2023-2024 Blues Multi-Purpose Thread

[Xerloris]

I love this flat cap excuse.

Go look at how many players the Blackhawks lost after each of their Cup wins. They were constantly losing depth due to the Cap.

But you know the difference between them and us? The Blackhawks made sure they kept the right guys. They knew their elite players deserved the money, and kept their core. Only like 4 players were with them through that entire dynasty.

So yeah, this is a pretty terrible comparison and a desperate attempt to defend Armstrong.

To start on this embarrassment of a post. The Blackhawks were not a dynasty. 2nd Those players they kept are Hall of Famers. Don't try to give me some bullshit about Pietrangelo when we all know he isn't good enough to wipe keiths ass in his prime. Or Doughty even though he's not a Hawk.

 

[BlueDream]

The flat cap isn't an excuse, it's a reality. The Blackhawks still had a growing cap to address their issues. Those contract extensions handed out to Kane, Toews, Keith, Seabrook, Crawford, etc. in a flat cap NHL would've made their success impossible.

Frankly, if someone can't even relent on how a flat cap posed a significant obstacle in keeping a championship team together, that tells me all I need to know someone's ability to look beyond emotion when analyzing the situation.

Yet other teams have not had a problem remaining contenders with the flat cap. Amazing how that works, and the excuses will keep coming from the homers.

 

[Brockon]

Yet other teams have not had a problem remaining contenders with the flat cap. Amazing how that works, and the excuses will keep coming from the homers.

Really?

If Tampa hadn't had the benefit of slapping Kucherov on the LTIR for the entire 20-21 season for that extra 9.5m in cap space, do you think they're able to win back to back cups after shipping out the required salary to become cap compliant?

They won the ECF in 7 games, with a 1-0 game 7 score. That series was pretty close outside of the 8-0 game 5 score. 5, 1 goal games, game 2 was 4-2 (I'm assuming an empty net goal as well, but haven't been able to confirm).

Montréal shouldn't have been in the playoffs and Carrey Price willed that team to the finals before losing to the series 4-1.

Can you at least pause to acknowledge that Tampa has looked lost this year due to the cap casualties that their LTIR situation allowed them to defer in the earlier portions of the flat cap?

 

[Xerloris]

Really?

If Tampa hadn't had the benefit of slapping Kucherov on the LTIR for the entire 20-21 season for that extra 9.5m in cap space, do you think they're able to win back to back cups after shipping out the required salary to become cap compliant?

They won the ECF in 7 games, with a 1-0 game 7 score. That series was pretty close outside of the 8-0 game 5 score. 5, 1 goal games, game 2 was 4-2 (I'm assuming an empty net goal as well, but haven't been able to confirm).

Montréal shouldn't have been in the playoffs and Carrey Price willed that team to the finals before losing to the series 4-1.

Can you at least pause to acknowledge that Tampa has looked lost this year due to the cap casualties that their LTIR situation allowed them to defer in the earlier portions of the flat cap?

Now Imagine dealing with the flat cap and losing your #1 LD and what ever the Lightning equivilant of Gunner and Steen would have been. Do you really think they go back to back?

Sorry, that makes it sound like I am accusing you when I am simply adding to what you were saying.

 

[BlueDream]

Really?

If Tampa hadn't had the benefit of slapping Kucherov on the LTIR for the entire 20-21 season for that extra 9.5m in cap space, do you think they're able to win back to back cups after shipping out the required salary to become cap compliant?

They won the ECF in 7 games, with a 1-0 game 7 score. That series was pretty close outside of the 8-0 game 5 score. 5, 1 goal games, game 2 was 4-2 (I'm assuming an empty net goal as well, but haven't been able to confirm).

Montréal shouldn't have been in the playoffs and Carrey Price willed that team to the finals before losing to the series 4-1.

Can you at least pause to acknowledge that Tampa has looked lost this year due to the cap casualties that their LTIR situation allowed them to defer in the earlier portions of the flat cap?

I didn’t say anything about Tampa since they weren’t one of the ones I was referring to (that was mainly toward Colorado, Dallas, Boston, Vegas, Carolina, etc).

I actually agree that Tampa got a little bit lucky that their Cups were doing the bubble, and then against Montreal who was a fluke finalist.

 

[Evgeny Oliker]

So what’s with Toropchenko scoring so much lately?

Is he lucky? Or is there some upside for him to be a 20 goal guy?

 

[BrokenFace]

So what’s with Toropchenko scoring so much lately?

Is he lucky? Or is there some upside for him to be a 20 goal guy?

You can squint and say he's on a generally similar path as Barbashev, who eventually scored 20, and I could see him getting more chances to play up in the lineup with how shallow our forward core could get, but he doesn't look like a 20 goal scorer to me. Depends on how he develops though. I would have said the same about Barby and would have been wrong.

 

[Majorityof1]

So what’s with Toropchenko scoring so much lately?

Is he lucky? Or is there some upside for him to be a 20 goal guy?

A bit of both. He has stone hands but he has a good shot. He is super fast. He gets loose on a lot of breakaways and just shoots it quickly, surprising goalies. I don't think that'll work long term at this level. I don't think he'll ever hit 20 goals like the above poster. But he may be good for 10 goals a season.

 

[Brockon]

... You really get hung up on the raw totals and can't see the forest for the trees. I haven't banged on this drum for a while, so thank you for providing a nice segue to re-iterate and bring up cap hit percentage and its relevance when comparing contracts and wincing at cap hit numbers out of context.

I've pieced together a little guessing game for you in paint, using capfriendly data. I'll share the answers when you're done.

There are 4 cup winners, and 3 players with no cup in the following image giving points, gp and +/- from sometime in the 2010-present season, listing the players cap hit %.
I want you to give me your guess at their cap hit AAV - based on how you value their performance, then i'll share identities, AAV and contract years.

View attachment 834672

Anyone else want to play, given @TheDizee has not in the past several days?

 

[Drubilly]

Anyone else want to play, given @TheDizee has not in the past several days?

Nope. I am enjoying his dodgyness though!

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Anyone else want to play, given @TheDizee has not in the past several days?

Only ones I know off the top of my head are

B. RoR
C. Phil Kessel
F. Kyrou

 

[Brockon]

Only ones I know off the top of my head are

B. RoR
C. Phil Kessel
F. Kyrou

I was looking for AAV guestimates, but well done identifying the players in question!

A, D, E & G are trickier by design - given some are earlier 2010 contracts and others are not the usual suspects.

I won't ruin your fun, but let me know if/when you're ready for the rest of the answers.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

I was looking for AAV guestimates, but well done identifying the players in question!

A, D, E & G are trickier by design - given some are earlier 2010 contracts and others are not the usual suspects.

I won't ruin your fun, but let me know if/when you're ready for the rest of the answers.

I feel stupid. D Is Marian Hossa hahaha

 

[PocketNines]

After the third period against Anaheim, the opposing blue paint is officially

The Neighbourhood

 

[bleedblue1223]

I'm very happy with the emergence of Kessel, he was someone I was always hopeful while in college. His ability to be paired with a Krug or Perunovich type and provide the defensive stability, will allow us to really focus on upgrading the 2nd pair. Assuming Faulk's issues this season are more injury related and we can expect the Faulk from the previous 2 seasons for next year, if Army is able to acquire an upgrade at LD, we should have a somewhat decent defense.

 

[LogosBlue]

Loving Neighbors game / progression. I hope he stays part of the long term core for the Blues for a long time.

 

[BlueDream]

Loving Neighbors game / progression. I hope he stays part of the long term core for the Blues for a long time.

He will.

He almost feels like the next Oshie here, but the version that stays with the Blues his whole career instead of getting traded. I think he could be that type of fan favorite and all-around player. Those are the vibes I get from him, as well as being loved by his teammates. He just has so much going for him.

 

[joe galiba]

He will.

He almost feels like the next Oshie here, but the version that stays with the Blues his whole career instead of getting traded. I think he could be that type of fan favorite and all-around player. Those are the vibes I get from him, as well as being loved by his teammates. He just has so much going for him.

aaannnddd.... he randomly falls down, just like Oshie

 

[Renard]

I want to see alexandrov centering skilled guys for 10+ game stretch. No idea if he can handle it, but we need to see if he has anything in him bc he hasn’t been good in 4th line role but his resume indicates he can play.

I dont know what the Blues have been doing with Alexandov. It seems to me that Alexandrov has been a healthy scratch for most of our games.

If the management is convinced that Alexandrov cant cut it, they should release him.

Hitchcock used to reward guys who were playing well in practice by playing an NHL game, so maybe he hasn't been good in practice.

Our interim coach should be well acquinted with Alexandrov. But he is in a "win now" mode.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

I dont know what the Blues have been doing with Alexandov. It seems to me that Alexandrov has been a healthy scratch for most of our games.

If the management is convinced that Alexandrov cant cut it, they should release him.

Hitchcock used to reward guys who were playing well in practice by playing an NHL game, so maybe he hasn't been good in practice.

Our interim coach should be well acquinted with Alexandrov. But he is in a "win now" mode.

it does seem rather telling that guy who had him when he was productive (and presumably playing well) in springfield seemingly has no interest in playing him.

 

[TheDizee]

Bench him but dress Cryrou, lol. Last time I checked, sunny has done everything we asked and signed him for and then some. But let's bench him for the crybaby clubhouse cancer that. This will go over really well in the locker room and inspire people to not coast.

 

[BlueDream]

I love Sunny but lately he does look like he could use a breather. He plays such a hard game and his body has taken a beating in his career, so he doesn’t really need to play in all 82 games.

Glad Dean is finally getting in there. Hopefully once Sundqvist gets back in, Kapanen comes out again on Saturday. Or maybe Bannister will just let him live off of his one good game against Boston for the rest of the season, who knows…

 

[stl76]

"I think 'Sunny's a heart and soul guy," Bannister said. "I feel like a little of his play's dropped off probably because of the grinds that we're in, in March. I think for him, it's just getting him a reset and getting him rest. He's going to be an important player for us moving forward here. He's going to go right back in, in Minnesota."

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

"I think 'Sunny's a heart and soul guy," Bannister said. "I feel like a little of his play's dropped off probably because of the grinds that we're in, in March. I think for him, it's just getting him a reset and getting him rest. He's going to be an important player for us moving forward here. He's going to go right back in, in Minnesota."

Sunny gets a maintenance day.

Dizee:

 

[Xerloris]

Bench him but dress Cryrou, lol. Last time I checked, sunny has done everything we asked and signed him for and then some. But let's bench him for the crybaby clubhouse cancer that. This will go over really well in the locker room and inspire people to not coast.

What's the name of your dooms day cult?