Good question. If the Blues start the season with the current group, I think there's a chance we will see Pietrangelo and Shattenkirk playing together with Pietrangelo on the left. I don't see that as a long-term solution, but it would temporarily provide Pietrangelo with a partner who could move the puck. Russell can also get the puck up-ice, but I think the Blues like Russell with Polak. Remember, albeit on the power play, Pietrangelo and Shattenkirk are comfortable with each other.

The only update on T.J. Oshie is that his arbitration case has been scheduled for July 20, a week from tomorrow. As I've mentioned, the Blues and Oshie could agree on a contract before the hearing, but GM Doug Armstrong didn't sound like the two sides were even negotiating when he spoke earlier this week. He said they were "open to talk" but both sides were preparing for the arbitration hearing. Stay tuned.

Doan's agent, Terry Bross, told the Post-Dispatch last week that the Blues had expressed interest. Obviously there are plenty of teams who would have interest in Doan anyway, but Bross seems to be doing a good job of drumming up even more. I've heard conflicting information that says the Blues might not be as interested as Bross implied. I think Doan will return to Phoenix. If he does leave, I don't see the Blues in the mix.

Armstrong has indicated that the Blues are set at forward, saying he thinks the group is solid. Would he add or change the group if it improved the team? Of course. But I don't think he's actively trying to do anything up front at this point. I had heard that the Blues could interested in Morrow and that's why I wrote the blog earlier this week. Many of you have probably seen the follow-up, with Dallas saying it doesn't intend to trade Morrow and Morrow saying he wants to stay with the Stars. I don't think Morrow is an option and, honestly, I don't think the Blues gave that idea serious consideration.

I was told it would take a top-six forward. I've mentioned that the talk at the draft was that the Blues might have been offering Matt D'Agostini and a high draft pick. Since then, Armstrong has said that he would be more inclined to trade draft picks than roster players. Either way, I don't think that would get it done. The Flames want and need a top-six forward.

The whole process wears on everyone's nerves, yes. But in this case, I can't see where Nash is doing anything wrong. Columbus wants to rebuild and Nash doesn't want to stick around for that. He asked for a trade and he has a contractual list of teams that he'd go to. Sure, he could add to that list to facilitate a trade, but both sides agreed to the list when the contract was signed. I don't blame GM Scott Howson for waiting for the best offer, but at some point he's got to pull the trigger for the sake of everyone involved, especially the fans.

To my knowledge, after. The CBA expires Sept. 15 and Pietrangelo has one more year remaining on his entry-level contract. I have heard nothing about plans for an extension prior to then the expiration of the CBA.

It's between $5-6 million. Oshie will take up a good chunk of that. If the Blues add a defenseman, that will get them over. If not, you can count on injuries, and the replacements will get them over. No need to worry about the floor.

Yes, they did that. The deadline for accepting qualifying offers is July 15. I talked to Sonne yesterday, and he was hoping to get something done. I'm not current on Peluso's contract talks, but Armstrong indicated when the team traded Crombeen that Peluso is a part of the future. With Lehtera, the QO was issed to maintain his rights. Lehtera will remain in Europe next season.

You may have submitted this question before news today that Peter Mueller signed a one-year deal in Florida. Mueller needs to prove a lot and the Panthers were willing to take an inexpensive chance on him ($600,000). There doesn't appear to be any other forwards on the Blues' radar at this point.

If the roster stays the same, I would anticipate Steen getting a look in the middle. He's played wing during his career with the Blues, but remember he played center in Toronto.

It might not have been a bad move to bring Arnott back, but I think the Blues are thinking they have a good group without him. Arnott actually finished with 17 goals, but he faded down the stretch with only four goals in his last 29 games. He was dinged up toward the end of the season, too, and didn't handle it with the best class when the Blues told him he would sit in the second round of the playoffs. I'm told they patched things up and considered him as a Plan B or C, but now it appears they're moving forward without him.

My guess is you're not alone. In fact, I have a friend in the business who's writing a national story about Calder candidates and he has Tarasenko in the mix. He's definitely going to get some attention.

I don't think those players are options unless the Blues really got desperate. In fact, my guess would be that they start with what they have before signing one of those guys.

It's a crap shoot, as everyone knows. Sometime the scouting director will say 'This guy has a legitimate chance' or 'this guy is a project but has good upside.' They wouldn't pick them if they didn't think they had a chance of making the NHL, but no one knows at this point.

Orpik has been mentioned in the past. I'm sure the Blues would have great interest, but I'm pretty sure Pittsburgh has no interest in moving him. Paul Martin is another story....

Hey Willy, no animals at our house except for our 3 year old daughter. I wouldn't mind having a dog one day. It would be good for the kiddo, but that's not why I would buy one. I'd get one so someone in the house would give me some attention. Haha. Talk later.

I can't see that happening. Major risk factor after last season, when he underwent pectoral surgery and had a long-term groin injury.

You are correct. Obviously the owners will stick together in the CBA talks, but behind the scenes, the smaller markets will have to address the discrepancies that are growing between the haves and have-nots. In fact, Blues owner Tom Stillman did touch on that in an article I wrote earlier this month. Despite increased revenue for the NHL as a whole, if those issues aren't addressed in the next CBA, it will spell trouble for the league in the future.

I hope to have an update on this in the paper early next week. Nothing to add right now other than he's hoping to test the ankle later this month.

Nothing is good about arbitration. For starters, that is typically where feelings get hurt. For those who aren't aware of how arbitration cases work, Oshie's agent and the Blues present their sides to a judge. Oshie's reps will paint the picture that Oshie is Wayne Gretzky and the Blues will paint a picture that he's a good player, but he lacks things here, here and here. Secondly, the result of arbitration is a one- or two-year deal, chosen by the Blues. So everyone will be back in the same boat next summer or two summers from now, when Oshie will be an unrestricted free agent.

Zero. Hitchcock wants to stay big down the middle.