Shanahans In The News

by Brad Lee on Jul 23, 2008 11:48 AM CDT

No, we don't have a booking mug shot. Yet.

By Brad Lee

What year is this, 1993? The Shanahans, Brendan and Michael (no releation), are back in the news for two very different things.

Michael Shanahan Sr. pled guilty this week to a federal charge related to a stock backdating scheme involving his former business Engineered Support Systems Inc. Shanahan is the former owner of the St. Louis Blues and oversaw one of the most exciting times in franchise history from the emergence of Brett Hull to the signings of Scott Stevens and Brendan Shanahan to the trades for Chris Pronger and Al MacInnis. With Ron Caron as the general manager, there was always meat on the burner.

No matter what happens to Mr. Shanahan (he could still face a federal prison sentence in the case), most Blues fans will still feel indebted to the former owner for being aggressive and honestly chasing after a chance at the Stanley Cup. And most of us will always feel it was wrong how the Kiel Center Partners forced him out of power on the team.

Nice clown suit.

As has been documented on all of the Blues fan message boards, Brendan Shanahan is easily the best player still available in free agency. Even at age 39, he's pretty much a lock to score more than 20 goals in a season and contribute on the power play. He's a veteran leader and a former heart throb here in St. Louis with many a puck bunny still sporting his jersey to games even to this day.

He's been rumored to go to Vancouver, but that may not be true. He was linked to the Devils at the opening of free agency. And of course one local hockey guy says the Blues are interested, but no offer has been made.

According to Jeremy Rutherford of the Post-Dispatch in his online chat last week, don't get your hopes up.

Matt: With Brendan Shanahan still on the market. Do you think the Blues or Shanahan have any intrest. I think he could fill the void in the locker room, when Weight was traded. He could also fill Jamers old role, but with a bit more scoring.

Jeremy Rutherford: It's a nice thought, but it will never happen. The Blues inquired about Shanahan a couple of years ago, but there wasn't a match. He wanted to play in NY or Detroit and settled in NY. You're right . . . Shanahan could fill some of the leadership responsibilities, and give the Blues some scoring help, but it's not going to happen.

If leadership responsibilities include stealing the wife of your supposed best friend and then marrying her, he'd be a perfect fit.

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Comments

Do we really want/need another 20-goal scorer?

Actually, I wouldn’t mind a 20-goal scorer as long as he was in the “increasing yearly goal totals” part of his career, not in the decreasing part.

by Mr. Particle on Jul 23, 2008 1:19 PM CDT reply actions

The following is the list of Blues players who scored 20 goals last year:

Brad Boyes
Keith Tkachuk

That’s it.

Granted, I want to see players emerge and crack that list at the beginning of their careers, but the Blues need to increase scoring.

If the Blues are going to be competitive for a playoff spot, they could use 20+ goals from Andy McDonald (he had 18), Kariya, Stempniak, Backes and Perron. That seems a little far fetched.

by Brad Lee on Jul 23, 2008 2:39 PM CDT reply actions

Brad, please do not confuse me with facts.

What if I put it this way: before we signed Kariya, would you have called him “pretty much a lock to score 20 goals and contribute on the PP”?

I don’t think I could handle another “get really excited by the idea, but be really disappointed by the performance” signing.

Also, I think your list of 20+ goal scorers isn’t far-fetched. Ok, maybe it is in AM’s defensive-minded system. How many teams had 5+ 20-goal scorers last season?

by Mr. Particle on Jul 23, 2008 3:25 PM CDT reply actions

we’ve come a long long way. mike kitchen’s full season we had one 20 goal scorer. so at this rate, 3 coaches from now, we will have 5! just like the wings!

by Childhood Trauma on Jul 23, 2008 7:35 PM CDT reply actions

It would be way cool, but I just don’t see it happening. Given Shanny’s age and probably his desire to play for a serious contender, I would be very surprised if there was a Shanahan/Blues reunion.

That’s right, I said serious contender. As much as I love the ’Note, this is a work in progress.

Although if the Blues prove me wrong, I would happily eat some crow.

by JGB on Jul 24, 2008 12:12 AM CDT reply actions

As much as I would LOVE to see Shanny back in a Blues jersey, it’s not going to happen. He wants to be in the North East and the Blues won’t give him the kind of cash that it would take to lure him in.

by stlchapman on Jul 24, 2008 1:37 AM CDT reply actions

wife-stealer is probably going to retire since Jagr jumped ship

by Dooks on Jul 24, 2008 8:04 PM CDT reply actions

he ain’t a shanny but the wideman just re-upped. 4 years a tad under 4 per year, so boyes 4 mil per year makes him the best player in the deal i guess.

cos we stole boyes and gave the bruins nothing. lol.

oh espn has power rankings out, why wait till teams actually field a roster? blues are second worse. funny thing is blues and preds have almost the same comments, but the preds are 8th in the west. the difference? the prds have great coaching. i wonder if the blues get great coaching we jump from slap fighting the kings for suckiness to a playoff team?!?

by Childhood Trauma on Jul 25, 2008 6:03 PM CDT reply actions

CT, I don’t know that I’d say we gave the Bruins nothing. Wideman has turned into a decent offensive defenseman, although the defensive side of his game can be pretty lacking sometimes. Not only that, but any guy who does something like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMdX_A2iLuM&NR=1 is surely good for a few laughs a year.

by Dan on Jul 27, 2008 2:57 AM CDT reply actions

What, no GT coverage of the Hinote wedding this past weekend?

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jul/27/tying-knot-50s-style/

It must be the middle of summer, because when I read about this, my first thought was “Dan Hinote is still with the Blues?”. No offense intended, but I just can’t remember him playing this past season.

by Mr. Particle on Jul 29, 2008 11:35 AM CDT reply actions