NHL Trade Rumors: St. Louis Blues D Kevin Shattenkirk
NHL Trade Rumors: St. Louis Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk has been the subject of rumors/speculation all season long. Who might be interested? What would it cost to acquire him?
St. Louis Blues D Kevin Shattenkirk has been heavily linked to NHL trade rumors in 2016-17. The 27-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer and with an emerging Colton Parayko on the back end, there’s simply no room to re-sign the veteran.
Some folks have suggested the Blues can keep the American blueliner for another deep playoff run, but recent struggles suggest otherwise. St. Louis is 4-6-0 over their last 10 games and has an away record of 8-13-1 on the season. Add the disappointing play of Jake Allen between the pipes and the Blues are no closer to winning a Stanley Cup than they were a year ago.
Blues Not Giving Up
Trading Kevin Shattenkirk doesn’t have to mean that St. Louis is giving up on the season. The fact is, one defender isn’t going to make that big of a difference in the Spring. The Blues can make a deal with a 2017-18 reset in mind. Heck, they might even be able to pull off multiple deals to help make room for younger prospects down the stretch.
Why not give Jordan Schmaltz the valuable experience needed to help replace the void left by Shattenkirk? Why not give Ivan Barbashev an extended look to see if he has a future playing up the middle with the likes of Jaden Schwartz or Vladimir Tarasenko? Blues fans won’t like to hear this, but sometimes the best thing you can do is take a small step backward in order to take a giant leap forward.
Trade Partners
Kevin Shattenkirk currently carries a $4.25 million dollar cap hit. The actual money due over the remainder of the season is substantially less. Now, we’ve heard names such as Chicago for example as a potential fit in a rental capacity, but let’s be honest, that doesn’t make a lot of sense. In fact, having confidence that an extension could be worked out would likely be a vital part of any deal. I mean, why give up a top prospect or 1st round draft pick for a guy who will only be around a few months? It worked out real well for Andrew Ladd and the Blackhawks, didn’t it?
NHL Trade Rumors: Potential Fits/Hypothetical Deals for Kevin Shattenkirk
St. Louis Blues trade D Kevin Shattenkirk and F Dmitrij Jaskin to Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for F James van Riemsdyk, F Byron Froese, and D Frank Corrado
Now, I’m not suggesting that Toronto openly shop JVR. That being said, Lou and Shanny should be listening to all offers that include van Riemsdyk. At 27-years-old, JVR is a few years older than the core group, and quite honestly, he’s the only Maple Leaf that carries enough trade value to obtain that missing RHD. Plus, in a couple of years, he’ll be looking for a much-deserved pay raise, money that needs to be preserved for the likes of Matthews, Marner, Nylander, etc.
In this scenario, James would bring some stability to a Blues forward group where lines are constantly being shuffled. Byron Froese would be a depth addition up front and could serve as a quality two-way forward on the 4th line. Frank Corrado is a touchy subject for some Leafs fans, but it’s time to give the poor guy a fresh start elsewhere.
For Toronto, they would obviously need to be confident they could re-sign Shattenkirk to an extension. The addition of 23-year-old Dmitrij Jaskin is to simply help balance out the deal. The former 2nd rounder tends to get lost in the mix with the Blues and could use a change of scenery to have a chance to reach his full potential.
St. Louis Blues trade D Kevin Shattenkirk to Boston Bruins in exchange for F Ryan Spooner and G Malcolm Subban
The Bruins could use a little help in their top-four defense group with an aging Zdeno Chara on his way out in the coming years. Plus, they’re already a bit thin on the right side with Adam McQuaid, Kevan Miller, and Colin Miller as top options.
For St. Louis, Ryan Spooner could help fill a need up the middle and also has the versatility to play the wing if needed. The addition of G Malcolm Subban is a nice sweetener to help get this deal done. With the likes of Phoenix Copley and Jordan Binnington lurking in the minors, St. Louis could use a prospect upgrade in goal.
St. Louis Blues trade D Kevin Shattenkirk and F Patrik Berglund to Detroit Red Wings in exchange for F Riley Sheahan, F Tomas Jurco, and D Brendan Smith
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You could argue that Detroit might need to add a little more in this deal. That being said, both Shattenkirk and Berglund are on expiring deals, which makes Patrik more of a rental option as Detroit attempts to preserve their playoff streak. For the Red Wings, Kevin Shattenkirk would help round out the top four, helping give balance to their entire defensive group. Berglund has the ability to play center, but also possesses the versatility to play the wing.
It’s also worth noting that a deal like this would help open up a necessary forward spot for Detroit. They’ve got a number of guys ready to play a bigger role on the big club and few more scratching and clawing for NHL duties down in Grand Rapids.
From the Blues point of view, the addition of Riley Sheahan helps fill a need up the middle. Sure, Detroit would prefer to keep the youngster, but he currently sits as a bubble player in terms of protection. If the Red Wings want to save Sheahan, it could mean leaving Anthony Mantha or Andreas Athanasiou exposed – not exactly an ideal option.
Adding Tomas Jurco would be a roll of the dice for St. Louis. He has shown glimpses of high-end talent, but injuries and lack of consistency has plagued him thus far. Perhaps a change of scenery is what’s best for both parties. Finally, the addition of Brendan Smith (currently injured) has more to do with money than anything. St. Louis would need to absorb some dollars in return, and a $2.75 million dollar expiring contract could help do that. The 27-year-old Smith was once a highly touted defender in the Wings prospect pool, but ultimately failed to reach his potential. A new city with no expectations is exactly the environment Brendan needs to succeed.
