John Davidson and Larry Pleau should make their move.

Defensemen Barret Jackman, Bryce Salvador and Matt Walker and forward Martin Rucinsky become free agents after the season.

If the Blues have a chance to deal one of these pending free agents by Tuesday’s trading deadline, they’d be foolish to skip the opportunity. The Blues should add to the stockpile of draft choices that will strengthen this team’s supply line for the future.

I’m not giving up on the season … even after a bleak, surprisingly weak three-game swing through LA, Anaheim and Phoenix, the 12th-place Blues remain only six points out of 8th place in the Western Conference. And they have games in hand over Columbus (2), Nashville (2), Phoenix (1) and Colorado (1).

So why am I pushing management to trade away guys?

Because the Blues’ playoff fate will largely be determined by their performance in road games. Of their final 20 games, only eight will be at home. A nine-game road trip is looming; it starts on March 5 and runs through March 25.

And their present lineup has been futile on the road.

The Blues are tied for the fewest number of road wins in the NHL, with 10.  They are next to last in the NHL in goals per game on the road (2.28).

They’re already losing road games with these pending free agents in the house, and don’t figure to do any worse if one or two of are traded…. especially Jackman, who is seeking big dollars. Barrat has been a loyal Blue, but the Blues already are loaded with highly-compensated defensemen who don’t provide impact for the dollars.  

Even without Jackman (or others) it would be hard to imagine the Blues sinking lower into this road rut. 

Over the last 12 road games, the Blues are 2-7-3 and have been outscored 44-23. They have been held to one goal or less in six of the 12.  

The Blues power play in the last 12 road games is 4 for 43, or 9.3 %.

The Blues aren’t killing penalties very well, either. Over the last 12 road games, the Blues have given up 14 PP goals in 53 chances (26.4 %).

The frustrating part about these road disasters is the non-showing by some of the team’s most prominent veterans.

* Paul Kariya has scored one goal on the road since getting three on Dec. 29. Over this 2-7-3 road nightmare, Kariya is minus 5 and has flubbed multiple scoring chances. Thursday, Kariya wasn’t very visible or active in the embarrassing 5-1 loss at LA. Friday, Kariya let his man go by him to get in position for the easy OT winner in Anaheim.  And Sunday at Phoenix, Kariya missed a great chance to tie it up late, but was stopped from the edge of the crease.

* Brad Boyes is a minus 10 in the last 12 road games.

* Andy McDonald is minus 8 in the last 12 road games, and hasn’t scored a road goal since Jan. 11.

* Keith Tkachuk has one assist in the last six road games.

And though he’s not counted on to score, veteran Jamal Mayers is a minus 8 during this 12-game road skid. 

My intention isn’t to dump all of this on a few players. This road collapse has been a shared non-effort. Even David Perron, the kid I’m always touting for more playing time, has been a whisper in recent road games.

But with 12 of their final 20 left on the road, the Blues are up against it.

My point is this: the Blues can lose road games with, or without, their FAs to be.

So make the move, JD and Larry.

Improve your team for the future.

And one more thing: please get some road warriors in here for next season.

Thanks for reading…

–B