Top Landing Spots for Former Blues Stanley Cup Champion

Where are some likely landing spots for the former Stanley Cup-winning forward?
Jan 14, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Calgary Flames center Rory Kerins (86) pressures St. Louis Blues left wing Brandon Saad (20) in the second period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images
Jan 14, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Calgary Flames center Rory Kerins (86) pressures St. Louis Blues left wing Brandon Saad (20) in the second period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images / Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Blues have moved on from winger Brandon Saad after three and a half seasons. The 32-year-old winger is a two-time Stanley Cup winner and veteran of over 900 NHL games, but his time with the Blues has come to an end as the team placed him on waivers for the purposes of terminating his contract.

With the Blues parting ways with Saad, it leaves perennial 20-goal scorer as a free agent. Unless claimed on waivers, Saad is free to sign with any organization in the league. His scoring has taken a bit of a hit this year, with just seven goals and nine assists in 43 games, but the veteran winger is still in demand around the NHL. Let's dive into a few of the likely landing spots for Saad.

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning are on the bubble of Stanley Cup contender status. The team is good, but could use another piece or two to help push them into that category. Saad is an excellent third-line option for Tampa, and could pair with center Nick Paul and finally give him a winger who can score. It might not be the difference maker, but the Lightning could use more depth and Saad matches the decription perfectly.

Vegas Golden Knights

The Golden Knights are in a bit of a rough patch, and while they will likely break out of it soon, they could still use some more production and dependability in their bottom-six forward group. With a bit of cap space and a magical ability to make anything work within the salary cap, Vegas feels like an ideal landing spot for Saad if he wants to prioritize another run at a Cup in 2025.

Chicago Blackhawks

Could a third stint be in the mix for Saad? The organization that selected him and where he won his two Stanley Cups is a place he's familiar with and succeeds in.

For the Hawks, Saad could also fill the void of veteran winger recently left by the trade of Taylor Hall to the Carolina Hurricanes. Saad works hard and can be an absolute pest and can potentially slot in alongside star center Connor Bedard as he continues his rise in the NHL.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Come on home, Brandon Saad. That's what the Penguins' front office can pitch to the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native, and that's about it. The team is not a serious playoff or Stanley Cup contender, so if that's the priority Saad must look elsewhere. But the Penguins have cap space and a contract space available to add.

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