With two days remaining before the NHL's trade deadline, the Atlanta Thrashers received a roster boost by acquiring forward Keith Tkachuk from the St. Louis Blues Sunday for forward Glen Metropolit, a 2007 first-round pick and two other draft choices.
As reported by the CBC's Satellite Hotstove panel on Saturday, Atlanta was one of three teams vying for Tkachuk's services; the others were Anaheim and Detroit.
"It makes me feel good that they wanted me that bad," Tkachuk said in an NHL conference call on Sunday. "I feel confident that I can go in there and help out.
We all want to accomplish the same goal — everyone wants to win the Stanley Cup.
"I'm ready to take that journey."
Tkachuk, whose $3.
8-million US option was picked up last year by the Blues, will become an unrestricted free agent in July.
The Blues also receive a third-round pick this year and a second-round selection in 2008.
If Atlanta is able to re-sign Tkachuk, the Blues will also get a first-round draft pick in 2008.
Tkachuk has scored 21 goals and 23 assists this year for the Blues in 61 games.
He has 466 career goals and 445 assists in 958 career NHL games with St. Louis and Phoenix/Winnipeg.
"We want to thank Keith for his time and dedication to the Blues organization over the past six years," team president John Davidson said in a statement. "We wish him and his family nothing but the best for the future."
It was the second trade in as many days for the Thrashers, who acquired defenceman Alexei Zhitnik from the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday night for former first-round pick Braydon Coburn.
The Thrashers hope Tkachuk can help lead them into the playoffs for the first time in team history. While Atlanta is currently sixth in the Eastern Conference with 72 points, they have struggled of late and four teams are within two points of them.
--StartFragment -->"Over the years, we've always been pretty conservative when it comes to trading away picks or prospects. We've always protected the future," Thrashers general manager Don Waddell said. "Well, the future for us is now.
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The Blues are in a rebuilding year after finishing last overall last year. There are reports that Tkachuk could still re-sign in the offseason with the Blues, who this week agreed to contracts with goaltender Manny Legace and defenceman Eric Brewer.
Metropolit has posted 12 goals and 16 assists in 57 games with Atlanta.
The NHL's trade deadline is Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET.
With two days remaining before the NHL's trade deadline, the Atlanta Thrashers received a roster boost by acquiring forward Keith Tkachuk from the St. Louis Blues Sunday. A pair of terrible penalties in the dying minutes helped turn a shutout victory into an overtime defeat for the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday in Dallas. The Minnesota Wild prevented the Edmonton Oilers from gaining ground in the Western Conference playoff race Sunday after skating to a 4-1 win in St. Paul, Minn. At least three French nationals were shot dead Monday in Saudi Arabia in what is being described as a militant attack, according to media reports.
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Keywords: Keith Tkachuk, Eastern Conference, Blues Sunday, Atlanta Thrashers
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