Blues Discussion Thread 2018-2019

[tfriede2]

Good deal - thanks for the responses. I knew it was nhl or juniors for Thomas, but didn’t realize that triggered capfriendly’s label of not counting against the 50 man roster.

 

[ezcreepin]

This post makes me laugh about the days of Berglund-Brodziak-Steen as our second line.

To go from that to this, potentially. I'm still in shock.

EDIT: There are no scrubs in that top 9, this is cup-quality scoring depth. No hyperbole.

People over on the Avs board seem to think this group of players (defense included) are all highly overrated. I just really don't understand that thought.

 

[ezcreepin]

ROR is much better down low than Stastny was. He's more like Schwartz along the boards, which is what Tarasenko needs. Tarasenko is best off the rush and when he's paired with puck hounds who can dig in the corners, win the puck and find him. Statsny failed with Tarasenko because he wasn't good enough at retrieving the puck down low. In the short period where Lehtera was an effective player in our lineup, it was because he was winning battles down low and finding Tarasenko. Pure playmakers aren't as good because Tarasenko is much more of a direct shooter than other scorers. When he gets the puck in a decent spot, he fires it. This leads to a lot of pucks going into the corners where guys have to battle to gain possession again.



Low side: 9.5M, high side: 10.5M

He's worth every penny.

I've got a bad feeling in a few years we're going to have to trade Parayko... or maybe not who the f*** knows

 

[nonzerochance]

Not sure when Perunovich turns 20.

He'll turn 20 before the season starts (Aug. 18).

 

[Dbrownss]

This is kind of off the wall but did anyone watch Thomas vs Kyrou in NHL 18? Thomas dominated the hell out of him. His 2 way game was strong. I just found it funny, given how he plays actual hockey

 

[The Note in MI]

This is kind of off the wall but did anyone watch Thomas vs Kyrou in NHL 18? Thomas dominated the hell out of him. His 2 way game was strong. I just found it funny, given how he plays actual hockey

He clearly was the better player. He was schooling Kyrou who was trying to score alone.

 

[BlueDream]

When we signed Stastny.

Crazy how that was 4 years ago. I do remember being pumped about that, but that still wasn't on the level that this year is.

I do fondly remember the doom and gloom when the Brouwer trade went down.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Crazy how that was 4 years ago. I do remember being pumped about that, but that still wasn't on the level that this year is.

I do fondly remember the doom and gloom when the Brouwer trade went down.

That is true. Right now it's all positive, which naturally worries me lol.

 

[TK 421]

People over on the Avs board seem to think this group of players (defense included) are all highly overrated. I just really don't understand that thought.

There's a very simple explanation for that. Avs fans(and many others) we're hoping they could count the Blues out of the PO picture and now they've been served notice that we are very much still in the picture. This has led to rationalizing by them to make sure it fits their already scripted narrative that "the Blues suck now". The best part of the last couple days has been watching those idiots scramble through mental gymnastics trying to reassure themselves that their diagnosis of the Blues is still valid cause reasons.

 

[Dbrownss]

Crazy how that was 4 years ago. I do remember being pumped about that, but that still wasn't on the level that this year is.

I do fondly remember the doom and gloom when the Brouwer trade went down.

I still remember that clearly. I was sitting in my sons Taekwondo class and got the notification. I literally sat there silently looking at my phone shaking my head. Then I went through the process of trying to rationalize it and justify it.

Similar to what Buffalo fans are doing. They lost a good player who was just honest.

 

[Stopsight]

Another good thing about post-ROR-trade-blues.... you don't realize how nice it is to win faceoffs until you never do. I want that back

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

If we can't pry Panarin away at the TDL, there's always Eberle in NYI - 1 year left at 6M, 28-years old, and a quick RHS.

 

[BlueDream]

I still remember that clearly. I was sitting in my sons Taekwondo class and got the notification. I literally sat there silently looking at my phone shaking my head. Then I went through the process of trying to rationalize it and justify it.

Similar to what Buffalo fans are doing. They lost a good player who was just honest.

Oh I remember my exact moment too. I actually first saw it here - somebody posted the Blues tweet about the trade and I thought it was photoshopped. I quickly went to Twitter and saw that it was a real tweet, and I was just like... "f***."

 

[Dbrownss]

Another good thing about post-ROR-trade-blues.... you don't realize how nice it is to win faceoffs until you never do. I want that back

Bringing in Bozak and Orielly is going to be a night and day difference. I'd have to imagine Schenn and whoever will also improve by practicing with those guys.

 

[EastonBlues22]

That sounds like Steen Tarasenko or Steen Thomas/Kyrou. I know its early but would love your take on best line setup.

I just hope O’Rielly and Bozak both get off to a good start. Last time this board was this excited was Lethra and Stastny. Lethra got off to a great start but it wasn’t until Fabri the next year that got Stastny going. By then Lethra was already running out of gas with Tank probably had a little bit to do with Backes leaving.

A lot of what happens with the lineups kind of depends on how heavily the Blues intend to match lines (and whether it is zone matching or hard line matching). We could see a lot of fluidity in the lines this year even within games if the Blues are looking to leverage the number of options they have at their disposal. If they decide that they would rather focus on chemistry, then it will probably be less about tactical composition and it will all boil down to who clicks with who. Maybe we even see a bit of both, with the amount and type of matching being somewhat dependent on what line combinations are clicking at the moment.

Assuming everyone is healthy, I'd like to see something like this in an ideal world:

Fabbri/ROR/Tarasenko - I think having a dynamic play-maker on the left is important for both ROR and Tarasenko. If keeps the defense from overplaying Tarasenko, and punishes them if they do, while also serving as a distraction which better allows Tarasenko to find some space lower in the zone. ROR actually has a dangerous one-timer, and that's just not something that is often utilized without someone on the left who can demand a defense's attention and generate those sorts of opportunities for others. ROR can do the meat and potatoes jobs while being the defensive conscience of the line.

Schwartz/Schenn/Kyrou - Kyrou adds the speed, creativity, transition ability, and vision that really compliments players like Schwartz and Schenn. Likewise, the latter two add the lunch-pail qualities, two-way play, and willingness to go to the net (forcing the defense to collapse which opens up space elsewhere) that compliments a player like Kyrou.

Steen/Thomas/Bozak - Steen and Thomas can take the defensive pressure off Bozak. Thomas and Bozak can handle the transition play. Steen and Bozak will go to the net. Thomas will get the puck there. All three have experience playing low in the defensive zone and can fill the center's role if needed. It's not perfect, but it's pretty functional and surprisingly flexible.

Perron - Probably replaces Kyrou or Fabbri if either one is not ready. In truth, both Kyrou and Thomas are going to have their minutes managed pretty heavily even if they make the club. Between that and injuries, Perron won't be left out, though I think he'll probably be moved around the lineup more than he would like.

4th line - Whoever is playing the best of the rest. Anyone who can contribute on the PK will have a strong advantage.

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

For those keeping track, O’Reilly will be 90 and Soshnikov will be 86

 

[ezcreepin]

There's a very simple explanation for that. Avs fans(and many others) we're hoping they could count the Blues out of the PO picture and now they've been served notice that we are very much still in the picture. This has led to rationalizing by them to make sure it fits their already scripted narrative that "the Blues suck now". The best part of the last couple days has been watching those idiots scramble through mental gymnastics trying to reassure themselves that their diagnosis of the Blues is still valid cause reasons.

They think their forwards are much better than the Blues (I haven't looked, but I would wager we have more dispersed talent vs 1 or 2 gamebreaking talents like Mac/Rantanen). I read that they said Edmundson was junk 2nd pairing d-man, Petro was "only" a good d-man, and Parayko is highly overrated. I don't know if they don't watch hockey or if they're trying to fit their narrative, but that's all sorts of ridiculous.

I think many on this board here would agree who is great on that team and who isn't, which is why this board is so much more fun than any other place on the internet. We can all have civil dialogue and be rational as opposed to places like the lounge on the post dispatch. Anywho, this team is scary good and is very much on par with the team we had in 2015.

 

[ezcreepin]

A lot of what happens with the lineups kind of depends on how heavily the Blues intend to match lines (and whether it is zone matching or hard line matching). We could see a lot of fluidity in the lines this year even within games if the Blues are looking to leverage the number of options they have at their disposal. If they decide that they would rather focus on chemistry, then it will probably be less about tactical composition and it will all boil down to who clicks with who. Maybe we even see a bit of both, with the amount and type of matching being somewhat dependent on what line combinations are clicking at the moment.

Assuming everyone is healthy, I'd like to see something like this in an ideal world:

Fabbri/ROR/Tarasenko - I think having a dynamic play-maker on the left is important for both ROR and Tarasenko. If keeps the defense from overplaying Tarasenko, and punishes them if they do, while also serving as a distraction which better allows Tarasenko to find some space lower in the zone. ROR actually has a dangerous one-timer, and that's just not something that is often utilized without someone on the left who can demand a defense's attention and generate those sorts of opportunities for others. ROR can do the meat and potatoes jobs while being the defensive conscience of the line.

Schwartz/Schenn/Kyrou - Kyrou adds the speed, creativity, transition ability, and vision that really compliments players like Schwartz and Schenn. Likewise, the latter two add the lunch-pail qualities, two-way play, and willingness to go to the net (forcing the defense to collapse which opens up space elsewhere) that compliments a player like Kyrou.

Steen/Thomas/Bozak - Steen and Thomas can take the defensive pressure off Bozak. Thomas and Bozak can handle the transition play. Steen and Bozak will go to the net. Thomas will get the puck there. All three have experience playing low in the defensive zone and can fill the center's role if needed. It's not perfect, but it's pretty functional and surprisingly flexible.

Perron - Probably replaces Kyrou or Fabbri if either one is not ready. In truth, both Kyrou and Thomas are going to have their minutes managed pretty heavily even if they make the club. Between that and injuries, Perron won't be left out, though I think he'll probably be moved around the lineup more than he would like.

4th line - Whoever is playing the best of the rest. Anyone who can contribute on the PK will have a strong advantage.

I can't believe this is our lineup, this is a dream.

 

[Meatball]

I can't believe this is our lineup, this is a dream.

I was gonna say, is this my team now?

 

[Celtic Note]

I still remember that clearly. I was sitting in my sons Taekwondo class and got the notification. I literally sat there silently looking at my phone shaking my head. Then I went through the process of trying to rationalize it and justify it.

Similar to what Buffalo fans are doing. They lost a good player who was just honest.

A ton of people tried to rationalize that. Many still do.

 

[EXTRAS]

Parayko vs provorov?

Who would you rather have?

 

[Evocable Manager]

Parayko vs provorov?

Who would you rather have?

Provorov.

Nothing against Parayko but Provorov is like 4 years younger, their similar in production and he's cost controlled, cheaper and probably going to be better than Parayko at their peaks.

 

[Spektre]

A lot of what happens with the lineups kind of depends on how heavily the Blues intend to match lines (and whether it is zone matching or hard line matching). We could see a lot of fluidity in the lines this year even within games if the Blues are looking to leverage the number of options they have at their disposal. If they decide that they would rather focus on chemistry, then it will probably be less about tactical composition and it will all boil down to who clicks with who. Maybe we even see a bit of both, with the amount and type of matching being somewhat dependent on what line combinations are clicking at the moment.

Assuming everyone is healthy, I'd like to see something like this in an ideal world:

Fabbri/ROR/Tarasenko - I think having a dynamic play-maker on the left is important for both ROR and Tarasenko. If keeps the defense from overplaying Tarasenko, and punishes them if they do, while also serving as a distraction which better allows Tarasenko to find some space lower in the zone. ROR actually has a dangerous one-timer, and that's just not something that is often utilized without someone on the left who can demand a defense's attention and generate those sorts of opportunities for others. ROR can do the meat and potatoes jobs while being the defensive conscience of the line.

Schwartz/Schenn/Kyrou - Kyrou adds the speed, creativity, transition ability, and vision that really compliments players like Schwartz and Schenn. Likewise, the latter two add the lunch-pail qualities, two-way play, and willingness to go to the net (forcing the defense to collapse which opens up space elsewhere) that compliments a player like Kyrou.

Steen/Thomas/Bozak - Steen and Thomas can take the defensive pressure off Bozak. Thomas and Bozak can handle the transition play. Steen and Bozak will go to the net. Thomas will get the puck there. All three have experience playing low in the defensive zone and can fill the center's role if needed. It's not perfect, but it's pretty functional and surprisingly flexible.

Perron - Probably replaces Kyrou or Fabbri if either one is not ready. In truth, both Kyrou and Thomas are going to have their minutes managed pretty heavily even if they make the club. Between that and injuries, Perron won't be left out, though I think he'll probably be moved around the lineup more than he would like.

4th line - Whoever is playing the best of the rest. Anyone who can contribute on the PK will have a strong advantage.

Ideally I’d love to see Fabbri with ROR and Tarasenko. Even if Fabbri aces camp and preseason don’t you expect the organization to keep his game time minutes down? I’m fully expecting him on the 3rd line at best and won’t be surprised if he’s on the 4th to begin the season.

I’m expecting Steen to play with ROR and Tarasenko. It’s not ideal but with all the circumstances around Fabbri it’s my best guess.

I hope Kyrou plays with Schenn and Schwartz. It’s the ideal situation for him to succeed. I could see that line being extremely dynamic and a nightmare for opposing defenses.

It’s anyone’s guess. The roster has a lot of depth. I would agree Perron could see the most movement and roles. Army alluded to the depth and 15 or 16 forwards fighting for 12 spots.

Locks:

Tarasenko, Schenn, Schwartz, Steen, ROR, Perron, Bozak, *Fabbri

*I’d say as long as Fabbri is healthy he’s definitely a lock. That’s 8 spots only leaving 4 open.


Barbashev, Thomas, Kyrou, Kostin, Thorburn, Sanford, Blais, Soshnikov, *Jaskin, *Sundqvist

*Jaskin & Sundqvist obviously have to be signed. That’s 10 players fighting over 4 spots. That’s more of a interest to me than what lines the players wind up on. Coaches inevitably put lines together differently than the combinations I think up.

It’s really going to be a battle earning one of those 4 spots.

 

[TK 421]

They think their forwards are much better than the Blues (I haven't looked, but I would wager we have more dispersed talent vs 1 or 2 gamebreaking talents like Mac/Rantanen). I read that they said Edmundson was junk 2nd pairing d-man, Petro was "only" a good d-man, and Parayko is highly overrated. I don't know if they don't watch hockey or if they're trying to fit their narrative, but that's all sorts of ridiculous.

I think many on this board here would agree who is great on that team and who isn't, which is why this board is so much more fun than any other place on the internet. We can all have civil dialogue and be rational as opposed to places like the lounge on the post dispatch. Anywho, this team is scary good and is very much on par with the team we had in 2015.

I read from page 35-52 of the Avs thread that Stealth linked and there were 6-7 posters there that went out of their way multiple times to try and explain how significantly the Blues upgraded. They know better than anyone how much ROR can help a team and we upgraded 2 other forwards on top of that.

They definitely seem to have this collective idea that the Blues defense is "solid" but nothing special. Which is hilarious given the schmucks that organization has put out there over the years. I think because their top center is a speed demon and beat Parayko wide that one time = Blues Defense Just Ok but I may not be giving them enough credit there. It really seemed like they've let the last few games against the Blues where Dunn-Parayko had a rough time on a few plays be the determiner for how they view our D which is incredibly short sighted. Stastny was gone at that point and he was our FO and Dzone start eater. Was it really a surprise that a hobbled outgunned Blues team without a shutdown center better than Kyle Brodziak allowed a 120 pt forward to score? Context.. it's kind of important and stuff. Well Nate, now you'll have ROR to **** with so have fun with that.

 

[Borderbluesfan]

I hate to say it, but Vegas is once again the front runner in the Western Conference, they just re-signed Ryan Reaves for two more years!!