2022-2023 Blues Multi-Purpose Thread

[PJJJP]

Yeah, in theory, we picked a good year to suck. Maybe we finally go defense at the top to get the future #1 of the group or add another top forward, and if we add another 1st or 2 with our UFAs, then we can really get a nice prospect pool going with Bolduc Snuggs and these picks.

Although a quick look at a mock draft for 2023, doesn't look like many if any defensemen near the top with #1 potential.

Yeah this draft is very deep for forwards. If we are somehow within the top 10, there are a lot of good forwards prospects to choose from. If we somehow have a top 3 pick then we are in great hands

 

[ValHaller]

Although a quick look at a mock draft for 2023, doesn't look like many if any defensemen near the top with #1 potential.

You are absolutely correct, but I think it does bear mentioning that a lot of the time top defense can come from unexpected draft positions.

Such as Karlsson at 15th, Josi 38th, Theodore 26th, etc.

It'd be cool to have a good draft position. It'd be even cooler to get some good luck and win the jackpot for once with a defenseman.

 

[TK 421]

Yeah, in theory, we picked a good year to suck. Maybe we finally go defense at the top to get the future #1 of the group or add another top forward, and if we add another 1st or 2 with our UFAs, then we can really get a nice prospect pool going with Bolduc Snuggs and these picks.

Although a quick look at a mock draft for 2023, doesn't look like many if any defensemen near the top with #1 potential.

Yeah not a ton of D rated in the 1st, if you want a C though... get ready to be so hoppy.

 

[Majorityof1]

Yeah, in theory, we picked a good year to suck. Maybe we finally go defense at the top to get the future #1 of the group or add another top forward, and if we add another 1st or 2 with our UFAs, then we can really get a nice prospect pool going with Bolduc Snuggs and these picks.

Although a quick look at a mock draft for 2023, doesn't look like many if any defensemen near the top with #1 potential.

For top tier D, its pretty much Cameron Allen or bust. There might be a guy who is a bit of sleeper and ends up being great. But Allen is the only guy I have seen being projected as a top 10 (as high as 5, but often outside the top 10 too)

 

[Brian39]

Yeah, in theory, we picked a good year to suck. Maybe we finally go defense at the top to get the future #1 of the group or add another top forward, and if we add another 1st or 2 with our UFAs, then we can really get a nice prospect pool going with Bolduc Snuggs and these picks.

Although a quick look at a mock draft for 2023, doesn't look like many if any defensemen near the top with #1 potential.

I haven't done a ton of prospect watch yet, but everything I've read doesn't have a D man in the top 10 prospects for this year's draft. IF we truly suck and have a top 10 pick, then I want to take best player available no matter what. I don't want to use a #7 pick on a #12-quality prospect due to positional need. If we suck and sell the UFAs, use the top pick on a forward if that is the best player available and then go for D with the acquired picks.

 

[Brian39]

It'd be cool to have a good draft position. It'd be even cooler to get some good luck and win the jackpot for once with a defenseman.

I think you meant that it would be cool to get some good luck and win the jackpot again with a defenseman.

In 2008, Atlanta picked defenseman Zach Bogosian at #3 and the Leafs selected defenseman Luke Schenn with pick #5. Picks 6-10 were Nikita Filatov, Colin Wilson, Mikkel Boedker, Josh Bailey, and Cody Hodgson. We took Alex Pietrangelo, who gave the Blues 9 seasons as a no-doubt #1 D man and was the first member of the franchise to touch Lord Stanley's Cup.

In the 8 picks after Stamkos/Doughty went 1-2, there was exactly one player left in the top 10 who turned into a franchise guy.

I don't see any argument that we didn't get lucky and hit the jackpot the last time we had a top 10 pick.

 

[PocketNines]

I think you meant that it would be cool to get some good luck and win the jackpot again with a defenseman.

In 2008, Atlanta picked defenseman Zach Bogosian at #3 and the Leafs selected defenseman Luke Schenn with pick #5. Picks 6-10 were Nikita Filatov, Colin Wilson, Mikkel Boedker, Josh Bailey, and Cody Hodgson. We took Alex Pietrangelo, who gave the Blues 9 seasons as a no-doubt #1 D man and was the first member of the franchise to touch Lord Stanley's Cup.

In the 8 picks after Stamkos/Doughty went 1-2, there was exactly one player left in the top 10 who turned into a franchise guy.

I don't see any argument that we didn't get lucky and hit the jackpot the last time we had a top 10 pick.

There might still be hockey in Atlanta if they'd made the right pick.

I agree the Blues got lucky there but that's the only time they have ever drafted a true #1 defenseman in 50+ years, so we are still due some luck in order to regress to the mean IMO

 

[bleedblue1223]

I haven't done a ton of prospect watch yet, but everything I've read doesn't have a D man in the top 10 prospects for this year's draft. IF we truly suck and have a top 10 pick, then I want to take best player available no matter what. I don't want to use a #7 pick on a #12-quality prospect due to positional need. If we suck and sell the UFAs, use the top pick on a forward if that is the best player available and then go for D with the acquired picks.

Yeah, a quick look and I'd either want someone with 40 goal upside or a top center to give a long-term 1-2 punch with Thomas. And yeah, just get BPA, a top 10 pick can easily be an elite talent if you scout well.

 

[tfriede2]

Yeah, in theory, we picked a good year to suck. Maybe we finally go defense at the top to get the future #1 of the group or add another top forward, and if we add another 1st or 2 with our UFAs, then we can really get a nice prospect pool going with Bolduc Snuggs and these picks.

Although a quick look at a mock draft for 2023, doesn't look like many if any defensemen near the top with #1 potential.

This is a forward heavy draft. And if we’re losing ROR, Tarasenko, and Barbashev, we could use the help (of course, this assumes we still suck at the deadline and we sell). I know, doubtful any players drafted outside of top 5 would be able to help in 2023, but need to look to future.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

A center would be great for the franchise if there isn't a top pairing defenseman available. Would also help if Schenn loses a step and is only a 3rd line caliber center his last 2-3 years.

 

[PocketNines]

Genuinely curious if there would be a taker if the Blues offered Kyrou for future considerations.

 

[ValHaller]

I think you meant that it would be cool to get some good luck and win the jackpot again with a defenseman.

In 2008, Atlanta picked defenseman Zach Bogosian at #3 and the Leafs selected defenseman Luke Schenn with pick #5. Picks 6-10 were Nikita Filatov, Colin Wilson, Mikkel Boedker, Josh Bailey, and Cody Hodgson. We took Alex Pietrangelo, who gave the Blues 9 seasons as a no-doubt #1 D man and was the first member of the franchise to touch Lord Stanley's Cup.

In the 8 picks after Stamkos/Doughty went 1-2, there was exactly one player left in the top 10 who turned into a franchise guy.

I don't see any argument that we didn't get lucky and hit the jackpot the last time we had a top 10 pick.

Yeah, that'd be because I didn't make that argument. The examples I listed were specifically outside the top 10 for exactly that reason. I figure it to be within the realm of reasonable expectation to land a good pick in the top 10, and a lot more impressive to do so outside of it.

 

[PJJJP]

I know stats don't show the entire picture but on Naturalstattrick the Saad-ROR-Kyrou line has a 58% expected goals in 31 minutes. The Kyrou-Thomas-Tarasenko line has a 60% expected goals in 18 minutes and the Buch-Thomas-Tarasenko line has a 55% goals in 40 minutes. The Leddy-Parayko pairing has a 56% expected goal rate. The third line and the bottom line have been bad. Faulk-Krug has a 45% expected goals and Bortuzzo-Mikkola a smidge under them. Stats wise at 5v5 we are a little worse than last year at 5v5 but are shooting percentage has decreased a lot. We did have the best shooting percentage in a while last year

 

[Ranksu]

You are absolutely correct, but I think it does bear mentioning that a lot of the time top defense can come from unexpected draft positions.

Such as Karlsson at 15th, Josi 38th, Theodore 26th, etc.

It'd be cool to have a good draft position. It'd be even cooler to get some good luck and win the jackpot for once with a defenseman.

Hold on boy. Army might trade that 1st round pick if he is desperate. Not first time he do bonehead moves under pressure.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Hold on boy. Army might trade that 1st round pick if he is desperate. Not first time he do bonehead moves under pressure.

That isn’t his MO. He makes mistakes but he doesn’t deal unprotected 1st round picks in desperate trades to save failing seasons.

 

[Stealth JD]

Last night was a step in the right direction…the losing streak ends tonight in Philly. They can’t come home to face a wounded Sharks club with an 8-game funk weighing on their shoulders. A ninth loss in those circumstances would be intolerable…therefore they’re not going to let the possibility even happen. It may be ugly, it may only be a temporary reprieve from the abyss of a sunken season, but they WILL beat the Flyers tonight.

Let’s Go Blues!!!

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Last night was a step in the right direction…the losing streak ends tonight in Philly. They can’t come home to face a wounded Sharks club with an 8-game funk weighing on their shoulders. A ninth loss in those circumstances would be intolerable…therefore they’re not going to let the possibility even happen. It may be ugly, it may only be a temporary reprieve from the abyss of a sunken season, but they WILL beat the Flyers tonight.

Let’s Go Blues!!!

Agreed. Our 2019 turnaround started in Philly. This year’s does too.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

My goal song.

 

[Ben Grimm]

Stat Pack: Connor McDavid, St. Louis and the Sedins

Connor McDavid hits 500 games, the St. Louis Blues lose seven straight and interesting numbers about Daniel and Henrik Sedin before their HHOF induction.

thehockeynews.com

 

[STLegend]

While I personally would like DA to deal Kyrou to shake up the roster and salvage this season, I don't see that actually happening.

What I think is more likely is to trade RoR, and name Faulk or Schenn the captain. I wouldn't hate it if Tarasenko was extended and named captain either.

 

[PocketNines]

Nobody is taking the Kyrou contract. Other players might ship out but we are getting years of him. It's a franchise crippling contract which Armstrong stated was already good value even if Kyrou didn't get any better.

 

[Chojin]

I'm not ready to give up on Kyrou. Lots of players are wretched the season after they get paid, so I want to set how things play out.

If there's one good thing about this season, it's that Army can no longer ignore the warning signs from the last few years. It's time to take a realistic look at the roster and prospects and come up with a plan other than "throw money at mediocre players to prolong our window".

 

[ChicagoBlues]

C’mon Kyrou, you wretch! Cross the Mississippi River Jordan and save yourself!

 

[BrokenFace]

I'm not ready to give up on Kyrou. Lots of players are wretched the season after they get paid, so I want to set how things play out.

If there's one good thing about this season, it's that Army can no longer ignore the warning signs from the last few years. It's time to take a realistic look at the roster and prospects and come up with a plan other than "throw money at mediocre players to prolong our window".

This. I don't know how we could watch him enter the league and grow into an impactful top 6 player last year, and then completely lose faith that he can get back to that level. He truly has been playing terribly, but I don't see any reason to believe he can't get back to the level we saw him play at for most of last year.

 

[Stealth JD]

Nobody is taking the Kyrou contract. Other players might ship out but we are getting years of him. It's a franchise crippling contract which Armstrong stated was already good value even if Kyrou didn't get any better.

The value would be fine if we were getting last year's Jordan Kyrou for the next 8-years. But he got paid by stomping the other team's bottom lines while in a 3rd line ,16-minute per night sheltered role. Now he's being asked to play 19-minutes per game against the best players in the world who are focused on shutting him down, and he clearly looks not ready.

If he were making $2M/year this performance would be bad...but to have him get paid top money AND get smashed in the process makes Army look bad. If you're going to invest heavily in a 'face of the franchise', you'd be wise to put the money into someone who you KNOW is capable of performing at the level to warrant the investment. Kyrou has basically been gifted all-star money and a 1st line role because the Blues were so deep and so talented up front that he could pile up points in favorable matchups. Those conditions have been drastically altered. And I have no doubt that the veterans aren't happy about what they're seeing from Kyrou, and that the summer's business left a lot of players unhappy and tainted the morale of the workplace.

I also think Kyrou will become a better first liner and more closely resemble the player he was last year versus the player he's showing to be this year. But it may take some time to work through some more growing pains. It's not like Thomas is killing it as the new 1C either. We just better hope they can figure it out while the deals are still fresh. The club is now in a self-imposed transition period that was created in a perfect-storm of (1) a league-wide offensive surge, (2) a flat salary-cap from pandemic (3) unprecedented franchise forward depth (4) ill-timed breakouts corresponding to contract-years, (5) the widely accepted belief that youth is a better investment than a veteran. Army became a victim of circumstance and had no choice but to pay Kyrou or trade him. And one of those options is now off the table.