Is it time for a rebuild ?

[TurgPavs]

Even if they just had a high end 2nd pairing or low end first pairing LHD that wasn't completely trash defensively they'd be a much better team.

If you change Krug out with any of these defenseman that have been rumored to be, or have been available the past 2 years they'd be much better.

Provorov
Chychrun
Lindholm
McDonough

I would love to see a swap of Krug and Provy.

 

[PocketNines]

Missing out on Lindholm and settling for Leddy really screwed us

Getting Leddy didn't screw the Blues at all but missing out on Lindholm did. But Lindholm was never ever going to choose the Blues because players like him, they are aware they are elite and they want NMCs. He got one in Boston.

Krug is an 8M+ real dollars player the next three years. He might as well have an NMC.

 

[execwrite1]

Trade bait - draft choices and prospects in return

Tarasenko, O'Reilly, Barbashev, Schenn? (4x$6.5), Saad? (3x$4.5)

Brutal contracts - stuck, buyout (?)

Krug (4x$6.5), Binnington (4x$6) Leddy (3x$4),

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Honestly I think there is going to be a lot more players then the 4 you have listed. I understand we have to put players out on the ice, but if things dont improve, there is going to be some heavy movement off this roster over the next several months.
ROR, Tarasenko are the likely names, IMO Tarasenko stays with St. Louis.

Bortz, Accari, and Barbs will all be in demand.
Deslauries, brought a 3rd back for Anaheim last year, there is no reason to think Accari wouldnt bring back the same.
Barbs would likly bring a 2nd and Bortz 6th or 7th.
Greiss may bring back a late round pick, depending on the goalie landscape at the time of the draft.
Leivo and Pitlick, may, (doubtful) be able to be moved for a 7th, to a team looking to add some bottom 6 depth heading into the playoffs.

Would also think they will try to move some of the players with term, at the TDL or during the off season.
Krug would be at the top of that list along with Saad.

Regardless of who they move, they need to do more then a "re-tool", most of the defense needs to be turned over.

We aren't going to trade half the team to pick up extra 6th round picks. That isn't Army's MO.

 

[TruBlu]

DA will offer both Tank and ROR contracts (probably already has). I don't imagine either one will accept what he has to offer. We are no longer in a cup window, and he isn't going to offer money that is going to gimp the team moving forward. There's no need to burn it down. The transition has to start as a move to a younger core. Replacing those two at the TDL frees up cap and potentially gives you picks and prospects. This won't be a situation where we are back in the running in a year or two. If we start now we're probably back in shape to start winning again in 2026. If we let Tank and ROR walk for nothing we're looking at 2029.

 

[Mike Liut]

I said this before… if we trade our UFA’s, which I hope we do, we’ll have a top 10 pick this year and top 5 picks the next 2 years.

Im ok with that

 

[LGB]

2023 roster outline - about 13m cap space not including Scandella - 4 top 9 spots to fill

I think we eventually move Buchnevich as well for a very nice return. Snuggerud seems similar to him and hopefully can take over as Thomas' sniper down the line. Schenn will be 31 next year, acquiring a potential 2C should be a priority. We need someone who can excel alongside Kyrou on the rush. The defense is a mess and will probably stay that way for a while.

I think it's very important we don't blow our cap space on a UFA. We need to keep as much roster flexibility as possible. Ideally we can use it to acquire a really good player in a trade another team can't afford to accelerate the rebuild. Once the path to contending becomes more clear we can think about trying to shed a bad contract or two.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Buchnevich won't be traded, unless it's a massive haul in return. I'm not sure where exactly he lands when ranking the top wingers in the game, but he's up there. He has 163 points in his last 165 games, he's been a point per game guy since February 2020. And while he's not Mark Stone defensively, he's probably one of the better 2-way wingers as well. To get him for 2.5 seasons at 5.8M would take an astronomical amount.

 

[LGB]

Buchnevich won't be traded, unless it's a massive haul in return. I'm not sure where exactly he lands when ranking the top wingers in the game, but he's up there. He has 163 points in his last 165 games, he's been a point per game guy since February 2020. And while he's not Mark Stone defensively, he's probably one of the better 2-way wingers as well. To get him for 2.5 seasons at 5.8M would take an astronomical amount.

I'm talking '23 or '24 deadline. He's awesome and should command a massive haul. Which is why we would move him. He'll be a UFA at age 30 and hopefully Army has learned his lesson.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I don't think we'll be that bad for that long of period.

 

[LGB]

I don't think we'll be that bad for that long of period.

We're going to be bad next year. Maybe in '24 we can have some hope. Snuggerud, Bolduc, and Neighbours should be contributing at that point. For us to be good then one of those guys needs to be hitting in a big way and we need to acquire a really good defenseman.

 

[Mike Liut]

Would you rather…

A) make the playoffs and lose in rd 1 with all the FA’s staying put

B) Trade all FA’s and miss the playoffs

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Would you rather…

A) make the playoffs and lose in rd 1 with all the FA’s staying put

B) Trade all FA’s and miss the playoffs

B. And not tough decision.

 

[Mike Liut]

B. And not tough decision.

Why do I get the feeling this won’t be Army’s decision?

 

[stl76]

Why do I get the feeling this won’t be Army’s decision?

Because it's a false dichotomy?

 

[Thallis]

Why do I get the feeling this won’t be Army’s decision?

I'd be surprised if there wasn't any trades, but I could see ROR still on the team at the end of year

 

[Frenzy31]

Why do I get the feeling this won’t be Army’s decision?

Army has shown in the past willingness to move UFAs At the deadline, Shatty and Staz. So yeah, I think he will trade ROR and Tarasenko. The only way he wouldnt is if the team took off, which I don’t see happening.

 

[BlueSeal]

Why do I get the feeling this won’t be Army’s decision?

It will be. I don’t think Army sees the season as lost and will make moves to push this team towards the playoffs. We can’t rebuild with the contracts we have so we will retool.

I think he resigns ROR and we may not be happy about the terms. I get the feeling Vladi might end up walking if we do try and make a run instead of trading him. He won’t stay here. The offers we get won’t be enough to trade him outside of a package that fills holes by creating other ones. I don’t know, I just don’t see it happening.

 

[LGB]

If we don't sell this year the rebuild will be slow and painful. If you think we're bad now wait until some of these guys really hit the age cliff.

 

[TruBlu]

If we don't sell this year the rebuild will be slow and painful. If you think we're bad now wait until some of these guys really hit the age cliff.

This...This is a perfect opportunity to sell. We aren't going to make a strong showing, even if by some miracle we make the playoffs. Tank and ROR would be legitimate upgrade pieces for teams looking to fill a position of need at the deadline. They most likely aren't going to resign with us and they free up a lot of cap. Take a look at how poorly this roster is performing right now and imagine it without Tank and ROR on it. That is exactly what the team most likely looks like in June whether we trade them at the TDL or not. The TDL this year will determine whether we are competitive again in 2026 or in 2029.

 

[Mike Liut]

If we don't sell this year the rebuild will be slow and painful. If you think we're bad now wait until some of these guys really hit the age cliff.

We need some more losses to get this out of Army’s head

 

[TK 421]

I'm excited enough about our own 1st but then when I factor in the possibility of potentially having multiple 1sts and replacing our own missing 2nd through trading expiring contracts this draft becomes VERY interesting.

Yes extra picks are great, obviously. Yes it's fun to research players that may be available in that range. The part I'm most excited about is that with those extra picks the Blues might use a late 1st or newly acquired 2nd to take a much needed defense prospect. They have a history of using their 1st on forwards and with an extra 1st they would be in a position to break with that pattern and take a chance on a D.

 

[TurgPavs]

In a crazy world would love to see:
Horvat and Luke Schenn acquired for CP (Plus whatever picks prospects)
Provy for Krug (plus whatever)

If you decide to sell off, I would start with ROR and Krug, and see if you can find a buyer for CP and or Binny.

 

[Mike Liut]

It will be. I don’t think Army sees the season as lost and will make moves to push this team towards the playoffs. We can’t rebuild with the contracts we have so we will retool.

I think he resigns ROR and we may not be happy about the terms. I get the feeling Vladi might end up walking if we do try and make a run instead of trading him. He won’t stay here. The offers we get won’t be enough to trade him outside of a package that fills holes by creating other ones. I don’t know, I just don’t see it happening.

I’m starting to think this is what what army will do too.

Resign ROR and trade Tarasenko.

 

[TurgPavs]

I’m starting to think this is what what army will do too.

Resign ROR and trade Tarasenko.

ROR hits 1000+ games played this season, and has significantly slowed down over the past year and a half.
I just dont see Army shelling out the money and/or term its going to take to resign a 32 year old center with 1000+ games. You essentially have a third line center in Schenn tied up at 6.5 AAV and a 1st line center in Thomas. Blues need to get younger in the top 6.
At the same time, its all speculation about Tarasenko. The last thing you heard directly from Vlad was 18 months ago.
Ideally you move on from ROR, resign Tarasenko, and move out Krug and or CP.

However as long as getting into the playoffs is attainable, I dont see the Blues moving any players as the playoff money is instrumental to the finances of this organization.