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ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The St. Louis Blues have invited forward Scottie Upshall to training camp for a tryout.
The 31-year-old Upshall had eight goals and seven assists in 63 games with the Panthers last season.
Upshall is a 12-year veteran with previous stints in Columbus, Phoenix, Philadelphia and Nashville. He was the sixth overall pick in 2002 by the Predators and has 234 points in 553 career games.
I don't see it that way at all.gaijin wrote:Noticing a trend here. They say "Veteran XXXX invited to training camp," and what I hear is, "We don't think our young guys are ready."
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/blues-invi ... --nhl.html
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The St. Louis Blues have invited forward Scottie Upshall to training camp for a tryout.
The 31-year-old Upshall had eight goals and seven assists in 63 games with the Panthers last season.
Upshall is a 12-year veteran with previous stints in Columbus, Phoenix, Philadelphia and Nashville. He was the sixth overall pick in 2002 by the Predators and has 234 points in 553 career games.
I don't think that's going to be the case, but with Lehtera off to a late start and Berglund out till at least January and there is always potential for another person to get injured too.gaijin wrote:Noticing a trend here. They say "Veteran XXXX invited to training camp," and what I hear is, "We don't think our young guys are ready."
What I hear is "Hitchcock is still coaching this team."gaijin wrote:Noticing a trend here. They say "Veteran XXXX invited to training camp," and what I hear is, "We don't think our young guys are ready."
I sure hope you're right, but I'm starting to get a very Keenan-y feel about Hitchcock all of a sudden.cprice12 wrote:I don't see it that way at all.gaijin wrote:Noticing a trend here. They say "Veteran XXXX invited to training camp," and what I hear is, "We don't think our young guys are ready."
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/blues-invi ... --nhl.html
I see it as an insurance policy if it is determined that Fabbri and Co. aren't ready. It's not a great insurance policy...but it's better than not inviting anyone.
The Blues would be pretty irresponsible if they didn't do this.
Blues coach Ken Hitchcock painted a different picture of the situation during a Monday interview with 101 ESPN’s Bernie Miklasz, however. While the thought by many has been that guys from within the system, such as Ty Rattie, Magnus Paajarvi, and Robby Fabbri, would get the first crack at taking Berglund’s spot in the lineup, Hitchcock seemed to indicate that Gomez, as well as a few other outside veterans such as Jordan Caron, would have the best opportunity, saying, “We brought in three or four NHL players–who are good NHL players–who can see if they can grab that spot, and then we’ll give a real go to guys we think have earned the right: guys like (Ty) Rattie, and (Patrick) Cannone, and Robby Fabbri and that.”
Hitchcock was extremely complimentary of Gomez, saying, “The way he played last year, he played so well. He looked like he was five years ago, he was fast, he was great on the power play…transported the puck up the ice, he was a really good player for them last year.” Rather than really having to play his way on the team, it seems that Gomez will be on the 23-man roster as long as he checks out well during training camp practices and preseason games. Of Gomez’s path to the opening night roster, Hitchcock said, “If he comes in and plays like he did last year, there’s no doubt he makes the team. He’s a good player…We’re gonna give him a real go here, we’re gonna play him with good players and see where he gets to.”
Gomez did put up decent numbers last year (more points than Berglund in 20 fewer games). So I get where Hitchcock is coming from to some degree there.evil roy wrote:I sure hope you're right, but I'm starting to get a very Keenan-y feel about Hitchcock all of a sudden.cprice12 wrote:I don't see it that way at all.gaijin wrote:Noticing a trend here. They say "Veteran XXXX invited to training camp," and what I hear is, "We don't think our young guys are ready."
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/blues-invi ... --nhl.html
I see it as an insurance policy if it is determined that Fabbri and Co. aren't ready. It's not a great insurance policy...but it's better than not inviting anyone.
The Blues would be pretty irresponsible if they didn't do this.
Granted this article is about Gomez, but it was published before the Upshaw invite so I think he can be safely added to the "other outside veteran" list.
http://archauthority.com/2015/08/31/st- ... ck-roster/
Blues coach Ken Hitchcock painted a different picture of the situation during a Monday interview with 101 ESPN’s Bernie Miklasz, however. While the thought by many has been that guys from within the system, such as Ty Rattie, Magnus Paajarvi, and Robby Fabbri, would get the first crack at taking Berglund’s spot in the lineup, Hitchcock seemed to indicate that Gomez, as well as a few other outside veterans such as Jordan Caron, would have the best opportunity, saying, “We brought in three or four NHL players–who are good NHL players–who can see if they can grab that spot, and then we’ll give a real go to guys we think have earned the right: guys like (Ty) Rattie, and (Patrick) Cannone, and Robby Fabbri and that.”
Hitchcock was extremely complimentary of Gomez, saying, “The way he played last year, he played so well. He looked like he was five years ago, he was fast, he was great on the power play…transported the puck up the ice, he was a really good player for them last year.” Rather than really having to play his way on the team, it seems that Gomez will be on the 23-man roster as long as he checks out well during training camp practices and preseason games. Of Gomez’s path to the opening night roster, Hitchcock said, “If he comes in and plays like he did last year, there’s no doubt he makes the team. He’s a good player…We’re gonna give him a real go here, we’re gonna play him with good players and see where he gets to.”
Just want to point out Paajarvi made this team last season in camp, because he "worked so hard", over Jaskin. We all saw how that worked out. That complete lack of effort by Paajarvi after camp last season had better be considered this season when making decisions. Veteran over 2nd year player decision which was wrong.APOD wrote:Hitch said Fabbri making the team has nothing to do with the Blues injury situation, its more about if he is ready to be here. So if this is an opportunity to for anyone its Rattie, Barbashev, and Paajarvi to see if they can hold a spot. Really wanting to see Barbashev he reminds me of Sobotka.
Had to go back and look at it-the 1st round of the 2002 draft was not a very good one. Nash, Lehtonen, Bouwmeester, OK...then Pitkanen & Ryan Whitney? Steen at #24 probably turns out as the fourth best player and third best non-goalie in the round. Semin went at #13, Hannu Toivonen (WaukeeBlues wrote:Forgot Scottie Upshall was a 6th overall pick. Dang. Nashville sure didn't get the mileage out of that one that they were expecting.
) at #29. The second round was better, with the best player-Duncan Keith (just vomited in my mouth a little bit) going at #54 and Stoll, Boychuk, Trevor Daley and Jiri Hudler all in that round. Not the worst year for the Blues to lack a first-rounder...but then they took Shkotov and Troliga with their first two picks. Again, I watched a good deal of Devils hockey last season and while Gomez was more effective than he has been in years, this is objectively not true. His legs are gone and he just doesn't play in his own end at all. And again, in today's NHL you can't carry a guy just for PP.Hitchcock wrote:The way he played last year, he played so well. He looked like he was five years ago
Yeah, me too. As I keep saying though: he and Armstrong really remind me of Fisher & Snead with the Rams. Keenan was arrogant about insisting on his inane approach but at least when he came here he had won a cup the year before, not fifteen years ago-or never, as in the case of Fisher & Snead.evil roy wrote:I sure hope you're right, but I'm starting to get a very Keenan-y feel about Hitchcock all of a sudden.
Gomez will only approach those numbers if he plays liberally on the PP and is relieved of virtually all defensive responsibility.cprice12 wrote:Gomez did put up decent numbers last year (more points than Berglund in 20 fewer games).
They must share in the butt sechs or something because I truly don't understand the apparent misguided loyalty that Army has for Hitch.ecbm wrote:Yeah, me too. As I keep saying though: he and Armstrong really remind me of Fisher & Snead with the Rams. Keenan was arrogant about insisting on his inane approach but at least when he came here he had won a cup the year before, not fifteen years ago-or never, as in the case of Fisher & Snead.evil roy wrote:I sure hope you're right, but I'm starting to get a very Keenan-y feel about Hitchcock all of a sudden.
I think Fabbri has got a much better chance at winning a roster spot and a regular position in The Top 9 than does Rattie. I'm betting that Fabbri will win a spot, and that Gomez, Upshall and Rattie fight over the 13th and 14th forward spots.glen a richter wrote:I think Barbashev will contribute a lot more offense than Sobotka ever did... Just not this year. I think Hitch will definitely play Jaskin regularly, Rattie probably and Fabbri maybe. Barbashev will be getting ahl time. Too many kids at once, Hitch's head would explode.
Because Hitchcock hasn't always kept the guys who've had the best camp and some guys who are apparently great in camp (Paajarvi) suck in the regular season and have always sucked in the regular season.ViPeRx007 wrote:I don't get why this is so hard? Play the guys who have the best camp. The end. I get that Gomez has won cups and has had a good career, but that was over 10 years ago. If he still gets it done on the ice, by all means, give him a roster spot, same with Upshall, but I'm not sure I'd do it based on their history. I really think Hitchcock and Co. are smarter than that.
Besides, haven't we tried this before with other guys who've won cups? I don't recall that translating to us ever winning any cups....
That's why, in the end, I believe Hitchcock is mostly just trying to ignite the young guys into stepping up. It's good for them to know they aren't just going to get a spot without a fight. It's also good insurance.
I really hope you are http://twitter.com/jprutherford/status/651125747118026752theohall wrote:It's good to be wrong.
