Bouwmeester to STL

[Nyghtewynd]

Per Korac et. al.

#Flames have dealt Jay Bouwmeester to #stlblues for 2013 first round pick, defenceman Mark Cundari and goaltender Reto Berra.

We're officially all-in. A first? Erg.

[SamJunior]

Just heard this mentioned on the NBC. Wow! This should be one hell of a defense (if Hitch can handle them well).

[Kreegz2]

A first and a few prospects isn't bad at all.

Boumeester - Petro
Jackman - Shatty
Leopold - Polak

Russel
Cole
Redden

I'm kinda leery about breaking up the Russel - Polak pairing but Polak is so dependable that I think he will adapt well to it.

[glen a richter]

I like the trade. Get the first back on draft day by dumping Halak and Perron.

[not_a_wings_fan]

I am not sure I like giving up a first round pick and prospects for a guy who is 29 and -11. I know he's played well in the past, but not sure what this trade is about.

It wouldn't shock me to find out we are trading one of our impact defensemen for a top level scoring center or wing. Ovechkin? /shrug

Not sure I am going to like how this deal turns out.

[dmiles2186]

My only concern is that this summer the Blues have to pay Shatty, Petro, Stewie, Berglund. They're now adding a 6 million dollar cap hit. They've got cap space but ownership doesn't seem to have a lot of cash. Unless they'll be trading someone in the coming days.

[WaukeeBlues]

Not wild about giving up our first round pick for this guy. How many Dmen do we need? We can't keep them all and I doubt we resign Bouwmeester. I don't know, but "all in" is right. Cup or bust

[F Keenan]

Not wild about giving up our first round pick for this guy. How many Dmen do we need? We can't keep them all and I doubt we resign Bouwmeester. I don't know, but "all in" is right. Cup or bust

I would think another move is in the works, but the NHL roster expands in a little over an hour, so we can carry 9 like we are now. Also, Jay Bo is under contract for next year as well, so are you already discussing not resigning him for 2014-2015??? I wouldn't call this all in.

[theohall]

My only concern is that this summer the Blues have to pay Shatty, Petro, Stewie, Berglund. They're now adding a 6 million dollar cap hit. They've got cap space but ownership doesn't seem to have a lot of cash. Unless they'll be trading someone in the coming days.

Selling the Rivermen may have solved the "cash" issue, because we all know cap space is currently not an issue.

[dmiles2186]

Not wild about giving up our first round pick for this guy. How many Dmen do we need? We can't keep them all and I doubt we resign Bouwmeester. I don't know, but "all in" is right. Cup or bust

Bouwmeester is signed through next season. Leopold is a UFA this summer, though.

[WaukeeBlues]

Not wild about giving up our first round pick for this guy. How many Dmen do we need? We can't keep them all and I doubt we resign Bouwmeester. I don't know, but "all in" is right. Cup or bust

I would think another move is in the works, but the NHL roster expands in a little over an hour, so we can carry 9 like we are now. Also, Jay Bo is under contract for next year as well, so are you already discussing not resigning him for 2014-2015??? I wouldn't call this all in.

My bad, I just assumed his contract ended at the end of this season since that's what the case usually is when teams make trade deadline moves.

Checked nhlnumbers.com and says his contract hit is 1.822, that can't be right? Says we're paying him $6.6 next year? Maybe ownership is opening their wallet more or they anticipate dropping some guys because I don't know how to reconcile picking up a $6.6 million contract and then handcuffing Army with a budget well below the salary cap.

Not a big fan of this trade still but we'll see

[DaDitka]

I do think ownership will spend a little more next year (we were below 50 mill this year before these two moves), but even at say...55 mill, this contract is going to make everything dicey.

Say Pettro signs for 7
Say Shatty signs for 5.5
Bouwmeester is getting 6.6
Jacks is on the books for 3.2
Polack is making 2.8

That's 25.1 million on just 5 defenseman

You already have 20.7 mill in forwards under contract

And 5.5 mill in goal tending.

That leaves 3.7 mill to resign Bergie and Stewart, replace McDonald and Nichol, resign or replace Porter, and to add two more defenseman.

Army has his work cut out, and we're out a first and a second rounder over the last couple days.

Someone (or two) have to go...

[dmiles2186]

Just read that when Bouwmeester was traded from Florida to Cal-GARY, Jordan Leopold went the other way. Now they're traded to the Blues a few days apart. Funny how that works.

[cprice12]

I do think ownership will spend a little more next year (we were below 50 mill this year before these two moves), but even at say...55 mill, this contract is going to make everything dicey.

Say Pettro signs for 7

I doubt it. Too much.
The Blues shouldn't pay over 6 per year for him. If he was playing at Norris-level, then maybe he gets 6...but he's not.
He hasn't been in the league long enough, nor has he played at the level required for that kind of salary.

Say Shatty signs for 5.5

Again. Too much.
I'm thinking he needs to be signed for under $5.

Bouwmeester is getting 6.6
Jacks is on the books for 3.2
Polack is making 2.8

That's 25.1 million on just 5 defenseman

You already have 20.7 mill in forwards under contract

And 5.5 mill in goal tending.

That leaves 3.7 mill to resign Bergie and Stewart, replace McDonald and Nichol, resign or replace Porter, and to add two more defenseman.

Army has his work cut out, and we're out a first and a second rounder over the last couple days.

Someone (or two) have to go...

All of these comments that say, "we only have x number of dollars to resign so many players"... you guys are assuming our current cap number won't move.
I know what Stillman has said about the money the team will spend...but he also didn't buy the team to not win a cup. He wants to win and he'll spend a little more money if it makes sense.

Stewart can't command big money. He's far too inconsistent from year to year...if he does, he can go elsewhere.

Signing Berglund will be rough I think. But again, I don't think he has put up the kind of numbers long enough to warrant a larger deal...yet.

[DaDitka]

I do think ownership will spend a little more next year (we were below 50 mill this year before these two moves), but even at say...55 mill, this contract is going to make everything dicey.

Say Pettro signs for 7

I doubt it. Too much.
The Blues shouldn't pay over 6 per year for him. If he was playing at Norris-level, then maybe he gets 6...but he's not.
He hasn't been in the league long enough, nor has he played at the level required for that kind of salary.

I think it depends on if they let him get offers or if they sign him first. Also, he's not going to sign a long term deal for less the Bouwmeester who is at 6.6. Maybe he'd sign for something closer to 5 million for two years....maybe

Say Shatty signs for 5.5

Again. Too much.
I'm thinking he needs to be signed for under $5.

I would like him to sign for less then 5 too....but I was basing this in what he's going to command and again, if he get's offersheets...5.5 could be conservative. Many see very little difference between he or Petro.

[quote="cprice12"

Bouwmeester is getting 6.6
Jacks is on the books for 3.2
Polack is making 2.8

That's 25.1 million on just 5 defenseman

You already have 20.7 mill in forwards under contract

And 5.5 mill in goal tending.

That leaves 3.7 mill to resign Bergie and Stewart, replace McDonald and Nichol, resign or replace Porter, and to add two more defenseman.

Army has his work cut out, and we're out a first and a second rounder over the last couple days.

Someone (or two) have to go...

All of these comments that say, "we only have x number of dollars to resign so many players"... you guys are assuming our current cap number won't move.[/quote]

Actually my numbers were based on a 10% increase in spending from 50 million to 55 million

[DaDitka]

As for how much we will spend...they did flat out say they wouldn't be a cap team and the cap is coming down to 64 mill next year. My projection of 55 mill is only 9 mill under the cap. So while there may be a little more flexibility but were talking about a million or two....not 'millions'.

[cprice12]

High offer sheets aren't that common though.
If Petro signs an offer sheet that averages between $6.7 & 8.4 million per, the Blues get two 1st round picks, a 2nd and a 3rd round pick.

For that return, I'd almost be willing to let Petro go, use the money to sign/trade for a FA d-man and take the picks to boot. Of course it depends who is available at the time and all that junk.

Honestly... right now, Petro isn't worth between $6.7 & $8.4 million. He simply hasn't played at that level this year.
Now, if you are trying to lock him up long term with the expectations that he will polish up his game and become more consistent, that's a different mind set...and one that I don't necessarily agree with.

[Kreegz2]

Word of Bouwmeester trade spread like wildfire in #stlblues lockerroom after game. Overwhelming excitement. Players praised Army, ownership. -Jeremy Rutherford

It's good to hear that the players are enthusiastic about this. Bouwmeester must be well respected amongst the players in the NHL to get this type of reaction from the team. Always a good sign.

It's funny, It almost sounds like they didn't even know about the trade until the game was over. I know when Steen was being interviewed between the 2nd and 3rd period last night and was asked what he thought about the Bouwmeester deal, he looked pretty shocked for a second before composing himself and giving the typical. "I'm only thinking about this game right now" answer.

[DaDitka]

High offer sheets aren't that common though.
If Petro signs an offer sheet that averages between $6.7 & 8.4 million per, the Blues get two 1st round picks, a 2nd and a 3rd round pick.

For that return, I'd almost be willing to let Petro go, use the money to sign/trade for a FA d-man and take the picks to boot. Of course it depends who is available at the time and all that junk.

Honestly... right now, Petro isn't worth between $6.7 & $8.4 million. He simply hasn't played at that level this year.
Now, if you are trying to lock him up long term with the expectations that he will polish up his game and become more consistent, that's a different mind set...and one that I don't necessarily agree with.

Yeah, I'd love to get Petro and Shatty locked up for say 10 mill combined, but even that is only 2 million more on the numbers I threw out there.

It's not that it's impossible to keep 'everyone' it's just going to be really tough and then what kind of salary situation are you in if you're looking to add a key piece next trade deadline?

In the end, I just think one 'name' guy will be out of the picture. That might mean we don't sign on of our RFAs or that may mean we trade someone who is under contract this offseason (Perron or Halak?)

[cardsfan04]

I know history doesn't always suggest that we should trust Blues management, but I'd like to think the Blues wouldn't have acquired this much salary if they didn't have a plan. I don't know what the plan is, but Armie has done a great job here, so I don't think he would back himself into a corner.