Trade Rumors and Free Agent TalkTrade rumors, transactions, and free agent talk. Rumors must contain the word RUMOR in post title. Proposals must contain the word PROPOSAL in post title.
The blues are not trying to downgrade their defence and they have plenty of top 6 wingers. I can see why minnesota would want to do this trade, but not St.Louis.
Since Shattenkirk has stepped foot on NHL ice, he has outscored Setoguchi, and he just finished his sophomore year, in which he was the #2 defenseman on one of the best defensive teams in history. Unless that prospect is Granlund or possibly Brodin, that doesn't even get the conversation started.
I'm not trying to diminish Setoguchi, he's a fine player, but no team, regardless of their needs, would deal Shattenkirk for a package like that. Plus, Setoguchi is the #3 wing on the Wild, but he's more like #6 on the Blues (5th at absolute best, as low as 7th - seriously, fourth liner, if Tarasenko and Stewart perform). As badly as they might need a defenseman, Minnesota would be smart to see how they look with all of their new parts and not deal from such a significant weakness.
I like where some of the recent Wild proposals are heading, and that's to upgrade the right side of our defense, but I don't think Shattenkirk is the right man to go after. Not because he wouldn't fill a great need, but simply because I don't think St. Louis is looking to trade him, nor would it be an easy task to acquire him in the first place without giving up an awful lot.
Franson and Niskanen come to my mind as possible targets, but both teams already traded away an important d-man this past off-season (Schenn for Toronto, Michalek for Pittsburgh) so I think it would be almost as difficult to acquire either one of those players as it would Shattenkirk, not to mention we've been down more Seto to Pittsburgh proposals than I can remember. If we're going to acquire a solid right handed d-man, we're gonna have to give up some solid assets, something many Wild fans don't want to do. I for one am willing to part ways with Scandella and Phillips, as they will both be bumped out eventually by higher quality talent, or in Phillips' case, never even get a chance because of the higher talent above him.
The Blues have 3 top-4 right Ds, and Minnesota desperately needs some.
The Blues may have three top-4 RHD, but outside of those three we have zero depth. We can't trade one of them right now without another NHL quality RHD coming back.
The Blues may have three top-4 RHD, but outside of those three we have zero depth. We can't trade one of them right now without another NHL quality RHD coming back.
Thanks but no thanks. We'll keep Shattenkirk. Don't really think Armstrong is interested in trading an important piece of the defense for redundant pieces. Not saying Seto is a bad piece. Far from it. It's just that saying the Blues have an abundance of quality wingers is an understatement.
