Dear Answer Man,

 

OK, the season is still on a down turn. I know how you hate it when Blues fans say, “Well, let’s shoot for last and hope we get the number 1 overall pick.” With the way things are going Keith Tkachuk represents our team’s best trade chip or trade bait. Is it time to say good bye to #7 again?

 

Yoni (Clayton-MO)

 

Yani, while I’m not a fan of you music, I can really appreciate musical talent. Wait, that’s not you. Never mind and for the record, Yani’s music is poop. Yes, actual feces.

 

It does seem like you have given up. Yeah, I do hate quitters. They are among the worst.  They take up company with Commies, Hippies, Goalies, Euros and people from South County. I can’t be in that company. Just like competing. I only compete with “do-ers” not “try-ers”. 

 

Keith Tkachuk has been written about, loved, hated and admired in our town. I think he’s gotten more bad press than good. He came to town as the next “Big Thing”. He had a huge contract and was another All Star on the roster. They were hoping he was the next Brendan Shanahan but less Irish. 

 

He has had no success in the playoffs with the Blues. He hasn’t scored 50 goals in a single season and hasn’t live up to the hype. To me, he is the Huey Lewis of the Blues. You see, Huey Lewis teeters on the brink of greatness. Whether it is with his seductive acting skills or his golden voice. He toes that line of being a megastar only to fall back into being average to above average then to very effective and then back down again. 

 

We saw him flourish in the beginning of the season and the common thought was that he could play a second or third line role and not be the focus of the other team’s defense. In essence he was our less attractive prom date that was actually our cousin who we like but need a few beers before we get busy with. It seemed to really be working out. He was leading the league in goals from time to time and he was tapped as the “Comeback Player Of The Year” only to have him “comeback” to his usual self that goes from score sheet more then he comes to the score sheet. You always want to come more (that’s what she said, ZING!).

 

He has changed his game up a bit this year which is nice to see. Anyone else notice his little “flip move”?  Not the flip move that Big Rhonda likes on her chin but the one where he comes down the boards, cuts to the middle on the defender. He then proceeds to flip the puck up off of the ice and basically passes it to himself to get a shot off. It is surprisingly effective. I would assume he’s been watching the young whippersnappers do crazy stick tricks and he’s just trying to keep up.

 

Tkachuk was voted to the All Star game. Was he deserving? Yeah probably but he’s not lighting the world on fire with his output. If he stays healthy you can almost bet the house that he will get traded away by the deadline if the team sticks with the “Rebuilding” theme. I’m OK with that and I know he would have the organization’s best interests in mind and the team and the fans need to focus on winning games, not the trade deadline. I don’t wish him any bad luck. He’s been good for the team and for the city. Do I think it could have gone better? Hell yeah but he has been serviceable. He’s dealt with weight issues and a lack of playoff performance. One thing that goes unnoticed is how he takes care of passing on his knowledge to the New Jacks that come on the team. He has offered up his home (Backes), told them to sit down when they pee (Perron and Cajanek) and offered up career advice about not having to fight every game or try to be the toughest one out there only to be penalized and hurt the team (Jackman).

 

In my honest opinion, this is the last go-round with #7. It has been one heck of a ride but it is time to pass the torch. Sometimes turning the page can be a good thing for both parties.  Just ask any of my old girlfriends.  While none of them have gone on to be with anyone sexier, they have at least experienced less crying from their sexual partner after “love time”…wait, what?