Blues Discussion Thread 2018-2019

[Meatball]

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!!

The blue font isn't necessary.

 

[542365]

I don’t know why we’re even talking about the Avs. They’re completely irrelevant. If things go incredibly well for them again they’re a bubble playoff team.

 

[Borderbluesfan]

The blue font isn't necessary.

I learned a long time ago that people have a hard time detecting sarcasm/ironic posts, lol!!

 

[converseman54]

Don't know if anyone had posted this article but they listed the Blues as "free agency losers". I think 90% of this board disagrees with that. In fact, almost all articles I've read have said that the Blues are significantly improved from last year.

NHL free agency winners, losers: John Tavares, Maple Leafs take Cup leap; Islanders left in dust

 

[The Note in MI]

Don't know if anyone had posted this article but they listed the Blues as "free agency losers". I think 90% of this board disagrees with that. In fact, almost all articles I've read have said that the Blues are significantly improved from last year.

NHL free agency winners, losers: John Tavares, Maple Leafs take Cup leap; Islanders left in dust

Lol

 

[TK 421]

Wow, that article by Brandon Schlager is hilariously off. He sounds like an extreme Leafs homer to me, I can smell the after effects of that logic force field around the GTA a mile away.

 

[TK 421]

I think my favorite part was where he said the Blues gave up too much for ROR and called Thompson a top prospect. Seriously couldn't stop laughing at that point. Armstrong takes Botterils top 6 center for scraps and somehow Schlager sees this as a shrewd move by Botteril. Umkay then....

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

So what if Blake Wheeler is available at the TDL or in UFA...

 

[Majorityof1]

I have seen a few articles like that where we are losers or had a "meh" off-season. They look at each moves individually, not as a whole. Sure Bozak is overpaid and Perron is going to drop from 66 points. Sports writers have been waiting to jump on those signings all free agency, no matter who they went too. While Bozak is over-paid, its not by much. Nor do we expect, or pay, Perron,to be a 60 point guy. As for the trade, its a lot of pieces for one, which automatically makes it seem like a lot. But when you realize that the Sabres were asking for the 3rd overall, a bunch of middle 6 players isn't a win. Just looking at the before and after of trade-deadline to now (which the author did by including the loss of Stastny), it becomes clear how much we upgraded.

17-18 ?? 18-19
Stastny (50 pts) < ROR (60 pt) - $0.5M more cap
Sobotka (30) <<Perron (45) $0.5M more cap
Berglund (35) <Bozak (45) $1.15M more cap
Thompson+2021 2nd << Bokk and Foley
Hutton > Johnson $650k more cap than last year but $1M less than what Hutton re-signed for

We upgrade 3 positions and our farm while adding less cap than the $5M it went up. Plus, most importantly we balanced our roster in terms of getting top 6 players, RHS, Cs and guys who can play RW. Looking at the roster as a whole, we improved greatly. But sports writers don't know this team well enough. So they pick apart the individual moves which don't look as good in a vacuum. Thats fine, this team will show them over the next few years from the moves made in the past 6 months.

 

[AjaxManifesto]

Don't know if anyone had posted this article but they listed the Blues as "free agency losers". I think 90% of this board disagrees with that. In fact, almost all articles I've read have said that the Blues are significantly improved from last year.

NHL free agency winners, losers: John Tavares, Maple Leafs take Cup leap; Islanders left in dust

This board and the Blues fanbase at large seem pretty excited about the trades that were made.

This is just one sports writer who probably knows very little about this team other than an assemblage of headlines.

Dismissed.

 

[Chojin]

I can't see Kyrou and Thomas both in the top 9 unless someone gets injured. Thomas will probably get a 9-game tryout and go back to juniors (I know, I know, he has "nothing left to prove", but another year of junior won't kill him), while Kyrou will get a little pro seasoning in the AHL.

Schwartz-Schenn-Perron
Fabbri-ROR-Tarasenko
Steen-Bozac/Thomas-Thomas/Bozac
Soshnikov-Barbashev-Jaskin

After tryout, Bozac takes 3C and Kyrou flips back and forth with Perron.

 

[converseman54]

I think my favorite part was where he said the Blues gave up too much for ROR and called Thompson a top prospect. Seriously couldn't stop laughing at that point. Armstrong takes Botterils top 6 center for scraps and somehow Schlager sees this as a shrewd move by Botteril. Umkay then....

Pretty much my reaction too. I remember on Sunday when I found out about the trade, I had just woken (or is it waken???) from a nap and thought I had to still be dreaming. Felt like a perfect scenario for a player we were desperate to get. Our center depth is incredible now, and we had to pay a few firsts to make it happen. We could have used those firsts and tried to hit home runs each year in terms of franchise centers but it was a crap shoot and could take a decade. After watching TT for half a season it looked like his ceiling would be 2RW but his floor could be AHL'er. Keeping the safer prospects and Dunn and Parayko and unloading two guys who were solid but unnecessary in addition to TT, couldn't have hoped for anything better.

 

[converseman54]

Pretty much my reaction too. I remember on Sunday when I found out about the trade, I had just woken (or is it waken???) from a nap and thought I had to still be dreaming. Felt like a perfect scenario for a player we were desperate to get. Our center depth is incredible now, and we had to pay a few firsts to make it happen. We could have used those firsts and tried to hit home runs each year in terms of franchise centers but it was a crap shoot and could take a decade. After watching TT for half a season it looked like his ceiling would be 2RW but his floor could be AHL'er. Keeping the safer prospects and Dunn and Parayko and unloading two guys who were solid but unnecessary in addition to TT, couldn't have hoped for anything better.

PS it's four days later and I'm still elated about that trade. That's a rariety

 

[Majorityof1]

PS it's four days later and I'm still elated about that trade. That's a rariety

Hmmmm....Its been 1,097 days since the Oshie trade and I am still pissed about it. I guess anger is stronger than joy.

 

[BlueDream]

Hmmmm....Its been 1,097 days since the Oshie trade and I am still pissed about it. I guess anger is stronger than joy.

I’m not. I wouldn’t have wanted to give that contract to him. We are actually in a better spot now. Whether you prefer him or Perron, Perron’s contract is way better. And we have the youth coming up to bolster our RW depth as well.

Anyways, that Sporting News article was hilarious. My favorite part is how he mentioned we “missed out” on Kovalchuk.

Yeah... what a bummer!

 

[simon IC]

There are honestly many posters on this board that have more knowledge and insight about the Blues than so-called "professional" sports writers. I don't mind flying under the radar though. I would rather the Blues be a surprise than carry the weight of high expectations.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

Hmmmm....Its been 1,097 days since the Oshie trade and I am still pissed about it. I guess anger is stronger than joy.

That depends which wolf you feed, brother

 

[A Real Barn Burner]

There are honestly many posters on this board that have more knowledge and insight about the Blues than so-called "professional" sports writers. I don't mind flying under the radar though. I would rather the Blues be a surprise than carry the weight of high expectations.

I agree still think high expectations is what killed the Backes/Oshie years Blues. They were told they were contenders before they earned it. Always seemed like they were playing not to lose instead of playing to win in the Playoffs.

 

[Dbrownss]

Pretty much my reaction too. I remember on Sunday when I found out about the trade, I had just woken (or is it waken???) from a nap and thought I had to still be dreaming. Felt like a perfect scenario for a player we were desperate to get. Our center depth is incredible now, and we had to pay a few firsts to make it happen. We could have used those firsts and tried to hit home runs each year in terms of franchise centers but it was a crap shoot and could take a decade. After watching TT for half a season it looked like his ceiling would be 2RW but his floor could be AHL'er. Keeping the safer prospects and Dunn and Parayko and unloading two guys who were solid but unnecessary in addition to TT, couldn't have hoped for anything better.

Funny story, we may have gotten that too with the '17 pick

 

[Xerloris]

I can't see Kyrou and Thomas both in the top 9 unless someone gets injured. Thomas will probably get a 9-game tryout and go back to juniors (I know, I know, he has "nothing left to prove", but another year of junior won't kill him), while Kyrou will get a little pro seasoning in the AHL.

Schwartz-Schenn-Perron
Fabbri-ROR-Tarasenko
Steen-Bozac/Thomas-Thomas/Bozac
Soshnikov-Barbashev-Jaskin

After tryout, Bozac takes 3C and Kyrou flips back and forth with Perron.

He will gain literally nothing playing in Juniors for another year. He needs real competition and real experience.

 

[Alklha]

All these guys know a little about each team, he won't really know anything about the Blues.

When you have a trade like this then it is easy for an outsider to view it as a win for Buffalo.

The Blues had the 14th pick last draft... so maybe they improve and Buffalo get the 20th pick. Berglund is a good 3C. Trade Sobotka for a 2nd, even if you have to retain some salary. Package that 2nd & the other 2nd for a late first. Tage Thompson becomes a 50 point player who better fits the age of the Buffalo team. What a haul for a 60 point ROR.

There's the thought process to convince yourself that it was a good deal for Buffalo.

The flip side is that the Blues gave up a RW prospect who is probably 4th on our depth chart of RW prospects, a couple of redundant third liners and a late first & second.

Ultimately we have replaced a second liner, two third liners and a third/fourth tweener with a first liner, two second liners and have a couple of high end prospects pushing for time. It's insane to suggest we haven't improved.

 

[Itsnotatrap]

This has exceeded my expectations. I was willing to write this off as a transition season, maybe making the playoffs and maybe not, but getting rid of some dead money and getting greater clarity on how bad off we are in net. However, after seeing how we have transformed ourselves up the middle, I’m pretty optimistic we’re going to be a PITA for people this season.

I’m surprised the reactions to our moves have been somewhat mixed, but out of the negative reactions, I thought Ray Ferraro raised a valid point on his podcast. He noted that while the game is moving to speed, none of the 3 adds at forward are fast. I don’t think he is wrong on that point. It is one negative, and worth noting.

However, I’m a little bit contrarian in that I think there is value in zigging when others zag. This is also a Blues roster that is best positioned to control center ice in quite some time. Yeo will be able to dictate the matchup game on the opponents instead vs being passively reacting. Then there is the matter that we will have some right hand shots to put onto a PP that badly needs them.

So, yeah, these moves aren’t in line with the concept of trying to chase down the speed trend but they check almost every box other than goaltending.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Don't know if anyone had posted this article but they listed the Blues as "free agency losers". I think 90% of this board disagrees with that. In fact, almost all articles I've read have said that the Blues are significantly improved from last year.

NHL free agency winners, losers: John Tavares, Maple Leafs take Cup leap; Islanders left in dust

Terrible. Who is this guy? No wonder nobody reads the Sporting News anymore.

 

[EastonBlues22]

This has exceeded my expectations. I was willing to write this off as a transition season, maybe making the playoffs and maybe not, but getting rid of some dead money and getting greater clarity on how bad off we are in net. However, after seeing how we have transformed ourselves up the middle, I’m pretty optimistic we’re going to be a PITA for people this season.

I’m surprised the reactions to our moves have been somewhat mixed, but out of the negative reactions, I thought Ray Ferraro raised a valid point on his podcast. He noted that while the game is moving to speed, none of the 3 adds at forward are fast. I don’t think he is wrong on that point. It is one negative, and worth noting.

However, I’m a little bit contrarian in that I think there is value in zigging when others zag. This is also a Blues roster that is best positioned to control center ice in quite some time. Yeo will be able to dictate the matchup game on the opponents instead vs being passively reacting. Then there is the matter that we will have some right hand shots to put onto a PP that badly needs them.

So, yeah, these moves aren’t in line with the concept of trying to chase down the speed trend but they check almost every box other than goaltending.

The Blues didn't really need to add speed during FA. They needed to address their roster concerns by adding some quality at center (check), find some RH shots with skill that can play in the top 6, on the PP, and at RW if needed (check), and clear out some space in their bottom six (check).

Guys like Fabbri, Thomas, and Kyrou should be adding some dynamic skating/speed to the lineup...hopefully in the immediate future.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

The Blues didn't really need to add speed during FA. They needed to address their roster concerns by adding some quality at center (check), find some RH shots with skill that can play in the top 6, on the PP, and at RW if needed (check), and clear out some space in their bottom six (check).

Guys like Fabbri, Thomas, and Kyrou should be adding some dynamic skating/speed to the lineup...hopefully in the immediate future.

More important to play fast than skate fast. While great to have speed skaters, let's not forget puck is quicker than any skater. Look how fast Vegas played- not like all their players were fast. We played fast beginning of season and won. After some injuries we slowed it down and never really recovered our pace and record reflects that.