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Trading Tarasenko is no easy task

June 1, 2021, 8:39 PM ET [25 Comments]
John Gove
Boston Bruins Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
After their second-straight first-round elimination, the St. Louis Blues are due for a slight roster makeover. With the hopes of keeping the Stanley Cup window open a bit longer, the organization is not prepared for a complete teardown, and rightfully so. Still, the time to inject new pieces with hopes of revitalizing the troops is now.

As we prepare to witness the departure of a few household players, there is no name quite as intriguing as Vladimir Tarasenko. The one Blues star winger has not been the same player after three shoulder surgeries. Since scoring 33 goals in 76 games during the Stanley Cup-winning season, Tarasenko has struggled to remain on the ice long enough to provide the value expect with his annual $7.5 million cap hit. Yes, a possibility remains that he can regain his old scoring prowess. However, the Blues may not be in the position to take that gamble.

In a perfect world, the simple resolution involves the Blues ridding themselves of a declining Tarasenko and utilize that cleared cap space to improve the team heading into next season. As we all know, though, this is far from a perfect world. The idea of moving Tarasenko, no matter how much you like him, seems nice. Still, is it realistic? Especially when your talking about a team looking to retool, not rebuild.

Unfortunately, Tarasenko possesses a few red flags for potential trade partners.

First, there is an obvious decline in health and, in turn, production. In theory, potential suitors are not striking a deal for the same 30-plus goal scorer from a few seasons ago. They are taking a risk on a once dangerous goal-scorer not only remaining healthy for a full season; ideally two, they are also banking on the chance that he regains enough strength in that shoulder to light the lamp again consistently. Whether you want to admit it or not, potential trade partners will need to assume some risk, making it less likely to offer anything incredibly enticing St. Louis's direction in return.

Aside from the past injuries, Tarasenko's remaining contract also adds to the risk. With two years left $60 million deal, any team potentially looking to add him to their ranks embarks on a financial commitment. Two years doesn't seem like much; however, with a stagnant cap, very few teams are looking to add that kind of salary to their books, especially for a player that may never reach his top performance again.

Then, you need to factor in Tarasenko's No-Trade Clause. The Blues cannot just ship him anywhere they please. With the power to veto any potential deal, Tarasenko has some control over where he ends up. Luckily, it appears as though Tarasenko may be ready for a change of scenery, potentially making him more open to potential destinations.

Something else we need to consider is what exactly St. Louis hopes to accomplish dealing the former first-rounder. Are they looking to clear the cap space, or do they want a hockey trade that brings in pieces to help the team win now? If the Blues look to clear cap space, more deals might be on the table. They can then use that newfound money to add to the roster. Unfortunately, I personally struggle with the idea that they will receive real value in a hockey trade.

Now, there are other ways St. Louis can rid themselves of Tarasenko if they are sold on doing so. Even though it remains unclear whether Seattle would be willing to go that route, there is always the expansion draft. The Blues could even go the buyout direction as well. Although that comes with some long-term issues, the team might not be up for.

We can dive into those alternate options at a later date. For now, one would imagine the team prefers to explore the trade route. It might not be as simple as they hope to get a deal done.
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