2022-2023 Blues Multi-Purpose Thread

[Mike Liut]

Just sit them both the rest of the year and let them heal.

 

[STL fan in MN]

When/how did Thomas and Buchy get injured?

 

[shpongle falls]

A couple of thoughts bouncing through my head over the last 3ish weeks:

Blais has been a revelation since returning. I have no clue if it's sustainable, but he's so much more calm with the puck then say, Kyrou. He reminds me A LOT of the style we played in 2019, where we didn't panic, we held onto pucks, and we worked the other team into bad spots to generate quality chances. Add in his physical style and he's been an absolute joy to watch these last couple of (knowingly useless) weeks.

I think the acquisitions of Kap and Vrana (and Blais) has cracked open the door for some hope next year. I'm not under any illusion that we're a "real" contender, but this team has looked MILES better since we acquired those three, especially Kap and Vrana. I don't think playoffs are too big a stretch.

I think our offense has figured itself out and we have a lot of reasons for optimism. Looking at forwards only, here's my reasonable expectations:

30 goal guys:

Buch
Kyrou
Vrana (With both Kyrou and Vrana potentially pushing towards 40 if they stay healthy and have good years)

20 goal guys:

Saad
Thomas
Schenn
Kapenen

Then you have guys like Blais and Neighbors would could hit around 15 (Maybe more for Blais if this stretch isn't a mirage).

That's 200 goals from your top 9 (Potentially, obviously we won't have this exactly due to health and natural influences)....but the fact that we have 200 goal potential from our top 9 is pretty solid when you look around the league. I think Toro could also pop 10 if he continues to mature this off-season and works on his puck skills.

Ofc, this goes without saying that the D is still a wreck. It's really frustrating too, b/c I've been thinking more about it since Scandella came back and we moved Krug down to play with him. With a couple of tweaks this D could actually be....good. Like, really good. Imagine a scenario where one of Faulk or Parayko is left handed and we could play the two of them together. A second pairing of Faulk/Parayko would be a matchup nightmare for most teams. Leddy fills the old Gunnarson/Edmundson role as a "top-4" guy who's really there to not mess it up next to our true #1 guy. Then you have a "specialist" third pairing, Krug and Scandella - one is our top PP d-man, the other is our top PK d-man. They get sheltered 5v5 minutes together for 90% of the game, but we split them up situationally to exploit matchups - Krug gets offensive zone starts late in games we're losing with a better partner and Scandella gets defensive zone starts with Parayko late in games where we have a lead. We did this to great effect with Dunn.

Now all we need is a true #1 (preferably RH) and for one of Faulk/Parayko to switch handedness. No biggie. I jest, but it does go to show that not all hope is lost with our D - if we can make some savvy moves and flip say Faulk for a LH version of Faulk, or Parayko for a LH version of Parayko, we might be in business faster then any of us think.....so long as we find that true #1 RH D man....anyone know where we could find one of those? I think we had one around here one time, maybe he's hiding in the couch cushions again

Cheers.

Nice post. Im a lot more optimistic for next year.

Upgrade the assistant coaching staff and somehow trade Krug if possible and we’ll be in really good shape moving forward.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

When/how did Thomas and Buchy get injured?

Not sure about Thomas, but Buchy got hit face first into curved glass near bench.

 

[PocketNines]

Next year is going to be great offensively if Blais is a 30-30 guy with 320 hits and Kapanen is a 40 goal scorer and Vrana is a 55 goal scorer

Is that what all three of those guys suddenly are, or is it just going to mess up the tank and then dry up next season when we want it?

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Next year is going to be great offensively if Blais is a 30-30 guy with 320 hits and Kapanen is a 40 goal scorer and Vrana is a 55 goal scorer

Is that what all three of those guys suddenly are, or is it just going to mess up the tank and then dry up next season when we want it?

If I'm expecting anything from them it will probably around 25-Vrana, 20-Kappy, 15-Blais imho

 

[oPlaiD]

Blais is not going to sustain shooting at 25.8% next season. The chance he's a 30 goal guy is pretty slim. His 12.9% mark over the entire season, including his time in New York, is much closer to what we'll get.

15 goals is a reasonable expectation, and he could definitely hit 20 if he's getting decent playing time with decent linemates.

 

[PocketNines]

They are also racking up points against an entire run of bottom feeders in our schedule, it's been insane how weak the competition has been

 

[shpongle falls]

Always thought Blais was a little underrated offensively and can be a 30ish point player if he can stay healthy. Who knows though maybe he’a starting to peak and can get 20 goals for us next year. So happy he’s back on the Blues.

 

[execwrite1]

Blais

2014-15

Victoriaville Tigres

QMJHL

61

34

48

82

50

 

[LogosBlue]

I think I like this team again . They are starting to have the Rink of misfit players feel to them. Vrana, Blais, Kappy, Torpo (and to a certain extent Buchy and Leddy) They all have something to prove and maybe a chip on their shoulder. I'm rooting for them and happy about it.

I'd love to see this continue next year. I like Tomas too. He is feeling too much pressure to lead and produce and is a little too young i'm afraid.

 

[Stealth JD]

bLaiS is ThE nEXt tAgE THomPsOn!

100-pts or bust

 

[HighNote]

Well, March is over, which was likely our easiest month of the season. Now that we're done just barely beating some bad teams, we're getting into the tough portion of the rest of our schedule. We play only 1 more game against a crappy team (PHI), and another game against a mediocre team (NSH). The other 5 games are against top 10 teams (BOS, NYR, MIN, and DAL x2). Of our remaining opponents, only 2 teams have nothing to play for (BOS and PHI). NSH I assume is still hoping to make the playoffs, and they're just a few points out. So hopefully we see their A-game on Saturday. NYR are fighting for home ice/1st in the Metro. MIN will be trying to hold on to 1st in the Central (and perhaps the West). DAL will be fighting for 1st as well.

Obviously going 0-7-0 is ideal, but it's not realistic. I'd be happy if we got 4-5 more points, ending up at 80-81 points. Something like 2-5-0 or 2-4-1. But nothing more. Hopefully that's enough to allow DET and VAN to pass us at the least, putting us at 8th worst. If we can lose to PHI in regulation, that gives them a real chance at passing us (depending on if the gap isn't too large by then). Say we go 2-4-1. PHI would need to go something like 4-2-2 to pass us. So it's certainly not out of the realm of possibility. But again, we really need to lose that head to head game with them in regulation.

ARI is likely too far back at this point, so 7th worst is probably our floor from here on out. 7th or 8th overall would be acceptable. I just hope we don't do anything silly and climb the standings any further. We're dangerously close to 13th worst which would be a disaster. But I have hope, given that we just barely beat the Blackhawks.

 

[execwrite1]

You can't tell Berube and professional hockey players to go out and lose games.

These guys are playing hard and are going to steal a few points the rest of the way.

 

[tfriede2]

Well, March is over, which was likely our easiest month of the season. Now that we're done just barely beating some bad teams, we're getting into the tough portion of the rest of our schedule. We play only 1 more game against a crappy team (PHI), and another game against a mediocre team (NSH). The other 5 games are against top 10 teams (BOS, NYR, MIN, and DAL x2). Of our remaining opponents, only 2 teams have nothing to play for (BOS and PHI). NSH I assume is still hoping to make the playoffs, and they're just a few points out. So hopefully we see their A-game on Saturday. NYR are fighting for home ice/1st in the Metro. MIN will be trying to hold on to 1st in the Central (and perhaps the West). DAL will be fighting for 1st as well.

Obviously going 0-7-0 is ideal, but it's not realistic. I'd be happy if we got 4-5 more points, ending up at 80-81 points. Something like 2-5-0 or 2-4-1. But nothing more. Hopefully that's enough to allow DET and VAN to pass us at the least, putting us at 8th worst. If we can lose to PHI in regulation, that gives them a real chance at passing us (depending on if the gap isn't too large by then). Say we go 2-4-1. PHI would need to go something like 4-2-2 to pass us. So it's certainly not out of the realm of possibility. But again, we really need to lose that head to head game with them in regulation.

ARI is likely too far back at this point, so 7th worst is probably our floor from here on out. 7th or 8th overall would be acceptable. I just hope we don't do anything silly and climb the standings any further. We're dangerously close to 13th worst which would be a disaster. But I have hope, given that we just barely beat the Blackhawks.

Not much separation between 10-13th ranked prospects in this draft, IMO. We’ll come out with a great player regardless.

 

[stlbluz]

I could see a couple of those teams, depending where they are for the second season, resting some key players which may have an impact on wins/losses.

 

[BlueDream]

Anyone have some more thoughts as to which forward you want to add to our group this offseason?

I like the way we’re scoring but I think we need to add one more defensively responsible center. Preferably a bigger body too.

I’ve been looking at the list of UFAs and potential trade targets and I still keep going back to Sundqvist as my most ideal guy. We obviously know what he provides and I think he would help balance our lineup a lot. We should be able to afford him too.

I’d be fine with ROR but we can’t sign him unless we clear some cap space, and I feel like any cap space we clear will probably be used on the defense. So that’s why Sunny seems like a more realistic target.

 

[Mike Liut]

I’d like to save some cap space so we can sign Vrana, Blais and Kap after the 2024 season.

 

[STL fan in MN]

Anyone have some more thoughts as to which forward you want to add to our group this offseason?

I like the way we’re scoring but I think we need to add one more defensively responsible center. Preferably a bigger body too.

I’ve been looking at the list of UFAs and potential trade targets and I still keep going back to Sundqvist as my most ideal guy. We obviously know what he provides and I think he would help balance our lineup a lot. We should be able to afford him too.

I’d be fine with ROR but we can’t sign him unless we clear some cap space, and I feel like any cap space we clear will probably be used on the defense. So that’s why Sunny seems like a more realistic target.

I like Sunny but he’s more of a RW than a C these days. I’d be good with him returning though but they probably also need to sign a C that’s good at faceoffs.

Jordan Staal perhaps? Nick Bjugstad maybe. I’d welcome Acciari back.

I’m terms of more unrealistic options, JT Compher would be a good add but he’s set up to get paid well and will likely cost too much. ROR would be great to have back but not super likely.

Brassard, Haula, Bonino, Pauly Walnuts…could be some low hanging fruit left for cheap once most teams have already filled out most of their roster.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Blues recall Kessel under emergency conditions | St. Louis Blues

ST. LOUIS - St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced today the team has recalled defenseman Matt Kessel from its AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, under emergency conditions.

www.nhl.com

 

[STL fan in MN]

Blues recall Kessel under emergency conditions | St. Louis Blues

ST. LOUIS - St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced today the team has recalled defenseman Matt Kessel from its AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, under emergency conditions.

www.nhl.com

Good for Matt. Hopefully he gets into the lineup this afternoon.

Is Borts or someone else also injured though? I thought they could only use emergency conditions if they drop below 6 d-men (or 12 F, 2 G)? But Borts was also a scratch last night. So they still have 6 not counting Kessel even with Scandella’s injury.

Hopefully Scandella’s injury isn’t too bad and I certainly hope it’s not his hip. He’s been good since returning.

 

[kimzey59]

I like Sunny but he’s more of a RW than a C these days. I’d be good with him returning though but they probably also need to sign a C that’s good at faceoffs.

Jordan Staal perhaps? Nick Bjugstad maybe. I’d welcome Acciari back.

I’m terms of more unrealistic options, JT Compher would be a good add but he’s set up to get paid well and will likely cost too much. ROR would be great to have back but not super likely.

Brassard, Haula, Bonino, Pauly Walnuts…could be some low hanging fruit left for cheap once most teams have already filled out most of their roster.

Army isn't Mo.
He typically does not go chasing after "low hanging fruit".

I fully expect our Center add to come via trade. Just not sure what direction Army goes with to make it happen. There's a lot of teams that will be looking to blow things up this summer, a lot of teams without a 1st round pick and a lot of teams in need of defensive depth; I just don't see where the real fit is(Florida and Bennett is where I'm leaning but Army typically pulls these things out of nowhere and that seems too obvious).

 

[Moose and Squirrel]

Army isn't Mo.
He typically does not go chasing after "low hanging fruit".

I fully expect our Center add to come via trade. Just not sure what direction Army goes with to make it happen. There's a lot of teams that will be looking to blow things up this summer, a lot of teams without a 1st round pick and a lot of teams in need of defensive depth; I just don't see where the real fit is(Florida and Bennett is where I'm leaning but Army typically pulls these things out of nowhere and that seems too obvious).

I've said FLA before as well. Would be a team that could use Krug, and for whatever reason the fans have soured on Bennett.
now, how do they afford him? that I dunno

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Good for Matt. Hopefully he gets into the lineup this afternoon.

Is Borts or someone else also injured though? I thought they could only use emergency conditions if they drop below 6 d-men (or 12 F, 2 G)? But Borts was also a scratch last night. So they still have 6 not counting Kessel even with Scandella’s injury.

Hopefully Scandella’s injury isn’t too bad and I certainly hope it’s not his hip. He’s been good since returning.

Marco apparently blocked shot with his foot yesterday and didn’t return. if he broke bone could be out rest of season, but doesn’t sound like something that would be concerning. And might just be bruise and back in few days.

 

[kimzey59]

I've said FLA before as well. Would be a team that could use Krug, and for whatever reason the fans have soured on Bennett.
now, how do they afford him? that I dunno

They have 10 mil in Cap space this summer.
Bennett for Krug only adds 2.1 mil to their cap and they don't have any major RFA's to lock up. Plus they have Denisenko who should be ready for a full time spot.
They can afford it if they want to.