Alexander Nikishin keeps getting linked to the Blues, and Jeremy Rutherford just gave the idea more weight in St. Louis.
Rutherford addressed the rumors Saturday, and he was careful about what he has and hasn't reported.
“I haven't reported on the rumors, but I've written that acquiring Alexander Nikishin is a possibility that makes sense,” he said.
“In trades, the Blues have been known to stick to what they think is the right deal for them,” Rutherford added.
“And because nothing has materialized yet, that suggests they're sticking to their plan.”
Read it carefully and nothing here confirms an all-out pursuit. The fit is real, though, and the price seems to be the holdup.
Doug Armstrong works these deals like a buyer at a car lot who knows his number and won't move off it, no matter how long the salesman stalls.
Carolina visits St. Louis on Saturday with the Nikishin noise growing
The left-shot defenseman posted 33 points with Carolina last season, along with a +18 rating.
He has yet to play a game this season, which only adds to the noise around his future.
St. Louis needs the help. The Blues have allowed 28 goals and dropped a 5-2 decision in Nashville last night.
Philip Broberg carries an $8,000,000 cap hit and has four points. Brandon Carlo has gone minus-3 over his last five games.
Jordan Binnington's .831 save percentage isn't covering for any of it, and Jim Montgomery has leaned more on Joel Hofer.
Here's where Armstrong should bend. A 3-4-1 team with a leaky blue line can't afford to win the negotiation and lose the season.
Eric Tulsky doesn't look pressed to sell. The Hurricanes are 7-1-1 and riding a seven-game winning streak.
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And the timing gets interesting. After Winnipeg on Tuesday and Vegas on Thursday, the Blues host Carolina on Saturday.
If nothing has moved by puck drop that night, Nikishin's name will be hanging over the building anyway.
Should Doug Armstrong overpay to land Alexander Nikishin for the Blues?
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