Blues Discussion Thread 2018-2019

[BlueDream]

Face-offs? Defensively? Yeah...Bozak is a hell of a down-grade from Stastny. Not to mention the extra ~ 10 so points.
Even then...WITH Statsny the Blues were a border-line playoff club. This move doesn't improve that.

Perron, Berglund, Bozak are all good third liners on a good team...and they're a hilariously embarrassing solution within your top-6 and an acknowledgement that the options weren't great and that this is the best they could do. Doesn't inspire a whole lot of confidence for the upcoming season.

But they’re not. Bozak and Perron are top 6 players and were playing on 2 good teams.

 

[carter333167]

The future of our forward group looks strong. Our D is very solid. Goaltending is now the biggest question mark, although I think Husso will be good. He needs to back up Jake this season.

 

[Alklha]

At least we didn't sign Maroon lol

Why do you think he hasn't signed? He's probably waiting for Armstrong to deal Sobotka for the space

 

[The Note]

Why do you think he hasn't signed? He's probably waiting for Armstrong to deal Sobotka for the space

God that would be classic. Ship out one redundant bottom 6 guy just to sign Maroon to a multi year deal.

 

[LetsGoBooze]

Why do you think he hasn't signed? He's probably waiting for Armstrong to deal Sobotka for the space

Honestly wouldnt mind this move

 

[Novacain]

My favorite part of all this btw is Stealth proclaiming Bozak is a big downgrade on faceoffs compared to Stastny. Bozak has been one of the better faceoff guys in the league for years.

 

[Old Blueser]

The future of our forward group looks strong. Our D is very solid. Goaltending is now the biggest question mark, although I think Husso will be good. He needs to back up Jake this season.

Coaching is a huge question mark to me.

 

[simon IC]

I think people are being very generous in describing Bozak and Perron as top 6 players. On our team, as presently constructed? Yes they are. But ideally, on a real contender, I would consider them 3rd liners .

 

[Mike Liut]

The future of our forward group looks strong. Our D is very solid. Goaltending is now the biggest question mark, although I think Husso will be good. He needs to back up Jake this season.

I’d call our D better than solid. It’s the strength of the team imo

 

[Celtic Note]

I’d call our D better than solid. It’s the strength of the team imo

I would strongly agree. Our D is our core strength. That could change. But as of today, we rank the highest in our defense relative to the rest of the NHL.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

I think people are being very generous in describing Bozak and Perron as top 6 players. On our team, as presently constructed? Yes they are. But ideally, on a real contender, I would consider them 3rd liners .

If you think 40-60 point players belong on the 3rd line, your expectations are the problem, not the players

 

[Stealth JD]

My favorite part of all this btw is Stealth proclaiming Bozak is a big downgrade on faceoffs compared to Stastny. Bozak has been one of the better faceoff guys in the league for years.

Is he better than Stastny? Does he take more defensive draws or tougher defensive assignments?

 

[kimzey59]

Why do you think he hasn't signed? He's probably waiting for Armstrong to deal Sobotka for the space

I'm not saying I want Maroon, but I'd definitely be looking for somebody like him at this point.
A Net Front PP guy that can play a 2nd line or 4th line role(essentially a safety net for both Fabbri and/or Soshnikov) is pretty much what we need to cap off the off-season.

 

[justmuckit]

If you think 40-60 point players belong on the 3rd line, your expectations are the problem, not the players

You could argue that expecting these two to be closer to 60 points than 40 is an unreal expectation.

 

[WeWentBlues]

We all wanted and expected more this offseason but have had some tough medicine to swallow the last two weeks.

I would say Armstrong did as good of a job as he could given the circumstances. Looking forward to next season. I don't mind all the spare parts we have. Better than the alternative. We can also be active at the TDL to move out pieces for futures and look at trading to improve the team for a playoff run.

 

[simon IC]

Coaching is a huge question mark to me.

Bingo! I don't have a lot of faith in Mile Yeo. I have stated so a few times.

 

[Stealth JD]

But they’re not. Bozak and Perron are top 6 players and were playing on 2 good teams.

We’ve all seen Perron in a top-6 role and I think we can safely assume most of us have (/had) higher aspirations than Chapter Three in the book of David. Top-6 Winger? Looks like we went with option G...but I’m glad if this meets anyone’s expectations. To each their own.

Bozak was the 3C in Toronto behind Kadri and Matthews. If he’s the 2C here we’re reaching. If he’s the 3C here I’m pleased.

 

[Bernie Federko]

All in all not a bad day for the Blues.

Tavares stays east, although he would have been ideal for us. I still feel like we're short 3 top six guys, bottom six we're covered. Now time to work on offloading some of the extras at the bottom of the roster.

The big question mark is still Allen. Maybe somehow he will get this act together and be able to compete for the whole season without having one of his mental vacations. Wishful thinking I guess.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

You could argue that expecting these two to be closer to 60 points than 40 is an unreal expectation.

It seems like there were people saying the same thing about Schenn last year.

Opportunity and usage are important considerations. Either way, neither are being paid like 60+ point players, so what’s the point of complaining like they are?

The cap went up. McDavid and Draisaitl are getting paid $10mil a year, Tavares will be getting paid $11. These contracts are good value and good term, and don’t have trade protection. They address gaps in our roster (two right shot top-6 dmen) and allow us to be patient with prospects in the meantime. Gone are the days when $3mil AAV was a decent contract. Adjust your expectations accordingly

 

[David Dennison]

Perhaps you are a new Blues fan.

Im getting old, can your nuub eyes read those join dates for me?

Like it or not there’s hardly any argument about where the organization was going into this offseason. It’s **** or get off the pot time. You don’t get to horde all your prospects only to not play them.

Is there hardly any argument, or do they have a choice to shit or get off of the pot? Hoarde what prospects? Thomas, Kostin and Kyrou all have 3 years left on their ELC. They are all 19 or 20. I think you have it backwards, this is precisely the time you spend on veterans, when you have some talented youngsters who can supplement them.

But seriously, when people say you need to shit or get off of the pot, they are usually wrong.

The Blues have Steen, Sobotka, Berglund, Perron, and Bozak taking up 5 of the top 9 slots for the next 3 years (except Sobotka for 2 more years)

Tarasenko, Schwartz, and Schenn bring that total to 8 out of the top 9. Fabbri makes it 9. Thomas should never play on the 4th line. Who gets bumped to the 4th line, Berglund, or Sobotka? That’s piss poor asset management. Berglund should never have been resigned before he had to be. Once the Blues did commit to Berglund they should have traded Sobotka’s rights.

Unless they are traded, gone in the expansion draft, bought out, injured, or just put on the 4th line. Even if Kyrou doesnt start the season on the Blues, Sobotka might start on the 4th line. Just because we have them under contract doesnt mean that it is set in stone for the next 3 years. Things change. I dont get the Berglund hate either, he started slow after coming back from injury but still finished on pace for 20 goals. Sobotka is 20/20 hindsight, everyone was happy to have him back two years ago. And his contract is small enough to move without much trouble, and I think he will look better next season where he is going to be expected to shoulder as much offensive responsibility. If Thomas is as good as advertised, he wont be on the 4th line for long.

Bad asset management? Maybe, but every team has a couple of bad contracts, at least our's are playing a 2.5 m player 2.6 or a 4m player 5. Much, much worse contracts have been moved in this league, and a lot of them.

This team as is has too much 3rd line depth. The organization is an oxymoron. We hear from Army again and again that the NHL is getting younger and faster. His solution to that realization is Perron and Bozak?

I’d rather see a youth movement rebuild. I don’t want to watch 3 more years of mediocrity. It’s a waste. The way this roster is constructed there’s no this team is competing for a cup.

Convince me it’s better for the organization to tread water for 3 years, possibly barely making the playoffs, only to lose in the early rounds vs playing every kid possible and getting a top 10 pick for 3 years.

Convince me Petrangelo, Schenn, and Schwartz would stick around after 3 years of sucking. Convince me a bunch of top 10 picks move the needle. Even if we played every youngster we have, the rest of our roster is good enough that we would be picking in the back half of the lottery.

Vegas went to the cup a bunch of over the hill players and third liners. The Caps won the Cup despite everyone saying that they were treading water the last few years. No roster in this league is perfect, and the ones that are closest are going to be in cap hell in the coming year or two (NAS, WIN, TB).

The organization is an oxymoron.

 

[Dbrownss]

All in all not a bad day for the Blues.

Tavares stays east, although he would have been ideal for us. I still feel like we're short 3 top six guys, bottom six we're covered. Now time to work on offloading some of the extras at the bottom of the roster.

The big question mark is still Allen. Maybe somehow he will get this act together and be able to compete for the whole season without having one of his mental vacations. Wishful thinking I guess.

How are we missing 3 top 6 guys?

Schwartz Schenn Tarasenko
Steen Bozak Perron
Steen Berglund Sobokta


No one scared of that but production wise it slots ok

 

[Stealth JD]

It seems like there were people saying the same thing about Schenn last year.

Opportunity and usage are important considerations. Either way, neither are being paid like 60+ point players, so what’s the point of complaining like they are?

The cap went up. McDavid and Draisaitl are getting paid $10mil a year, Tavares will be getting paid $11. These contracts are good value and good term, and don’t have trade protection. They address gaps in our roster (two right shot top-6 dmen) and allow us to be patient with prospects in the meantime. Gone are the days when $3mil AAV was a decent contract. Adjust your expectations accordingly

Lol. We acquired Brayden Schenn at age 25. Bozak is 32. This isn’t about giving a guy an opportunity. Blues we’re shopping the leftovers because the alternatives were uglier.

That doesn’t make these signings pretty.

 

[Stealth JD]

How are we missing 3 top 6 guys?

Schwartz Schenn Tarasenko
Fabbri Bozak Perron
Steen Berglund Thomas

No one scared of that but production wise it slots ok

Good enough to compete, but not compete for a Cup in the next 2 years. In two years, who knows what our core looks like...

 

[Novacain]

Is he better than Stastny? Does he take more defensive draws or tougher defensive assignments?

On faceoffs? They are about equal. Bozak had an off year of "just" 53% last year, but was over 56% the 2 previous seasons, top 10 in the league both years. Basically, if you took the last 3 years, they would be within .5 of each other.

And no, he doesn't take the tougher defemsive assignments. That said when everyone is saying we need more offense, a great faceoff guy im the offensive zone sounds great to me.

 

[Bernie Federko]

How are we missing 3 top 6 guys?

Schwartz Schenn Tarasenko
Steen Bozak Perron
Steen Berglund Sobokta


No one scared of that but production wise it slots ok[/QUOTE

On a true contender, Steen, Bozak, Perron, Berglund, and Sobotka are not on the top 2 lines