St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter Tom Timmerman joined The Morning After on Monday to discuss myriad Blues topics as Wednesday’s NHL Trade Deadline rapidly approaches.

Read some excerpts and listen to the full interview below (starts about 47:10):

What kind of team are the Blues right now?

“You have a team that’s talented but not performing at its maximum level. They should be stronger. You have a team that has some uncertainty…probably not primed for a long playoff run, but you never know.”

On the situation surrounding Kevin Shattenkirk:

“At this point, I think it would be difficult for the Blues to make a ‘hockey trade’ where both sides get full value for the trade. Kevin Shattenkirk is a fairly even-tempered, and a cordial and friendly guy. He realizes this is a rough situation and the next three days will be challenging. If he thinks he going to make more when he gets to the free agent market, his job is not to make the Blues a better team as he heads out the door. His job is to maximize what he gets. The Blues are trying to trade him…why should (he give the Blues a parting gift by accepting a lesser deal)?”

On if the Blues should hang on to him and try to make a run for this year and deal with the consequences later:

“I would think at this point it doesn’t make any sense to trade him for a prospect and a draft pick. What would that say for this year’s team? If you trade away Shattenkirk for the future…you’re not making the team better this year. What does that say? I don’t know if you can do that. They have to do what they did with David Backes last year and treat Shattenkirk like a rental player (who’s going to walk at the end of the year).”

“When you are in a playoff run and it’s that close. I think at that point you have to (live in the present). If the Blues (were unlikely to make the playoffs), then you move Shattenkirk for a draft pick and some prospects. I think at this point…you have to make something out of this year.”