Oh, let the speculation begin.
Kevin Shattenkirk has been on the trade block in fans' minds since this season's pending UFAs have been apparent. Doug Armstrong has the Blues shoved up to the cap, and he's dished out some large contracts with NTCs (see: Bouwmeester, Jay, at an annual cap hit of $5.4 million and three years left on his deal) that make it difficult to pay Shattenkirk what the market probably thinks that he's worth.
Keith Yandle's seven year, $44.45 million dollar deal has probably priced the Blues right out of one of their best defensemen, so the Blues need to figure out a way to make Shattenkirk pay dividends while saving the team some money.
This is from Bruce "Malkin to the Kings" Garrioch, so, you know, take it with a salt lick:
Ideally, the Blues would like to move Shattenkirk east, which means the Bruins and Sabres will be among those interested. The talk is if Shattenkirk moves — and if he’s given any say in the matter — he also wants a long-term extension as part of the deal so making a trade will be tricky. The Oilers have likely shown interest as well, but if GM Doug Armstrong is set on sending Shattenkirk east then that won’t be a fit.
Ok, that's well and good - we understand Army wanting Shattenkirk out of the West, and the Bruins have had their eye on Shattenkirk. However, reports have it that the Oilers are willing to deal their fourth overall pick/future career to smother. They would like to have a right-handed shot defenseman. Oh, look. Shattenkirk's a right handed shot.
Will a deal happen tonight? Who knows. Could the Blues get some cap relief and a top draft pick? Perhaps. The draft is just as exciting for the trades that happen as it is for the draft itself, if not more so - that's when trades happen, of course.