2024-2025 Blues Multi-Purpose Thread.

[Brian39]

Could the Kapanen waive also be a paper transaction for cap savings gymnastics?

Not that we need the cap space currently, but if Army is already in a sell mindset, he could be attempting to maximize our available cap space for the TDL to allow us to retain a contract as a 3rd party or gain additional flexibility to take a bad contract in exchange for assets?

We're already into our LTIR relief, so we can't bank cap space. Sending Kap down doesn't get us out of LTIR relief, either. So even if we carry 22 guys for a bit, we won't be banking any cap space unless/until there are a couple other roster moves as guys return from injury.

I'd wager that this simply means that Thomas is nearing a return, Walker has passed Kap on the depth chart, we decided that Kap will be the guy sent down when Thomas returns, and we want to know whether he will clear waivers before we start making other decisions.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Kapanen's legacy on the Blues will be one thing, getting us Dvorsky instead of a higher pick two drafts ago when he came in scoring like gangbusters and helping other trams tank below us, we shall see what fate has in store for that result ...

Blais and Vrana, they were all obnoxious.

 

[Brian39]

I don't think anyone really needs to be. When a player is injured, there is a process where the team physician re-evaluates the player and clears him to play again. Often times, the initial timeline is very conservative so players do come back sooner, but they have to pass certain tests before they can be allowed to return to full activity.

And Hockey players are known to force themselves to play through injuries they shouldnt play through.

None of us have the info about his injury to do anything but wildly speculate about whether he is being 'rushed back.'

With that said, a bone fracture isn't really the type of injury where I worry about a long-term problem because a guy comes back too soon. I'm much more worried about guys rushing back from ligament or muscle damage than a fracture. Comparatively, fractures are easier to image and assess whether a guy is able to play without risking further injury.

The organization and the player are absolutely more eager to get him back into the lineup to try and salvage playoff chances than the consensus of this board. We're 3 points back of the playoff cut line and organizations don't quit on the season at that point. We went 4-3 with him in the lineup and have gone 4-7-1 since he left the lineup. We can talk about the underlying roster construction issues all we want, but Thomas is watching his team's chances slip away without him and there is no doubt in my mind that he thinks that he could get this team back into the playoff picture.

He is too important to our long term plans for the team to be pushing him back into the lineup if it puts his long-term ability at risk. Army has been far too transparent about his views of this team as middling to risk his franchise player's long term health. But once the issue is "just" managing discomfort/pain, he is going to try and get back in the lineup.

 

[PeoriaBlues309]

Fwiw, The Athletic has the Blues as the “clear favorite” to be Jim Montgomery’s next destination.

No offense to Bannister (he seems like a good dude) but I really hope Army makes the move. It wasn’t much of a secret that he was waiting to see if he would be available this past offseason, so I wonder if he’ll be able to convince Stillman to pay off another coach’s contract before it’s due to end.

 

[TheOrganist]

Fwiw, The Athletic has the Blues as the “clear favorite” to be Jim Montgomery’s next destination.

No offense to Bannister (he seems like a good dude) but I really hope Army makes the move. It wasn’t much of a secret that he was waiting to see if he would be available this past offseason, so I wonder if he’ll be able to convince Stillman to pay off another coach’s contract before it’s due to end.

I guess it kind of depends on Montgomery’s timeline. If he wants to chill and decompress after a fairly ridiculous offseason and early season turbulence that would favor the Blues as this seems more like an offseason move. But you could def see a team like Detroit be fairly aggressive in pursuing him more immediately.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I could see Montgomery take another role with the team. The famous Coach in Waiting! What could go wrong?

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Delete. Pulled a Rob

 

[Brockon]

Delete. Pulled a Rob

But why? We love Robb here and every other thread he comments in! The cheerful optimism and/or insightful comments are awesome when taken without any context - we need more of that, rather than less of it!

 

[PocketNines]

5th!

 

[GoBluz24]

Blues Winter Classic jersey is ugly. Ugly as this season is going.

Fanatics and NHL Unveil Uniforms for Discover NHL Winter Classic at Wrigley Field | St. Louis Blues

Blues and Blackhawks uniforms to honor rich hockey legacy of both cities

www.nhl.com

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1859250810552561784

These SUCK. How are you going to make a Blues sweater without the bluenote on the front?

 

[bleedblue1223]

That could've been cool, but that is a really stupid logo. No blue note means I'm not buying.

 

[PocketNines]

that uniform looks like it was last night because they had totally forgotten to make uniforms this year

 

[LetsGoBooze]

5th!View attachment 933131

Really need to finish with a top 8 pick and acquire one additional 1st to keep this retool moving at a decent pace.

 

[PocketNines]

If Nashville can beat Seattle tonight and the Blues can lose to San Jose in regulation tomorrow then the Blues will hold the second overall pick spot

and the Blackhawks will still be a worse team

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

If Nashville can beat Seattle tonight and the Blues can lose to San Jose in regulation tomorrow then the Blues will hold the second overall pick spot

and the Blackhawks will still be a worse team

I think the best outcome is the Blackhawks to be the worst team in the league and then get the 3rd pick by losing the lottery.

Then becoming the 2010s Oilers that can’t do anything with top picks.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

I think the best outcome is the Blackhawks to be the worst team in the league and then get the 3rd pick by losing the lottery.

Then becoming the 2010s Oilers that can’t do anything with top picks.

I think the the best case is the Hawks are 2nd or worse and they win the lotto this year so they are ineligible for the next couple years. I think the Top prospects this year are lower quality than the next couple by a large margin.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I think the the best case is the Hawks are 2nd or worse and they win the lotto this year so they are ineligible for the next couple years. I think the Top prospects this year are lower quality than the next couple by a large margin.

Not at all. The best outcome is that they never win the lottery any of those years.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Not at all. The best outcome is that they never win the lottery any of those years.

It's the NHL. You know that if they don't win this year they are absolutely winning next year or the year after. NHL sees a possibility of Bedard and McKenna on the same team and they are hungry for that money.

 

[Majorityof1]

Not at all. The best outcome is that they never win the lottery any of those years.

The best outcome is if we win the lottery, get a piece to build around and create a dynasty. Then who cares what Chicago does? The best revenge is living well.

 

[Robb_K]

But why? We love Robb here and every other thread he comments in! The cheerful optimism and/or insightful comments are awesome when taken without any context - we need more of that, rather than less of it!

I don't mind being famous for having a weak short-term memory at 80 years old (even if people misspell my name).

 

[Robb_K]

If Nashville can beat Seattle tonight and the Blues can lose to San Jose in regulation tomorrow then the Blues will hold the second overall pick spot

and the Blackhawks will still be a worse team

Early season next draft position is meaningless. All that matters is that IF we DON'T make a miracle run into the playoffs and win at least one series, that we DO get into The Draft Lottery and also luck into a high enough position to draft a major difference-maker.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

I don't mind being famous for having a weak short-term memory at 80 years old (even if people misspell my name).

IM SORRY

 

[PocketNines]

Early season next draft position is meaningless. All that matters is that IF we DON'T make a miracle run into the playoffs and win at least one series, that we DO get into The Draft Lottery and also luck into a high enough position to draft a major difference-maker.

Well of course there are still 60+ games to go - the upcoming Winter Classic could possibly be a clash between the first two teams in the waiver order. But being this close to even holding the second overall pick is noteworthy since we've been about 11th, 12th, 13th lately

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

I think the the best case is the Hawks are 2nd or worse and they win the lotto this year so they are ineligible for the next couple years. I think the Top prospects this year are lower quality than the next couple by a large margin.

I’ve seen this movie before.

We finally get our #1 pick, we pick the equivalent of Erik Johnson, and it ends up being our #1 pick is sandwiched in between years of generational/very elite talent (Ovi/Malkin, Crosby before EJ, Kane and Stamkos after).