THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Should the Blues have traded for Chris Pronger knowing that they were just a few days away from buying out Jay McKee?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
No. The price tag was simply too much for Pronger. The Ducks wanted a package of players and the names mentioned were Patrik Berglund, T.J. Oshie and David Backes. I would keep them and take my chances signing Pronger next season. The decision to buyout McKee came Monday, as the team tried to free up enough money to re-sign Mike Weaver and Brad Winchester, and a goalie in free agency.

DERRICK GOOLD
The bundle of players and picks Philadelphia had to pay to get Pronger borders on absurd, so even though a move for Pronger made so much sense for the Blues — especially with the release of McKee imminent — the p.r. and the performance just wasn’t worth that price. But buying out McKee leaves the Blues exposed to a bigger question. Now that they’ve alleviated some cap space on their payroll, how will they spend it? Will there be goals at the end of the stick they can now woo? Bring on the scoring forward. Because as swell as it would be for the Chattering Class to have Pronger back in front of the mics, ready for that red light to pop on, or back for another round of those screaming scrums in the hallway, the Blues don’t need a talker, even if he plays a mean blue line. They need scorer.

TOM TIMMERMANN
Every trade hinges on what the other team wants, and if the Ducks were looking for more than the Flyers gave up, that would be a pretty steep price. But even at a good price, the Blues might not “need” Pronger. (If he were free, then by all means …) They’re not replacing their No. 1 defenseman. They’re replacing their No. 5 or 6 defenseman. At that price, McKee was way overpaid. If you move Eric Brewer and Erik Johnson back into the equation, and maybe Alex Pietrangelo, pretty soon the words most associated with McKee would be “healthy scratch.” The Blues don’t need a high-priced defenseman. Pronger’s salary would also limit their ability to spend money on a goalscorer.

ANDY STRICKLAND (Hockeybuzz.com, KFNS)
When looking at the Chris Pronger situation, it’s important to understand one thing. Ducks GM Bob Murray was determined not to trade his largest asset, and one of the best defensemen in the world, to another Western Conference team. If you think the Flyers gave up a lot (which they did) just think what the Blues would have had to part with to acquire the greatest D-man in the history of the Blues organization. (Yes I said best D-man to ever play for the Blues.) I love how teams like Philly and the New York Rangers year after year chase the Stanley Cup only to get bounced early in the playoffs. The Blues are trying to build a Cup winner, not chase one. Do I wish the Blues were able to land Pronger? Absolutely. But it had be realistic in terms of what they needed to part with. The cap hit for the next two seasons for McKee is around $1.4, now they can go out and get another player for around $2.5 which adds up to the same $4 million number McKee would have cost if they had hung onto him.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
No, not at the price that was paid to get him. The Flyers gave up three first round picks (2010, 2011 and 2008 1st rounder Luca Sbisa) and a 25-year-old Joffrey Lupul, who has 102 career goals. All that plus a conditional 3rd-round pick is too much to pay for a guy who makes a lot of money and can be a free agent after the 2009-2010 season. Heck, if Pronger doesn’t like it in Philly (wouldn’t that be a shock given the nature of the sports scene there) the Blues can try to sign him next offseason without having to give up a player.

There are deals I would have made to get Pronger, like a player off the roster and the No. 17 pick, but not what Philly parted with. He would certainly make the Blues a lot better for this season and I’m all for trading kids for impact players heading into a year where you expect to make the playoffs, but you can’t mortgage too much of the future just yet.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Erik Johnson is getting close to receiving full clearance on his injured right knee and should return to the ice 100 percent very soon. In the brief time you’ve been able to see Johnson play, what impact do you think his return will have on the Blues next season, both offensively and defensively? And, do you believe Johnson will someday live up to his No. 1 overall draft status?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
Johnson’s return should have a significant impact on the Blues’ defense. He’s exactly what they were missing last season, a defenseman who could naturally move the puck and also tee off from the point. As a rookie in 2007-08, Johnson led the defense with 33 points and he was only getting better at the end of the season. The year off because of the knee injury was terrible, but Johnson said Tuesday that he’s used the time to build up his body. He played at 222 as a rookie, got up to 240 a few months ago and said he plans to be 227 by training camp. He never would have had that time without the injury. Johnson also said Tuesday that he’s VERY motivated by people saying the “lost” year will hurt his development. So he’s healthy and all of the ingredients are there for him to get back in the picture.

As far as living up to his No. 1 draft status, I’m of the belief that unless you’ve shown that you can’t be that type of player, then there’s still a chance he can live up to it. In the time he’s been on the ice, he’s not shown anything to make people think otherwise.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Erik Johnson will be a great player, a true cornerstone defenseman. He can do it all. He’s tough. He has excellent mobility for a big man. He’s an accurate passer. He’s smart and can read the ice. He has the kind of shot you want on the point from the power play. The knee inury was a setback, but he’ll benefit from the adversity. He used the time to build himself up and become bigger and stronger. The time away from the ice made him realize how much he loves hockey, so in that regard he’ll be even more devoted to the quest of maximizing his talent to have a sensational career. When I talked to Johnson the other day, I was just very impressed by his maturity level. He’s still a young man, but he really grew up during his time off. This will be a very hungry and determined hockey player when the Blues gather for training camp in several months.

TOM TIMMERMANN
I think it’s tough for any defenseman to live up to a No. 1 overall status. As a top pick you’re judged by the people you were chosen ahead of, which in Johnson’s case is Jordan Staal, Jonathan Toews, Nicklas Backstrom and Phil Kessel. One of those guys may well help a team to a Stanley Cup before Johnson does. If you think of a No. 1 pick as being a franchise-changing, best guy in the league, well, the hockey cognoscenti may appreciate defensemen, but not Jacques Q. Public, which means it will be tough to live up to that status. In Johnson’s lifetime, one defensman has been an MVP, Chris Pronger. In my slightly longer lifetime, there have been two, Pronger and Bobby Orr.

But Johnson can be very, very good and his impact will be large because he bumps everyone down. What would he have meant this season? It means that in the series with the Canucks, the Blues wouldn’t have been playing Mike Weaver or Jay McKee. (Probably Weaver.) Erik Johnson would be out there for 20+ minutes a night. He would get time on the power play, which obviously killed the team in the playoffs. He would get time on the PK. They will score more goals. They will allow fewer. I wish he played this season to get the playoff experience that all the other kids did.

DAN O’NEILL
I don’t think we have seen enough of Johnson to be able to predict whether he will live up to his status as the No. 1 overall pick the draft. I think he showed enough in the second half of his initial season (2007-08) to suggest he will be a solid NHL defenseman, but whether he will be the second coming of Al MacInnis remains to be seen.

That said, he addresses exactly what the Blues need, a big defenseman with offensive transition skills and a hard shot. He certainly should help the power play. But I think a lot of people are assuming Johnson is going to pick up where he left off, I doubt that. I think he faces a significant transition period, just from a physical standpoint. On top of that, he still needs experience and time to develop. To be honest, it’s difficult to say exactly what people can expect to get from Johnson when he returns.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
Assuming he stays healthy, Johnson will easily be the best offensive defensman on the Blues squad next season. Unless they make a trade for someone like, oh I don’t know, Chris Pronger. Johnson scored 33 points in 69 games in 2007-2008 despite the fact that he didn’t turn 20 until the end of March that season. That, by the way, led all Blues defensemen that year and would have led all Blues defensemen this past season too.

Once he’s back to 100 percent as a player, not just the health of his knee, he’ll be a major force as a guy who can move the puck two ways: passing it and skating with it. During our post-game shows late in Johnson’s rookie season Kelly Chase would marvel at how the kid just skated away from opposing forwards while bringing the puck out of the defensive zone and into the offensive zone.

Barring further injury there is no doubt in my mind that E.J. will live up to the hype and become an All-Star.

ANDY STRICKLAND (Hockeybuzz.com, KFNS)
The Blues getting a healthy Erik Johnson in the lineup will be huge. Most Blues fans have yet to see why this kid was chosen 1st overall back in 2006. We all know the Blues biggest weakness is on the back end and having a guy who can flat-out skate, shoot, and lug the puck up ice will do wonders for a team with lots of skill up front. Plus EJ is  the closest thing to Al Macinnis when it comes to possessing high-end vision in the offensive end. The Blues need a major upgrade when it comes to D-men who can make direct plays with the puck. Johnson will provide a lift especially in the offensive end.

Now with this being said, it would be foolish to assume he won’t be affected by missing an entire season after tearing his ACL. We can only assume he will rebound fine physically but losing a full year of maturation on the ice will take time to overcome.

In terms of him living up to his first overall status, this one is tough. In order to do this Johnson will have to prove he is the best player to be drafted in 2006. This won’t be easy considering Jonathan Toews, Jordan Staal, Nicklas Backstrom, Phil Kessel, Bryan Little, and Milan Lucic are each part of this terrific draft class. Johnson will be right there, but I just listed off some elite NHL players who should continue to be great for the next 10-15 years. It’s hard to say who will have the best career. We live in a Monday morning QB world so it’s easy to second guess, but people need to remember EJ was the consensus No. 1 pick heading into his draft year. As long as he stays determined and committed to being great, the Blues and their fans will be very happy with No. 6 for the next decade.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: What do you think are the St. Louis Blues top priorities this offseason?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
One of the Blues’ priorities needs to be a scoring forward, preferably a right winger, but that probably won’t be addressed this offseason. The attractive wingers available — Marian Gaborik, Marian Hossa, Martin Havlat and Alex Kovalev — are going to command big money. The Blues may be a year or two away from signing a forward in that class.

Some of what they do this summer hinges on what happens with Keith Tkachuk . . . not because re-signing Tkachuk lessens the need for a scoring forward, because it doesn’t. If Tkachuk comes back, it will be as a third- or fourth-line center who plays 15 minutes per game. But if Tkachuk doesn’t re-sign, it will give the team a few more dollars to find a second-tier free-agent forward like a Mike Knuble OR Mikael Samuellsson.

Finding another offensive-minded defenseman should be a priority. The Blues could make a play for Chris Pronger near the NHL draft, which would certainly help fix their troubles getting the puck out of the zone and scoring a few points from the blue-line. Erik Johnson will be a nice addition, but if the Blues can’t get Pronger, I don’t know that you can put all the problems on Johnson’s shoulders. Johnson can’t score enough points to compensate for the lack of offensive production from this defensive group. The team won’t panic with a guy like Alex Pietrangelo on the way, but Pietrangelo won’t be a difference-maker next year when the Blues should have a playoff team.

Of course, the Blues will need an experienced backup to play behind Chris Mason, and there are plenty of options, including Jason LaBarbera, Brian Boucher . . .

DAN O’NEILL
The Blues top priorities became evident during the playoffs. They desperately need more offensive talent and skill on defense. Hopefully, Erik Johnson will not take long to regain form and help address that, and hopefully Alex Pietrangelo will add enough weight and strength to make the club and help, as well. Next, they need a right winger who can score to go along with T.J. Oshie. And last, they need a reliable, preferably experienced, backup goalie.

TOM TIMMERMANN
The Blues were 11th in the league in goals allowed, 18th in goals scored. They scored as many goals as they allowed, 233. The goals allowed should potentially come down if Chris Mason has a full, solid season, but in any case, the Blues have to score more. So they need to look at a first- or second-line forward, which of course doesn’t come cheap. Also, Keith Tkachuk is 37 and while he’s younger than me, I’m not getting a pounding in front of the net like he is. So that’s an area the Blues should shore up. And obviously, they need a dependable backup goalie so Ben Bishop can get playing time in Peoria rather than bench time in St. Louis. Ironically, someone like Manny Legace — one time starter, on back end of career, probably would come cheap after spending half the season in minors — would be a logical choice. But I don’t think that’s happening.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
I think priority No. 1 is finding another experienced goalie who is capable of playing 25-30 games and playing them well. I really like Ben Bishop’s long-term potential but I don’t think it’s best for his development to sit 70-75 percent of the time as Chris Mason’s backup. He needs regular playing time.

Getting Roman Polak locked up is a big deal as well. I just hope nobody else decides to throw a goofy restricted free agent offer at him because the Blues really can’t afford to lose him and matching a big offer could mess up other plans.

Which leads me to Keith Tkachuk. He scored 25 goals this season, played well in a checking role and has already stated his desire to return. Figure out a fair price that works for both sides and get it done. Replacing him from outside the organization would be costly and risky. Replacing him from within would be also since you could lose Brad Winchester, Dan Hinote and Yan Stastny and I’m not sure there are two or three NHL-ready forwards coming into camp next year.

A playoff appearance will be expected by most next season and breaking in two or three more kids isn’t necessarily ideal in that circumstance. This team isn’t rebuilding anymore.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The St. Louis Blues’ recent success has put them in position to make a run at a playoff spot. It also has muddied the trade deadline waters. What do you think the Blues should do at the trade deadline: Be buyers, sellers or stand pat with the team that got them to this point? Is it worth trading off any of the youngsters for a veteran presence?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
The Blues should stand pat. I was one who said that this team would not make the playoffs, but some way, somehow they’ve managed to put themselves in a good position. The bottom line is they can’t fool with the chemistry they’ve created. Regarding the question should the Blues trade a young player for veteran help, the answer is no. Even if the team should make the playoffs it is not a Stanley Cup contender. The Blues should continue following the same plan they’ve had all along.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Stay the course. Do not trade good young players or top prospects for short-term gain. The only way it would make sense to mortgage some of the future is if the Blues honestly believed they had a chance to win the Stanley Cup this season. And they don’t. They are playing very good hockey with what they have. There is no reason to bail out and become a seller. And there is no reason to mess with a bright future by making an impulsive, short-sighted move. Stay the course.

JEFF GORDON
The Blues should stand pat unless another team spits up a No. 1 pick to rent Keith Tkachuk. That would be too good to pass up. Otherwise, the team should skate with what it has. It is really playing well. I wouldn’t overpay hoping to make it better, though, because everything is overpriced at the deadline. The Blues have made that mistake before — and that is one reason why this franchise has never built a Cup winner.

DAN O’NEILL
Realistically, I don’t think the Blues are in a position to make a significant trade. What they need most right now is scoring help, and it’s hard to imagine they have the chips to get a player who would have much impact. Trading a scoring threat (Keith Tkachuk) for a scoring threat doesn’t make much sense, unless it is a player you can build with for the future.

That said, if there are no plans to resign Tkachuk, it would be crazy not to explore moving him, and in that regard it may behoove the team to make a deal. You hate to mess with the chemistry right now, and everyone hopes the team can make the playoffs. But realistically, is it going anywhere in the playoffs? Unlikely. So if you have a chance to help yourself by moving Tkachuk, it would make sense to do so. There is also the possibility they will find a team (Buffalo?) willing to deal for a veteran goaltender (Manny Legace). The former Blues starter has a shutout and has allowed 17 goals in eight games at Peoria.

In the big picture, the Blues should stick to their guns and keep their young players. I would hate to see them deal one of their promising newcomers (David Perron) for the purposes of making the playoffs. The goal should be to win in the playoffs, not make them.

TOM TIMMERMANN
Even if the Blues make the playoffs, no one should expect them to go past the first round. For the Blues, the victory will be getting into the postseason. If you can get a good price for a veteran like Tkachuk, you make that deal. But other than that, I think the core group of Blues has to stay intact. I don’t think this team is one player away from being significantly better. (Well, maybe if that one player was Crosby or Ovechkin, but not Pronger.) It’s not as if John Davidson is fine-tuning his roster for the stretch drive. Teams historically overpay at the trade deadline. The Blues are not in a position to overpay. The ideal kind of trade for the Blues was the one earlier this season where they got Steen and Colaiacovo for Stempniak, getting two contributors for the price of one. It’s hard to make those at the deadline. So at this point, “Standing Pat Except for Tkachuk” is probably the best course of action.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
I would be aggressively looking to buy but also be more than happy to stand pat if the price of doing business isn’t agreeable. There is no need for a desperation move. If I could pull something off that made a significant difference I would do it. It’s almost unfair to even mention Chris Pronger’s name but since it’s already out there in the rumor mill I’ll go ahead and say that if I could get a player of that caliber I’d pull the trigger. I just wouldn’t move Backes, Berglund, Oshie, Johnson, Polak or any of the established forwards on the NHL roster to get it done.

The Blues have more than enough prospects for the future and, let’s be honest, you can’t possibly count on having 15-20 young, homegrown players on your team in the next year or two. There are two reasons professional sports franchises need a strong developmental system: to create cheap talent that you can add to your roster periodically and to have the ability to acquire established impact players via trade.

You never say “never” when it comes to the possibility of selling off a player or two, it just depends on what is offered. I would have to really “win” the trade to move anyone of significance off this team right now. Short of reaching the playoffs, which is the primary objective, this team needs a strong finish to give them a jumping off point for 2009-2010.

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

PEAVY TALK STILL SWIRLS AROUND CUBS: For those who thought a Jake Peavy-to-the-Cubs deal was dead, it appears there still might be some life to it. The Chicago Tribune is reporting today that there are still plenty of reasons to believe a deal could be consumated before the start of the season. Peavy, 27, leads all National League pitchers with 1,256 strikeouts since his big-league debut in 2002. If the Cubs are able to somehow land Peavy, it would give the North Siders a starting rotation of five pitchers that would be considered No. 1-type pitchers for many clubs — not a Joel Pineiro to be found. Stay tuned.

NOTHING TO SNEEZE AT: Many Cardinal fans have questioned the club’s logic in not re-signing free agent pitcher Braden Looper. Perhaps the news that Looper suffered an oblique-strain after feeling a twinge while sneezing last week alters that perspective. As of now, the Brew Crew is unsure whether or not Looper will be available at season’s start. Can you imagine the gnashing of teeth in Cardinal Nation if fans here were not only holding their breath on Chris Carpenter’s return, but also had to worry about every time Looper sneezed? Ach-choo. Bless you.

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SOMETHING TO PONDER

JUST HAVING SOME FUN: The folks at ESPN.com are having a little fun with NFL defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth’s new $100 million free agency contract. You just punch in your annual salary and they tell you how long it takes Haynewsorth to earn your wages. Check it out, it’s kind of fun and gives you some perspective on just what kind of money pro athletes make.

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STAT OF THE DAY

7,075 — Most offensive yards gained in an NFL season. The feat was accomplished by the 2000 St. Louis Rams. The 1984 Miami Dolphins are second with 6,936 yards and the 1998 San Francisco 49ers are third with 6,800 yards. (Source: NFL Fact and Record Book)