OT: Should Doug Armstrong get fired?

[Xerloris]

That's why coaches, good coaches, while they have a Plan, they'll tweak it and adjust and adapt when necessary. You never know when your GM is going to call you and say X is being traded and we're getting Y and Z. The team has to have a core identity and strengths it needs or trains to aspire to. So saying what you have, what system do we run, because I don't see one. I see no ethic, I see very little team integrity, I mean doesn't the Note mean a damn thing for some of these folks? Doesn't the front office enforce the ethic of fighting for the logo? Does anyone?

I see our leadership upstairs basically looking at stats on a page and saying this team is good enough, we should be able to make the playoffs and do things, but that takes a plan and I don't see someone like Bannister having a plan, at least I haven't seen one from him yet. When we talk about Hitch, we always mention the system of coaching and the type of ethic the players had. When we talk about Berube and Bannister, much as I love Berube, but neither seems to have a real plan, it's more ebb and flow, work towards that players strengths on a team that needs more strong players.

And that fault lies with Army.

Every piece of this team is of his making or at worst, his approving, from coaching all the way down. He holds nearly unlimited power and if he was as smart and forward-thinking as some here lead us to believe, he would have options. This team on paper looks amazing but when you see the final product you realize The Boss spends all his time looking at statistics on a printed page than outside the window of his office at the players playing the game.

Like Captain Picard said once in paraphrase, you can do everything right but still lose, I'd expect what's left to look more like a team that's out to contend over what I see now.

I just want to add real quick that a coach should tweak things and make adjustments but it feels like our last 2 coaches have done no such thing. Just continue banging your head against the wall and maybe it'll work finally.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Q&A With Stillmam today.




Again referencing our Blues fan survey, 56 percent of fans gave Armstrong a 4 or 5 (5 being the highest) when asked about their confidence level in him. What’s yours?

Stillman: I continue to have complete confidence in Doug. I’ve seen how he operates, what he’s done with this franchise, the success we’ve had under him and his individual skills and talents. I’m totally happy with him as our GM. I think we are really fortunate to have what I would consider the strongest GM in the sport. I guess that’s not only me thinking that, but if you look around the league, the decisions made by Team Canada, that would certainly seem to support that.

 

[BlueSeal]

Q&A With Stillmam today.




Again referencing our Blues fan survey, 56 percent of fans gave Armstrong a 4 or 5 (5 being the highest) when asked about their confidence level in him. What’s yours?

Stillman: I continue to have complete confidence in Doug. I’ve seen how he operates, what he’s done with this franchise, the success we’ve had under him and his individual skills and talents. I’m totally happy with him as our GM. I think we are really fortunate to have what I would consider the strongest GM in the sport. I guess that’s not only me thinking that, but if you look around the league, the decisions made by Team Canada, that would certainly seem to support that.

Stillman has to say this. It all has to be part of some plan publically, even if they got nothing and everything is on the decline. You know how fast investors and players/staff would bail if they told everyone that we're on the decline and are awaiting solutions to arise from the ether?

It's like being a Sergent and having to tell your troops to move forward and continue holding a hill that's impossible to hold. You do it anyway because nothing kills anything faster than fear.

 

[PocketNines]

I accept that a majority of Blues fans vote Armstrong full confidence. Not every fan base deserves success, I think it's the ones who get hockey the best, and if a majority of Blues fans vote Armstrong full confidence then we get what we deserve. Life is like that

 

[bleedblue1223]

I'd give him a 4/5 on my current confidence. There are some key decisions that will move that to a 3 or a 5 in the next year or 2. What happens with Buchnevich? How are the goalies handled? Are we able to move a defenseman, or another year of being stuck with the same group? Decision time with Kyrou before his NTC kicks in. What pieces are we acquiring in next 2 off-seasons?

 

[Xerloris]

I'd give him a 4/5 on my current confidence. There are some key decisions that will move that to a 3 or a 5 in the next year or 2. What happens with Buchnevich? How are the goalies handled? Are we able to move a defenseman, or another year of being stuck with the same group? Decision time with Kyrou before his NTC kicks in. What pieces are we acquiring in next 2 off-seasons?

Just because there's one or two vocal people that hate Kyrou doesn't mean there is a decision that has to be made. He's a fantastic offensive player with game breaking ability, playoff scoring touch and he's still getting better every year. Sounds like an easy keeper for me.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

Just because there's one or two vocal people that hate Kyrou doesn't mean there is a decision that has to be made. He's a fantastic offensive player with game breaking ability, playoff scoring touch and he's still getting better every year. Sounds like an easy keeper for me.

But I’d package him for the elusive #1D.

 

[Xerloris]

But I’d package him for the elusive #1D.

for sure, almost anyone should be available for that.

 

[Ranksu]

I accept that a majority of Blues fans vote Armstrong full confidence. Not every fan base deserves success, I think it's the ones who get hockey the best, and if a majority of Blues fans vote Armstrong full confidence then we get what we deserve. Life is like that

 

[TheDizee]

fire armstrong and make steen new GM

ONE MORE FOR THE GOOD GUY

 

[joe galiba]

how long until the "Should Steen be fired?" thread?

 

[Drubilly]

ONE MORE FOR THE GOOD GUY

Eh, most knowledgeable Blues fans could have steen this coming or have outright suggested it and Armstrong wasn’t fired. You keep on keepin on though our lil lovable self-horn tooter!

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

how long until the "Should Steen be fired?" thread?

July 2026 after Steen doesn't sign Lindgren to a contract

 

[ScratchCatFever]

how long until the "Should Steen be fired?" thread?

Yes...

 

[ChicagoBlues]

I vote that Doug Armstrong should be appointed General Manager in Perpetuity.

After he passes away, the AGM will consult Lord Army with a handy dandy Actuarial Ouija Board.

I think this will work.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

ONE MORE FOR THE GOOD GUY

President of Hockey Operations = Fired.

Sure, OK.

 

[BlueSeal]

fire armstrong and make steen new GM

You got your wish (eventually), what's your problem again?

Steen's hockey IQ is ridiculous. If that can be harnessed as he learns the ropes to become the next GM...

 

[Ranksu]

Army doing his things.

Tjhink guys. We had Cup team once, but Army not wanting to pay best players what they wanted cost us.

After Pietro was out this team fell apart.

I will never forget what kind of mistake Army did.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

Move on already

 

[ChuckLefley]

how long until the "Should Steen be fired?" thread?

Actually, I’m waiting for draft picks to make the team, a big UFA signing or a playoff berth and a thread about how Steen must be in running the show now.

 

[BlueSeal]

Army doing his things.

Tjhink guys. We had Cup team once, but Army not wanting to pay best players what they wanted cost us.

After Pietro was out this team fell apart.

I will never forget what kind of mistake Army did.

I freely admit that I'm going to be 'That Guy' who will bring up the negatives that Army has done BUT I am also going to be that guy that when Army blows it, after criticizing the hell out of him, I will pay close attention to what he does about it. To me what he does about it tells more about his character than anything else.

If he can build this team back into a stronger contender and not take decades, he'll get my respect on posts and verbally. I don't just bitch, I also give flowers when they're deserved, and Army has done quite a damn bit to deserve every single one of those too, and I don't see a problem with any of that.

 

[TheDizee]

Trades for Hayes last year for a 6th, adding on needless salary for a trashcan player. Trades a 2nd and Hayes a year later to relieve him of the cap hit.

Great asset management Dougie. Just another reason to fire this guy.

 

[BlueSeal]

Trades for Hayes last year for a 6th, adding on needless salary for a trashcan player. Trades a 2nd and Hayes a year later to relieve him of the cap hit.

Great asset management Dougie. Just another reason to fire this guy.

I would have made the same move, it should have worked out better than it did, but Hayes just wants to be trash so he got taken out like it.

 

[TheDizee]

I would have made the same move, it should have worked out better than it did, but Hayes just wants to be trash so he got taken out like it.

Hayes has ALWAYS stunk. He has had like one good year and only produced because he was able to be put up against 2nd/3rd lines due to their teams forward depth.

I don't mind getting him for a 6th, whatever. But flipping him a year later for a 2nd is unacceptable asset management when this team is in the middle of a rebuild.

 

[BlueSeal]

Hayes has ALWAYS stunk. He has had like one good year and only produced because he was able to be put up against 2nd/3rd lines due to their teams forward depth.

I don't mind getting him for a 6th, whatever. But flipping him a year later for a 2nd is unacceptable asset management when this team is in the middle of a rebuild.

It sounds crazy but Army makes these kinds of deals and they usually work out. We've gotten players who were outright pariahs who won a Cup with us. We've had players like that come here and do well. It's always a crapshoot but sometimes it works. Can't fault him for that.