Blues D-man Matt Walker has approached the St. Louis Blues asking to be traded.
Walker, a third round pick of the Blues back in 1998, has had difficulty finding a place in the lineup on a regular basis.
Sources tell me Walker went to Blues management earlier in the season asking to be traded and the club politely denied his request.
The Blues will likely try to find a new home for the tough nosed Beaverlodge, Alberta native.
The key word here is toughness.
A team out there looking to add a little meat for basically no money might want to take a look at the 27 year old.
The Blues first will need a partner to make a deal with.
The Blues are not getting bombarded with calls asking about Walker, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t some interest out there.
Both Blues management and the coaches have praised Walker for his play this season. We’ve heard on more than one occasion how Walker has played the best hockey of his career recently.
There is no question Walker has had a pretty frustrating season. It’s obvious he’s not considered a top six guy by the coaching staff.
At the end of the day, he’s in the show making some pretty decent coin so life could be worse.
With Christian Backman going down with a foot injury many thought Walker would play some games in the next week or two.
Instead the Blues called up Jeff Woywitka from Peoria.
Some people believe the decision to play Woywitka ahead of Walker was a slap in the face to a guy who has kept his mouth quiet all season long. In fairness, Woywitka played pretty well Tuesday vs. Tampa Bay.
If the Blues are unable to trade Walker it appears unlikely he will be given a qualifying offer in the summer, making him an unrestricted free-agent on July first.
John Davidson and Larry Pleau met with Bryce Salvador’s agent Carlos Sosa on Tuesday and sources indicate progress was made in an effort to re-sign the veteran D-man.
The Blues are not ignoring D-man Barret Jackman who also will become an UFA if no deal is struck by July 1st. I hear the Blues are looking to offer the former Calder Trophy winner an extension in the neighborhood of 2.6-2.8 million per season. That number could be less than what he’s looking for.
I was told Tuesday night that it is very possible the Blues keep both Salvador and Jackman, but in order for this to happen the club would need to move a player who has a contract extending into next season.
Eric Brewer, Jay McKee, and Christian Backman all are under contract through at least the end of next year.
I know there’s the assumption that Jackman will automatically demand Jay McKee money. Let’s not forget McKee played 10 years in the NHL, and was an integral part of a playoff team prior to earning his money. Not to mention he got paid on July first.
Rink Rats!
Red Wings forward Dan Clearly will likely test free agency this summer. He is looking for a contract similar to the deal Chicago gave Patrick Sharp a few weeks ago. Word is Ken Holland is not willing to go that high.
The talk of Ducks GM Brian Burke serving in the same capacity for team USA in the 2010 Olympics began four years ago. Expect an official announcement to come next fall.
Blues Clues!
Martin Rucinsky participated in some contact drills in practice for the second straight day on Wednesday. He could return Saturday in Dallas.
Keith Tkachuk did not practice on Wednesday as he continues to battle the flu.
The Blues held a players only meeting this morning after practice on the ice. Bryce Salvador and Eric Brewer did most of the talking. The message was to start having fun again and that it’s ok to be happy and work hard at the same time. The mood has dropped a little bit and it appeared to be one of those “take a deep breath moments.” The players were laughing on the ice as these two guys did most of the talking.
Blaming goaltending after a loss too often is nothing more than an easy way out. When are the Blues going to step up when goaltender Manny Legace is having an off night? There was very little sense of urgency and desperation shown in the third period on Tuesday. What a disappointment in front of the home crowd. Who is going to step up and carry this team?
Lee Stempniak will be my guest at Pujols 5 restaurant this Thursday night from 6:00-7:00 for my hockey show Blues Buzz. Please stop by and say hello to Lee.
The show can be heard locally on 1380 am.
More to come,
Andy Strickland
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St Louis Blues Blogger •1380 ESPN • 
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