2022-2023 Blues Multi-Purpose Thread

[rumrokh]

I would say Walker is a near lock to make the team and as of now, projects on the starting 12. The lineup today has a 4th line of Alexandrov-Acciari-Walker.

Brown doesn’t sound like he’s overly close to returning (but he’ll also make the team) and I doubt they’d have Torpo play 0 preseason games and then just throw him into the opener.

You just exactly described a player who can't stick: a guy who needs multiple injuries to make the team and is one of the first candidates to get demoted when those players return.

 

[Beauterham]

Valimaki on waivers. Wouldn't be the worst waiver claim.

Not saying it's going to be us, but someone is definitely going to claim him.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

Not surprised at all with Klim going to waivers. He looked good in 1 preseason game. Meh to downright bad in all the others.

Was rooting for Pitlick to make it but they either didn’t quite like him enough or he’s injured more than day to day. They’re not going to sign an injured guy just to place him on IR.

Did anyone, literally anyone consider Alexandrov to be a legit option to grab a spot?? I still think he’ll end up getting sent down if/when Brown or Torpo are ready but agree he sure appears to have put himself in the conversation to be a top call-up option when the inevitable injuries occur. I’ll have to pay more attention to him as he must be doing a lot of little things right for Chief to like him so much.

I am the only person here who has hyped up Alexandrov.

I don't think I specifically predicted him to make the opening-night roster, but I've posted for a while now that he has a real shot.

 

[STL fan in MN]

You just exactly described a player who can't stick: a guy who needs multiple injuries to make the team and is one of the first candidates to get demoted when those players return.

I would disagree. He’s currently 11th on the depth chart and even when Brown and Torpo return, he’ll still be in the top-14. Chief seems to love him. I think Walker has found a home here.

 

[rumrokh]

I would disagree. He’s currently 11th on the depth chart and even when Brown and Torpo return, he’ll still be in the top-14. Chief seems to love him. I think Walker has found a home here.

I hope so. I think he's an effective depth player. But he got 30 games last season and is 28. And I don't think a lot has changed except that Perron and Bozak left. Maybe that's all the space that's necessary even with Acciari and some of the younger guys pushing.

And that's not really even my point. My point is that I generally see more from Walker than I do from Alexandrov. And if Walker is only the 11th or 14th forward, how truly impressed can the staff be by Alexandrov? So I hope Alexandrov continues to show more and grow or that I've just happened to miss what the dude brings. Walker was just a convenient point of comparison.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

I hope so. I think he's an effective depth player. But he got 30 games last season and is 28. And I don't think a lot has changed except that Perron and Bozak left. Maybe that's all the space that's necessary even with Acciari and some of the younger guys pushing.

And that's not really even my point. My point is that I generally see more from Walker than I do from Alexandrov. And if Walker is only the 11th or 14th forward, how truly impressed can the staff be by Alexandrov? So I hope Alexandrov continues to show more and grow or that I've just happened to miss what the dude brings. Walker was just a convenient point of comparison.

This is what I understood in your post as you are not high on Alexandrov.

 

[STL fan in MN]

I hope so. I think he's an effective depth player. But he got 30 games last season and is 28. And I don't think a lot has changed except that Perron and Bozak left. Maybe that's all the space that's necessary even with Acciari and some of the younger guys pushing.

And that's not really even my point. My point is that I generally see more from Walker than I do from Alexandrov. And if Walker is only the 11th or 14th forward, how truly impressed can the staff be by Alexandrov? So I hope Alexandrov continues to show more and grow or that I've just happened to miss what the dude brings. Walker was just a convenient point of comparison.

Oh, I’m with you there. I was probably one of the main people dogging Alexandrov in the prospect polls. But I do have to admit he looked good in a 4th line role today.

But yeah, when Brown and Torpo are healthy, I fully expect Alexandrov to head to Springfield.

 

[rumrokh]

This is what I understood in your post as you are not high on Alexandrov.

I completely admit I haven't seen enough to make a judgment. But what I have seen has been generally uninteresting. However, he was solid in today's game. Some players definitely show their value with the entire lineup surrounding them. That's why the coaching staff makes the calls and not the fans. They see so many things in practice that most of us don't get to see. It's entirely possible if I reviewed the tape that has made me wary about Alexandrov, I'd change my mind. But I didn't miss that on a rush today, when he should have been prepared for a pass, a teammate hit the back of his stick with a pass he clearly did not know was coming. It ended up being a good rush and he was lucky it bounced where he could corral it. Lots of players know what to do from the circles in. You can battle in the corner and go to the net all day. It's between the circles that decide whether or not most guys can stick in the league.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Alexandrov sent to Springfield

 

[ChicagoBlues]

I completely admit I haven't seen enough to make a judgment. But what I have seen has been generally uninteresting. However, he was solid in today's game. Some players definitely show their value with the entire lineup surrounding them. That's why the coaching staff makes the calls and not the fans. They see so many things in practice that most of us don't get to see. It's entirely possible if I reviewed the tape that has made me wary about Alexandrov, I'd change my mind. But I didn't miss that on a rush today, when he should have been prepared for a pass, a teammate hit the back of his stick with a pass he clearly did not know was coming. It ended up being a good rush and he was lucky it bounced where he could coral it. Lots of players know what to do from the circles in. You can battle in the corner and go to the net all day. It's between the circles that decide whether or not most guys can stick in the league.

MosDef!

There is not a single aspect to his game that stands out to me. He's super vanilla and does not have one or two skills (playmaking, shot release, whatever) that he can rely upon.

He does, however, do just about everything at a decent-to-good level and is on a conservative, but rising trajectory. I feel even better about him after Chief's comments on Alexandrov's physicality.

I watched Barbashev in almost every Wolves game he played and saw how inconsistent he was in his first pro season in NA. Barbie was also vanilla and nothing stood out, but he was solid all around.

Alexandrov is similar to Barbashev and, imo, will become a solid NHL 3rd-liner with the ability to play 2nd-line duty. I just hope he can demonstrate NHL-level play for the 4th line.

He is heading back to SPR, which is ok. Apparently, he had a good Camp and surely has an action plan.

 

[rumrokh]

MosDef!

There is not a single aspect to his game that stands out to me. He's super vanilla and does not have one or two skills (playmaking, shot release, whatever) that he can rely upon.

He does, however, do just about everything at a decent-to-good level and is on a conservative, but rising trajectory. I feel even better about him after Chief's comments on Alexandrov's physicality.

I watched Barbashev in almost every Wolves game he played and saw how inconsistent he was in his first pro season in NA. Barbie was also vanilla and nothing stood out, but he was solid all around.

Alexandrov is similar to Barbashev and, imo, will become a solid NHL 3rd-liner with the ability to play 2nd-line duty. I just hope he can demonstrate NHL-level play for the 4th line.

He is heading back to SPR, which is ok. Apparently, he had a good Camp and surely has an action plan.

There is an aspect that stood out to me about Barbashev's game at lower levels: tipping pucks. I definitely didn't watch as much as you did, but every time I saw Barbashev in the AHL, he looked really effective around the net, screening, tipping, and getting to rebounds faster than most opponents.

I always thought that aspect of his game could get more use at the NHL level, but even if it never translated, I thought his hand-eye and positioning when his teammates had the puck were both very good.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

There is an aspect that stood out to me about Barbashev's game at lower levels: tipping pucks. I definitely didn't watch as much as you did, but every time I saw Barbashev in the AHL, he looked really effective around the net, screening, tipping, and getting to rebounds faster than most opponents.

I always thought that aspect of his game could get more use at the NHL level, but even if it never translated, I thought his hand-eye and positioning when his teammates had the puck were both very good.

Yeah, he was good around the net. I remember that he played larger than he was at the time. I think I was mostly referring to his first season, but he got much better in year 2, just as Alexandrov will.

 

[542365]

Jusso Valimaki on waivers. Young LHD, former first rounder. Solid offensive numbers in juniors/minor pro. That’s about all I know about him. Would he be an improvement on Rosen for our 7th D spot?

 

[Majorityof1]

Yeah. I didn't think he would pass waivers. I don't know what the Jets were thinking, there.

Maybe he is not that good? I don't know too much about him because he wasn't someone on my radar his draft year (3rd round pick). He has 4 NHL games @ 25. Being good in the AHL doesn't mean a ton for 24+ year olds. I mean Frk was 6th in the AHL in scoring.and 2nd in goals. Nobody was wondering what we were thinking when we waived him. A good AHL season does not mean you will be a good NHL player.

Plus the Jets top 6 is set. They have 5 legit NHLers (Morrissey, Schmidt, Pionk, Dillon, Demelo). Logan Stanley was a first round pick and made strides last year. He is now Waivers eligible, I don't want to lose him to waivers if I am the Jets. I wouldn't want to lose any of my top 6 to waivers if I am Winniepeg.

They kept two younger waiver exempt guys with better draft pedigree to be the potential 7th D. Both Heinola and Samberg also have more NHL experience than Kovacevic. They were both good in the AHL as well last year, they just had less games than Kovacevic. I'd gladly take either on the Blues from what I have seen. Maybe they just beat Kovacevic out? Even if they didn't, they were a good safety net to try to sneak Kovacevic through waivers. It failed, but is it really any great loss to lose a a guy with 4 NHL games at 25 as your #7 Dman when you have 2 really good early-20s, waiver exempt guys pushing for NHL time?

 

[stl76]

I am the only person here who has hyped up Alexandrov.

I don't think I specifically predicted him to make the opening-night roster, but I've posted for a while now that he has a real shot.

I was definitely not high on Alexandrov, great to see him have a strong camp! I'll have to pay closer attention to him moving forward.

 

[stl76]

Valimaki on waivers. Wouldn't be the worst waiver claim.

Jusso Valimaki on waivers. Young LHD, former first rounder. Solid offensive numbers in juniors/minor pro. That’s about all I know about him. Would he be an improvement on Rosen for our 7th D spot?

Claimed by AZ:

 

[Vladys Gumption]

I’m a bit surprised we waived Leivo. I though he’s had a good camp and would be a nice fourth line option.

 

[TheDizee]

well its officially hockey season now.

i have to say, i think this team is gonna have some major hurdles to climb this year. especially if the goaltending struggles and if thomas/kyrou have setbacks and i think both of them will. Thomas is injury prone too. In fact, I think most people on the team are going to have setbacks from last season outside of maybe Saad and Buch.

 

[Kcoyote3]

Did Neighbours make it?

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Did Neighbours make it?

Looks like it.

 

[Majorityof1]

I’m a bit surprised we waived Leivo. I though he’s had a good camp and would be a nice fourth line option.

Agreed. But I think we only have 13 forwards left with Toropchenko and Brown banged up. So maybe it is a paper move for cap, where we don't think anyone will claim him. We have a couple guys we can't send down because they are banged up, so we send Leivo down and then use LTIR to call him up.

Forwards: (1) Acciari (2) Barbashev (3) Brown (4) Buchnevich (5) Kyrou (6) Neighbours (7) O'Reilly (8) Saad (9) Schenn (10) Tarasenko (11) Thomas (12) Toropchenko (13) Walker

Am I missing anyone? Angello and Washurak are still with the team, but only because they are in concussion protocol and IR respectively. I'm not counting them, as they won't make the team.

 

[Beauterham]

Agreed. But I think we only have 13 forwards left with Toropchenko and Brown banged up. So maybe it is a paper move for cap, where we don't think anyone will claim him. We have a couple guys we can't send down because they are banged up, so we send Leivo down and then use LTIR to call him up.

Forwards: (1) Acciari (2) Barbashev (3) Brown (4) Buchnevich (5) Kyrou (6) Neighbours (7) O'Reilly (8) Saad (9) Schenn (10) Tarasenko (11) Thomas (12) Toropchenko (13) Walker

Am I missing anyone? Angello and Washurak are still with the team, but only because they are in concussion protocol and IR respectively. I'm not counting them, as they won't make the team.

Alexandrov might be on the roster.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

Toropchenko at home rehabbing.

View attachment 590494

 

[Majorityof1]

Alexandrov might be on the roster.

He's not on the roster. He was sent down just like Leivo. One or the other or both could be paper moves, but for now they are both, on paper, assigned to Springfield.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

He's not on the roster. He was sent down just like Leivo. One or the other or both could be paper moves, but for now they are both, on paper, assigned to Springfield.

Leivo hasn’t been sent down. At least not yet. If he clears waivers he may be sent down.