Random Thoughts: Duncan Keith, Vlad Tarasenko, Maroon Three-peats, and more

“I think it’s clear at this point that the talks — or whatever it was going on — between the Oilers and the Blackhawks in regards to Duncan Keith have cooled off a bit, and I do think that there’s a big game of chicken that’s going on right now… (Keith) wants to move on. He’s played almost 1200 games there and done everything you can do, and by all accounts, would like to be a little bit closer to some family. So, he’s given the Hawks four teams that he’d like them to try and facilitate a trade to — Seattle, Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary. Obviously, the Oilers have expressed interest, but my understanding is, at least from a couple of days ago, that whatever interest they expressed, the package has been walked back a little bit. A lot of people believe that (the package) included Caleb Jones, who the Oilers understand and believe at this point that he will be exposed in the expansion draft anyway and may be taken… The other complicating factor here is that the Blackhawks, to my knowledge and reporting, are not willing to retain any salary on his deal. That’s another part of it for the Oilers. They may like Duncan Keith, they may think he’s the perfect guy to play on their second pair, but they probably don’t necessarily want to pay $5.54 million to get him.”

“That is a relationship that’s fractured beyond repair. I’d be very surprised if Vladamir Tarensko is coming back to St. Louis. His health is a big reason he’s likely moving on. There were two surgeries there on his shoulder that were not successful. He kept have the same injury recurring and going over it again, and I think that was problematic. I think at some point along the line when the surgery was botched so to speak, there were some questions from the Blues to Tarasenko about his commitment to rehab and that rubbed the player the wrong way. I think there was some lingering discord over Ryan O’Reilly being selected as the team captain once Alex Pietrangelo moved on, and those are all things that have contributed to this fraying relationship. And for a guy that also hasn’t been healthy or able to produce at the level he and everyone else is accustomed to, that’s just has everything trending towards the fresh start he’s likely going to get.”

“I think he’s exactly what the Oilers need in terms of an archetype player as a finisher. You need someone that you can put on the wing, can play with McDavid, and finish all those ridiculous sequences that this team has. But I don’t know at this point, and I have to dig in and get the answer to this, Tarasenko has provided the Blues with a list of teams — are the Oilers on it? Would he want to go there? From a cap perspective and from a term perspective… Everyone is looking at that $7.5 million and saying ‘that’s a lot of money.’ I think for the value he provides when he’s healthy — 35-40 goals, and he’s consistently proven he can do that, and only for two years — I would be taking the risk.”

“I don’t think it’s going to be pick and prospect. This is more along the line of a hockey trade that works for the Blues where they can get pieces back that they can use.”