Blues Trade Proposals Part X

[2 Minute Minor]

-Eklund

Please let this be true for you guys.

I view this as Armstrong trolling Buffalo a little bit with this response to the silly tweets about them resigning Miller to a Lundqvist type contract THEN trading him.

Miller to St Louis has never looked more likely. They're just quibbling over the price right now, and it will probably come down to the deadline.

 

[Avs71]

My reaction to that would be the same as EJ's in your avatar

If we're going for the straight nostalgia, let's add Jagr as well

Haha yeah, that was my reaction when I read the Avs are apparently interested too. Classic Eklund. Just what every team wants. A goalie with a sub-900 save percentage.

Anyways, just thought I'd stop by and let you guys know you're about to downgrade in net. Or one of our teams is about to, I guess.

 

[TheOrganist]

I view this as Armstrong trolling Buffalo a little bit with this response to the silly tweets about them resigning Miller to a Lundqvist type contract THEN trading him.

Miller to St Louis has never looked more likely. They're just quibbling over the price right now, and it will probably come down to the deadline.

Exactly right. I have it on pretty good authority that Buffalo and St. Louis were in intense discussions before the break. They originally wanted Jaskin + premium pick way back. Then they turned to Rattie + premium pick over the last month. So they were still in fantasy land. With reality taking hold and the market shrinking, Army is in a great position. But I also think he views Miller is a big upgrade over Halak and he very much wants to make this happen. Buffalo isn't getting anything remotely close to a blue-chip prospect but if Army made the determination that Miller was a genuine upgrade over Halak than I'm sure he'd be willing to shed a first with the high in Edmonton 2nd in the fold. There's a lot of pressure internally for the Blues to win at least two rounds this spring. The "re-signing" angle is also completely overblown b/c they love Allen. It's a pure rental and that's completely fine by me as long as the aforementioned (plus the 3 to 4 other significant prospects) aren't dealt. I think Miller to STL goes down.

 

[bleedblue1223]

This is so similar to the Bouwmeester situation last year. The big difference being, there likely isn't a Detroit that has strong interest in Miller.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

The last time the Blues went to the Stanley Cup, they had a 40 and 36 year old HOF goalies...food for thought. Ryan Miller's career isn't even in Brodeur's ballpark. Miller wasn't there how many years ago? Conference finals is as far as he has ever gotten. Rather than mortgaging the farm for Miller, then why not go with someone with the hardware that has been there and knows what it takes? What difference does save pctg make if you don't win the big one? He's two years older from a Stanley Cup run with a team that mopped up on us.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I think Brodeur is a better option than some are saying, but it's still not an ideal situation.

Still think we end up with Miller and/or Legwand. If Army can pull off both, which is very reasonable, then we should be very excited for what this team could do. Miller would be Halak+pick+prospect and Legwand would probably be something involving Stewart or maybe it's something else with Stewart going to the East.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

I talked to some Buffalo fans on their forum and came up with:

-Halak
-2014 or 2015 3rd round pick
-2014 2nd(turns into a first if we re-sign Miller or win the cup)
-Sergey Andronov

Andronov was called up earlier this year even if he didn't play so he's close to the NHL which is something they are wanting but he's not a premium prospect like Jaskin or Rattie.

For however the main board fans may come off, the ones on their board seem pretty reasonable overall as to what to expect.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I talked to some Buffalo fans on their forum and came up with:

-Halak
-2014 or 2015 3rd round pick
-2014 2nd(turns into a first if we re-sign Miller or win the cup)
-Sergey Andronov

Andronov was called up earlier this year even if he didn't play so he's close to the NHL which is something they are wanting but he's not a premium prospect like Jaskin or Rattie.

For however the main board fans may come off, the ones on their board seem pretty reasonable overall as to what to expect.

Yep. I did something like that earlier in the year and I realized that Buffalo's more knowledgeable posters don't really go to the trade board. Our posters will tend to go to all the main areas at some point and our general fanbase opinion becomes known to HF, but for Buffalo, the crazy ones go the the trade board and the reasonable opinions don't come with them.

 

[TheOrganist]

I think Brodeur is a better option than some are saying, but it's still not an ideal situation.

Still think we end up with Miller and/or Legwand. If Army can pull off both, which is very reasonable, then we should be very excited for what this team could do. Miller would be Halak+pick+prospect and Legwand would probably be something involving Stewart or maybe it's something else with Stewart going to the East.

If we're talking roster players, I see Poile having much more interest in a player like Berglund, not Stewart. He would be just as much a misfit in Nashville as he is here.

 

[KirkOut]

The last time the Blues went to the Stanley Cup, they had a 40 and 36 year old HOF goalies...food for thought. Ryan Miller's career isn't even in Brodeur's ballpark. Miller wasn't there how many years ago? Conference finals is as far as he has ever gotten. Rather than mortgaging the farm for Miller, then why not go with someone with the hardware that has been there and knows what it takes? What difference does save pctg make if you don't win the big one? He's two years older from a Stanley Cup run with a team that mopped up on us.

I don't understand any of this. The Blues only made it to the cup those years because everyone in the western division was so bad and we were the least horrible. I don't see how that's relevant. Obviously Brodeur has the far better career and as you say the hardware, but it's about who's better now. I'll take the guy who is having an amazing year on a terrible team before I take the backup goalie with a sub - .900 save%.

 

[PocketNines]

I just want to point out you can't condition a 2014 pick on Miller re-signing because the 2014 draft ends before the July 1 date hits.

 

[PocketNines]

Exactly right. I have it on pretty good authority that Buffalo and St. Louis were in intense discussions before the break. They originally wanted Jaskin + premium pick way back. Then they turned to Rattie + premium pick over the last month. So they were still in fantasy land. With reality taking hold and the market shrinking, Army is in a great position. But I also think he views Miller is a big upgrade over Halak and he very much wants to make this happen. Buffalo isn't getting anything remotely close to a blue-chip prospect but if Army made the determination that Miller was a genuine upgrade over Halak than I'm sure he'd be willing to shed a first with the high in Edmonton 2nd in the fold. There's a lot of pressure internally for the Blues to win at least two rounds this spring. The "re-signing" angle is also completely overblown b/c they love Allen. It's a pure rental and that's completely fine by me as long as the aforementioned (plus the 3 to 4 other significant prospects) aren't dealt. I think Miller to STL goes down.

You should say more about this and by more about this tell us who your authority is who told you

 

[carter333167]

Exactly right. I have it on pretty good authority that Buffalo and St. Louis were in intense discussions before the break. They originally wanted Jaskin + premium pick way back. Then they turned to Rattie + premium pick over the last month. So they were still in fantasy land. With reality taking hold and the market shrinking, Army is in a great position. But I also think he views Miller is a big upgrade over Halak and he very much wants to make this happen. Buffalo isn't getting anything remotely close to a blue-chip prospect but if Army made the determination that Miller was a genuine upgrade over Halak than I'm sure he'd be willing to shed a first with the high in Edmonton 2nd in the fold. There's a lot of pressure internally for the Blues to win at least two rounds this spring. The "re-signing" angle is also completely overblown b/c they love Allen. It's a pure rental and that's completely fine by me as long as the aforementioned (plus the 3 to 4 other significant prospects) aren't dealt. I think Miller to STL goes down.

This info. seems to make a lot of sense.....thanks for your post!

 

[Falco Lombardi]

I just want to point out you can't condition a 2014 pick on Miller re-signing because the 2014 draft ends before the July 1 date hits.

Oh did not realize that. Thanks for pointing it out.

Winning the cup was the condition the Sabres fan came up with. It'd work for me.

 

[TheOrganist]

You should say more about this and by more about this tell us who your authority is who told you

It was the same guy who told me the Blues were dead broke and would never have the dough to take on Bouwmeester's contract

 

[PocketNines]

Oh did not realize that. Thanks for pointing it out.

Winning the cup was the condition the Sabres fan came up with. It'd work for me.

Well if it was the EDM 2d unless the Blues won the Cup in 2014 then it'd be either the 31st or 29th pick. Which is close to the same value. If it were the Blues' 2d round pick then it's likely either pick 55 or pick 29 if they win the Cup.

I've been doing more reading up on center prospects in our range lately. I would still love the Blues to get two of the following:

Nick Schmaltz
Conner Bleackley
Ryan MacInnis
Ryan Donato
Robert Fabbri

You can get ROR-quality players here.

 

[PocketNines]

It was the same guy who told me the Blues were dead broke and would never have the dough to take on Bouwmeester's contract

That's pretty funny.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

I don't understand any of this. The Blues only made it to the cup those years because everyone in the western division was so bad and we were the least horrible. I don't see how that's relevant. Obviously Brodeur has the far better career and as you say the hardware, but it's about who's better now. I'll take the guy who is having an amazing year on a terrible team before I take the backup goalie with a sub - .900 save%.

Do you think going to a contender may spark one of arguably the best goaltenders of all time to go out in style? He has nothing left to play for or to prove in New Jersey. What is his motivation to play this season? He doesn't have anything to play for.

I don't disagree that Miller may be the better option, if you can afford him. We can speculate all day long as to what that is. We haven't a clue.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Exactly right. I have it on pretty good authority that Buffalo and St. Louis were in intense discussions before the break. They originally wanted Jaskin + premium pick way back. Then they turned to Rattie + premium pick over the last month. So they were still in fantasy land. With reality taking hold and the market shrinking, Army is in a great position. But I also think he views Miller is a big upgrade over Halak and he very much wants to make this happen. Buffalo isn't getting anything remotely close to a blue-chip prospect but if Army made the determination that Miller was a genuine upgrade over Halak than I'm sure he'd be willing to shed a first with the high in Edmonton 2nd in the fold. There's a lot of pressure internally for the Blues to win at least two rounds this spring. The "re-signing" angle is also completely overblown b/c they love Allen. It's a pure rental and that's completely fine by me as long as the aforementioned (plus the 3 to 4 other significant prospects) aren't dealt. I think Miller to STL goes down.

I hope you are right on.

 

[ExJbeck]

Why in the hell would we consider downgrading at goaltender?

 

[bleedblue1223]

Do you think going to a contender may spark one of arguably the best goaltenders of all time to go out in style? He has nothing left to play for or to prove in New Jersey. What is his motivation to play this season? He doesn't have anything to play for.

I don't disagree that Miller may be the better option, if you can afford him. We can speculate all day long as to what that is. We haven't a clue.

He has personal records to play for, he's just getting old and declining. The likelihood of him catching fire for the playoffs is pretty unlikely IMO.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

Brodeur is making a trade for the sake of making a trade. Doesn't make sense.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Brodeur is making a trade for the sake of making a trade. Doesn't make sense.

Is Halak or Elliott the answer? Are you comfortable going to the playoffs with those two as your goalie tandem? Would you rather go with Jake Allen instead? I'm exploring options...other than Miller. Not saying I would jump on board with any of them. Just keep in mind that the Miller option may not happen....then what? Brodeur is a possibility that could be a huge gamble as a back up plan.

 

[PocketNines]

I am comfortable going into the playoffs with Elliott. I just am.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

I am comfortable going into the playoffs with Elliott. I just am.

That's fair enough. I didn't have a problem with what he did last year. I'm comfortable going in with Elliott and Jake Allen, if a trade can be had for Halak. The possibility also exist that you go with Elliott with a backup of Brodeur or another option. I just cringe at the idea of Halak being in goal in the playoffs. That is just me.