When Doug Armstrong shocked the hockey world with an offer sheet for Philip Broberg last summer, few could have predicted the Swedish defenseman would become the most important player to the Blues' organization in just 18 months. Broberg has transformed from an underutilized depth piece in Edmonton into an elite two-way force, shouldering a massive workload while maintaining a positive plus-minus in a season where that's nearly impossible for defensemen.

Oskar Sundqvist had a choice to make at the trade deadline, and GM Doug Armstrong laid it all out on the table - stay and build with the Blues, or get shipped to a contender where playoff success awaited. The 29-year-old forward, who'd already won a Stanley Cup in St. Louis and spent time with Detroit and Minnesota, ultimately decided the Blues were worth staying for, signing a two-year extension just hours before the deadline passed.

The Devils sit seventh in the East, clinging to playoff hopes while whispers grow louder about Sheldon Keefe's future behind the bench. Names like Jay Woodcroft, fresh off boosting Anaheim's power play and young guns, and Jacques DeBoer with his Devils history and chip on his shoulder, circulate in front office chats as potential upgrades. St. Louis keeps fueling trade rumors amid their scrap for points, and with the deadline looming, every move carries massive stakes for both franchises.