for the Rangers that summer, signing a four-year, $26 million deal that ultimately resulted in a buyout after two disappointing seasons. The Capitals’ short-term rental cost them a future Stanley Cup contributor in Sanford and the pick that became Schenn.

Analyzing the 2017 Kevin Shattenkirk trade impact on St. Louis Blues’ 2019 Stanley Cup run through roster balance

The championship roster that took the ice in 2019 demonstrated remarkable balance across all positions, and the Shattenkirk trade played a crucial role in achieving that equilibrium. Armstrong used the assets and cap space from the deal to construct a team without obvious weaknesses—one that could adapt to any opponent’s style.

Up front, the Blues rolled four lines that could score and defend. Schenn anchored the second line alongside Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Tarasenko, providing secondary scoring that opponents couldn’t match up against. Sanford’s size and skill on the third line created mismatches against checking lines. The depth scoring proved crucial throughout the playoffs, with 19 different Blues players recording at least one goal during the championship run.

Defensively, the six regulars could handle heavy minutes without breaking down. According to Hockey Reference, Pietrangelo and Parayko both averaged over 25 minutes per game in the playoffs, while the remaining four defensemen provided reliable support. No single player had to carry an unsustainable load, which kept everyone fresh through four grueling playoff rounds.

The salary cap management that stemmed from avoiding Shattenkirk’s contract also allowed the Blues to maintain their goaltending depth. They could afford to bring in Binnington from the AHL and give him a legitimate chance to win the starter’s job. When he seized that opportunity with a remarkable .914 save percentage in the playoffs, the Blues had their final piece in place.

This roster construction philosophy—building depth over relying on top-heavy talent—became the blueprint that other teams would try to emulate in subsequent years. The Tampa Bay Lightning’s eventual back-to-back championships in 2020 and 2021 followed a similar model of balanced scoring and deep defensive units. St. Louis had proven that in the salary cap era, asset management and patient development could overcome teams with flashier individual stars.

The contrast between the Blues’ approach and teams that loaded up with rental players at the deadline was stark. While other contenders mortgaged futures for short-term gains, Armstrong had played the long game. The 2019 championship validated his strategy and established a new template for how to build sustainable success.

---

The St. Louis Blues’ 2019 Stanley Cup championship represented the culmination of careful planning and patient execution that began with Doug Armstrong’s controversial decision to trade Kevin Shattenkirk in February 2017. What seemed like a risky move at the time—trading a productive defenseman from a playoff team—proved to be the catalyst for building a balanced, championship-caliber roster. The assets acquired, particularly the pick that became Brayden Schenn and the development of Zach Sanford, provided crucial depth that proved invaluable during the playoff run.

The trade’s impact extended beyond the tangible pieces, reshaping the organizational culture and defensive structure in ways that created space for younger players like Colton Parayko to flourish. When the Blues found themselves in last place in January 2019, the foundation built through moves like the Shattenkirk trade gave them the depth and flexibility to weather the storm and complete their historic turnaround. Armstrong’s willingness to prioritize long-term success over short-term gains established a blueprint that proved championship-worthy, validating one of the boldest trade deadline decisions in franchise history.