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Trade Candidate: Kevin Shattenkirk

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Perhaps no player has been mentioned in trade rumors and possible trade scenarios this season than St. Louis Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. After losing David Backes and Troy Brouwer for nothing as free agents last summer, the Blues were believed to be reluctant to see the same thing happen with Shattenkirk. And with $64MM already allocated towards the 2017-18 season, fitting in another big dollar contract is something the Blues probably would be wise to avoid.

Of course Shattenkirk is an offensively-inclined defenseman who also happens to be right-handed. Those are two characteristics nearly every team in the league is always looking for and the veteran blue liner boasts both in one package. Whether Shattenkirk is traded will have nothing to do with interest, or lack thereof, from other teams; it will, however have everything to do with whether the Blues find a package of assets compelling enough for them to part with the gifted defender.

Contract

Shattenkirk is in the final year of a four-year, $17MM deal with an AAV of $4.25MM.

2016-17

The seven-year veteran hasn’t let his impending free agency and the uncertainty over whether he will finish the season in St. Louis or not affect his performance this season. He is just three points from establishing a new career-high in scoring and his 11 goals already represent the second-best total of his career. With roughly 1/4 of the season remaining to be played, there is a solid chance Shattenkirk bests both totals. He’s done a good chunk of his damage on the man-advantage, tallying seven of his 11 goals and 20 of his 42 points on the power play.

What may complicate both trade negotiations and potentially his earning potential as a UFA is the belief among many evaluators that Shattenkirk is best suited in a second-pairing role and power play specialist and isn’t a legitimate top-pairing blue liner. The Blues are marketing him as a difference-maker and it appears based on the extension terms he’s reportedly already passed on that his camp is expecting a pay day commensurate with some of the top blue liners in the game.

Season Stats

60GP, 11 goals, 31 assists, 42 points, -10 plus/minus, 37 PIM, 114 SOG

Suitors

Again, there is no shortage of teams that would be interested in adding Shattenkirk but will the Blues find a suitor willing to meet their asking price. Edmonton, on the verge of making the postseason after 10 straight non-playoff campaigns, was reportedly closing in on acquiring Shattenkirk last summer but extension talks hit a snag and the team pivoted to the infamous Taylor Hall-for-Adam Larsson swap.

The New York Rangers, Shattenkirk’s favorite team growing up, definitely need a blue line upgrade and would seem to have an excellent shot at extending the defender, but do they have the stomach to meet the high asking price when they might be able to wait until the summer to sign him as a free agent? As we discussed earlier, Rangers GM Jeff Gorton has been less inclined to move the organizations young assets than his predecessor, Glen Sather.

Boston was thought to have had interest but with the emergence of Brandon Carlo and the development of several other young defensemen, the Bruins might prefer to add up front instead of on the back end.

It recently came out that Tampa Bay was heavily involved in trade talks with the Blues for Shattenkirk’s services but again, his refusal to ink an extension scuttled the move. As they fight their way back into the playoff conversation in the East, would they be willing to again consider Shattenkirk as a rental?

Likelihood of a Trade

At this point it’s probably a coin toss. The Blues won’t trade him simply to avoid losing him for nothing this summer; they want a significant return in exchange. St. Louis also holds a playoff position meaning they will be less likely to accept a package consisting of only futures (i.e draft picks and/or prospects). Will a team pony up the required NHL-ready assets for a player that sounds as if he is headed to the open market in a few months and may have his heart set on a particular destination (New York Rangers)? It’s far from a certainty unless the Blues asking price comes down.

Robby Fabbri Suffers Lower-Body Injury

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With the St. Louis Blues trying to build on their 5-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night, they have lost a key forward. Robby Fabbri suffered an injury on a hit from Carter Rowney against the Penguins tonight and will not return. He left the ice in considerable pain, and needed assistance from the training staff.

Fabbri let out some cries of agony you could even hear on the broadcast, as he put no weight on his left leg. This is not the same leg that he injured two years ago at the World Juniors, when he suffered a high ankle sprain in his right leg.

For the Blues, losing another forward will test their depth even more. The team already watched David Backes and Troy Brouwer leave in free agency, and have struggled through the first 50 games. Finding themselves just a few points out of a playoff spot, some wonder whether they will go ahead and deal upcoming free agents Kevin Shattenkirk and Patrik Berglund or hold on and try to make another run with the newly promoted head coach Mike Yeo.

Fabbri has taken another step forward this season after an exceptional rookie season that saw him score 18 goals. He has 29 points in 50 games this year and has been logging close to 16 minutes a night as he builds the trust of the coaching staff. If the injury is as bad as it looked, it will be interesting to see who the Blues move up the lineup. Perhaps Nail Yakupov, the former first-overall pick the Blues acquired earlier this year will get another chance to show he’s deserved of an increased role on this team.

Injury Updates: Subban, Streit, Tatar, Bishop, Benn, Brouwer, Getzlaf

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Nashville blueliner P.K. Subban took a step forward in his recovery from an upper body injury (that is believed to be a herniated disc) as he took part in their optional morning skate today, reports Adam Vingan of The Tennessean.  However, GM David Poile acknowledged earlier this week that his return will be closer to three weeks instead of the two that the team was hoping for.  He was placed on IR on January 1st so Poile’s comments would suggest he’s still likely another 10 or so days away from returning.

Subban has been out of the lineup since December 15th and the Preds have won just five of their 12 games in his absence.  Through 29 games this season, the 27 year old has seven goals and 10 assists but also has a team-worst -11 plus/minus rating.  If healthy by then, Subban will be Nashville’s lone representative at the All-Star Game.

Other injury news from around the league:

  • Flyers defender Mark Streit is hopeful that he can return from a sprained left shoulder on Saturday, notes CSN Philly’s Tom Dougherty. Streit has missed the last 12 games heading into tonight and is currently on long-term injury reserve.  When he’s fully healthy and ready to play, Philadelphia will have to make a roster move to get back under the cap before they can activate him back onto their active roster.  Prior to the injury, the 39 year old was off to a strong start with 16 points in 31 games.  For comparison, he had just 23 points in 62 contests last year.
  • While he will remain in the lineup, Detroit left winger Tomas Tatar is dealing with lingering shoulder issues and told reporters, including Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News (Twitter link), that he will likely require surgery at the end of the season. Tatar has underperformed this year (this issue likely has something to do with it) with nine goals and 10 assists through 41 games but still sits tied for fourth overall in team scoring with rookie Anthony Mantha.
  • Tampa Bay will be getting their starting goaltender back earlier than expected as Ben Bishop has been activated off injured reserve and will start tonight against the Sabres, reports Bryan Burns on the Lightning’s team website. Bishop has missed the last nine games with a lower body injury and the team has struggled without him, winning just three of those contests with Andrei Vasilevskiy between the pipes while they’ve also dropped out of a playoff spot in his absence.
  • Stars captain Jamie Benn expects to return to the lineup tonight against the Red Wings, he told Mark Stepneski of Stars Inside Edge (Twitter link). He has missed the last four games with a foot injury and has 34 points (10-24-34) in 38 games this season.  Mike Heika of the Dallas News adds that Benn is expected to play on the top line alongside Tyler Seguin and Jason Spezza.
  • Calgary right winger Troy Brouwer has been given the green light from doctors to return to the lineup tomorrow against New Jersey, notes Postmedia’s Wes Gilbertson (Twitter link). Brouwer has been out since breaking his finger on December 23rd.  Through 36 games this year, the 31 year old has 17 points (8-9-17).
  • Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf is expected to return tonight against Colorado, reports Kyle Shohara on Anaheim’s team website.  He has missed the last four games after sustaining a lower body injury on January 1st.  He’s expected to reprise his role on a line alongside Corey Perry and Rickard Rakell.  The 31 year old has had no issues putting up assists this year as he leads the team with 25 but on the flip side, he has scored just five times through 38 games.

Troy Brouwer Suffers Broken Finger, Undergoes Surgery

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Flames right winger Troy Brouwer has undergone surgery to repair a broken finger, reports Postmedia’s Kristen Odland (Twitter link).  Sportsnet’s Roger Millions adds via Twitter that Brouwer will be out week-to-week.  The injury was sustained on December 23rd against Vancouver.

Teammate Johnny Gaudreau also had a broken finger this year and missed ten games as a result.  In a follow-up tweet, Millions suggests the circumstances for Brouwer’s injury are similar to Gaudreau’s but that the break is in a different location.

Brouwer is in his first season with Calgary after signing a four year, $18MM contract back in July and has recorded eight goals and nine assists in 36 games this season while primarily playing a top six role.  He also leads the team with 76 hits.

The Flames did get some good news on the injury front as well.  Mikael Backlund left yesterday’s game in Colorado with a lower body injury after blocking a shot.  However, it appears his injury is a minor one.  He took a maintenance day today and is expected to be ready to play tomorrow against Anaheim.

[Related: Flames Depth Chart]

Western Conference Notes: Maurice, Blues, Jankowski

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Despite a talented roster led by #1 center Mark Scheifele (31 points in 33 games), team captain Blake Wheeler (26 points), rookie phenom Patrik Laine (19 goals) and big blue liner Dustin Byfuglien (22 points), the Winnipeg Jets have a disappointing 16 – 17 – 3 record and are three points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. It’s perhaps not surprising that reports began circulating suggesting the job of veteran bench boss Paul Maurice could be in jeopardy, but as Paul Wiecek of the Winnipeg Free Press writes, there is simply nothing to those rumors.

Wiecek points out that the Jets ownership is “loyal to a fault,” and references former head coach Claude Noel as an example of that loyalty. Noel served as the team’s head coach for their first two-and-a-half seasons in Manitoba but mustered just a record of 80 – 79 – 18 and failed to lead the Jets to the postseason before being dismissed during the 2013-14 season. Wiecek believes the team kept Noel around “long after it had become readily apparent to everyone else that an AHL coach was all Noel was ever going to be.”

The scribe also suggests the team still believes Maurice is the right coach to turn “a room full of young talent and inexperience into the kind of club that can compete night in and night out with the best in the league.”

Finally, in response to the belief the Jets have under-performed, Wiecek takes the position that the team has performed exactly as should be expected; like a young team with plenty of peaks and valleys.

It should also be noted that the Jets play in a tough division, one that sent five teams to the postseason a year ago. While the Central may not be as strong this season as the Metro Division, an argument can certainly be made that they could easily boast five playoff squads again this spring

Elsewhere in the West:

  • Jeremy Rutherford hosted his weekly chat with readers of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch recently and tackled several issues related to the Blues. Naturally much of the talk was about how the Blues can improve their roster and while there may not have been much in the way of concrete trade rumors, Rutherford acknowledged the team desperately wants to add both speed and a proven top-six center ahead of the deadline. Of course the one asset St. Louis might be able to move to address their needs is defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, who is set to hit unrestricted free agency next summer. Though as appealing as Shattenkirk might be to other teams, his value is limited unless any team looking to acquire the puck-moving blue liner has an indication they might be able to extend the pending free agent. It’s also not certain the Blues will be too interested in dealing Shattenkirk if they are in possession of a playoff berth at the deadline. Last season, GM Doug Armstrong held onto David Backes and Troy Brouwer, both of whom would leave the team after the season and demonstrating the veteran GM will only sell off an expiring asset if it improves his chances to win today.
  • The Calgary Flames surprised some when they went off the board to select center Mark Jankowski in the first round of the 2012 draft. While most teams weren’t sold on Jankowski, then-Flames GM Jay Feaster called him the best player in the draft and compared the pivot to former Calgary star Joe Nieuwendyk. It took four years but Jankowski finally made his NHL debut earlier this season, and as Kristen Odland of the Calgary Herald reports, he is looking forward to working his way back into the league and earning a permanent position. But first, Jankowski, in his first full season as a pro, knows he has to dominate at the AHL level: “Obviously it was a good experience to get up there to see what it’s all about and play my first game, to see what type of game it is,” he said. “It’s a lot faster and guys are bigger and stronger. They’re all just a bit more skilled. Coming back to Stockton, it’s huge motivation for me to see what it’s like if I want to be there full-time.I have to come down here and dominate and play my game.” 

Pacific Notes: Quick Update, Brouwer, Despres, Sharks

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Los Angeles GM Dean Lombardi provided a brief update on Jonathan Quick’s injury situation on Friday.  At this time, Quick and the team are still consulting with doctors with regards to the best way to proceed, reports Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider.  Lombardi is hoping a decision in that area is made sooner than later and at that time, the team will know more about how long he’ll be out instead of the current week-to-week designation.

A few years ago, Quick suffered a groin strain that caused him to miss two months of action.  While Lombardi didn’t specify that this is another groin issue, he did indicate that the injury is in the “same area”.

In the meantime, Jeff Zatkoff will take over as the interim starter and will get the nod tonight in their home opener against Philadelphia.  Veteran Peter Budaj will serve as the backup.

More news and notes from the Pacific Division:

  • While he has been with Calgary for all of one game since joining the team in July, Flames right winger Troy Brouwer has been a vocal presence both on and off the ice, notes Wes Gilbertson of the Calgary Sun. Accordingly, the team has named him one of their alternate captains, making him just one of four players to wear a letter after changing teams in the offseason.  Brouwer had a strong debut with Calgary, picking up a goal while playing just over 16 minutes.
  • Anaheim defenseman Simon Despres may be dealing with another concussion, notes Eric Stephens of the OC Register via Twitter.  Speaking with reporters regarding the Rickard Rakell contract, GM Bob Murray noted the plan is to have Despres meet specialists and that something is wrong that they need to get to the bottom of.  He added that this latest problem was not the result of a hit or a fall.
  • The San Jose Sharks have assigned top prospect Timo Meier to the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda, the team announced. He has been dealing with mononucleosis and is still likely a little while away from returning to game action.  Last season, he had 34 goals and 53 assists in 52 games in the QMJHL.  The Sharks recalled right winger Dan Carpenter from their farm team.  Carpenter led the Barracuda in scoring last season with 55 points in 66 games and got into one game with the big club.

Pacific Division Notes: Rodin, Gryba, Bennett, Coyotes Prospects

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In need of additional scoring punch up front, the Vancouver Canucks were hopeful Swedish winger Anton Rodin would earn a big league job and contribute some secondary scoring to the lineup. He has impressed during camp but now it looks as if his NHL debut will be postponed as the 25-year-old winger is experiencing soreness and swelling in his surgically repaired knee. Rodin suffered a severed tendon last year while playing in the Swedish Elite League and as Iain MacIntyre of the Province writes, it’s believed that Rodin has simply aggravated the knee by playing too much hockey in a relatively short period of time this preseason.

GM Jim Benning indicated Rodin will be held out of the lineup for up to a week to allow for rest and rehab.

“The injury got aggravated and so he’s going to have to take a step back. We’re going to give him a few days or week off here to get the swelling down, and from there just rehab so he’s a 100 per cent for us. We’re going to need him at 100 per cent.”

MacIntyre notes that Rodin is averaging a point-per-game through five preseason contests and has demonstrated an ability to protect the puck and to play in traffic against bigger opponents during exhibition games. The 2009 second-round pick has some experience in North America, skating in 111 games with Chicago in the AHL, scoring 14 goals and 41 points. He returned to Sweden in time for the 2014-15 season and would go on to win the Swedish League’s MVP in 2015-16.

Fortunately for Vancouver, the injury doesn’t appear serious and it looks as if Rodin will only be out a short time. It could threaten his availability to play in the season opener and as such, his absence could come into play as the Canucks look to finalize their roster.

Elsewhere in the Pacific Division:

  • After signing Kris Russell to a one-year contract, the Edmonton Oilers have given fellow blue liner Eric Gryba permission to speak with other clubs in an attempt to land a job, tweets Jason Gregor of the Edmonton Journal. This would seem to suggest Gryba, who is in camp with the Oilers on a PTO, will not make the Edmonton roster. If Gryba fails to find a spot in another organization, Gregor believes he could continue to skate with the team, though of course he would be doing so without a contract. Gryba spent the first three years of his NHL career with Ottawa before a 2015 trade sent the defenseman to Edmonton. He appeared in 53 games in 2015-16 with the Oilers and tallied one goal and six points.
  • It’s looking more and more likely the Arizona Coyotes will break camp with a few rookies among their ranks, writes Sarah McLellan of AZ Central. Dylan Strome was expected to make the team and fill a scoring line pivot role and has done nothing in camp to change that line of thinking. Recently he’s been skating with Lawson Crouse and Anthony Duclair on the team’s second line. Speaking of Crouse, the Coyotes value his grit and toughness though it’s still likely he doesn’t start the season with Arizona. Laurent Dauphin could force his way into a 4th line role and has evidently earned the trust of his teammates with his hard work. McLellan also notes the team is still giving looks to forwards Christian Dvorak and Christian Fischer along with blue liners Jakob Chychrun and Anthony DeAngelo. Whatever happens it seems quite possible that several rookies will be suiting up for the Coyotes in 2016-17.
  • Calgary Flames center Sam Bennett appears poised for a breakout campaign as a sophomore in the NHL, writes Wes Gilbertson of the Calgary Herald. Bennett, who scored 18 goals and 36 points in 77 games as a rookie, is already well on his way to earning the trust of new head coach Glen Gulutzan due to his responsible two-way play this preseason. The 20-year-old pivot has also made an impression on veteran winger Troy Brouwer, with whom he has skated with this preseason: “He’s a good player. He sees the ice well and he reads the game well, which is a tough thing and a unique thing to have, especially at 20 years old. I think he’s the type of player, under this coach, who is going to have a lot of responsibility and it’s really going to elevate his game.” Gilbertson notes that with Johnny Gaudreau still unsigned and not playing, Calgary has struggled putting the puck in the net scoring just nine times in seven games. If Gaudreau is out for any extended period of the regular season, Bennett could help fill the scoring void created by his absence.

2016-17 Season Preview: St. Louis Blues

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With the NHL season just weeks away, PHR is looking at each team, in-depth. Today: the St. Louis Blues.

Last Season: 49-24-9 (107 points), 2nd place in the Central Division. Lost 4-2 to San Jose Sharks in Western Conference Finals.

Cap Space Remaining:  $3.96MM via CapFriendly.

Key Newcomers: David Perron (signed as a free agent from Anaheim); Carter Hutton (signed as a free agent from Nashville); Landon Ferraro (signed as free agent from Boston).

Key Departures: David Backes (signed with Boston); Troy Brouwer (signed with Calgary); Brian Elliott (traded to Calgary).

Player to Watch: Kevin Shattenkirk. Rumors swirled that Shattenkirk was on his way out and then in mid-July, general manager Doug Armstrong told Craig Custance that he expects Shattenkirk to spend the season in St. Louis. When Custance pushed him on what he meant,  Armstrong clarified that Shattenkirk would stay in St. Louis. However, with the Blues weaker than last season, it will be interesting to see what happens should Shattenkirk’s stock rise more by the trade deadline. If negotiations don’t go well for a new contract, it’s not crazy to think Shattenkirk will be shipped somewhere else for a king’s ransom.

Key Storyline: The Blues finally pushed through the Blackhawks in the playoffs and survived through the Conference Finals, where they were dispatched by the Sharks in six games. Then started the purge. Elliott was dealt to Calgary, Brouwer packed up and followed his former teammate there, and Backes went east to Boston. Though they still have talent on the roster, this is a weaker St. Louis team than last season. Nashville certainly improved with the addition of P.K. Subban and the Western Conference improved almost everywhere. Playing the always competitive Central Division will be more perilous than usual.  Ken Hitchcock will be handing the reins over to Mike Yeo, and after an up and down tenure in Minnesota, what will Yeo do differently with the Blues? While the team is still strong with the likes of Vladimir Tarasenko and Alex Pietrangelo to name a few, they may be a step back from what St. Louis has been accustomed to.

St. Louis Depth Chart

Snapahots: Gibbons, Lindback, Sobotka

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The New Jersey Devils have extended PTO agreements to veteran goaltender Anders Linback – per Henrik Sjoberg of Sport Expressen (link in Swedish) – and speedy forward Brian Gibbons – via tweet from the Devils PR department. The two will attend camp with the Devils in search of an NHL job.

Lindback has led a nomadic NHL career to date. He has already suited up for five different franchises in his six-year career, including four in the last three seasons. He was originally a seventh-round draft choice of Nashville, with whom he spent the first two years of his NHL career. In an ultimately one-sided move, Lindback was acquired from Nashville by Tampa Bay in a deal that saw the Lightning give up three draft choices – two seconds and a third.

After two mostly lackluster seasons with the Lightning, Lindback has served as a backup with Dallas, Buffalo and Arizona. Last season with the Coyotes, Lindback appeared in 19 games, starting 13, and posted a GAA of 3.11 and a Save % of 89.4%. Lindback will likely be given a chance to compete with Keith Kinkaid for the #2 job behind Cory Schneider. Kinkaid would seem to have the upper-hand at the outset given his superior career numbers but Lindback could also provide experienced support in the minor leagues.

Gibbons is a diminutive yet quick forward who has so far been unable to earn a regular role in the NHL. Last season was spent in the Rangers organization where he contributed 23 points in 63 games. He’s appeared in a total of 66 NHL contests with Pittsburgh and Columbus where he has combined to score five goals and 22 points while averaging 12:39 of ice time per game. As with Lindback, Gibbons will likely see little NHL action but should serve as a quality organizational depth piece.

Elsewhere in the NHL:

  • Earlier today, PHR provided an update on the status of Vladimir Sobotka, who has been actively seeking to terminate the final season of his KHL deal in order to return to the St. Louis Blues. In a piece appearing on Yahoo Sports, Stephen Whyno has added that Sobotka is no longer confident a resolution will be reached despite talks continuing between the two sides. ”It’s been going on for five months, so I’ve had enough of it. I’m not thinking about it. It’s just getting ready for workouts. I don’t want to think about it anymore.”  Player transfers between the KHL and NHL have often been acrimonious and the guess is Sobotka’s current employer, Avangard Omsk, is seeking some sort of compensation for releasing the player. The Blues have been expecting Sobotka’s return and after losing both David Backes and Troy Brouwer as free agents, they could use the veteran Czech. Still, St. Louis has guarded themselves somewhat by inviting four free agent forwards to camp on a tryout basis. That may well have been done in case there was an issue with Sobotka’s return.

Central Notes: Blackhawks, Blues, Stars, Wild

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The Chicago Blackhawks welcomed Brian Campbell back into the fold with a one-year, $2MM deal on Friday. Hawks beat writer Chris Kuc writes that not only does the decision strengthen the Blackhawks top four defensemen, but that it brings back a player who always wanted to return. The signing was lauded by Blackhawk superstars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, and was a move that general manager Stan Bowman made for a defenseman he feels has an “underrated” game. In 2015-16, Campbell was a +31 and registered 31 points (6-25).

  • The St. Louis Blues are grappling with the loss of two major leaders in their locker room writes Jeremy Rutherford. When David Backes signed with Boston and Troy Brouwer headed to Calgary, Rutherford reports that the roster is a far cry from the one that propelled the Blues to a Western Conference Final trip in 2016. The Blues will also have to name a new captain for the first time since 2011, and general manager Doug Armstrong said that the term Backes was looking for served as a pause for his re-signing. On Brouwer, Rutherford writes that Armstrong countered with what he thought was a strong deal, but at the end of the day, the winger decided on Calgary’s offer instead.
  • Yahoo’s Greg Wyshynski writes that Dallas’ signing of defenseman Dan Hamhuis was “genius.” Wyshynski notes that the term and amount (two-year, $3.75MM) is a bargain for a defenseman the Stars wanted to acquire at the trade deadline.  Mike Heika reports that the Stars got the man that is the best fit for their team, and also at a price and term that is very flexible. Heika sees Hamhuis as a natural pairing with Stars youngster John Klingberg for bench boss Lindy Ruff.
  • The Star Tribune’s Michael Russo reports on what the Wild could look like on the ice next season. Russo pencils newly acquired Eric Staal in the middle with Zach Parise at left wing and also indicates that the Wild are talking with free agent Matt Cullen, who is fresh off a Stanley Cup win with the Penguins. Russo adds that Cullen’s intrigue with the Wild would be that close friend Staal signed yesterday.

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