St. Louis Blues Individual Player Reviews: Erik Johnson, Jay McClement, Chris Stewart, Kevin Shattenkirk
As we continue our player reviews we hit on the major trade that shook up the Blues organization this past season. In the dead of night, Blues GM Doug Armstrong sent #1 Pick Erik Johnson and fan favorite Jay McClement to Colorado for former first round picks Chris Stewart and Kevin Shattenkirk. As we review these players seasons you will be able to see who won this trade.
Erik Johnson: Johnson was the Blues #1 pick and first overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. Johnson was looked at as the cornerstone of the Blues future defense corps. Alas that never materialized as the pressure of the position and the city weighed EJ down and led to his ultimate trade.
EJ had a solid rookie season in 2007-08, accumulating 33 points in 69 games and was projected to have a breakout year his sophomore season. But a golf cart ‘accident’ took that season away and, despite having a career year in 2009-10, his play and attention waned.
EJ recorded 10 goals and 29 assists in 2009-10 and it looked like his recovery from knee surgery was complete, but a lack of focus and intensity this season led to questions about his work ethic. In 55 games with St. Louis EJ would score only 5 goals and 14 assists. Pair that with 3 goals and 7 assists in Colorado and that still wouldn’t equal Alex Pietrangelo’s ASSIST total.
Having the mantle of a team put on you at such an early age and playing one of the hardest positions in the league isn’t for everyone, as evident by the success of Jonathon Towes, Sydney Crosby, etc and the non-success of EJ. EJ hasn’t failed yet but having been in the league for 3 years now, he should start to step his game up very soon.
Trend: Down. It may have been the trade and the move but EJ never settled in with Colorado. He looked lost and continued his mediocre play throughout the rest of the year. Going to a team with goalie questions, little scoring and inexperienced defense, the next few years could be very challenging for EJ. Thats why I think he is trending down but he can rebound and still have a great career.
Jay McClement: McClement had spent his entire career in St. Louis and had collected quite a fan following among local websites. He replaced the wildly popular Ryan Johnson on the penalty kill and became a shutdown defensive forward and penalty killer.
McClement averaged 25 points a season in his five years in St. Louis and the penalty kill was ranked in the top third of the league due to his efforts at the point and his shot blocking ability. But it was his lack of offensive pop that eventually led to his trade as well.
In 56 games this year, Jay had 6 goals and 10 assists but half of those goals came in one game. McClement had a hat trick in a come from behind victory over Atlanta on October 30th and wouldn’t score again until December 9th.
After the trade to Colorado McClement’s numbers continued to plummet as in 24 games he only managed 1 goal and 3 assists. The Blues penalty kill also improved, albeit slightly, after McClement’s trade while Colorado’s penalty kill got worse.
The Blues parted with McClement due to the fact they have Vladimir Sobotka, who stepped in and filled the role Jay had and also adds more of a scoring touch.
Trend: Down. As with EJ, McClement will also feel the effects of the goalie issues and youth on this Colorado team. While the drop of the penalty kill wasn’t entirely Jay’s fault, having him on the ice with EJ should have at least held the kill steady. McClement will have a harder time recapturing his career as he will be stuck on the 3rd or 4th line and will see limited time throughout the season.
Chris Stewart:Stewart was coming off of a huge sophomore season in which he netted 28 goals and 36 assists. Paired with Paul Stastny and Milan Hejduk, it was widely expected that Stewart would continue to domainate the front of the net and put up huge numbers.
Stewart started the season off hot with 9 goals in the first month of the season but would only score four more goals between November and his trade to St. Louis. Part of the was due to him missing a month and a half with a broken hand he suffered in a fight against Minnesota.
13 games after his return to the lineup the Ave’s management thought they had seen the best Stewart had to offer and decided they had enough scoring and needed a big strapping defenseman to solidify the blue line. Stewart would leave Colorado with 13 goals and 17 assists.
In the 26 games he played in St. Louis, Stewart would almost match his point total with Colorado. Stewart would end the year with 15 goals and 8 assists for the Blues, including 7 power play goals. His 28 goals this season matched his career high and had he not missed that time with the broken hand would have blown past his career best.
Stewart will also represent Team Canada in the World Championships this season.
Trend: WAY UP! Stewart had 5 multi goal games in St. Louis and his 7 power play goals trailed only Patrik Berglund’s 8. Paired with David Backes and Andy McDonald, Stewart could have a career year next year and his future looks bright as he is being compared to Blues great Keith Tkachuk but with more speed and mobility.
Kevin Shattenkirk: If getting Stewart for EJ and McClement was as stealm the Ave’s also threw in one of the best rookie defenseman of the year in Shattenkirk. Kevin started the season in the minors but after ten games was called up and started producing points almost immediately.
Shattenkirk had three seperate points streaks of at least 5 games and his 43 points was tops by rookie defenseman. In 46 games with Colorado, Shattenkirk had 7 goals and 19 assists including 2 power play goals and 8 power play assists.
In St. Louis his numbers stayed steady while his defense improved as well. Shattenkirk had 2 goals and 17 assists for the Blues and his plus/minus rating went from a -11 in Colorado to a +7 while playing for the Blues. He also continued to produce on the power play with a power play goal and 4 assists.
The Blues power play jumped from one of the worst in the league to one of the best in less than half a season after the trade.
Shattenkirk scored the eventual game winner against Colorado on April 5th and will represent Team USA in the World Championships. Shattenkirk may be tasked with preventing his teammate Stewart from scoring his many goals.
Trend: Up. Shattenkirk was a first round pick like EJ but never had the pressure that EJ had on him to start his career. Which is why it was surprising that the Ave’s would trade a skilled, puck moving, point producing defenseman when they had much trouble scoring goals. Shattenkirk played great with fellow ‘rookie’ Pietrangelo and that pairing could grow in to one of the best tandems in the league.
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When Stewart was good, he was really good, but every other game he was invisible! Most of his goals are on the power play and he is a liability defensively…
Im an Avs fan and damn near stopped watching hockey the day of the trade. Stewart is my favorite player and Cappinkirk was definitely becoming my favorite on the blueline. I have to think that Avs management lost the players in a poker game because there is no way in hell this trade made sense from the beginning. Stewart is damn near unstoppable and Cappinkirk has a killer slapshot “look up the game against the stars were his slapper took off lehtonenes helmut and then laid him out with a shot to the shoulder.” Not only does the since the trade make sense but before the trade the two blues were garbage and the two Avs were damn near the best of their positions. As much as it pains me im now a blues fan as well. Watch Stewart, I give him one more season before hes dominating every game.