The Offseason Thread

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cardsfan04
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The Offseason Thread

Post by cardsfan04 »

Last night sucked, but we still have a solid team together. What do we do from here to get over the hump?

Forwards:
Backes $4.75
Oshie $4.00
Perron $3.50
Steen $3.567
Tarasenko $0.90
Sobotka $1.40
Schwartz $0.90
Reaves $0.60
Porter $0.65
Jaskin $0.743
Rattie $0.743
Cracknell UFA
Stewart RFA
Berglund RFA
McDonald RFA

Defenseman:

Jackman $3.25
Pietro RFA
Polak $3.10
Bouwmeester $6.60
Shattenkirk RFA
Russell RFA
Cole RFA
Leopold UFA
Hakanpaa $0.740

Goalies
Halak $4.50
Elliott $1.90
Allen RFA

I count $41.843 under contract (but could have missed a two way player) with 11 forwards, 3 Dmen (+Hakanpaaa), and 2 goalies. Assuming we trade Halak, that opens up $4.5 mil and puts us at 37.343 with the need to get 1 forward (plus some healthy scratches), 3-4 DMen (including Pietro and Shattenkirk) and Allen.

I assume Allen will get ~$1.2. Cracknell will be back at about $1.0. Can we get Pietro and Shattenkirk for under $9 mil total?

While I'd love for us to go out and get the big time scorer that we need, I could see next year being a bit of a bridge year. We'll be competitive, but more or less waiting for Jaskin/Rattie to develop (and Tarasenko/Schwartz to some extent as well).

Thoughts?
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Re: The Offseason Thread

Post by Krigloch the Furious »

Bye Bye Stewart, Perron, and Andy Mac.
I still think Berglund will be a very good player. He's only 24.
You look at this Blues team and they have a seriously solid as hell core.

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Re: The Offseason Thread

Post by WaukeeBlues »

Krigloch the Furious wrote:Bye Bye Stewart, Perron, and Andy Mac.
I still think Berglund will be a very good player. He's only 24.
You look at this Blues team and they have a seriously solid as hell core.
We do but then again our top line could be anyone else's 2nd line.

Not sure about Stewart but McDonald for sure is gone and I wouldn't be upset to see Perron go either. Both are just too small for the playoffs and it showed several times.
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Re: The Offseason Thread

Post by cardsfan04 »

Perron is under contract, but I'd be OK trading him. As has been pointed out a lot this year, his style doesn't fit Hitch's system very well. What concerns me about getting rid of him is that he is one of our better goal scorers, and that's not something we can really afford to lose without replacing.

AMac is definitely gone. Stewart is almost certainly gone too. Berglund is the big question mark to me. I'm not sure if we can afford him, but I'd like to see him back.
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Re: The Offseason Thread

Post by Oaklandblue »

I'm expecting the roster that we're looking at to pretty much stay the same. Everyone has said that the ownership doesn't have 'deep pockets'. Well, look at the Meester. Nice, studly guy, exactly what we needed. Now look at how much he's being paid, from Calgary. Now compare him to the average of what other teams are paying for that level of talent. You can't homegrow everything, eventually you need that one or two elites and pay them as such to take the next step. This team has skill-wise, heart-wise and play-wise capped out. Will ownership take the next step or run the team like a business and be content with just back-to-back playoffs?

The one person on this roster that concerns me isn't Stewart (our top scorer this year), AMac (Who should just retire) and Perron (A big ?) but Pie. His play has become unconsistant and shaky and I'm curious just what's going on with that. Yeah, he's the man, I'm not going to argue that but why's he become so...off?
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Re: The Offseason Thread

Post by cardsfan04 »

I'm hoping it's just a sophomore slump.
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Re: The Offseason Thread

Post by theohall »

For those who think Stewart should possibly stay, please explain how he fits any kind of description of a playoff difference maker. Barely hits anything, avoids contact, regularly loses board battles, rarely works in corners, can often be seen standing on his wing in the defensive zone doing nothing while the opponent is mugging our two defenceman and center behind our net and in our corners, turns the puck over repeatedly under pressure, and only seems to be able to generate anything when given time and space. In today's playoff game forwards who can't generate their own time and space by working (see Schwartz who is considerably smaller) are a liability.
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Re: The Offseason Thread

Post by theohall »

Pie's play will improve next season. This season he was given the responsibility of being the on-ice coach essentially which is a huge responsibility. I believe that impacted his play, but after a season of doing this, he now knows what to do and will improve. Also, having Bouwmeester for a full season next year will help. The Blues really need to get Pie signed before one of the bigger market teams makes a ridiculous 7 year offer. That crap did not quit even after the lockout.

Leopold can walk. His inability to keep pucks in the offensive zone still stands out to me. It happened enough times to him in Games 5 and 6, I would rather have seen Russell playing.

The forward situation should definitely change next season. The Blues have the opportunity to add two more skill players while getting Tank a full season. Make room for Jaskin and Rattie (he should not be "developing" any more after his past two WHL playoff performances) and get them regular ice time along with Tank. My concern is Hitch won't play them enough, because, other than Tank who sat throughout the playoffs, they will be rookies.

Drop Stewart and A Mac replacing them with Rattie and Jaskin. Then it becomes a matter of getting Tank in the lineup, likely for Perron. Leave the rest alone and re-sign those who need to be to keep them here.
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Re: The Offseason Thread

Post by cardsfan04 »

I hope you're right about Rattie. I have trouble seeing him seamlessly make the jump from the WHL to the NHL, but maybe the playoff run will help.
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Re: The Offseason Thread

Post by theohall »

cardsfan04 wrote:I hope you're right about Rattie. I have trouble seeing him seamlessly make the jump from the WHL to the NHL, but maybe the playoff run will help.
Here is some more stuff on Rattie from Hockey's Future
Talent Analysis

Much like Nugent-Hopkins, Rattie is adept at locating open ice in the attacking zone. He is the epitome of a player with a “nose for the net”. What makes Rattie most valuable is his obvious thought process on the ice. He is not a powerful skater, yet he seems to be able to hang on to the puck when it matters most. A versatile forward and a consistent special teams player.

Future

Rattie will play his third season in the WHL for the Portland Winterhawks and will be expected to lead the team's offense this year. He should get the opportunity to play for Team Canada at the 2012 WJC tournament in Ufa, Russia.
This season, Rattie surpassed the 100-point mark for the second year in a row, tallying 48 goals and 62 assists. He missed much of the December schedule while toiling in Russia with Team Canada at the 2013 WJC. Rattie, from Airdrie, Alberta, has played over 320 games in the WHL, all with the Portland Winterhawks.

Rattie played alongside Brendan Leipsic (NAS) and Nic Petan (2013), the pair that tied for the WHL scoring title with 120 points each.

Selected by the St. Louis Blues in the second round, 32nd overall, at the 2011 NHL Draft, Rattie was signed to an entry-level contract last June. Rattie is a top prospect in the Blues system, along with young talented forwards like Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Tarasenko, two players who share Rattie’s WJC pedigree.
[/qoute]

Note: Rattie is leading the Winterhawks in the playoffs. He broke the career WHL playoff goal scoring record this season and has put up 33 points (17G 16A) in this season's playoffs. The next closest scorer is 8 points behind him. If he isn't ready to make the jump now, when he turns 21 in 2014, when will he? Especially after back to back 100 points seasons and back to back 33 point playoff seasons - while this season's playoffs are still going.
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Re: The Offseason Thread

Post by Nyghtewynd »

Gone:
McDonald RFA (if anyone offers him a dime. He should probably just retire)

Backes $4.75
Oshie $4.00 (probably two of these three...I'd prefer Backes and Perron. No more third-line forwards, please)
Perron $3.50
Stewart RFA (I don't know what money he's going to draw, but you'll have to get a deal to get me interested)
Leopold UFA (Failed his tryout. Not worth the price)

Halak $4.50 (I still think he's better than Elliott, but not three times better.)

Keep:
Steen $3.567
Tarasenko $0.90
Sobotka $1.40
Schwartz $0.90
Reaves $0.60
Porter $0.65
Jaskin $0.743
Rattie $0.743
Cracknell UFA (Sign him. He needs to play every day.)
Berglund RFA (Probably going to have to match a sheet)
Jackman $3.25
Pietro RFA (Will be expensive. I don't care.)
Polak $3.10
Bouwmeester $6.60
Shattenkirk RFA (I want a better deal than Pietro. Might be too expensive to justify.)
Russell RFA
Cole RFA
Hakanpaa $0.740

Goalies

Elliott $1.90
Allen RFA?

That would free up a decent amount of money for a sniper.
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Re: The Offseason Thread

Post by cprice12 »

Not so sure about Stewart. He'll probably command more and get it on the open market. I'd like to see him stay for less than fair market value...but I don't see that happening. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would take less to play here.

Mcdonald may resign here for less...a lot less. But I'd just as soon the team cut ties with him. I think he's about done.

I can see Perron getting traded...but I hope he doesn't. I'd like to see him mature a little bit more and see if he can figure it out. He's ridiculously talented and his best years are still ahead of him...and he wasn't as bad in the playoffs as you guys are saying. He didn't produce on the scoreboard...nobody really did except for Steen...but that doesn't mean he didn't play well. He was all over the place...just not in the back of the net.
I think he played light years better than McDonald. I thought Andy was almost invisible.

I think Halak is gone if they can find a trade partner to acquire something to improve the team.
Halak is money when he is healthy, but you just can't rely on him to stay healthy, so what's the point? Over the last two years, he has only played one game in the playoffs...and he lost that game...and we got him specifically for the playoffs.
I think Elliott has earned the right to be the #1 next year...and let Allen back him up...unless they trade for Ryan Miller and go with Miller and Elliott.
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Re: The Offseason Thread

Post by glen a richter »

I'd take Miller/Allen as the 1-2. If they can jettison both the Halak and the Elliott contracts for whatever, that would work for me.
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Re: The Offseason Thread

Post by cardsfan04 »

My concern about Miller is that he makes $6.25 mil and is only under contract through next season. Money is already going to be tight, so I'm not sure it's a good idea. I don't know if this is realistic, but one way that could possibly be turned into an advantage is if he would be willing to negotiate an extension that restructures 2013-14 money. Maybe he gets like a 3-4 year extension at $3.75/year(?). That would guarantee him another solid contract through when he turns 36, just at the expense of $2.5mil in year 1.

I think I'd be content with Elliott/Allen though. Could have both of them for around $3mil combined and still get a decent return on Halak.

Perron is interesting to me. We've all seen the skill, but if he doesn't put it together, he doesn't work in Hitch's system very well IMO. He got 25 points in 48 games this year which is like 42/year in an 82 game season. If he can get up to 55-60, I'd love him to stay. If he stays around 40, I could take or leave him because he doesn't bring much other than his offense.

I had an idea about him today, but I can't decide if it makes sense (or would be feasible). He will make $3.5 mil next year. What if we traded him for picks/prospects and used that $3.5 mil + another 1.5-2 mil to sign a legit top line forward? I'm not sure if the money is there, if the FA is there, or if it's even a good idea if the logistics work. But, it could be a way to improve the team now while recovering some picks/prospects for our system that we won't have because of the Bouwmeester trade.
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Re: The Offseason Thread

Post by glen a richter »

Perron would be better served playing in the east. Wide open no-defense hockey is suited best for him.
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Re: The Offseason Thread

Post by theohall »

glen a richter wrote:Perron would be better served playing in the east. Wide open no-defense hockey is suited best for him.
Same could be said about Stewart with the way he played in the playoffs.
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Re: The Offseason Thread

Post by glen a richter »

theohall wrote:
glen a richter wrote:Perron would be better served playing in the east. Wide open no-defense hockey is suited best for him.
Same could be said about Stewart with the way he played in the playoffs.
Perron and Stewart for Tavares. Let's do it!
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Re: The Offseason Thread

Post by dmiles2186 »

I could see a few guys gone, for sure. I could see the front office going with an Elliott/Allen tandem and trading Halak. I could also see them letting Stewart take off as well, although for a low scoring team it might be weird to let the leading scorer leave. But as we all know, Stew can disappear for LOOOOONG stretches.

I really feel like this will be an offseason filled with some turnover. The core of this team is good enough to continue making the playoffs, but are they good enough to make a legit deep run at the Cup? If Al Mac, Army, and Hitch don't think they can, changes will be made.

That's all hypothetical, of course. But either way, this group should be lauded for elevating the Blues to a team that's no longer just competing for playoff spots. I think it's easy to lose sight in all the doom and gloom after losing 4 straight to blow the series, but they've raised the bar on our expectations and that's a good thing.
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Re: The Offseason Thread

Post by sseagle »

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/hockey/p ... 64559.html

Halak is gone.. no doubt

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Re: The Offseason Thread

Post by WaukeeBlues »

glen a richter wrote:
theohall wrote:
glen a richter wrote:Perron would be better served playing in the east. Wide open no-defense hockey is suited best for him.
Same could be said about Stewart with the way he played in the playoffs.
Perron and Stewart for Tavares. Let's do it!
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