SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Keith Tkachuk began hearing the trade
rumors when he signed a three-year contract extension for $8.3
million a season through 2002-03.
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On a team hemorrhaging red ink, that kind of money soon became a
liability.
So Tkachuk wasn't surprised when the Phoenix Coyotes dealt him
to the St. Louis Blues shortly before NHL trade deadline
Tuesday for three players with potential and a first-round draft choice.
"I knew it was coming," Tkachuk said. "They told me this deal
was obviously financial. I really, really wanted to stay here and
try to win a (Stanley) Cup, but I'm going to a better situation.
This team -- the St. Louis Blues -- is committed to winning.
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Tue, March 13
It has been clear for some time: the team that landed Keith Tkachuk was going to be the winner in that particular deal. Michal Handzus is going to be a great young player, but he's never going to be a 50-goal, 100-plus points power forward. This is a great trade for St. Louis.
Complete Melrose analysis
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"They have some great players there, and I'm looking forward to
getting out of the first round."
That's something Tkachuk never experienced with the Coyotes,
whose string of nine consecutive first-round playoff exits began in
1988 -- four years before he joined the franchise in Winnipeg.
By 1994, he was the Jets' captain, remaining to become the only
captain the team has had in its five seasons in Phoenix.
"It's a sad day for him in many respects," said Bob Murray,
Tkachuk's agent. "He has been part of this organization for 10
years and had hoped to remain with the Coyotes for all his years,
but he understands the decision had to be made. But St. Louis is a
very good organization."
Phoenix coach Bob Francis said he would name an assistant captain to go
along with Jeremy Roenick and Teppo Numminen, but would leave the
captaincy vacant for about a week.
"This is a situation that makes sense for a lot of reasons,"
Francis said. "Obviously St. Louis is going for the big one and
they acquired an excellent hockey player in Keith Tkachuk. From our
standpoint, we acquired three excellent hockey players, two of
which are in the league right now."
Francis wasn't sure who will play left wing on the top line, but
mentioned right wing Shane Doan, who got some experience there last
season with Tkachuk hampered by an ankle injury the last three
months.
In return for Tkachuk, Phoenix received center Michael Handzus,
right wing Ladislav Nagy and Jeff Taffe, the Blues' first-round
choice in the draft last year.
Phoenix also got defenseman Todd Simpson from the Florida
Panthers for a second-round draft choice in another move that beat
the trade deadline.
They were the second and third trades since developer Steve
Ellman and Wayne Gretzky bought the team Feb. 15.
On March 5, the Coyotes sent goalie Nikolai Khabibulin and
defenseman Stan Neckar to the Tampa Bay Lightning for defenseman
Paul Mara, forwards Mike Johnson and Ruslan Zainullin and a draft
choice.
"In our minds we balanced out the present with the future, and
all of us in the Coyotes organization feel that we're much better
prepared to make a run for a playoff spot," general manager Cliff
Fletcher said.
The Blues said Tkachuk would join the team Wednesday night at
Minnesota.
"Keith Tkachuk will give our team an entirely new, dynamic
personality up front," Blues GM Larry Pleau said. "Keith is one
of only a handful of players in the league who can bring a blend of
leadership, physical presence and goal-scoring ability to the rink
shift after shift."
Tkachuk has 323 goals, 300 assists and 1,508 penalty minutes. In
44 career playoff games, he has 19 goals and nine assists.
This season he registered 29 goals and 42 assists in 68 games.
Tkachuk ranks first on the franchise list in penalty minutes and
game-winning goals.
Handzus, 24, has been out of the Blues lineup since undergoing
abdominal surgery on Jan. 12, but Fletcher said the 24-year-old
Slovak, who had 10 goals and 14 assists in 36 games before the
injury, might play Wednesday night against New Jersey.
Nagy, 21, had eight goals and eight assists. In 11 games last
season, his first, he had two goals and four assists.
Taffe, a forward for the University of Minnesota, was the top
scorer on the U.S. World Junior Championships team last season.
Simpson played in 25 games for the Panthers this season, missing
40 games with a concussion before returning to the lineup on March
2. Last season, Simpson was second in the NHL with 202 penalty
minutes, and Francis said it was important to add a physical player
with the departure of Tkachuk.
In six seasons
split between Florida and Calgary, he has played in 321 games,
collecting 6-35-41. Last season, his 202 penalty minutes ranked
second in the NHL.
"I like Simpson," said Phoenix goalie Sean Burke. "He's a
tough player. Everybody can use a physical presence."
The Blues also got left wing Cory Stillman from the
Calgary Flames before the trade deadline.
Calgary received center Craig Conroy and a seventh-round choice in
the draft this June for Stillman, third on the team with 45 points on
21 goals and 24 assists.
Conroy had 11 goals and 14 assists in 69 games.
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Cup-winning question: To trade or not to trade?
AUDIO VIDEO
 Keith Tkachuk likes his chances to go deep into the playoffs with St. Louis.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Coach Joel Queneville likes the addition of Keith Tkachuk to the Blues' roster.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
GM Larry Pleau felt the stagnant Blues needed a personality change.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Blues GM Larry Pleau and ESPN's Bill Clement discuss the acquisition of Keith Tkachuk.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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