Friday, November 3 Phoenix needs to clean up ugly mess with Tkachuk By George Johnson Special to ESPN.com

It's one thing to be stranded in Raleigh, N.C.

Quite another to be stuck there.

"This eases my mind ... a little bit," admitted Keith Tkachuk, upon hearing the news that Keith Primeau had been dispatched to Philly, ending (for the moment) speculation that the Coyote captain was on his way out of Phoenix.

	Keith Tkachuk wants to stay with the Coyotes, but he may not get his wish.

Ironic, then, that Tkachuk and the 'Yotes were in Raleigh -- Primeau's old holdout grounds -- a few days later, as a record snowfall of 30 inches socked the area and left them all feeling on the brink of madness, a bit like Jack Nicholson in The Shining.

But the Tkachuk issue is not going to go away. No matter how much general manager Bobby Smith might like it to. Privately, Tkachuk, arguably the NHL's best power forward, still feels he's going to be dealt, and Smith's reticence in making a very loud, very public statement to the contrary -- the most he'll say, rather indifferently, is that the Flyers-Hurricanes deal should "end all speculation" -- continues to fuel the fire.

"I don't have a say in where I go," said Tkachuk. "Who knows what their plans are. Now that he's traded really doesn't change things. Bobby Smith has to do what he has to do. I can't read his mind. If he wants to trade one of his best players, then he has to live with it."

Clearly, the decision to sever ties with Tkachuk is a contract dump. The ownership situation in Phoenix with Richard Burke is far from resolved. Is the franchise more enticing to prospective buyers with Tkachuk in the lineup, or his contract out of the way?

From all the trade talk, both verified and unsubstantiated, it would appear the latter.

While stressing he can't tell Tkachuk or any other player that they won't be traded, Smith adds in the same breath, "I think he'll be with us for the rest of the season."

Hardly a ringing endorsement.

Without doubt, Smith is in tough. It's almost impossible to trade a star for what your paying public perceives as equal value. A perfect example is Al Coates and the Theoren Fleury deal a year ago. In retrospect, Fleury was cut loose by the Avs for nothing in return, while Calgary has emerging defenseman Robyn Regehr and the truculent Rene Corbet on the ice, contributing. So now it looks like a brainstorm. Well, at the time of the transaction, Coates was vilified in Calgary.

Making a Tkachuk transaction even more difficult is his salary, which jumps $4 million to $8.3 million next season. When Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos saw that, talks with Phoenix were off. "The Tkachuk contract," he declared, "is stupid."

There aren't many places likely to take on such a financial burden.

It is a very, very delicate matter, unloading an asset such as Keith Tkachuk.

Still, it's time to fish or cut bait, Bobby:

Close a deal, or put your captain's mind at ease.

It's absolute suicide to have your 1 or 1A player in a public tiff with management. The stench of dissatisfaction begins to permeate the dressing room. Bobby Hull's famous line "Play hurt? Hell, they won't play with hurt feelings anymore!" remains remarkably fresh and current. That a first-year NHL head coach, Bobby Francis, has thus far been able to play the old shell game with the egos and frailties of those involved and keep the ship on course should guarantee him a Jack Adams Trophy bid.

Thus far, being the operative words.

The situation is poison.