On Kevin Shattenkirk ….
Howard Berger of Between the Posts: A source on St. Louis Blues pending free agent Kevin Shattenkirk and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“I think the Blues want to re–sign Kevin and it wouldn’t shock me if it happened before July 1,” offered a long–time St. Louis source. “That said, he may be looking for a change of scenery. In my view, the fact he hasn’t re–upped with the Blues is more about Kevin hesitating to commit, long–term, than the club’s offer to keep him. Toronto, with all its good, young talent, would clearly be of interest to him in free agency. If the climate doesn’t change before Mar. 1, I think Doug Armstrong will trade Shattenkirk.”
A bidding war could net the Blues a first round pick and a good prospect or an established NHLer.
Chris Nichols of FanRag Sports: Elliotte Friedman was on 630 CHED on the interest level on St. Louis Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. There will be interest in Shattenkirk as he’s a puck-moving defenseman. What the Blues want for the pending free agent is one issue.
“I think the one thing that could really help St. Louis here potentially is there’s a lot of teams that don’t really seem to value the first-round picks as much as they used to – they don’t see this as a really good draft. So I have been told that there are going to be teams, and maybe even teams in the 10s – I don’t know if in the first 10 picks they’ll do it – but teams that are 10 and higher are going to be willing to move that first-rounder. So I think that might help St. Louis. But I just think the bigger issue is it’s going to be tough to get good value there.
Chris Nichols of FanRag Sports: Darren Dreger on TSN on Kevin Shattenkirk. The Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t in a situation to add Shattenkirk as a rental. Dreger doesn’t think the Blues GM Doug Armstrong is ready to make a decision on Shattenkirk just yet.
“And then you have to look at the longer term of Kevin Shattenkirk. The asking price for St. Louis to make that trade is going to be significant. And any team that may have interest in say a trade-and-sign is going to be reluctant to give Shattenkirk seven or eight years at $7 million or more per year.
“And the reality is Shattenkirk is viewed at best as a second-pairing defenseman. Some teams that I talk to have him as a No. 5 guy. He’s terrific on the power play.
“But that’s a decision as an organization you have to make. Do you want to pay a 4-5 guy $7 million or more on a long term. Probably not.”