The Blues didn’t do anything out of the ordinary with their first three draft picks Saturday.
They drafted a highly skilled forward lacking size, a European forward who might (or might not) be worth importing in a few years and a tall Western Hockey League defenseman who needs to fill out his frame and polish his game.
ESPN.comexpert Gare Joyce gave the Blues an overall C+ grade. He wrote:
“No firsts and three seconds, all with question marks attached. Portland winger Ty Rattie at No. 32: Skilled but too small? Dmitri Jaskin at No. 41: Skilled but inconsistent? Moose Jaw defenseman Joel Edmundson No. 46: Big but too raw? If the Blues cash in with one they'll have done well and if it's two then the mark jumps a full grade.”
The analysis from Sonier's Prime Picks seemed more encouraging:
“Surprising to many that Rattie slides to the second round. This small, skilled forward has a history of scoring and playing with solid intensity. He's a contagious player, as he brings energy shift in and shift out. Jaskin, a Russian-born Czech has loads of talent and offensive upside with sweet hands and a very good shot. When his skating improves he may surprise many. Ryan Tesink slides all the way to the sixth round and is a good value pick. This kid has no quit in his game and is still growing, which will help over come his small stature."
Blues fans celebrated when Eric Brewer departed for Tampa Bay in a late-season trade. So they have been surprised by the size of Brewer’s new deal with the Lightning: Nearly $16 million over four years.
“We are very pleased to get Eric re-signed today,” GM Steve Yzerman said in a statement. “He was an important part of our team after being acquired at last year's deadline and he played a key role in the playoffs both on and off the ice.”
Consider that a extremely soft landing for Brewer.
Panthers GM Dale Tallon convinced Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell to waive his no-trade protection and accept a deal to Florida. Now he hopesCampbell’s presence will convince other players to give the Panthers similar consideration.
“It's going to be a destination for players,” Tallon said. “That's the goal.”
There are worse places live. If Tallon can make the Panthers competitive again, he’ll get agents to return his call.
“Dale did some great things in Chicago for a lot of guys and I've talked to a lot of my ex-teammates who are saying to me, 'Get me there,'” Campbell told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “Dale will make this place very attractive for players to want to come and play there. We'll get this organization going in the right direction and make the fans want to come back and support a great team.”
With the KHL beckoning them home, young Russian players can be a pretty impatient bunch. If they don’t advance quickly in the NHL and settle in comfortably, they can head back to Russia and play for good money.
Evgeny Grachev played this card with the Rangers, prompting his trade to the Blues. Rangers GM Glen Sather fetched a third-round pick for him.
“He felt he wasn't a fit in our system ,” Sather told the New York Post. “I'd been shopping him around for a year now, and the only team that was interested was St. Louis. He may still turn out with a fresh start.”
Similarly, Ottawa Senators GM Bryan Murray spent a third-round pick to rescue Nikita Filatov from the Blue Jackets. The former sixth overall pick never clicked with coaches or teammates in Columbus.
“It's not a great move and it is not something that you want to do, but I believe we all make mistakes in this business and you have to move on from the mistakes,” Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson told reporters. “It had just gotten to the point where Nikita requested a change. We were either going to get this level of asset -- which was a third-round pick -- or we were going to let him stay in Russia again. It was just time for everyone to move on. I wish him all the best.
“You won't find many more talented players. He's got to sort some things out himself and that happens sometime. This League is full of players that have had to go through two or three teams to become good players.”
AROUND THE RINKS: Center Jeff Carter is none too pleased with the trade that sent him from Philadelphia to Columbus. He expected to be a Flyer for life after signing his massive contract extension. Howson wasn’t peeved when Carter refused to return his calls. “The Flyers do a great job of attaching people to their organization,” Howson said. “It's a great place to play, and it is a great city. He made a long-term commitment to Philadelphia and now this surprised him.” . . . The Rangers declined to make a qualifying offer to defenseman Matt Gilroy , sending him into free agency . . . Center Maxime Talbot appears to be in the same scenario with the Penguins . . . The Avalanche downplay speculation that pricey center Paul Stastny could be moved for a cornerstone goaltender . . . The Coyotes will not try to keep Eric Belanger out of free agency. He is a solid third-liner who should attract some offers. The Blues are looking are looking to add such a veteran to their supporting cast . . .The Oilers had a deal to bring Ryan Smyth home from Los Angeles.But the Kings are concerned about the health of the player coming froom Edmonton in the deal, Gilbert Brule . . . Teams are eyeballing Canadiens center Scott Gomez , whose salary declines from $7.5 million to $5.5 million and $4.5 million over the next three years. But his carries a salary cap hit that not many teams can shoulder.
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