magoo: I just read an article on ESPN.com regarding whether atlanta should trade kovalchuk because he is going to be a free agent at the end of next year.

Question: Would you like the Blues to explore a trade? If so, who/what would you offer?

Magoo

Jeremy Rutherford: Kovalchuk is signed for one more season after this year at $6.4 million. I don't believe that Kovalchuk will re-sign with the Thrashers after that year, especially if he sees former teammate Marian Hossa win a Stanley Cup in Detroit. Kovalchuk can certainly make the money elsewhere. As Scott Burnside wrote in the article, "Who will be in charge in Atlanta? Is is Don Waddell?" In terms of keeping the limited fan base in Atlanta, it would be difficult to trade another star, as they did with Hossa, but if Kovalchuk isn't going to re-sign there and you find a good trade, I say go for it. They're not winning with him. As far as the Blues, I'm not going to get into names. But if Thrashers wait till next year to trade him, and the Blues feel like he's the missing piece, I wouldn't rule out the possibility. But it's way too early for that at this point.

Turkpbr: Do you actually believe the Coyotes will fold? Why? When? Where? How?

Quit riding the coattails of the Canadian media. Get your facts straight, which they haven't, on why the Coyotes can't be bought and pulled from their situation.

Learn why they would have to file bankruptcy and any future owners would have to suffer at the hands of the city of Glendale.

Jeremy Rutherford: I don't know if you're directing this at me. I didn't write about the Phoenix situation, but I've ready a lot about it. The Toronto Globe and Mail did a fine story about this topic last week. You can disagree with the writing, but the quotes are the quotes: NHLPA executive Paul Kelly said the Coyotes are almost in a position to start "backing up the trucks." Another businessman said he wouldn't buy the Coyotes for $1 because the assumed debt is too large. I heard through the grape-vine that the Coyotes nearly missed payroll recently. That's a rumor, but the quotes from Kelly are one insider's viewpoint.

Mark: JR,

Who do you see as the Blues 7 defensemen next season? EJ, Brewer, Jackman, McKee, Colaiacovo, Polak and Pietrangelo would be my guess but none of those guys fit well in the 7th d-man roll as they're either going to need to play to develop or need to play to justify their salaries.

Polak, Woywitka, Wagner and Weaver are all free agents after this season (Weaver = UFA, 3 young guys = RFAs). It seems like a no-brainer to re-sign Polak but what about the other 3 guys? Where does Junland fit in? Could the Blues realistically find a taker for McKee? It would be nice but I don't see it happening.

What's your crystal ball telling you the Blues defense will look like next season?

Jeremy Rutherford:
Great breakdown. It would be hard to look at any of those guys as a seventh d-man. You could argue Pietrangelo, but you have to keep the young player in the lineup. The Blues won't find a taker for McKee at $4 million, but there's always the option of a buyout. I don't think it's a problem to have seven guys fitting into six spots, but it's something you have to let play out before you can say anything definitive.

I would think the Blues will re-sign Polak and possibily Woywitka, although with Johnson back, Pietrangelo here and a healthy Colaiacovo, maybe Woywitka is expendable. Wagner will have to play pretty well in Peoria to earn a new deal.

Mark: JR, there appears to be a developing rift between Manny Legace and Blues mgmt concerning Manny not getting the extension he wanted over the summer and them bringing in a "back up" that not only makes more $$ than him but is also signed longer meaning his job is in jeopardy.

What are your thoughts on this situation? Is Manny not handling it properly or is he justified in the things he's said? Could the Blues have done anything on their end to prevent this from happening? How much of a distraction is it in the locker room? How are Manny and Mason towards each other?

Jeremy Rutherford: Where there's smoke, there's fire. Legace isn't happy about not getting an extension. And you're right . . . when the team brought in a more expensive backup, it didn't give Legace goose bumps. But you've got to look at the siuation the way it is. Legace was a free agent with no where to go and the Blues signed him to a one-year deal. He played well and earned a two-year extension. They didn't have quality backup play last year (Year 1 of Legace's deal), so they went out and found a quality backup. At times this season, that backup has challenged Legace for playing time. That's what Chris Mason is supposed to do. If Legace played lights-out and was the clear-cut starter, he would earn an extension for next season. If he doesn't, then he won't. It's hard to think that Legace could play so well last year, earn an All-Star appearance, keep the team competitive and be let go this summer, but that's how it works. If the Blues re-signed him this summer, the negotiations would start at $3 million (Mason's salary) and he would probably want two years. Do the Blues want to give him two years when they think that Mason and Ben Bishop can handle the job? That's a question they have to answer. But as one insider told me: Be careful what you wish for. Legace can stop the puck and if you get rid of him, and then can't find somebody to stop the puck, you're in trouble.

djm448: Do the hats (that are thrown onto the ice for hat tricks) get donated to charity, or what happends to them?

Jeremy Rutherford:
I don't know for sure, but I remember hearing that one time. If so, the charities were out of hats for an awful long time before Mike Crombeen's effort on Monday.