2011 NHL Draft

[dmiles2186]

Yeah, we're not going after a Parise, Stamkos, etc. If the Blues pulled that off, it would be a nice surprise but I don't want to get my hopes up on that. We all did that for Kovy, etc.

From what Armstrong says, getting 5 draft picks in the 2nd and 3rd round would be nice, but in his words, "the future is now" and that won't help them right now. If they get a forward, it won't be a top line guy, but rather a 3rd line type, maybe with some experience. It's easy to get hopes up when talking about trades, but we made our blockbuster to acquire Stewart. I am more interested in seeing what we're going to do there than anything. Draft picks are great, but the potential for draft day deals is what's more interesting for me.

[strocklen083]

With the addition of Stewart, he's happy with the offense, especially if Perron can come back.

I'm not betting the farm on 57 being back any time soon. I know the offense improved after the trade but if we're saying "the future is now" then why not be agressive, use your assets and improve your roster even more?

The only reason I suggest these somewhat out of the box ideas is because NO ONE saw the Halak or Stewart trades coming and it wouldn't surprise me to see another move like that be approved by the out going ownership group if they felt a deal would be close before the end of the season. This team isn't turning a profit but it also isn't bleeding money. There's wiggle room there, just have to be careful utilizing it.

[cprice12]

With the addition of Stewart, he's happy with the offense, especially if Perron can come back.

I'm not betting the farm on 57 being back any time soon. I know the offense improved after the trade but if we're saying "the future is now" then why not be agressive, use your assets and improve your roster even more?

The only reason I suggest these somewhat out of the box ideas is because NO ONE saw the Halak or Stewart trades coming and it wouldn't surprise me to see another move like that be approved by the out going ownership group if they felt a deal would be close before the end of the season. This team isn't turning a profit but it also isn't bleeding money. There's wiggle room there, just have to be careful utilizing it.

I'm not so sure the team isn't turning some kind of profit. They have a low payroll and solid fan support.
If you ask any NHL team, they will all say they are losing money. You can make the numbers say whatever you want.

I'm not counting on Perron...not at this point. The organization shouldn't count on him either and should be looking to replace his production. And then if he does comes back, then we're in that much better shape.

I'd love to see them do something to get this team over the hump. Spending a little cash to bring in someone would be nice. But I don't want them to trade assets to get assets. It would be nice if they would sign a good free agent...but we all know they never do that. For some reason they like trading players to get players...which usually doesn't help you improve as quickly as adding free agents does. But whatever. What do I know?

[strocklen083]

I'd love to see them do something to get this team over the hump. Spending a little cash to bring in someone would be nice. But I don't want them to trade assets to get assets. It would be nice if they would sign a good free agent...but we all know they never do that. For some reason they like trading players to get players...which usually doesn't help you improve as quickly as adding free agents does. But whatever. What do I know?

100% agree with you there. That step was taken in both Pittsburgh and Chicago and it got them cups. Unfortunately with the owneship model we have here ther funds aren't around to make that huge UFA splash. Hopefully the next group will be able to infuse some capital in to the roster whereas this group, I feel, invested more in the building and in-game experience trying to rebuild the fanbase. Nothing wrong with that approach at all IMO. It seems liek they have a 10 year plan and the $$$ ran out after year 5.

[Robb_K]

I think Armstrong will pick up a solid defensive or 2-way LH defenceman to pair with Pietrangelo, either as a mid-level UFA, or in a trade of Colaiacovo and a 2nd rounder and/or a mid level prospect. In addition, they will likely trade a 2nd or 3rd rounder (maybe + prospect) for a 3rd line forward to help replace a Top-9 forward, in case Perron won't be ready to start the season (likely).

[DaDitka]

I'm not so sure the team isn't turning some kind of profit. They have a low payroll and solid fan support.
If you ask any NHL team, they will all say they are losing money. You can make the numbers say whatever you want.

Well, we all know many of those sell outs were BS, they have the third lowest average ticket prices, the luxury box sales and corporate sponsorships are down, they already cased out the concessions, they don't own the parking garage..............

I do believe 48 - 50 million is their break even point (probably need to host two playoff games to break even at that point)


I'm not trying to excuse management, I'm just trying to be realistic here. Not only is this organization not going to add Parise or Stamkos...it's unlikely we can afford to retain Backes, Burgie, Oshie, DP, Petro, Shattenkirk, over the next three or four years (supposing DJ returns 100% and Oshie comes as good as many think and therefor commands at least 4 - 5 mill a year on a new deal in two years) .

For those pointing to the Stewart/EJ trade... that was a salary wash. This year Stewart and Shattenkirk will make $125,000 more dollars then EJ and J-Mac.

It's not that we can't 'acquire' a top flight scorer, it's that we won't 'add' a top flight scorer. We'll have to move serious salary the other direction and unless your name is Barret Jackman, serious salary means serious talent.

[dmiles2186]

The Blues pick early and often today. Should be interesting.

[dmiles2186]

Blues pick Ty Rattie. Looks like a skilled forward, if a bit small.

[drwoland]

Blues pick Ty Rattie. Looks like a skilled forward, if a bit small.

5'11, 163? I see what they meant when they said this year's draft was "thin"

[glen a richter]

Apparently Edmundson has a rocket of a shot. Maybe we'll see in 3 years.

[ohio BLUES]

Meet the Blues' first selection in the 2nd round, at 32: Ty Rattie.

CALGARY - Like his namesake, he climbed aboard his mount.

Like his namesake, he rode hard till the horn blew.

Like his namesake, he ended up winning the event.

No one, though, can ever recall Ty Murray lurching into a quiet corner for a post-competition blowing of chunks.

But Ty Rattie - named after the legendary bull rider - admits that, after finishing first in the much-reviled Wingate test at the National Hockey League combine, he'd staggered off to a side room.

There - after those 30 torturous seconds aboard the stationary bike, away from the prying eyes of scouts, among other prospects in similar shape - Rattie and his lunch parted ways.

“You go into this tent (between tests) and everyone was throwing up . . . just the smell of it,” says the native of Airdrie, Alta., managing a grin. “It was gross. I don't know if I was sick because of the bike ride or just sick because everyone else was sick. Who knows?”

At the annual prospects hoedown in Toronto - a gathering of a hundred of the finest hockey-playing teenagers on the planet in advance of this weekend's NHL draft - you want to stand out. You want to catch an eye.

For the right reasons.

Rattie did that with his performance in the Wingate, a cruel measure of anaerobic leg power.

“I was surprised I won that,” says the Portland Winter Hawks star right-winger, who collected 79 points in 67 games this past winter with the Western Hockey League club. “But, at the same time, I'm happy. It was a hard one, that's for sure.”

Poking and prodding, in the days leading up to the fitness showcase, take place in meeting rooms. The 17th-ranked prospect by NHL Central Scouting was subjected to interviews from 28 of the 30 clubs.

“Pittsburgh and Dallas,” he says of the two holes in his dance card. “Dallas wasn't there for some reason. And I don't know about Pittsburgh - they don't like me for some reason, I guess.”

One request is an interview mainstay - outlining your own weaknesses.

Because it's the (skinny) elephant in the room, Rattie made sure he brought it up himself every time. His spare build.

“The weight's going to come - I told that to every scout,” says Rattie, who, on this day, is carrying 167 pounds on his six-foot-tall frame. “I'm not going to be 163 or something the rest of my life. One summer, it's just going to pile on. I'm going to put on 10, 15 pounds - just like that.

“I'm waiting for that summer and I'm working my ass off in the gym.”

The whole ordeal, rubbing elbows with big-league brass, did leave an impression on Rattie, who piled up 131 points, including 75 goals, in 33 games in major bantam.

“When you're a young kid, you dreamt about the NHL, but it was a far-fetched dream,” he says. “Now, I'm going to combines, NHL teams are talking about drafting me, so it's exciting. A surreal feeling.”

Friday night's proceedings will heap a special brand of tension on Rattie, who's a good bet to go in the first round.

Sporting his brand-new suit - “It's going to be on TV, so it's a nice one” - and surrounded by a dozen friends and family at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., the 18-year-old insists he's ready.

He won't have to imagine the scenario anymore.

“I've been thinking about that lately, laying in bed, about how the next team could call your name and you could be playing with them in the next couple of years,” says Rattie, favourably compared to Tyler Ennis - an undersized 21-year-old who scored 20 goals in his rookie season for the Buffalo Sabres. “An unbelievable feeling. It sends chills through my body just thinking about it.

“I don't care where I'm going - I just want to play in the NHL. I'm not that fussy.”

[dmiles2186]

Our 2nd pick of the day was Dmitir Jaskin, a Russian-born forward playing in the Czech Republic. His father is Alexi Yashkin. I about freaked out....and then I saw the 'K' in the name.

[dmiles2186]

The Blues traded their 3rd round pick to NYR for Evgeny Grachev. Here's his Hockey's Future profile: http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/evgeny_grachev

He's listed as NYR's 4th best prospect. A center that transitioned to a winger and projects to be a power forward.

Expected to be a power forward at the next level, Grachev will need to work on giving the team a consistent effort throughout the game, but there is no question that he has all the skills to be a top-six forward in the NHL.

[Leedog]

Why is there no pick number 69?

[glen a richter]

Goalie taken with the 3rd round pick. Highish GAA, lowish Save %...

[dmiles2186]

We just picked a goalie named Niklas Lundstrom. Hmmm....

[northwest dave]

Awesome...Blues get another Portland Winterhawk. Although I'd wish it was Bartschi, Ty Rattie isn't bad. Watch him play most of the year. The kid never quits on a play and is always driving forward. His size was his weakness, but he's a tough little kid.

I get to see another Blues' prospect!

[dmiles2186]

Awesome...Blues get another Portland Winterhawk. Although I'd wish it was Bartschi, Ty Rattie isn't bad. Watch him play most of the year. The kid never quits on a play and is always driving forward. His size was his weakness, but he's a tough little kid.

I get to see another Blues' prospect!

Was that the one everyone was comparing to Martin St. Louis, strictly on size? Or are they completely different?

[northwest dave]

Awesome...Blues get another Portland Winterhawk. Although I'd wish it was Bartschi, Ty Rattie isn't bad. Watch him play most of the year. The kid never quits on a play and is always driving forward. His size was his weakness, but he's a tough little kid.

I get to see another Blues' prospect!

Was that the one everyone was comparing to Martin St. Louis, strictly on size? Or are they completely different?

I think some people were saying he could be drafted by Tampa Bay because of Martin St. Louis and they aren't afraid of size. Ty Rattie doesn't haven't the speed of MSL, but he drives the net and can find areas to play. He is very strong on his skates and hard to not off. He and Bartschi developed nice chemistry together in the WHL playoffs. Bartschi and Rattie were always making plays out of nothing. He's a tough kid.

It will take 3 years for him to develop a complete game for the NHL.

I wish they would've picked up Wotherspoon on D, but Calgary picked him.

[JPonder94]

The one that everyone was comparing to St Louis was Rocco Grimaldi. I believe he was taken by the Panthers.

I have recaps up on the front page. One with an in-depth look at the second round picks and one that overviews the entire draft.