Opening night lineup predictions
- Thread starter Spektre
- Start date
- Feb 12, 2008
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Did you miss last season? He was maybe the worst back-up in the league. He's lucky he improved enough to keep his job as a marginal back-up and he has a lot to prove just to stay as an NHL goalie after this season.
Skinnyjimmy08
WorldTraveler
- Mar 30, 2012
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I will go out on a bit of a limb and guess that Kostin, Neighbours, and Walman all make the opening roster.
It's unlikely but I think the blues have a hard time not keeping any of the 3. If Kostin is sent down, I think he is the first call up.
It's unlikely but I think the blues have a hard time not keeping any of the 3. If Kostin is sent down, I think he is the first call up.
stl76
No. 5 in your programs, No. 1 in your hearts
- Jul 2, 2015
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You would have to give me great odds to bet on Husso taking over #1.
I think Husso improves after a shaking rookie year and ends up being a capable back up this season, but virtually zero chance he takes over #1 IMO (see what I did there
)But seriously, Husso has a bad habit of letting the first shot he faces go in and not controlling rebounds nearly well enough. He got better as the year went on, but honestly he struggled in the backup role last year. Crazier things have happened, but I would be genuinely shocked if he took over the starter's role.
This is Jeremy Rutherford’s opening night projection, FWIW:
Neighbours - ROR - Perron
Kyrou - Schenn - Buchnevich
Saad - Thomas - Tarasenko
Barbashev - Joshua - Bozak
Clifford, Brown
Neighbours - ROR - Perron
Kyrou - Schenn - Buchnevich
Saad - Thomas - Tarasenko
Barbashev - Joshua - Bozak
Clifford, Brown
bleedblue1223
Registered User
- Jan 21, 2011
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I have the same top 9. I'd like to have Kostin in the 4th with Barbashev and Bozak, and bump Clifford out. That might be more hopeful than based on play though. Kostin will still likely play majority of his games with the Blues this season IMO.
Majorityof1
Registered User
I'm going to predict opening night lineup as:
Perron - RoR - Buchnevich
Neighbours - Scheen - Kyrou
Saad - Thomas - Tarasenko
Kostin - Barbashev - Bozak
Scandella - Parayko
Krug - Faulk
Perunocih - Bortuzzo
Binnington
Husso
Extra: Mikkola, Clifford, MacMac
This is my prediction of what we will do not should do. Neighbours shouldn't make the team, but is getting far too many games not to get a 9 game try-out. Probably same with Perunovich. They are pushing the Saad, Thomas, Tarasenko line in practice and Berube hyped it up in the media. So that seems a lock. Perron and RoR are locked together. Kyrou has had some success with Schenn, so I see them sticking together. That leaves Buch and Neighbours. I think Buch is a better fit for ROR's line as he should get first line minutes and is decent defensively. That line gets put out against the other team's best. The 4th line is pretty much written except the last spot. I think they give Kostin a chance even if he didn't wow at camp.
When Neighbours sits in the press box to extend his try-out, I would expect Barbashev to move up the line up as a wing. Bozak would slide to center and Clifford would come in on the 4th line.
Perron - RoR - Buchnevich
Neighbours - Scheen - Kyrou
Saad - Thomas - Tarasenko
Kostin - Barbashev - Bozak
Scandella - Parayko
Krug - Faulk
Perunocih - Bortuzzo
Binnington
Husso
Extra: Mikkola, Clifford, MacMac
This is my prediction of what we will do not should do. Neighbours shouldn't make the team, but is getting far too many games not to get a 9 game try-out. Probably same with Perunovich. They are pushing the Saad, Thomas, Tarasenko line in practice and Berube hyped it up in the media. So that seems a lock. Perron and RoR are locked together. Kyrou has had some success with Schenn, so I see them sticking together. That leaves Buch and Neighbours. I think Buch is a better fit for ROR's line as he should get first line minutes and is decent defensively. That line gets put out against the other team's best. The 4th line is pretty much written except the last spot. I think they give Kostin a chance even if he didn't wow at camp.
When Neighbours sits in the press box to extend his try-out, I would expect Barbashev to move up the line up as a wing. Bozak would slide to center and Clifford would come in on the 4th line.
Well he has Joshua in there instead of Clifford, which is what I’m hoping to see. I’d be fine with Kostin too though.
bleedblue1223
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- Jan 21, 2011
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Yeah, I prefer Joshua over Clifford. They'll play similarish roles, but Joshua has more positional flexibility and is younger. With a healthy lineup, he's the 4th line spare. The other spare, I'm less set on. Typically, I'd prefer a top 9 spare, so this would be someone like Kostin or Brown, but since our healthy 4th line are all top 9 capable players IMO, this is less of a need. When healthy, having Sunny, Bozak, and Barbashev available to play up the lineup is a huge bonus.
No matter the decision, I'm not going to really care how the forwards play out, because I don't see a bad decision available to be made.
Would any of us be putting Kostin in there if he wasn’t first round pick? All indications are he has not had good camp. His minor league numbers were mediocre. We all expect him to be good bc of his pedigree but maybe he just isn’t that good?
Vektor
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- Jun 11, 2018
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I'd much rather see Kostin than Joshua. Let Bozak play center. I honestly don't understand all the buzz circulating around Joshua. I've watched him plenty and don't see it.
bleedblue1223
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Maybe, maybe not? He's still a 1st and has potential and isn't a complete bust, so those players will still get opportunities. Kostin is probably at a similar point as Barbashev when he was breaking through. If he can embrace a bottom 6 role, then he'll be a success, if he doesn't, then he'll struggle.
My mindset is, management will make the right decision because they see these players everyday. If it's best for Kostin to go down, then he will. If it's best to stay up, then he will. I don't think offensive production is what will be the determining factor. I think he'd just need to replicate what Blais did to have a spot. I haven't watched him enough to say for sure if he can do that or not.
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Purely on merit, who is more deserving of a roster spot: Brown or Kostin? I realize waivers impact the choice, but I’m trying to figure out the actual depth chart.
Also no Neal here.
bleedblue1223
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Purely on merit? Probably neither. I have a hard time placing them on a depth chart too because the argument for them is simply that they have a higher ceiling that they could hit, so people think being on the big club is better for their development.
Majorityof1
Registered User
What are the indicators he hasn't had a good camp? Do you have something more than the games? He had an assist in his first game and got hurt in the 2nd. So he played basically 1 game and is a ppg playing with much worse players than Neighbours got to. He is a +1 in that game, and I don't think he was out for a goal against. Joshua who people are saying should get a spot is -2 with no points in 2 games. So stat-wise, Kostin has had a better camp than Joshua, or Clifford (o points, -1) or MacMAc (0 points, -1) or anyone Kostin would be competing for a 4th lie role against.
Would Neighbours be getting such favorable pre-season usage if he wasn't a 1st round pick? He has played with Schenn, Kyrou, ROR, Tarasenko, Thomas etc, while Kostin had to make do with 4th liners and AHL fodder. Neighbours has played in more games than anyone. He is being given every opportunity to succeed because he is a first rounder.
Edit: Kostin has had a GA. He was on the ice for 2 GF and 1 GA. So still a +1.
bleedblue1223
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Roster decisions are primarily made on things that fans do not see, that's why some of the discussions are sort of pointless. It's like our prospect rankings. If we did them again, Perunovich would likely be #1 with an overwhelming majority of the vote.
Reality Czech
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- Apr 17, 2017
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Me neither. He was somewhat impressive in his first few games as he didn't look out of place and his compete level is good. That only goes so far, however. He'll need to contribute more to become an NHL regular, though I certainly won't count him out.
Would hope they waive Clifford and keep Brown. If Brown hits waivers he is gone.
Peru is waiver exempt I think Walman makes the roster over Peru.
Peru is waiver exempt I think Walman makes the roster over Peru.
It’s not just games, it’s subtext. Both LK and JR have commented that he hasn’t had good camp and is letting opportunity slip away. Berube is effusive in praise on Neighbours and Joshua and never on Kostin.
Again, I’m not saying he is bad, just that fans overrate him bc of draft pedigree. As someone else said, he can carve out Barbie type role if he so chooses. But he seems not to embrace that to date.
I would expect if at end of camp with hundreds of guys on waivers, brown would clear.
bleedblue1223
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If Perunovich plays well in these final pre-season games against rosters that are primarily NHL players, then he makes the team.
