Randall Ritchey

As posted over on the other web-based blog I write for, St. Louis Game Time, here is my interview with Blues prospect Max Gardiner ;

I’ve been chatting with Max Gardiner online and I figured why not let the fans know a bit more about what the Blues got with their 74th pick in the 2010 NHL entry draft.

St. Louis Game Time : Going into the season at Minnetonka, what were your expectations going into the season.

Max Gardiner : I was expecting to be a top guy and a guy that was going to help lead the team. I was also expecting a state championship, which we fell just short of.

Max Gardiner adds size, skill, and a power forward game to the Blues prospect pool.

STLGT :  Was it this season that it hit you that you could actually be drafted into the NHL or was it before?

MG : Well, I saw my brother go through the process and that’s when i made it a goal of mine. I had a few interviews before the season and figured I probably had a chance at getting drafted.

STLGT : How do you feel about how your season went at Minnetonka? What are your highs and lows?

MG : I felt good about how I played up until I broke my wrist. That was definitely a low of my season. It was tough sitting out those 8 games. I also had mono when i got hurt so that was tough. I felt good when I came back and winning the section tournament was an all time high for me. Losing the state championship game was definitely tough too.

STLGT :  Headed into the draft, what were the feelings you had when you sat there and waited for your named to be called?

MG : I was pretty nervous but i knew that it was all out of my control at that point so i just tried to sit there and relax and take in the great experience.

STLGT : When the Blues called your name in the third round, what were the emotions going through you at the time?

MG : It was pretty amazing. It felt great to be selected by a great organization that already has some very good Minnesota kids in the lineup.

STLGT : Standing at 6′3″, 180lbs, you’re a fairly big boy. How do you use that size to your advantage?

MG : I try to use my body to my advantage when im protecting the puck and driving the net. I am also trying to become a little more physical which will help having the size that I have.

STLGT :  You’ve committed to the Golden Gophers next season, what was the decision behind that?

MG : I grew up watching the Gophers and always dreamed of being a Gopher. They have a great program there and I’m really excited to be a part of the tradition there.

STLGT :  I have to ask this to most of the players I interview, if you weren’t playing hockey, what would you be doing?

MG : I would probably try to play golf as much as I could. I love to play golf in my free time and would still want to be involved in sports.

I thank Max for taking the time out to answer these questions. He helped give the fans a better look inside the life of an NHL prospect. Here is to hoping that Max can develop as well as our other Minnesota boys have as well.. Oh, and as a North Dakota fan, I’ll put my pride aside and root for Max, as long as he’s not playing the Sioux.

I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted a decent article so I’m looking to rekindle my writing skills, which we all know were never very sharp in the first place.

I’ve been looking a lot into this free agent market and it’s pretty well known that the Blues will look do make some moves this off-season, but we wont be driving hard for a 10 million dollar man, sorry Kovalchuk fans! So, trying to be as realistic as possible in my top three free agent wants.

1. Alex Tanguay

Tanguay had a down year in Tampa, but still has the skill to produce.

After a season with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Alex struggled playing his game in Tampa Bay. Rick Tocchet didn’t put Alex in a lot of positions to put up big points. He spent a lot of time on the third and fourth line in Tampa. The playing time he did get on the second line was mostly with Vincent Lecavalier who had a very down year himself.

With most of the offense coming from Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis, the rest of the offensive players struggled to produce. Alex included in that.

The season before last, Alex played quite well in a shortened season with the Montreal Canadiens, posting 41 points in 50 games before  . Alex spent the previous two season with Calgary posting 139 points (40 goals, 99 assists) in 159 games.

Alex can play both left wing and center and has the ability to post 20 goals – 40/50 assists in the right role which I think he could fill playing in St. Louis.

Maxim Afinogenov had a rebounding year in Atlanta this year.

2. Maxim Afinogenov

As a long time Afinogenov fan, when people said he’d never again be a successful NHLer and would be bolting to “Mother Russia” last off-season, I said someone would sign the guy they call “Mad Max” and would get a absolute bargain.

When Max signed with the Atlanta Thrashers for a $.800k last season, I expected big things playing with fellow country man Ilya Kovlachuk and Slava Kozlov along with Kazakhstan forward Nik Antropov. Boy was I right. after playing in the dog house of Lindy Ruff the last few years, Max got to utilize his speed and skill in Atlanta by posting a 61 point season (24 goals, 37 assists).

Maxim is expected to get a decent pay raise this off-season, but I wouldn’t expect his contract to pass the three million dollar mark. Which is easily affordable with the pay roll the Blues will hold. Max could fill a need of speed and skill and the ability to finish to the Blues.

3. Alexei Ponikarovsky

Ponikarovsky one of those, 'hard to gauge' seasons this past year.

Ponikarovsky is the biggest question mark in my opinion because his salary could be outrageous or right at market value, which in my opinion would be around the three million dollar mark. Not to mention his questionable play with Pittsburgh after the trade deadline.

Alexei potted 41 points in 61 games with Toronto this past season, but only nine points in 16 games games with Pittsburgh and has only 4 points in 10 playoff games this year, and was a healthy scratch the last game for Pittsburgh in place of Mike Rupp.

He has the skill to pot 20+ goals, 50+ points a year and has the size to win those big battles in the corner.  If you could get him on a cheaper side, say at or around three million a year, then you do it. But there are others above him I would rather have.

These are my realistic choices that actually have a possibility of happening. Of course I’d rather have Ilya Kovalchuk, Patrick Marleau or Tomas Plekanec above the following three, but the likeliness of landing these players are slim to none.

The next edition will be focusing on defense, then last will be goaltending. Please let me know what you think and what are YOUR top forward wants this offs eason?

Randall Ritchey

After playing in 1,200 games in parts of 19 season in the NHL, Keith ‘Big Walt’ Tkachuk announced that this will be his last season in the National Hockey League and is choosing to hang up his skates.

Keith Tkachuk is set to retire at th end of this season.

He chooses to retire as a St. Louis Blue. Playing in parts of 9 years in the Gateway To the West, Tkachuk has found St. Louis to be home. He spends almost all his time in St. Louis and it wouldn’t surprise me if Walt finds his home in this city even after his retirement.

After plenty of speculation that Tkachuk would be traded the last two trade deadline, first it was rumors of Tkachuk and Perron to Boston for Phil Kessel, and this year, Tkachuk to Boston for a pick, but this was just speculation, rumors.

But Big Walt remained with the Blues to make an incredible playoff push with St. Louis last season, going from 15th to 6th to make the post season with the best record in the second half of the season. After a four game sweep at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks, the Blues went into the off-season, disappointed and looking towards the next season.

With high expectations, the Blues started slow, continued slow, and going into January, sat towards the bottom of the league. Not where they we’re expecting themselves to be. Tkachuk had a set back in his game after taking a puck to the mouth, losing four teeth missing a bit of time due to injury.

Tkachuk shows off his missing teeth.

After continuous losing, Blues president, John Davidson had to fire head coach Andy Murray. In return, the Blues brought in Davis Payne, the head coach of the Peoria Rivermen.

The Blues got on a run, gaining ground, slowly but surely towards eighth place.

The Blues entered the Olympic Break on a three game winning streak, lastly beating the leagues best team, the Washington Capitals.

With three Blues players participating in the Olympics, David Backes, Erik Johnson, and Roman Polak. It gave the rest of the Blues a chance to rest. This including Keith Tkachuk who was suffering from a injury to his pinky. After believing it would recover over the break, he needed surgery to fix his injury after it did not heal. Missing some time after this, Tkachuk still has had a successful season, recording 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists) over a 66 game span thus far this season.

But it was tonight, during the FSN broadcast, Tkachuk joined the FSN crew and announced that it was after this season ends, Tkachuk would hang up his skates and retire, as a St. Louis Blue.

Tkachuk with the Winnipeg Jets.

Tkachuk spent time as a Winnipeg Jet, Phoenix Coyotes, Atlanta Thrashers, and the St. Louis Blues.

After an illustrious and successful career, Tkachuk will retire.

In 1,200 NHL games, Tkachuk has scored 538 goals, 525 assists for 1,063 points.  Some question if this will be enough for a Hall Of Fame induction, or if the Blues will retire Walts number seven, but this will only be known with time.

So to Walt, congratulations for a successful career, and I hope that you have the greatest life possible. Thank you for entertaining all us fans for so many years and hope for a long and healthy life outside of the game of hockey.

Randall Ritchey

randallritchey@gmail.com