Rutherford: Army extended

[kimzey59]

More details to come.

Click to read more...

 

[AjaxManifesto]

They have been busy...

What else is going to happen between now and opening night?

 

[stl76]

Well deserved IMO.

Far from a perfect record, but overall I think Army is clearly an above average GM at worst. Can't think of many names I would rather have at the helm of this franchise.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Well deserved IMO.

Far from a perfect record, but overall I think Army is clearly an above average GM at worst. Can't think of many names I would rather have at the helm of this franchise.

He is one of the best.

 

[Blueline2757]

Well that sucks. He should've been turfed after his Pietrangelo debacle.

 

[Majorityof1]

Understandable to extend him, even a good thing. I just hope its not for too long. Give him 3-4 years.

The wheels will run off this team at some point with a bunch of our older guys on longer contracts (barring insanely good GMing). I don't want Armstrong at the helm for our eventual rebuild. Let him run this competitive window out. Then we need to make a change. I am still worried he'll leave us in a giant hole chasing being competitive far longer than we should.

 

[Ranksu]

I am still worried he'll leave us in a giant hole chasing being competitive far longer than we should.

This

X 1000000

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Understandable to extend him, even a good thing. I just hope its not for too long. Give him 3-4 years.

The wheels will run off this team at some point with a bunch of our older guys on longer contracts (barring insanely good GMing). I don't want Armstrong at the helm for our eventual rebuild. Let him run this competitive window out. Then we need to make a change. I am still worried he'll leave us in a giant hole chasing being competitive far longer than we should.

It should be obvious by now that Army isn't going to do that. Look at his track record. He has gone all in for a rental, what once? Every other time he dealt futures was for guy who would be around for a while. He has dealt pending FAs for picks a couple times when he didn't think we were contenders. Like any GM he occasionally has made moves that didn't work out, but not only did he bring us Cup, he has done great job keeping Blues competitive while he retooled roster. I can't imagine who would be better guy to oversee the next retooling.

 

[Majorityof1]

It should be obvious by now that Army isn't going to do that. Look at his track record. He has gone all in for a rental, what once? Every other time he dealt futures was for guy who would be around for a while. He has dealt pending FAs for picks a couple times hen he didn't think we were contenders. Like and GM he occasionally has made moves that didn't work out, but not only did he bring us Cup, he has done great job keeping Blues competitive while he retooled roster. I can't imagine who would be better guy to oversee the next retooling.

Look at what he did in Dallas. It took them years to make the playoffs after he left. Look at what he is doing here. We have Faulk, Krug and Schenn signed until well past a comfortable age for their play styles. Look at our current prospect pool (without rose colored glasses). Its already happening here. Most of you are just choosing to ignore it.

He brought us the cup, and while not a top contender (IMO), we still have a competitive team a piece or two away from top contender status. So I am alright giving him a few more swings. I just don't trust him to signal when a rebuild is needed. If he can retool on the fly, then we extend him past the 3-4 years I wanted to give him. If a rebuild is needed, we have the option to bring in someone with more experience rebuilding a team.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Look at what he did in Dallas. It took them years to make the playoffs after he left. Look at what he is doing here. We have Faulk, Krug and Schenn signed until well past a comfortable age for their play styles. Look at our current prospect pool (without rose colored glasses). Its already happening here. Most of you are just choosing to ignore it.

He brought us the cup, and while not a top contender (IMO), we still have a competitive team a piece or two away from top contender status. So I am alright giving him a few more swings. I just don't trust him to signal when a rebuild is needed. If he can retool on the fly, then we extend him past the 3-4 years I wanted to give him. If a rebuild is needed, we have the option to bring in someone with more experience rebuilding a team.

Whatever mistakes he made in Dallas, he clearly has learned from them. You can't look at prospect pool for team that has been playoff team pretty much every year and expect it to look like what LA or NJ have. Given our prospects and young roster players, we are in great shape for next 3-5 years (if we can resign ROR) at least. Some of y'all I think are just looking for reasons to be negative.

 

[Celtic Note]

Guess we are not going to go the rebuild route when the time is right.

 

[Majorityof1]

Whatever mistakes he made in Dallas, he clearly has learned from them. You can't look at prospect pool for team that has been playoff team pretty much every year and expect it to look like what LA or NJ have. Given our prospects and young roster players, we are in great shape for next 3-5 years (if we can resign ROR) at least. Some of y'all I think are just looking for reasons to be negative.

Playoff team almost every year, but not a contender. Let's go back 8 years: 1 Cup, 1 conference finals, 1 2nd round, 4 first round exits and 1 miss playoffs. Over half the time we don't win a playoff round. Over the last 4 years, the only round we won was our cup year. Our cup year was saved from disaster by a goalie uber-GM Armstorng didn't even have on the depth chart. Its not like we are a dynasty and I'm complaining about prospects. We got a lucky cup, which I am forever grateful for, but other than that we've been a consistent first round exit. We've been Minnesota.

 

[Ranksu]

Only downhill will get ppl to understand is team really competitive and has Army made right moves.

This is like talking to person who has schizophrenia. You understand what treatment is best for him, but patient just doesn't understand full picture, 'cus of mental illness. Only when things goes south.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Playoff team almost every year, but not a contender. Let's go back 8 years: 1 Cup, 1 conference finals, 1 2nd round, 4 first round exits and 1 miss playoffs. Over half the time we don't win a playoff round. Over the last 4 years, the only round we won was our cup year. Our cup year was saved from disaster by a goalie uber-GM Armstorng didn't even have on the depth chart. Its not like we are a dynasty and I'm complaining about prospects. We got a lucky cup, which I am forever grateful for, but other than that we've been a consistent first round exit. We've been Minnesota.

Except this really isn't true. Minnesota hasn't been past first round since 2015. Hasn't been past second round since 2003. We have averaged 9 more points than them over last 10 years. Your hate for Army really blinds you to how successful we have been.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Playoff team almost every year, but not a contender. Let's go back 8 years: 1 Cup, 1 conference finals, 1 2nd round, 4 first round exits and 1 miss playoffs. Over half the time we don't win a playoff round. Over the last 4 years, the only round we won was our cup year. Our cup year was saved from disaster by a goalie uber-GM Armstorng didn't even have on the depth chart. Its not like we are a dynasty and I'm complaining about prospects. We got a lucky cup, which I am forever grateful for, but other than that we've been a consistent first round exit. We've been Minnesota.

From JR:

Since Armstrong took over in 2010-11, the Blues have a record of 472-271-88 (.621 points %), which ranks 6th in the NHL. The club has gone to the playoffs in 9 of those 11 seasons, winning the Stanley Cup in 2019. The team's 97 playoff games in that stretch ranks 8th in the NHL.

 

[kimzey59]

5 year extension for Army per Blues Press Conference

 

[AjaxManifesto]

Best GM in the game....until he isn't

Fans will know when that is.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Best GM in the game....until he isn't

Fans will know when that is.

Some of our fans, I'm not so sure.

 

[kimzey59]

Apparently, Troy Brouwer has been hired as a scout.

 

[Majorityof1]

Except this really isn't true. Minnesota hasn't been past first round since 2015. Hasn't been past second round since 2003. We have averaged 9 more points than them over last 10 years. Your hate for Army really blinds you to how successful we have been.

From JR:

Since Armstrong took over in 2010-11, the Blues have a record of 472-271-88 (.621 points %), which ranks 6th in the NHL. The club has gone to the playoffs in 9 of those 11 seasons, winning the Stanley Cup in 2019. The team's 97 playoff games in that stretch ranks 8th in the NHL.

9 more points over a team that is not at all a contender and has never been a contender is not that great. Over that same stretch, Minnosotta made the playoffs 1 less year. They got past the first round 2 less times than we did. Had Binnington not turned around our Cup season, we'd be a lot closer than is comfortable for me.

We've been a remarkably consistent regular season team but we've had a number of first round exits. We are 40-50-1 in the playoffs during that stretch. We went past the first round 3 of the 11 years. I am not content with first round exits year after year, and I certainly am not content mortgaging our future for them. If you are, that's fine.

Also, I do not hate Armstrong. I give him credit when credit is due. He is one of the few GMs that could potentially keep our window open and give us another cup. Its why I would be happy if we give him a 3 year extention. However, he has some weaknesses as a GM and some blind spots. It would be foolish to think any GM doesn't. I think we are nearing a window where his weaknesses will outweigh his strengths for where the team will be in a few years.

 

[BlueDream]

Awesome news. He’s not perfect but he does his job very well and always works hard to make sure this team is competitive.

He’s had an unbelievable offseason this Summer, so it’s well deserved timing. He has put us in a good position here.

 

[Xerloris]

Well that sucks. He should've been turfed after his Pietrangelo debacle.

Thank god the right person got extended and his name isn't Pietrangelo.

 

[Stealth JD]

9 more points over a team that is not at all a contender and has never been a contender is not that great. Over that same stretch, Minnosotta made the playoffs 1 less year. They got past the first round 2 less times than we did. Had Binnington not turned around our Cup season, we'd be a lot closer than is comfortable for me.

We've been a remarkably consistent regular season team but we've had a number of first round exits. We are 40-50-1 in the playoffs during that stretch. We went past the first round 3 of the 11 years. I am not content with first round exits year after year, and I certainly am not content mortgaging our future for them. If you are, that's fine.

Also, I do not hate Armstrong. I give him credit when credit is due. He is one of the few GMs that could potentially keep our window open and give us another cup. Its why I would be happy if we give him a 3 year extention. However, he has some weaknesses as a GM and some blind spots. It would be foolish to think any GM doesn't. I think we are nearing a window where his weaknesses will outweigh his strengths for where the team will be in a few years.

Yep - Blues should simply get a GM who can get them to the 3rd round consistently. Curious as to how many teams have gotten into the 2nd round or beyond in 4 (or more) of the past 11 years, if the criticism of Army is for only doing it thrice (with one Cup win) in that span. Off the top of my head, since 2010 there are only a few teams who can lay claim to a better record (Chicago, Tampa, Pittsburgh & Boston)...most franchises would kill for those kinds of results.

 

[Mike Liut]

I love Army. Great signing

 

[Majorityof1]

Yep - Blues should simply get a GM who can get them to the 3rd round consistently. Curious as to how many teams have gotten into the 2nd round or beyond in 4 (or more) of the past 11 years, if the criticism of Army is for only doing it thrice (with one Cup win) in that span. Off the top of my head, since 2010 there are only a few teams who can lay claim to a better record (Chicago, Tampa, Pittsburgh & Boston)...most franchises would kill for those kinds of results.

I probably didn't do a good enough job providing context. I was talking about mortgaging our prospect pool for "success". Blueston said we can't expect a great prospect pool when we have made the playoffs every year. I countered that we have made the playoffs, but didn't exactly go deep every year. If our prospect pool is as shitty as it is, then yes, we should be in that upper echelon of teams making multiple cup runs. We have a bottom 5 prospect pool, so we should be top 5 for playoff success. Imeant it as more of an indictment of our prospect pool than our NHL success.