Blues Discussion Thread 2018-2019

[EastonBlues22]

I want to get younger and faster too, but not at the expense of team defense. Brodziak is excellent defensively, an excellent "PKer", and I don't think he will be as easily replaced as some seem to think. (He also isn't that slow!). The "younger, faster" guys need to be defensively proficient. I am not convinced that many of our prospects are ready to step in and handle the assignments that Brodz was given and be as successful as Kyle was.

Brodziak has played himself into a situation where he's likely going to command a multi-year deal at a significant raise. It would not be particularly prudent for the Blues to tie themselves to that obligation, even if they risk taking a hit the first year of it. It's really as simple as that.

He's far from the most important player that we've moved on from for that reason.

The good news is that what he brings to the ice isn't irreplaceable, so the Blues will have their chance to fill that slot with someone else or internally. In time, they should fine someone to do the job capably. They would have to soon anyway, because there aren't many successful 35-36 year old 4th liners playing in this league.

 

[TruBlu]

I think Easton is really DA's minion in disquise, but he's right. I'd love to have Brodziak back, but he's a logjam in a cap world.

 

[simon IC]

Okay fine. We go into the season with a more "offense oriented" 4th line, and an inexperienced but "enthusiastic" PK. I guess it remains to be seen how beneficial those changes are for the team, especially in the increasingly competitive Central division. It would be interesting to revisit this discussion in April 2018.

 

[ezcreepin]

Okay fine. We go into the season with a more "offense oriented" 4th line, and an inexperienced but "enthusiastic" PK. I guess it remains to be seen how beneficial these changes are for the team, especially in the increasingly competitive Central division. It would be interesting to revisit this discussion in April 2018.

It's not even July 1st, so I'd just relax. There are more than enough bottom 6 guys that are good defensively that the Blues can sign, and have shown they can find it relatively easy and cheap. The issue is the top 6, which once we get a center and hopefully a right winger, we will be just fine. Goaltending is another issue I don't want to touch on because, well, good lord Allen.

 

[Evocable Manager]

Okay fine. We go into the season with a more "offense oriented" 4th line, and an inexperienced but "enthusiastic" PK. I guess it remains to be seen how beneficial those changes are for the team, especially in the increasingly competitive Central division. It would be interesting to revisit this discussion in April 2018.

Inexperienced hardly means bad.

Berglund, Schwartz, Schenn, Steen, Jaskin, Barbashev, Soshnikov have all shown he ability to perform in the defensive end. You wanna develop a young guys defensive game, start playing them on defense.

Using Toronto as an example, when they were unhappy with Marners defensive performance at the beginning of the season, he spent time on the fourth line and was forced to learn/play a stronger two way game. He did and he became a much more impactful player in the second part of the season.

How can young players show any potential for improvement and development if you block them with players upwards of 30 that will not be around for more than a couple seasons?

Considering the team is in a weird state where it's trying to contend but also grow, it'd be wise to see what the kids can do and only revert to veterans when proven that the kids can't get the job done.

Also a change in philosophy wouldn't kill. Our depth scoring was ass cheeks last year and a more "offensive oriented" 4th line wouldn't kill. We have vets (listed above) that we KNOW can play the PK and a number of young guys who should get an opportunity to play there.

 

[HighNote]

I miss Upshall - Brodziak - Reaves.

 

[BlueDream]

Okay fine. We go into the season with a more "offense oriented" 4th line, and an inexperienced but "enthusiastic" PK. I guess it remains to be seen how beneficial those changes are for the team, especially in the increasingly competitive Central division. It would be interesting to revisit this discussion in April 2018.

I mean, what do you expect the team to do? If a 4th liner is asking for too much money, the team doesn't have a choice but to move on. 4th liners are not guys you just hand a blank check to and let them name their price. In the salary cap world, it's important to overpay as few players as possible. And the ones that are overpaid should at least be players in the top 6 and top 4.

People already want to dump Berglund and Sobotka, who are still better player than Brodziak. I don't know what kind of money Kyle is asking for, but when that comes out I'm willing to bet it's a contract we will be happy to avoid for another bottom 6 player. We have enough of those, and you can always find those guys on the cheap... that's why Upshall didn't even have a contract when we brought him back last year.

Anyways, sure, let's revist this discussion in April. But I'm going to venture out on a limb here and say that if the team is sucking at that point, it's because Armstrong did nothing to upgrade our offense or that Allen is shitting the bed, not because we let Brodziak go. And yes, he was one of the slowest skaters on the team.

 

[FMichael]

Trying to think outside the box here and juggling a number of other things at the same time.

Backes/Zetterberg wouldn't cost you assets we don't want to move and would be more than serviceable for next year. I'd be open to both for different reasons. Backes so Thomas can play sheltered minutes. Zetterberg to have a legit set up guy for Tarasenko.

As much as we Wings fans love 'The Beard' - he's really slowing down, but his hands are still pretty good as is his head for the game.

The Blues would have to overpay in order to convince Holland in sending Zetterberg to St.Louis.

That said - you guys can have Frans Nielsen for the low price of your 2019 1st round draft pick

 

[TheDizee]

totally expecting some dumpster dive moves like us signing ennis and mason now.

 

[Spektre]

Obviously offer sheets to RFA’s don’t happen often. The way the Blues are setup long term it could actually make sense to go for Stone. Ottawa may very well match a 7x7 offer but if they’re rebuilding they need all the picks they can get.

It’ll probably never happen but I don’t really see the down side. By the time Thomas and Kyrou are signing their next deal the Blues should be free of all the dead money they’re paying out now.

 

[Stealth JD]

The more I see us falling out of the big-game trade-market the more i can envision the Blues rolling a roster similar to the young-ish squads of the late '90's that ultimately won the President's Trophy. Hopefully this ownership is smarter than to sell off the youth for established vets if they ultimately do go with youth and experience some initial success.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

Obviously offer sheets to RFA’s don’t happen often. The way the Blues are setup long term it could actually make sense to go for Stone. Ottawa may very well match a 7x7 offer but if they’re rebuilding they need all the picks they can get.

It’ll probably never happen but I don’t really see the down side. By the time Thomas and Kyrou are signing their next deal the Blues should be free of all the dead money they’re paying out now.

I’d wait to see if they re-sign EK, then hit em with a 9 million dollar offer sheet. They deserve it after knowing about the Hoffman thing and not telling teams at the TDL.

 

[The Note in MI]

This has got to be the most boring, irritating, and utterly unfulfilling Draft/Free Agency period ever. As it pertains to the Blues obviously. The Toronto servers are surely going to burn to the ground all night lmao.

 

[WeWentBlues]

I'd go up to 8.1 and front load it as much as possible. Stay out of that 4 1sts bracket

 

[LetsGoBooze]

This has got to be the most boring, irritating, and utterly unfulfilling Draft/Free Agency period ever. As it pertains to the Blues obviously.

We ended up with Bokk, and Freeagency starts tomorrow. Why are people freaking out?

 

[The Note in MI]

I don’t see how this is me freaking out but mkay.

 

[Brockon]

I know that I'll breathe a sigh of relief if we make it to July 3rd and we haven't sent one of Thomas or Kyrou off in a trade of some kind for a 1/2C.
There's been too many rumblings floating around, some oddly specific rumours involving them which essentially guts our chances at home grown impactful players.

Thompson's shown tantalizing flashes, but has another few years of development before he has the consistency to be game breaking in the way Kyrou or Thomas are raved about.

 

[Daley Tarasenkshow]

I think this offseason is very similar to the Cardinals offseason of this past winter. I know not everyone on here is local to STL and follows the Cardinals, but they desperately needed a big bat similarly to the Blues desperately needing another top-6 player. The Cardinals ended up trading for Ozuna but kept the whole sentiment that the team is not final until spring training starts.

Basically, I believe the Blues won't be done till the preseason starts and hopefully the needs are addressed. But just because the draft and free agency was quiet doesn't mean the offseason was a failure. I think the only real way to improve this team is to do it through trade.

I just hope Army makes a move. A package like Thompson + Walman+ a first can land something decent, army just needs to find that something.

 

[Novacain]

I think this offseason is very similar to the Cardinals offseason of this past winter. I know not everyone on here is local to STL and follows the Cardinals, but they desperately needed a big bat similarly to the Blues desperately needing another top-6 player. The Cardinals ended up trading for Ozuna but kept the whole sentiment that the team is not final until spring training starts.

Basically, I believe the Blues won't be done till the preseason starts and hopefully the needs are addressed. But just because the draft and free agency was quiet doesn't mean the offseason was a failure. I think the only real way to improve this team is to do it through trade.

I just hope Army makes a move. A package like Thompson + Walman+ a first can land something decent, army just needs to find that something.

Uh, gotta ask, why do you think the Thompson/Walman/1st package magically turns into "something decent". And what is something decent for that matter? Cause I don't think that offer is magically getting us a top 6 RW or C. And if so, I'd love to hear who you think it gets and we can run it through the trade boards to get an idea on if they would agree.

Basically, a player isnt going to magically fall into our laps because we throw enough inessential pieces into the pot. That is like trading 101. Unless someone has real incentive to unload someone, you have to knock their socks off to make a trade. Imagine someone was offering a 20 year old who had 9 points in 40 games in his first NHL stint, a 22 year old defensemen who had a good but not great year in the AHL, and a 1st, for a talented 2nd liner who is under 30 on a good contract. Would you take it? I wouldn't.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

Uh, gotta ask, why do you think the Thompson/Walman/1st package magically turns into "something decent". And what is something decent for that matter? Cause I don't think that offer is magically getting us a top 6 RW or C. And if so, I'd love to hear who you think it gets and we can run it through the trade boards to get an idea on if they would agree.

I’m sure it could get you a Tyler Johnson type.

 

[Daley Tarasenkshow]

Uh, gotta ask, why do you think the Thompson/Walman/1st package magically turns into "something decent". And what is something decent for that matter? Cause I don't think that offer is magically getting us a top 6 RW or C. And if so, I'd love to hear who you think it gets and we can run it through the trade boards to get an idea on if they would agree.

When I say "something decent" I mean someone that can help the team. A 50-60 point player is probably a good start in a deal like that. Not someone young or anything, probably a vet. Maybe I'm wrong, and I am fully aware that this team is probably more than a 50 point player away from any serious contention. But I do feel like Army has his hands tied and needs to do something.

Personally, I wouldn't be opposed to trading Kyrou, but I know how valuable he is, so I'd be selective on the return.

 

[Novacain]

I’m sure it could get you a Tyler Johnson type.

If they don't get Tavares, why would you move him? He is a good 2c/elite 3c and you are trying to win a cup. Why trade him for futures?

 

[Daley Tarasenkshow]

If they don't get Tavares, why would you move him? He is a good 2c/elite 3c and you are trying to win a cup. Why trade him for futures?

It could probably get you a player like Tyler Johnson. Maybe Zucc or Gallagher. Not that they'd be moved, but players like that.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

Adding a 50-60 pt center to a top 9 consisting of Tarasenko, Schwartz, Schenn, Steen, Fabbri, Thomas, Kyrou, and Berglund puts us in the top 3 in the Central. Especially if you can add another top 6 winger and have Kyrou come up just for injuries.

I’d say it’d probably be our best top 9 we’ve had since Armstrong took over.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

If they don't get Tavares, why would you move him? He is a good 2c/elite 3c and you are trying to win a cup. Why trade him for futures?

They need to make cap space to sign Kucherov and Point.


Didn’t mean to double post.