The Blues and Kevin Shattenkirk were expected to go their separate ways at the 2016 NHL Draft. The draft came and went and Shattenkirk remained on the roster which was surprising to both the defenseman and his agent. As multiple teams around the league shake things up with some huge moves, the Shattenkirk relationship continues and unfortunately it doesn’t look like it’s going to end well.
Why didn’t the rumored trade between the Blues and Oilers happen? Shattenkirk reportedly wasn’t going to sign an extension with the Oilers and that pretty much killed the potential trade which may have brought Taylor Hall to St. Louis. That’s a pretty frustrating outcome. Shattenkirk reportedly only has a handful of teams on his “would sign an extension for” list, but the actual number of teams on that list has been disputed. Either way, Shattenkirk wants to move but he’s making it difficult for the Blues to obtain the best return.
Eventually, Shattenkirk will be moved. Whether or not it’s for the best return or for the only return remains to be seen. One possible scenario would involve the Blues holding on to Shattenkirk as the season begins, moving him after enjoying his talents for a chunk of the season. At this stage, the return for Shattenkirk has dropped as he has narrowed the field by outlining which teams he’ll actually sign a long-term deal with. Those offers may improve as teams develop new needs during the season and though the return might not be optimal, it might be the best scenario.
Regardless, it’s difficult to not be at least a little irritated with Shattenkirk as the dreamy scenario of Hall being on the roster remains only a dream.
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