Two days into free agency, the St. Louis Blues have already done plenty of adding. Ross Johnston is in the mix as a physical fourth-line forward, Jonatan Berggren and Dillon Dube are back in the fold, and the team also swung a notable draft-night trade for Mason McTavish.
But the flip side of that churn is always there, too. As the Blues bring players in, others move on, and four former St. Louis players have now found new homes: Matthew Kessel, Hunter Skinner, Akil Thomas and Justin Holl.
None of the four were core pieces in the Blues’ lineup, but the departures still chip away at organizational depth, especially with three right-handed defensemen among the group. Even so, St. Louis should be able to absorb the losses without much trouble.
Skinner is headed to the Nashville Predators on a one-year, two-way deal. The 25-year-old, originally a fourth-round pick of the New York Rangers in 2019, appeared in just one NHL game with the Blues in the 2025-26 season. If he doesn’t reach 79 NHL games this season, he’ll become a Group-6 UFA.
Kessel’s path in St. Louis never quite turned into a full-time role, even though he got a longer look than Skinner.
Over five seasons with the Blues, he played 99 NHL games, scored three goals and finished with 13 points. Most of his career has been spent bouncing between the NHL and AHL, and now he’s with the New York Islanders on a standard one-way contract.
That means he would have to clear waivers if the Islanders want to send him down. Just as he was in St.
Louis, Kessel is likely to be used as a seventh defenseman, stepping in when injuries open a spot.
Thomas is moving on to the Vancouver Canucks on a two-way contract after another stretch that didn’t quite produce the NHL breakthrough many expected. He hasn’t played an NHL game since 2024-25.
After being acquired in a mid-season trade, Thomas logged 20 regular-season games with the Thunderbirds, putting up five goals and nine points, then added three goals and six points in 12 playoff games. With Vancouver in a rebuilding state, there may be a path for him to earn a call-up and make his case at the NHL level.
Holl’s situation has shifted quickly, too. Once a trusted defensive presence for the Toronto Maple Leafs, he’s now fighting to stay in the league.
He played only nine games with the Blues and has signed with the Washington Capitals, where he’ll likely be a seventh defenseman until Rasmus Sandin returns from his long-term injury. In the 2025-26 season, Holl also played his first AHL game with the Grand Rapids Griffins since the 2017-18 season.