It would seem that the Blues are looking beyond the 2005-2006 season. On Sunday the team traded Mike Sillinger to the Nashville Predators in exchange for 22-year old forward Timofei Shishkanov.

Sillinger leaves the Blues as the team’s leading goal-scorer with 22 and was second on the team in scoring with 41 points. But with the Blues playoff hopes in jeopardy, at best, and Sillinger an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, St. Louis felt it was time to deal. The Blues, which are 11-30-8 on the season, have the worst record of any team in the NHL.

Shishkanov, who has two games of NHL experience, has 14 goals and 15 assists with the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League this season.