Confirmed with Link: Tarasenko 50% & Mikkola to NYR for 1st RP, 4th RP, F S. Blais, and D H. Skinner

[tfriede2]

Again it doesnt say it was the 2024, 3rd round pick.

Like you I wonder if it is the 2023 3rd round pick.

Update. Capfriendly now states that Arizona opted for the 2026 2nd. The Blues will get the 2024 (most likely) 3rd (definitely not 2023). Bummer.

 

[BlueDream]

Decent return. Would have liked a better prospect but oh well.

I like that Armstrong pointed out that the possibility of another injury happening made him more urgent to get this deal done. We absolutely had to get something for Tarasenko more than anyone else on the roster. Glad this saga is finally over and he’s gone. Honestly not going to miss him much.

 

[ezcreepin]

Man I didn't feel much when this trade happened, but seeing everyone else's replies is making me feel all nostalgic. I remember being in high school and talking to my friends about this young Russian kid the blues drafted who was massive and had one of the best shots the NHL hasn't see yet. After a couple years following him in the KHL, he finally came over and gave us something to be excited about. Scored his first against Detroit with a pass up the walls from Ian Cole, deked out the goalie and scored with a release I don't know if I'll ever see again. Then he scored a bit later with one of the most confident moves I've seen a rookie pull and roof the puck. I'll think fondly to that game tying goal against Chicago in the playoffs that missed so many players, and then his Forsberg goal against the Rangers. Obviously I can never forget his pass to Schenn to put us up 3-0 in the 3rd.

Tarasenko and Perron have been my favorite players for a long time, even before all the hype with them. It's going to be sad to see this team without either of them, but I am glad I was able to see him win a cup with us.

As far as the trade, getting Blais and Skinner is a bit weird, I don't know why those two would be players we'd try to target (moving cap and contracts sure), but getting a 1st and a 3rd for Tarasenko and Mikkola is exactly what we hoped to get. Let's not forget that teams trading for rentals have picks that are inherently further back of the round. The uproar though seems to stem from the fact that we didn't get a "prospect" but rather warm bodies/contracts to make this work. All in all, it's a fine trade.

 

[ChicagoIsBedarded]

The human hand grenade has moved on.

See ya frank

 

[Falco Lombardi]

Nah, it was a slewfoot. A dirty play by a dirty player

That’s right. I knew Subban was involved

 

[hackeyman]

Rangers fan coming in peace. What can you tell me about Mikkola ? He missed games last year and the year before . Any injuries or was he a healthy scratch/ sent to minors ?

 

[Hrkac Circus]

Ransku, Maybe we get a Finn in this year’s draft.

 

[PJJJP]

Rangers fan coming in peace. What can you tell me about Mikkola ? He missed games last year and the year before . Any injuries or was he a healthy scratch/ sent to minors ?

He can be decent defensively in a 3rd pair role. He will probably look better for you guys because our D-Zone strategy is a mess. Dude does not know how to handle the puck or make a pass. Get him a partner that can make a pass and skate out the puck and you should be good

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Sammy Blais is the New Copley.

 

[kimzey59]

Rangers fan coming in peace. What can you tell me about Mikkola ? He missed games last year and the year before . Any injuries or was he a healthy scratch/ sent to minors ?

Big
Willing to play physical
Good skater
Offensive black hole and not the "he's got no skills" type of blackhole. He's doesn't have any skills, and yet he always seems to somehow find himself leading the rush only to run out of room and turn the puck over.


Healthy scratch last year.
Not that our depth was overly good, but we had a heck of a lot of bodies(Faulk, Parayko, Krug, Scandella, Bortuzzo, Walman, Rosen, Perunovich).

 

[542365]

Rangers fan coming in peace. What can you tell me about Mikkola ? He missed games last year and the year before . Any injuries or was he a healthy scratch/ sent to minors ?

Big, skates well, plays physical, can’t make a pass. He’s fine as a 6/7. Nothing special. Serviceable depth. He was just asked to do too much here due to injuries on the left side.

 

[STL fan in MN]

We need players for next season. With ROR, Tarasenko, and likely Barby gone, Blais could fit in well. He will be 27 this summer and would be a solid cheap player for us. We know what we have with him so it isn't like fit is an issue.

Replaces Barbashev physicality.

We know the old Blais. They now get a look at Blais with a reconstructed knee. Obviously they know well how he’d fit as a personality in the room but I would think the rest of this season is an audition of sorts on if they’d be interested in bringing him back for next season and in what sort of role.

 

[kimzey59]

Ransku, Maybe we get a Finn in this year’s draft.

Just saying; I would not be upset if Halttunen fell to us.

Nor would be upset if we made a slight reach to grab Kiiskinen(depending on what we do with our first pick).

 

[mk80]

So here's a pressing issue, Blais had the 91 number sin New York. Would be tough to assume that in the aftermath of the Tarasenko trade, I'm also assuming Pitlick can't switch out of #9 mid season. So what number does he take?

 

[Blueston]

So here's a pressing issue, Blais had the 91 number sin New York. Would be tough to assume that in the aftermath of the Tarasenko trade, I'm also assuming Pitlick can't switch out of #9 mid season. So what number does he take?

Didn’t know he needed number for press box.

 

[Xanadude]

So here's a pressing issue, Blais had the 91 number sin New York. Would be tough to assume that in the aftermath of the Tarasenko trade, I'm also assuming Pitlick can't switch out of #9 mid season. So what number does he take?

His old 64 is open, bet it's that.

I'm sad to see Tarasenko go but a 1st for a rental is a great haul, let alone the other pieces. Who knows, maybe tank commander Blais leads us to the promised land of a lottery pick and a quick retool.

 

[BleedBlue14]

I’m not sure how many of you watched the interviews with Schenn, ROR, and Berube on Twitter, I’m sure it was shared elsewhere, but I got the vibe that none of them were really near as upset about Tank being moved.

I know the circumstances are different but Schenn seemed pretty adamant when statsny was moved about how disappointed and how he was a big piece.

They seemed more or less like he was a great player for the org and see ya. Could be a nervousness if not knowing who’s next or it could be he wasn’t a very outgoing guy within the locker room or more or less a part of leadership.

It’s not really a bad thing one way or another as a testament to Vladi. But it was just odd how wierd the responses were

 

[Xerloris]

I know the circumstances are different but Schenn seemed pretty adamant when statsny was moved about how disappointed and how he was a big piece.

I think that was more because we were in the playoff hunt till the last game of the season and trading Stastny was viewed as Armstrong taking away the teams chance to make the playoffs. It's very different this time.

 

[AjaxManifesto]

Sammy Blais is the New Copley.

We had another French Canadian who came back (3x) and it paid off nicely!

 

[CraftyVeteran]

my problem is more with when Tank was traded. Douggie could have gotten so much more if he didn't arrogantly believe this team was anywhere near good enough to go on a deep run the last two seasons. A bit of a let down IMO.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

Rangers fan coming in peace. What can you tell me about Mikkola ? He missed games last year and the year before . Any injuries or was he a healthy scratch/ sent to minors ?

Nothing major. He’s fine for a bottom pair role. He’s not afraid to get physical. A likely 3rd round pick felt fair in return for him (which is how I viewed that part of the deal)

 

[TheDizee]

next step:

From Rangers side at Athletic “It’s believed that the Blues jumped at this deal now because there simply weren’t any other offers with a first-round pick on the table. And Armstrong may not have anticipated any, so he took what Drury was offering, which was likely only a confirmed first if Mikkola was in the deal.”

Good. I'd trade Mikkola for a bag of Cheetos. Can't stress how happy I am that he is gone.

 

[Blueston]

I’m a bit concerned that the minor leaguer we got is straight out of Silence of the Lambs.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

next step:

Good. I'd trade Mikkola for a bag of Cheetos. Can't stress how happy I am that he is gone.

Yeah I don’t have the problem with Mikkola you do but if he’s the difference between getting a first and not, that’s a very very easy call

 

[TheDizee]

Yeah I don’t have the problem with Mikkola you do but if he’s the difference between getting a first and not, that’s a very very easy call

hes fine as a depth d-man. but hes always gonna be overexposed in any other full time role.

and he is certainly not worth the money he makes and will make. hes a low IQ player too, so happy hes gone.