Could Kyle Okposo be St. Louis bound? Should he be? (image via Flickr/BridgetDS)

Prior to the removal of Davis Payne and the installation of Ken Hitchock the Blues were prime targets for the rumor mill. Swimming, well more like drowning, in the standings as much as Jaroslav Halak was in his crease. A shakeup was needed and trades are often used to send a message from the front office down to the locker room. Would it be TJ Oshie or Patrik Berglund sent packing to make a point? What about blue line stalwart Barret Jackman or even Halak since Brian Elliott started off hot.

Thankfully, any temptation to do as such was resisted and a different path was taken. One producing immediate, positive results. The Blues have lost only once in regulation in Hitchcock’s first seven games with a 4-1-2 mark. With success should come a cessation to inter-franchise transaction speculation, right? Not in today’s NHL.

Talk that the New York Islanders top pick in the 2006 draft, Kyle Okposo, could be available has made the rounds lately. A post by infamous rumor blogger Eklund Tuesday indicates that the Blues are interested.

The rumor this morning is definitely surrounding Kyle Okposo. The Isles are in the market for a move to be certain, and I am pretty shocked to see Kyle may be available for the right price. A player I would grab were I a GM.

So far, Columbus, Toronto, St. Louis an Winnipeg are teams I am hearing have interest.

Use that little packet of salt left over from lunch to remind you that a General Manager is consistently talking to many of his 29 counterparts. Keeping tabs on player values and laying foundations for when the time is right. Acknowledged interest in and subsequent discussion of a player doesn’t always mean more than just what it is. The GM doing his job. In the case of this rumor at this time, that’s all that’s happening.

Should the Blues have interest? Of course they should. Okposo has the potential to be a powerful force in the NHL. Possessing that rare size, speed and skill combination that the likes of Chris Stewart and David Backes have.

The level of interest is determined by the cost to acquire. The phrase ‘may be available for the right price” says it all. Basically the Islanders are not looking to deal Okposo unless a team is willing to pay fair value for NHL production plus perceived potential or overpay outright. Nor should they. The scenario is very similar to that of Oshie rumors last season. How did that end up?

Not to say former high potential first round draft picks can’t be traded. Blues fans know they can be. Situations change. Erik Johnson went from franchise cornerstone to trade bait less than a year after completing his ELC. The 2006 draft class is full of examples. Not only Johnson and Stewart but Phil Kessel, Peter Mueller and Michael Frolik. Okposo joined Derrick Brassard of Columbus who opened the waiting list earlier this season.

If a deal is to be made, its likely a problem swap. Save for Kessel, the deals have trades made out of the 2006 class have been based on hopes that a change of scenery actualizes more potential and changes the troubled player for the better. An inconsistent Johnson swapped for an inconsistent Stewart. Slumping Mueller sent packing for up and down producer Wojtek Wolski. Frolik acquired for a log jammed Jack Skille.

With Columbus allegedly interested as well, maybe Brassard ends up swapped for Okposo. Such a trade would fit the trend.

The Blues have another “problem” type player in Patrik Berglund. Ironcically, a 2006 draft pick as well. While such a deal may work for the Islanders, it wouldn’t work for the Blues unless they Oshie and Stewart factored out of the plans going forward. Matt D’Agostini is a better option in the Hitchcock system for to be the third right wing than Okposo anyways. Less money ($1.5mil per vs. $2.8 mil per) and plays a better overall game. Moving Oshie to center could address the issue, but he is much better suited to playing on the wing. Don’t forget the Blues want Vladimir Tarasenko in North America next season. Why block his path further?

One possibility for a deal to work out would be including D’Agostini in the deal. BJ Crombeen could also be sent with D’Agostini transitioning to the 4th line and Okposo taking the 3rd line right wing position. This type of move could certainly benefit Hitchcock’s style of play. Taking the bruiser out of the lineup and adding more speed, skill while not sacrificing a physical presence.

Moves will be made throughout the season to bring the personnel in line with the coaching and game planning philosophy. That is for sure. Ones of this magnitude are possible, but not likely while the wins and points are streaming in. Right now there just isn’t a major need for change. There was and change came. A proposition worth remembering for a later date, but not something to be concerned with in the short term.

Looks like Tim Jackman is Mike Ricci's cousin. Image via sharkspage.com, and avert your eyes before clicking the photo for the full-size version

Off-Topic to start: if you don’t know (chances are likely that you don’t), my favorite music band is 311.  Today, March 11th, is a national holiday for us 311-heads.  Yes, it’s 311 Day!  They’re playing a huge live show in Las Vegas, which is being webcast worldwide.  Since I know just about all of their tunes by heart and there will be hockey on the tube, I won’t watch.  But I’m sure it’ll be fun.  And if you listen to any alternative radio stations today, you’ll probably hear a few 311 tracks today, as traditionally today is the day a whole bunch of fellow 311-heads are calling to hear their favorite 311 tunes.  Happy 311 Day, y’all!

The Blues are coming off a disappointing effort on Saturday against the Colorado Chris Stewarts Avalanche.  There was one early scrap involving BJ Crombeen and Cody McLeod, which ended in a draw after Crombeen fell on top of McLeod.  The draw brings the Blues to 57 fights on the season, still staying strong at 5th league-wide.  Their ’09-’10 fight record now stands at 23-18-16.

The New York Islanders have one of the younger, more exciting rebuilding teams in the league.  I won’t compare them to the Pittsburgh Penguins circa 2005, since that would be unfair to both squads.  However, they have high-end young stars in John Tavares and Kyle Okposo, among others.  But with this youth comes an unwillingness to throw down the gloves.  They have done so only 24 times this season, good for 26th in the NHL.  Their fight record is a God-awful 4-9-11.  Among the seven players that have contested these fights, only two are currently in Uniondale, representing 11 of those 24 fights.  When the Blues and Islanders matched up on November 21st in The ‘Lou, the two teams predictably did not throw down the gloves.

There is only one current Islander that is a threat to get into a fracas, winger Tim Jackman (6’4″, 210lbs, 2-4-4), pictured above.  Jackman, who is of no relation to our own Barret Jackman, brings size and a nasty mean streak about him.  He is not a threat to score, but he is the kind of guy that does the dirty things to help young teams along a rebuilding process.  The only other fighter still with the Islanders is defenseman Bruno Gervais (6’1″, 205lbs, 0-1-0).  The other five fighters that are not currently with the Islanders are center Nate Thompson (6’0″, 207lbs, 1-1-3 with the Isles and 1-1-4 overall, waived to Tampa Bay on January 21st), defenseman and noted Philadelphia SUV-defeater Brendan Witt (6’2″, 223lbs, 0-1-2, in the AHL since February 5th), defenseman Andy Sutton (6’6″, 245lbs, 0-1-1, traded to Ottawa on March 2nd), winger Matt Martin (6’2″, 192lbs, 1-0-1, in the AHL since February 11th) and winger Joel Rechlicz (6’4″, 220lbs, 0-1-0, in the AHL since October 21st).

My dream fight matchup this evening involves a couple of heavyweights, but it is all dependent on how Blues coach Davis Payne wants to play his hand.  Assuredly, you would think Tim Jackman would play, but will the Blues ride with DJ King?  King did not suit up on Saturday.  If he’s not in the owner’s box tonight, I want him to face off against Jackman.  They’re both big, strong, tough and ornery.  This is about the only fight I would want to see between these two teams, but admittedly, the chances of a fight in this one are slim even if King DOES play.

If you want to be a playoff team, this is a game the Blues MUST have.  Go get it!

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights