DALLAS — First Ilya Kovalchuk, then Artemi Panarin and now John Tavares.



The Blues are finding out fast that this year’s top free agents and potential trade targets don’t want to play in St. Louis.



Kovalchuk, who is returning to the NHL after five seasons in Russia, has narrowed his list to Los Angeles, Boston, San Jose and Vegas, according to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun.



“We reached out to Kovalchuk, and he felt that we weren’t a team that fit what he was looking for right now,” Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said following the first round of the NHL Draft Friday night at American Airlines Center. “I don’t hold it against him.”



On Friday, @TheAthleticSTL reported that Columbus forward Artemi Panarin, who has told the Blue Jackets that he is unwilling to re-sign with them, has no desire to sign a long-term extension with the Blues. He has his eyes on a “major market,”...