2024-2025 Blues Multi-Purpose Thread.

Brian39

Registered User
Apr 24, 2014
7,590
14,256
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.
 

Brian39

Registered User
Apr 24, 2014
7,590
14,256
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.
 

CaliforniaBlues310

Registered User
Apr 9, 2013
4,756
3,764
San Pedro, CA.
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

Don't Call Him Alex
Feb 21, 2006
4,255
1,792
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.
 

PocketNines

Cutter's Way
Apr 29, 2004
13,906
5,987
Badlands
5th!
NHL standings 111924 .png
 

PocketNines

Cutter's Way
Apr 29, 2004
13,906
5,987
Badlands
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

Idiot Control Now!
Sponsor
Aug 23, 2018
8,971
14,228
Erwin, TN
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

Conductor of the TankTown Express
Jan 15, 2014
20,332
17,996
Hyrule
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.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

  • Buffalo @ Eastern Michigan
    Buffalo @ Eastern Michigan
    Wagers: 4
    Staked: $911.00
    Event closes
    • Updated:
  • Ohio @ Toledo
    Ohio @ Toledo
    Wagers: 5
    Staked: $804.00
    Event closes
    • Updated:

Ad

Ad