BLUES TAKE A CHANCE ON D MICHALEK
The St. Louis Blues acquired defenseman Zbynek Michalek and a conditional third-round draft pick in 2015 from the Arizona Coyotes for forward Maxim Letunov.
What does it give the St. Louis Blues
Michalek gives the Blues a right-handed defenseman to round out a very deep, talented blueline. The only issue here is his recent concussion problems, which may hinder his performance down the stretch. He'll likely play next to fellow veteran {P Barret Jackman} when everybody along the St. Louis blueline is healthy. If Michalek's concussion issues persist, they could get the conditional third rounder in this deal to help off-set the loss of a solid prospect like Letunov.
What does it give the Arizona Coyotes
Letunov is a very nice addition to an Arizona rebuilding situation. He's a leading scorer in the USHL this season, and headed to the NCAA ranks next year. He's highly skilled, but largely a raw, long-range prospect. This looks like a steal for Arizona, but that's why they had to agree to conditionally trade a third rounder to the Blues if Michalek's concussion issues persist in St. Louis.
Fantasy impact
Michalek's fantasy value remains the same...he's pretty much a defensive defenseman at this point in his career. Look for a lot of blocked shots from Michalek when he's playing for the Blues, but only if he's 100 per-cent healthy again. That's not a given. Letunov has plenty of long-range fantasy value and should be squarely on the keeper radar now.
