Roster Building thread - Part IX - (2024 edition)

[JimmyG89]

Drury better get ready to buy this guy out in the summer.

 

[haohmaru]

Vince has a point about the team being a bit faster, but yeah, it was weird to bring up the MacKinnon goal.

That's just a count-on-one-hand caliber of player going off. Chris Pronger, Larry Robinson, Guy Carbonneau, and Patrice Bergeron all on the ice together aren't stopping that goal.

The only response to that hopefully getting somebody who can do it on the other end someday.

The reaching stick check by Miller got the ball rolling. Would love to see him throw a huge body check there instead.

 

[NYR Viper]

I think he's a good fit but I don't understand the purpose of it from the Blues perspective.

They are not in position to rebuild. Kyrou, Thomas, Schenn, Faulk, Krug, Parayko, Binnington are all signed for 3+ more years at 6M or above.

They have 0 upcoming UFAs with decent trade value. That includes Scandella who is a third pairing dman playing 13 mins a game making over 3M.

The only guy they have that isn't signed long term with big trade value is Buch who they don't necessarily have to deal now.

They are currently in a wild card position, with games in hand on the teams behind them, and the only real threats to their spot being Nashville and Seattle.

They don't have a center prospect who needs ice time in the NHL or someone who is capable of replacing him.

So with all of that what is their incentive to deal him now for like a 4th round pick? If they need to clear space to make a move in the off-season they can always do it then,



I mean Kakko has a pretty good chance of getting dealt at some point anyway. Just the way things are based on his production and contract status at this point. Trading him for a quality middle six center signed to a good deal for two more years seems to be a pretty good target. Roslovic is a waste of an add-in though. He's way overpaid which will cost them getting someone else and not very good.

I'm semi-assuming they fall out of the playoff race as the season progresses

 

[NYR Viper]

Drury better get ready to buy this guy out in the summer.

I don't see another way. It's POSSIBLE someone may take him at a partial cap hit. Maybe someone like SJ. Use him as a vet forward for a couple of years and then flip him at the deadline.

 

[bl02]

I'd consider it for Hanifan if the team re-signed him



For me, that's the point of Girgensons. Cheap insurance policy at center. Get Hayes and Girgensons and you have (5) NHL centers

please no I would rather pay "more" for Sturm.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

girgensons used to be the ultimate 'nothing happens" player. Don't know if he still is.

I'd be more about it if I had any confidence that they'd scratch Goodrow.

 

[bl02]

Dowd
Gourde
Jenner
Sturm
Kuraly
Kunin
Novak
Girgensons
Bjugstad
McBain
Hayes

All on my list for bottom 6 centers, Get 1 or 2 of these guys and the forward group is set.

Then focus on a difference maker on D. Trade Lindgren to make it work if you have to.

Dowd (good fit when caps fall our of it. Do we pay division tax and overpay? That is my only worry)
Gourde (huge overpay and Seattle probably stays in playoff race. Unlikely)
Jenner (huge overpay required. Not sure the Jackets trade him at fair value)
Sturm (This guy can be had probably for a 3rd or 4th)
Kuraly (Not terrible I guess but what would they want for him? But he is making 2.5 million next year)
Kunin (No idea his value)
Novak (makes no money and puts up points again how much are we paying for him?)
Girgensons (please no unless every single guy on this list is gone)
Bjugstad ( Makes 2.1 million next year not terrible just not getting screwed by Aizona yet again)
McBain (Signed thru next year as well. Just not sure what Arizona would want back)
Hayes (doubtful. Don't think the Blues fall out of the playoff race)

Good list you put together. Considering all the factors probably Sturm would be the safest and cheapest bet. I am not willing to trade a first or a good prospect like Berard/Sykora/Othmann for any of them. Maybe Gourde but he's not gonna be available unless HUGE overpayment.

girgensons used to be the ultimate 'nothing happens" player. Don't know if he still is.

I'd be more about it if I had any confidence that they'd scratch Goodrow.

Yes he still is and doubtful they would scratch Goodrow for him. Unless he is the best defensive center to play the game pass on him.

 

[bl02]

Saw the rumor about Vatrano. He does check all the boxes.

Except that Anaheim would want Kakko and a pick or very least a first rounder. I like Vatrano but we can't pay that.

 

[SA16]

I'm semi-assuming they fall out of the playoff race as the season progresses

Yes but what is the point from their perspective? To get a 4th round pick they could get in the off-season anyway? All of their other (Non-Buch) guys are untradeable midseason. And I highly doubt they fall much out of the playoff race by the deadline as the teams below Seattle aren't any good. They would have to have an absolutely disastrous February to fall completely out of it. There's no real upside for them in making the trade. Might as well stick with it and see what happens.

 

[bl02]

Brodzinski is a wonderful AHL player, Cuylle and Kakko deserve better.

Agree but He isn't going anywhere until the Rangers find a 3rd line center via trade. They would certainly lose him via waivers.

 

[Fitzy]

Drury better get ready to buy this guy out in the summer.

Giving 20 million dollars to a 4th liner has to be up there with Wade Redden

 

[McRanger92]

Dowd (good fit when caps fall our of it. Do we pay division tax and overpay? That is my only worry)
Gourde (huge overpay and Seattle probably stays in playoff race. Unlikely)
Jenner (huge overpay required. Not sure the Jackets trade him at fair value)
Sturm (This guy can be had probably for a 3rd or 4th)
Kuraly (Not terrible I guess but what would they want for him? But he is making 2.5 million next year)
Kunin (No idea his value)
Novak (makes no money and puts up points again how much are we paying for him?)
Girgensons (please no unless every single guy on this list is gone)
Bjugstad ( Makes 2.1 million next year not terrible just not getting screwed by Aizona yet again)
McBain (Signed thru next year as well. Just not sure what Arizona would want back)
Hayes (doubtful. Don't think the Blues fall out of the playoff race)

Good list you put together. Considering all the factors probably Sturm would be the safest and cheapest bet. I am not willing to trade a first or a good prospect like Berard/Sykora/Othmann for any of them. Maybe Gourde but he's not gonna be available unless HUGE overpayment.


Yes he still is and doubtful they would scratch Goodrow for him. Unless he is the best defensive center to play the game pass on him.

Dowd is such a perfect fit and I hope Lavi and Drury know it. If it costs a 1st, you bite the bullet imo. You get him for 2 years at a nothing contract and he is the exact type of gritty forechecking center we need. Caps arent going to give us a break on the asking price. Half the guys I mentioned aren't even going to be on the market in all likelihood (most of the good ones specifically) and if a pick in the mid-20s is all it takes, do it. For context, the first round prospect we take with that pick wont make his NHL debut until Panarin is on another contract. Now is not the time to have diamond hands if you can get a very effective player for 2 years.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Dowd (good fit when caps fall our of it. Do we pay division tax and overpay? That is my only worry)
Gourde (huge overpay and Seattle probably stays in playoff race. Unlikely)
Jenner (huge overpay required. Not sure the Jackets trade him at fair value)
Sturm (This guy can be had probably for a 3rd or 4th)
Kuraly (Not terrible I guess but what would they want for him? But he is making 2.5 million next year)
Kunin (No idea his value)
Novak (makes no money and puts up points again how much are we paying for him?)
Girgensons (please no unless every single guy on this list is gone)
Bjugstad ( Makes 2.1 million next year not terrible just not getting screwed by Aizona yet again)
McBain (Signed thru next year as well. Just not sure what Arizona would want back)
Hayes (doubtful. Don't think the Blues fall out of the playoff race)

Good list you put together. Considering all the factors probably Sturm would be the safest and cheapest bet. I am not willing to trade a first or a good prospect like Berard/Sykora/Othmann for any of them. Maybe Gourde but he's not gonna be available unless HUGE overpayment.


Yes he still is and doubtful they would scratch Goodrow for him. Unless he is the best defensive center to play the game pass on him.

I would have no problem if we iced a 4th line that played no event hockey. It's my preference in fact. Goodrow keeps that from happening.

Luke Kunin is Barclay Goodrow level awful. Would rather have Girgensons than him.

 

[bl02]

Dowd is such a perfect fit and I hope Lavi and Drury know it. If it costs a 1st, you bite the bullet imo. You get him for 2 years at a nothing contract and he is the exact type of gritty forechecking center we need. Caps arent going to give us a break on the asking price. Half the guys I mentioned aren't even going to be on the market in all likelihood (most of the good ones specifically) and if a pick in the mid-20s is all it takes, do it. For context, the first round prospect we take with that pick wont make his NHL debut until Panarin is on another contract. Now is not the time to have diamond hands if you can get a very effective player for 2 years.

I hear what you're saying and he probably be a good fit BUT after seeing who we drafted last year I am tentative to give up a first rounder yet again. We have traded a lot of them in the past few years and we are bereft of 2nd rounders. Yeah I know many of them never even sniff an NHL game but still.

 

[bl02]

I would have no problem if we iced a 4th line that played no event hockey. It's my preference in fact. Goodrow keeps that from happening.

Luke Kunin is Barclay Goodrow level awful. Would rather have Girgensons than him.

I see Goodrow being bought out this summer. Don't wanna pay a high pick just to get rid of him at the TDL.
If that is the case we just have to realize this coach (or many coaches) are not gonna scratch him. Just the way it is. Even as bad as he's been. They would scratch Brodz or Pitlick before him whether we agree or not.

 

[McRanger92]

I hear what you're saying and he probably be a good fit BUT after seeing who we drafted last year I am tentative to give up a first rounder yet again. We have traded a lot of them in the past few years and we are bereft of 2nd rounders. Yeah I know many of them never even sniff an NHL game but still.

Look if they dont win this year and are looking to move guys this summer theyll recoup some picks theyve missed. In an extremely weak Eastern Conference they cant be thinking about hoarding draft picks

 

[bl02]

Look if they dont win this year and are looking to move guys this summer theyll recoup some picks theyve missed. In an extremely weak Eastern Conference they cant be thinking about hoarding draft picks

We are far from hoarding picks. I think we basically have just a first rounder next year's draft (the rest is 4th rounder and lower). That makes it a factor when you wanna trade for someone next year.
And I would have to see it to believe it if you are referring to guys like Igor or Trouba being traded.

Any chance we could get Dowd for like a 4th and Jones? Or just a 2nd?

 

[zlev]

id give up a 1st for Dowd if we didn't have like 3 other holes to fill

 

[McRanger92]

We are far from hoarding picks. I think we basically have just a first rounder next year's draft (the rest is 4th rounder and lower). That makes it a factor when you wanna trade for someone next year.
And I would have to see it to believe it if you are referring to guys like Igor or Trouba being traded.

Any chance we could get Dowd for like a 4th and Jones? Or just a 2nd?

Point taken but the check is coming due at some point either way. I'm fine with trading guys off the NHL roster at well, but no one wants to do that either. At the end of the day, filling in the glaring holes at 3C and in the top4 D is gong to require unpopular moves, and I'm not a fan of kicking the can to the summer when our conference is wide open and we are #1 in our division right now.

 

[Ruggs225]

We are far from hoarding picks. I think we basically have just a first rounder next year's draft (the rest is 4th rounder and lower). That makes it a factor when you wanna trade for someone next year.
And I would have to see it to believe it if you are referring to guys like Igor or Trouba being traded.

Any chance we could get Dowd for like a 4th and Jones? Or just a 2nd?

Next year we can get a 3rd if nils lundkvist scores another 25 pts this year. But otherwise we do not have. An 2nd or 3rd next year.

 

[NYR Viper]

Yes but what is the point from their perspective? To get a 4th round pick they could get in the off-season anyway? All of their other (Non-Buch) guys are untradeable midseason. And I highly doubt they fall much out of the playoff race by the deadline as the teams below Seattle aren't any good. They would have to have an absolutely disastrous February to fall completely out of it. There's no real upside for them in making the trade. Might as well stick with it and see what happens.

I think the benefit for St Louis is that should they wait until the off-season, they may not find a taker for Hayes. They know they have one at the deadline. I'm on record as saying I'd move Robertson + 4th for Hayes. I don't think that is a bad package for him.

for St Louis, they could retool in one off-season and they may like the idea of another $3.6m in cap space for UFA's. Again, I'm not saying they will sell, but I could see them being interested in the opportunity to get some assets and relieve some cap.

Based on your idea that their core is pretty much locked in, would they be excited to return practically the same team next year less Scandella?

 

[McRanger92]

Quick first goalie off at practice today. Lavi sending a message to Igor starting him against Igor's old rival Georgiev and fellow Russian Vasilevsky.

 

[bl02]

Point taken but the check is coming due at some point either way. I'm fine with trading guys off the NHL roster at well, but no one wants to do that either. At the end of the day, filling in the glaring holes at 3C and in the top4 D is gong to require unpopular moves, and I'm not a fan of kicking the can to the summer when our conference is wide open and we are #1 in our division right now.

I see both sides but I agree I think we could have as good of a chance in a 7 game series as much as anyone else in this conference.
Would Dowd for a first rounder be a better choice over someone like Sturm for a 4th rounder?

 

[RGY]

It’s a good example of the eye test being a really poor measure of defensive impact/results

You’re right it is a good example. Because I just provided you two actual examples of his terrible defensive play, and you responded with this. You have nothing better to fall back on than to just simply say the “metrics” as if to say this guy is some elite defensive player or even just a good defensive player. he is terrible. He has been terrible Stop campaigning for this guy as if you’re his cousin.

 

[Ruggs225]

Its because Drury got taken to the cleaners by Arizona for Nemeth. 2 2!d round picks to get rid of that abomination of a signing.

That was a double fail by Drury. He should never have given a 3 year contract to Nemeth in the first place. And then got absolutely schooled trying to unload it.