Blues Discussion Thread 2018-2019

[Meatball]

I mean, we'll have an easier time luring Panarin here for next season, right?

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

Panarin-ROR-Tarasenko

ROR would be a C whose only job is to win faceoffs to get the puck to those two, and he'd likely end up PPG.

 

[Meatball]

Also, I just realized, #9 is available. Does ROR wear that or #90? Bozak #42? Perron #57? What does this mean for jersey numbers?

 

[mk80]

Also, I just realized, #9 is available. Does ROR wear that or #90? Bozak #42? Perron #57? What does this mean for jersey numbers?

Bozak and Perron are listed as #42 and 57 respectively on the Blues roster page on the website. ROR has not been added yet.

Soshnikov is listed as having #90 so we'll see what happens there, maybe he gives it up.

 

[Brockon]

They have three cups to show for it. It worked out, but they are going to hurt for a long time before it gets better. They have two guys at 12.5 mil a year cap hit signed several years ago and the top UFA in the league just signed for 11 mil a year.

Toews and Kane are 10.5 AAV, and Chicago probably gives Kane a similar contract in a heartbeat for the production he rewarded them with in a pinch even armed with hindsight.

The Seabrook and Toews contracts however, I'm willing to bet GM Stan Bowman regrets for years to come with what he has had to ship out to remain under the cap.

It makes me glad GM DA has been pretty good about his contracts he hands out. I seriously still have trouble believing that ROR is a Blue without having given up one of our top 3 prospects.

What blows my mind is that Bergy either waved his NTC for Buffalo or submitted his 20 team no trade list and it didn't include Buffalo on it!

 

[yogintheaveragebears]

Probably promised him wed trade back for at deadline

 

[LetsGoBooze]

Prolly in the extreme minority, but i'd rather shift Schenn back to RW than O'Reilly to LW and run:

Fabbri Bozak Tarasenko
Schwartz O'Reilly Schenn
Steen Thomas Perron

Damn. I love the look of that top 9.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

Prolly in the extreme minority, but i'd rather shift Schenn back to RW than O'Reilly to LW and run:

Fabbri Bozak Tarasenko
Schwartz O'Reilly Schenn
Steen Thomas Perron

Damn. I love the look of that top 9.

I’d personally roll these, but I do agree on shifting Brayden over eventually as well.

Fabbri-O’Reilly-Tarasenko
Schwartz-Thomas-Schenn
Steen-Bozak-Perron

Sidenote: It’s so sick knowing that these are legitimately our potential lines and not “what if” scenarios.

 

[Meatball]

Playing center sounds like it's been a point of contention for Schenn going back to Philly. Someone posted an interview from a while back and I recall how he said he hated the starting and stopping on the wings and felt comfortable at center because it offered more room to work. Could be mistaken.

Moving him would be a mistake. He and O'Reilly alone are a solid 1-2.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

Playing center sounds like it's been a point of contention for Schenn going back to Philly. Someone posted an interview from a while back and I recall how he said he hated the starting and stopping on the wings and felt comfortable at center because it offered more room to work. Could be mistaken.

Moving him would be a mistake. He and O'Reilly alone are a solid 1-2.

I don’t mind having Thomas on Schwartz-Schenn’s wing. I know some people would like to keep him at center though. I think we could give him the Giroux treatment, and it not affect his development.

 

[The Note]

Schenn just put up the best season at center a Blues player has had since Doug Weight in like ‘03 or something. I understand the thought process to shifting Schenn back to RW but I think he’s earned staying at C for the time being. Roll Schwartz-Schenn-Perron to start out. Maybe Kyrou forces his way up there at some point. It’s nice to have options.

 

[TruBlu]

Toews and Kane are 10.5 AAV, and Chicago probably gives Kane a similar contract in a heartbeat for the production he rewarded them with in a pinch even armed with hindsight.

The Seabrook and Toews contracts however, I'm willing to bet GM Stan Bowman regrets for years to come with what he has had to ship out to remain under the cap.

It makes me glad GM DA has been pretty good about his contracts he hands out. I seriously still have trouble believing that ROR is a Blue without having given up one of our top 3 prospects.

What blows my mind is that Bergy either waved his NTC for Buffalo or submitted his 20 team no trade list and it didn't include Buffalo on it!

I may be mistaken, but I thought their contracts also had bonuses built in. Either way, if you look at the cap when those contracts were handed out, they took up a lot of the cap for just two people. I'm glad we have a GM that doesn't hamper our future like that. We have been a competitive team the whole time DA has been here.

 

[carter333167]

Schenn just put up the best season at center a Blues player has had since Doug Weight in like ‘03 or something. I understand the thought process to shifting Schenn back to RW but I think he’s earned staying at C for the time being. Roll Schwartz-Schenn-Perron to start out. Maybe Kyrou forces his way up there at some point. It’s nice to have options.

Until it's proven that the line can't work, I would still like to see Schwartz-Schenn--Vladi. That was a dynamic line.

The 1B line can be Fabs--O'Reilly--Perron/Kyrou.

The third line can have Thomas or Bozak as the center.

If Fabs and Schwartz are healthy, I don't see Steen as a top sixer. He certainly should be no where near the first unit PP with the new veterans added and the talented kids coming to camp.

I am a bit concerned at Yeo figuring it all out and going full Hitch by never giving lines a chance to gel...also at stubbornly inserting defensively minded vets with less offensive talent in offensive roles.

 

[Alklha]

Until it's proven that the line can't work, I would still like to see Schwartz-Schenn--Vladi. That was a dynamic line.

The 1B line can be Fabs--O'Reilly--Perron/Kyrou.

The third line can have Thomas or Bozak as the center.

If Fabs and Schwartz are healthy, I don't see Steen as a top sixer. He certainly should be no where near the first unit PP with the new veterans added and the talented kids coming to camp.

I am a bit concerned at Yeo figuring it all out and going full Hitch by never giving lines a chance to gel...also at stubbornly inserting defensively minded vets with less offensive talent in offensive roles.

If Fabbri is the player he was, then I'd want him on the same line as Tarasenko. They worked well together.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

Until it's proven that the line can't work, I would still like to see Schwartz-Schenn--Vladi. That was a dynamic line.

The 1B line can be Fabs--O'Reilly--Perron/Kyrou.

The third line can have Thomas or Bozak as the center.

If Fabs and Schwartz are healthy, I don't see Steen as a top sixer. He certainly should be no where near the first unit PP with the new veterans added and the talented kids coming to camp.

I am a bit concerned at Yeo figuring it all out and going full Hitch by never giving lines a chance to gel...also at stubbornly inserting defensively minded vets with less offensive talent in offensive roles.

Take your bad vibes and go home Carl!

 

[Bluesfan54]

Does this trade mean that the phrase "ROR Bacon" will be making a comeback?

 

[Renard]

Worrying about who plays where is tomorrow's problem.

We added a lot of offense in the last couple of days, filled holes at center, filled a big hole at right wing, cleared out a couple of our guys who didn't figure in future plans, and made room for our best prospects. And Colton Parayko is still a member of the St. Louis Blues.

What's not to like? I had resigned myself to the prospect of rooting for a poor team. I now have something to hope for.

 

[Stealth JD]

Army has got to be waking up feeling like

 

[Robb_K]

Ha, funny thought.

The area we are now most in danger of running short of players in our forward group is now LW.

Currently, The Blues have no problem filling out their Top9, and having replacements for injured players. Plenty of their RWs and centres can play LW. I hope Fabbri will be 100%, and stay that way all season.

 

[Stealth JD]

Focus now becomes: Gotta win the division.

Nobody wants to deal with the #2/#3 opening round match-up featuring WPG/Nashville. Blues should just let them beat up on each other in Round 1. To that end...gotta fix the power-play & goal-tending.

 

[bleedblue1223]

One aspect that probably hasn't gone over as much, but we finally have some top-notch faceoffs guys that are also quality offensive players. This will be a big upgrade on the amounts of possessions that we have, especially in the offensive zone. I remember back to the LA playoff days and we could never win a faceoff against them, so it always felt like an uphill battle. Bozak and ROR are elite in that category. If Schenn can improve to 50% or better, then we'll really be a force.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Does this trade mean that the phrase "ROR Bacon" will be making a comeback?

This is his new nickname, and he'll just have to deal with it.

I heard he's a vegan though lol.

 

[Alklha]

One aspect that probably hasn't gone over as much, but we finally have some top-notch faceoffs guys that are also quality offensive players. This will be a big upgrade on the amounts of possessions that we have, especially in the offensive zone. I remember back to the LA playoff days and we could never win a faceoff against them, so it always felt like an uphill battle. Bozak and ROR are elite in that category. If Schenn can improve to 50% or better, then we'll really be a force.

The ability to win faceoffs is good, but the importance of it really depends on where the draw is and how your team reacts.

For example, if you have strong forecheckers, then you are likely to get more high quality scoring chances by losing offensive zone faceoffs.

The other side of it is that winning more draws in the last 2 minutes of games will hopefully result in fewer blown leads...

 

[Majorityof1]

I think we have to move Gunnarson or Bouwmeester to make cap work if we give Edmundson a long term contract at $4M+. Not only that but I don't want to run 8 D or risk Schmaltz to waivers. I was doing the math on cap friendly's armchair GM. I put in the following (??Letter are unsigned RFAs):

Schwartz- Schenn- Perron
Steen - ROR - Tarasenko
??A - Bozak - Thomas
Soshnikov - Barbashev - ??B
Thorburn

??C - Petro
Dunn - Parayko
Bouwmeester - Bortuzzo
??D, Gunnarsson

Allen- Johnson

That gives us a cap of $71,984,321. Let's call it $72M, which leaves $7.5M to sign Fabbri (??A), Jaskin (??B), Edmundson (??C), and Schmaltz (??D). Assuming Fabbri, Jaskin and Schmlatz sign for last years contract with 0% raise, that is $2.85M, which only leaves $4.65 for Edmundson. That should work, but it gives us very little frictional cap space for injuries, etc. Plus, Fabbri will probably get a bit more than that. Scmaltz may too, as I can see him get a $1.25M one-way deal. Each little bit, takes away from what we can give Edmundson. If we move Gunnar, and replace him with Sundqvist or Sanford, we run 7 D, 14 forwards and have plenty of cap room to sign everyone.

 

[The Note in MI]

I think we have to move Gunnarson or Bouwmeester to make cap work if we give Edmundson a long term contract at $4M+. Not only that but I don't want to run 8 D or risk Schmaltz to waivers. I was doing the math on cap friendly's armchair GM. I put in the following (??Letter are unsigned RFAs):

Schwartz- Schenn- Perron
Steen - ROR - Tarasenko
??A - Bozak - Thomas
Soshnikov - Barbashev - ??B
Thorburn

??C - Petro
Dunn - Parayko
Bouwmeester - Bortuzzo
??D, Gunnarsson

Allen- Johnson

That gives us a cap of $71,984,321. Let's call it $72M, which leaves $7.5M to sign Fabbri (??A), Jaskin (??B), Edmundson (??C), and Schmaltz (??D). Assuming Fabbri, Jaskin and Schmlatz sign for last years contract with 0% raise, that is $2.85M, which only leaves $4.65 for Edmundson. That should work, but it gives us very little frictional cap space for injuries, etc. Plus, Fabbri will probably get a bit more than that. Scmaltz may too, as I can see him get a $1.25M one-way deal. Each little bit, takes away from what we can give Edmundson. If we move Gunnar, and replace him with Sundqvist or Sanford, we run 7 D, 14 forwards and have plenty of cap room to sign everyone.

The good news is that we could probBly slide Gunn and Bouw on the LTIR for relief briefly.