Blues/Canucks Looking To Deal?
By Jeff Gordon
Hockey Guy remains in David Backes’ camp, despite his offensive decline this season. So this bit of speculation in the Globe and Mail was unsettling.
Canucks scout Scott Mellanby lives in St. Louis and sees a lot of the Blues, so there is at least some smoke here. It is interesting that Canucks general manager Mike Gillis and his top aide Laurence Gilman took in the Blues-Canadiens game in Montreal.
It is interesting that Backes is scratched from the game in Ottawa, with what Davis Payne called an upper body issue.
The injury-depleted Canucks may merely be interested in one of the Blues defensemen. Interestingly, the Blues scratched Mike Weaver and gave Darryl Sydor a spin in Montreal. Also, the team may move Carlo Colaiacovo before the trade deadline rather sign unrestricted-free-agent-to-be to a new contract.
The Blues have some depth on defense, with Peoria’s Tyson Strachan more than capable of filling a role at the NHL level.
This Globe and Mail also makes you wonder about the future of Ben Bishop, the St. Louisan who hasn’t advanced past the emergency fill-in stage at the NHL level. One of the top Vancouver assets is young goaltender Cory Schneider.
http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/hockey-guy/hockey-guy/2010/01/bluescanucks-looking-to-deal/