2024-2025 Blues Multi-Purpose Thread.

[ScratchCatFever]

I don't get to check the board very often these days, so if someone has already brought this up and it's been discussed to a point, I apologize in advance. But does anybody else see a lite version of Backes in Holloway with superior skating and softer hands? Even right down to his personality. Just seems like a guy you can't help but like and loves the fellowship of the game as much as the game itself.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I'll give you the timing. On the revenue side though, that didn't effect hockey ops. The team continued to spend. Sucks for them, and I hope they've recouped those losses because it's a great ownership group. But lost revenue does not appear to have affected the on-ice product.

It did hit at a time we were rolling. But it's been years. I don't think Boston is still complaining about it and they were rolling more than we were. Besides, e en conceding it that's one piece of bad luck not a series of things.

The year after winning the Cup, the team anticipated the highest revenue. They'd have full arenas, sell more merchandise, etc. And anticipated home playoff revenue. Most every Cup winner makes a lot of money the season following. The Blues ownership definitely took an unlucky ill-timed hit on their revenue due to Covid, more than the average for clubs around the league.

I'm not arguing whatever the original poster premise was about a string of bad luck. You could argue Bouwmeester's event was miraculously GOOD luck. If he'd been in an ICU, I don't think he would have had closer access to a defibrillator. It was literally probably the most ready availability he could have had, and its easy to conjure up myriad circumstances where he just would have died before any help could arrive.

I don't get to check the board very often these days, so if someone has already brought this up and it's been discussed to a point, I apologize in advance. But does anybody else see a lite version of Backes in Holloway with superior skating and softer hands? Even right down to his personality. Just seems like a guy you can't help but like and loves the fellowship of the game as much as the game itself.

I don't know how big of roles Holloway and Broberg end up filling for this club over the next 5 years, but I find that both guys are the type of personality I want on my team. Having some young talent with a little bit of swagger and in the rise up to establishing their place in this league, guys like that are easy to root for.

 

[Reality Czech]

The year after winning the Cup, the team anticipated the highest revenue. They'd have full arenas, sell more merchandise, etc. And anticipated home playoff revenue. Most every Cup winner makes a lot of money the season following. The Blues ownership definitely took an unlucky ill-timed hit on their revenue due to Covid, more than the average for clubs around the league.

I'm not arguing whatever the original poster premise was about a string of bad luck. You could argue Bouwmeester's event was miraculously GOOD luck. If he'd been in an ICU, I don't think he would have had closer access to a defibrillator. It was literally probably the most ready availability he could have had, and its easy to conjure up myriad circumstances where he just would have died before any help could arrive.


I don't know how big of roles Holloway and Broberg end up filling for this club over the next 5 years, but I find that both guys are the type of personality I want on my team. Having some young talent with a little bit of swagger and in the rise up to establishing their place in this league, guys like that are easy to root for.

Good points. Covid basically put a screeching halt to the best run in team history, both from an on-ice and financial perspective. The team looked primed to repeat before covid hit and the world lost their collective minds Ah what could have been...

 

[bleedblue1223]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1854936165897392435

 

[SirPaste]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1854936165897392435

Shuffling chairs on the Titanic. But seriously though I am glad Buch and Kyrou are back together and Buch is back on the wing.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1854936165897392435

Is Leddy still not skating?

 

[joe galiba]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1854936165897392435

I kind of like that 2nd line, a lot of speed and size running into the opponents with a good chunk of skill mixed in
in a perfect world it would be a heck of a 3rd line

 

[stl76]

I really hope there is a plan in place for developing Bolduc that we are just not privy to.

 

[PocketNines]

Bolduc lacks the offensive skills and talent required to be a producer at this level. I just never understood this pick.

 

[Dr Robot]

I was expecting more out of Texier than i was Holloway this season. Tex hasn’t been especially exciting. Bolduc hasn’t looked impressive but he’s only 21, I can accept a weaker performance at that age. Neighbor is only a year older so he still has room to grow but i was still hoping to see his game round out more. In general our whole team is not producing very well. A slow start isn’t the end of the world but I’d still like to see better stat lines.

 

[shpongle falls]

Bolduc still hasn’t played enough to make any definitive conclusion on him yet, still a long way to go.

 

[Frenzy31]

Saad hasn't done much more than Bolduc IMO.

 

[BlueDream]

I really hope there is a plan in place for developing Bolduc that we are just not privy to.

I don’t know what you guys are expecting. They are playing him and developing him just like they’ve done with any other young player. He occasionally sits out a game, which I don’t think is harmful.

I’m really not sure what “plan” needs to be laid out here.

 

[joe galiba]

I think Bolduc is here to start the season and get a number of games under his belt and to take what he learned back to the AHL and dominate, and injuries have kept him here for now

 

[stl76]

Just want to throw out the fact that Bolduc is one of only 7 "plus" players for the Blues. His +4 is good for 3rd best on the team.

Bolduc’s 4 assists are tied w/ Faulk and Schenn for 6th on the team in assists. Bolduc’s 4 5v5 points are tied for 6th on the team.

He is one of 2 forwards with a 5v5 CF% over 50% (the other is Thomas). Bolduc leads the team in 5v5 GF% with 70% (7 GF vs 3 GA).

All this despite his average TOI of below 12 minutes a game thus far and averaging less than 10 minutes the last 3 games.

Bolduc’s PDO is high (107.9), his xGF% (45.68%) is just OK (13th on the team behind Kyrou at 46 and ahead of Neighbours at 44.9) and he’s getting a lot of ozone starts.

The sample sizes are small, but overall the results are promising. He deserves more ice time, not less IMO.

 

[STLegend]

Bolduc lacks the offensive skills and talent required to be a producer at this level. I just never understood this pick.

Hmm guess I've been watching a different player. He's clearly got the vision, regularly makes smart plays and sneaky passes, it's unfortunate his linemates haven't been able to convert more. There's no questioning his ability to get a shot off in a hurry and with impressive velocity, he's just been missing the mark.

 

[Thallis]

Just want to throw out the fact that Bolduc is one of only 7 "plus" players for the Blues. His +4 is good for 3rd best on the team.

Bolduc’s 4 assists are tied w/ Faulk and Schenn for 6th on the team in assists. Bolduc’s 4 5v5 points are tied for 6th on the team.

He is one of 2 forwards with a 5v5 CF% over 50% (the other is Thomas). Bolduc leads the team in 5v5 GF% with 70% (7 GF vs 3 GA).

All this despite his average TOI of below 12 minutes a game thus far and averaging less than 10 minutes the last 3 games.

Bolduc’s PDO is high (107.9), his xGF% (45.68%) is just OK (13th on the team behind Kyrou at 46 and ahead of Neighbours at 44.9) and he’s getting a lot of ozone starts.

The sample sizes are small, but overall the results are promising. He deserves more ice time, not less IMO.

These do not speak well to his play. They suggest the +/- and 5v5 GF% you bring up is a mirage.

 

[Blanick]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1854936165897392435

Finally.... f***. I have been shouting to put Buch back on the wing for weeks. He is a great winger and a ok center. We have seriously limited him by forcing him to center. Not wild about Schenn being our top C. I would rather give Holloway a look there.

 

[Stealth JD]

Tex shouldn’t be getting top-6 minutes, even on an injury ravaged team. Dude is a plug whose days in the NHL appear to be numbered. Folks whine about Kyrou’s defense and decision making, but Tex is just as bad with a way lesser skill set. I’d honestly rather see Kapanen in the lineup the Tex. Dude is a butcher.

 

[stl76]

These do not speak well to his play. They suggest the +/- and 5v5 GF% you bring up is a mirage.

Not everything is peaches and cream, I included those stats for a reason. Does nothing to diminish my point that Bolduc should be getting more minutes, not less.

Who is Bolduc competing for ice time with? Because his 5v5 xGF% of 45.68 is very slightly behind Kapanen (46.01) and Kyrou (46), and it is ahead of Neighbours (44.93), Walker (43.54), Saad (42.47), Torpo (42.26), Buch (42.05), Schenn (41.82), Faksa (40.08), and Texier (37.16).

Was trying to keep this stat based, but Bolduc is also passing the eye test IMO. He’s making smart plays with the puck, checking well, and staying defensively responsible.

Maybe coaches are seeing things I’m not, maybe it is in Bolduc’s long term best interest to sit out games occasionally and only get 9-10 mins per game…but it’s hard for me to see how he doesn’t at least deserve a couple extra shifts and some more chances as a trigger man on the right side for the 2nd PP unit. Let’s see if it is a mirage or not.

 

[TheOrganist]

Definitely not giving up on Bolduc. There is something there.

 

[542365]

I like Bolduc’s compete level and willingness to engage. The results aren’t there yet, but we’re not a very good team whether he’s in the lineup or not. I’d rather give him some opportunities with good line mates and special teams to see how he does rather than put him in the press box. I’d also like to see M. Joseph draw in over several of the bottom six forwards.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

So Bolduc stinks and has always stunk and was never going to be a real NHLer?

He needs more ice time.

 

[PocketNines]

I'm not saying don't play the kid this is obviously the time to play him. I'm saying I don't get the logic of him as a player. What is he consistently going to do for the Blues that's going to lead to success? He projects weakly into a top six.

Snuggerud is easier to project, we know how he will be needed and used and his top skill is very skilled.

What element(s) in Bolduc's game are we expecting to be separators between him and average players?

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I'm not saying don't play the kid this is obviously the time to play him. I'm saying I don't get the logic of him as a player. What is he consistently going to do for the Blues that's going to lead to success? He projects weakly into a top six.

Snuggerud is easier to project, we know how he will be needed and used and his top skill is very skilled.

What element(s) in Bolduc's game are we expecting to be separators between him and average players?

Looking back on the Blues' history with 1st round forwards, there have been misses. But the team has a habit of recognizing that early in general with their picks and jettisoning those guys. I'm not thinking of too many examples in the last decade+ where a forward didn't pan out into something, and the Blues wasted time with them.

Bokk - gone quickly (That 2018 draft was a stinker. Thank goodness for Hofer and maybeish Tucker.)
Kostin (They let him percolate for a while, but I thought that had more to do with the type of player they projected him to be. A more power forward style, but it was a failed experiment.)

Geez, that's about it for 1st round forwards that look like busts, unless you go back ridiculously far. If Bolduc doesn't turn into a contributor for the Blues, it will buck that trend. And you'd also think they won't throw good money after bad, and move on from him fairly quickly. Its a good season for letting a young guy have a long chance.

I expected him to get big AHL minutes this year, after a short time with the club. Maybe that's still how this will play out before the season is over.