Morning Hits: PHI-CBJ’s Carter Trade Was Almost Bigger, Steen, Rangers, Vey and Schneider

“You want ‘em both?” Holmgren asked Howson, meaning Carter and Richards.

Howson said he couldn’t do the deal without seriously depleting their picks and prospects. Portzline thinks that type of deal would have had to include Ryan Johnansen (2010 draft) and their 2012 1st round pick, which ended up being Ryan Murray, to go along with the pieces they discussed in the for just Carter.

“We were always working under the timetable that when Alexander was ready to talk, we would be there,” Armstrong said. “The breakfast was more just a state of the union with Alexander’s part of our leadership group. I felt it was going to get into his situation.

“As soon as he said he was interested, I called and talked to (Blues owner) Tom Stillman. He talked to his ownership group and gave us the go-ahead. We called, made one offer and (Steen’s new agent) made a counter. It happened in two days. I wish they could all go this way — they do all go this way when you have joint interest, and that’s ‘We want the player here and the player wants to be here.'”

The Blues presented multiple offers with a variety of term. They didn’t offer any deal that was seven or eight years. Steen on signing for just three years.

“As far as the term goes, we feel that three years is a long time,” Steen said. “After that, we’ll probably quietly start discussing things again.”