Already covered the Tkachuk rejection two days ago, so I'll keep this brief.

Brady Tkachuk said no to St. Louis. That's been reported, it's been noted, and the Blues have moved on. What's worth sitting with a little longer is what the rejection says about where this franchise stands in the eyes of a player who grew up in the area — a player who, by most accounts, had every sentimental reason to at least consider it.

He didn't. He went to Florida to play with his brother and chase a Cup. That's a legitimate reason, and it's not a knock on St. Louis specifically. But the Blues are a team that finished 37-45, missed the playoffs for the second straight year, and is heading into camp with their new defensive acquisition still out and no clear return date. The pitch to a player like Tkachuk was always going to be a hard sell.

The offseason has been busy — McTavish, McMichael's six-year deal, Carlo, the Kyrou trade, the draft. Management is clearly trying to move fast. But activity and appeal aren't the same thing. The Blues can keep reshaping the roster; the harder job is making St. Louis a place a player in Tkachuk's position actually wants to come.