Let's Go Blues

The other scrap he has listed on HockeyFights is pretty decent too. Could be a fan fave.

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Just to clear up some of the questions

While it remains unclear at this point where Barbashev will play next season, his options appear limited. Currently, Barbashev plays for the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Hockey League. According to an NHL-CHL agreement, Barbashev is ineligible to play in the AHL until the 2015-2016 season.


"Players drafted and playing for CHL teams are ineligible to play in the professional minor leagues (AHL, ECHL) until they are 20 years old (by December 31st of that year) or have completed four years in major juniors."


This leaves Barbashev with two options: either he returns to QMJHL or he makes the jump to the NHL. With the quality of depth the Blues have at the NHL level, a return to Moncton seems most likely. Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong echoed this sentiment during a guest appearance on Jeremy Rutherford’s weekly chat on STLtoday.com.


"In general with an 18-year-old draft (pick), you’re looking at players playing in year 4-5, unless you’re picking the top 4-5 in the draft. So with this year’s picks, Fabbri and Barbashev, we look at them playing major junior at least one more season and in Fabrri’s case, two more seasons. And Barbashev will turn pro after this year."

So, it looks like the plan will be to have Barbashev play one more season in the QMJHL before transitioning to Chicago to play in the AHL for the 2015-2016 season. Still, this signing is important as it allows Barbashev to attend training camp with the Blues this year. He will have the opportunity to learn Ken Hitchcock’s system, play in a few preseason games and figure out what parts of his game he needs to work on in order to best prepare himself for the NHL.

"You just got shaved with Barbashev."

He'll have the opportunity to learn Hitchcock's system in time for him to make the NHL under a totally different coach when Hitch moves into the front office.

Slim wrote:"You just got shaved with Barbashev."

Someone who is photoshop savvy could probably take a picture of a can of Barbasol and change it to Barbashev fairly easily.

glen a richter wrote:He'll have the opportunity to learn Hitchcock's system in time for him to make the NHL under a totally different coach when Hitch moves into the front office.

Well, again-that scenario involves some significant assumptions. Another year of playoff futility and I'd question Hitchcock and/or Armstrong in the front office.

You mentioned a lack of criticism on the other thread, which is certainly something I see among Blues fans (frustrating, because many of the same people can be critical of a much better team when in Cardinals fan mode, which shows how important winning is to a team's culture). Another thing I see is a lack of expectation. How many first round picks are on the roster? Didn't we spend up to the cap last season? Aren't we near it now? Didn't we set a record for points in a season? Didn't the ownership just open the checkbook for the top FA? The expectation now has to be a deep playoff run, conference finals at least if not straight-forwardly a cup (I won't go that far only because the western conference is murderer's row these days). A real expectation, like, if it doesn't happen something needs to change. What have Hitchcock & Armstrong gotten us? One division title and one playoff series win. If that's it, it's not good enough.

Market watch: Mats Zucarello will make $3.5M on a one-year deal in 2014-15. For those keeping score at home, that's $200K less and two fewer years than Berglund got (both RFAs).

I would absolutely love if the Blues could one day poach Zucarello from the Rags. One, he's a really good player and two he's a fan favorite at MSG so taking him away from Ranger Nation would be really extra sweet.

glen a richter wrote:I would absolutely love if the Blues could one day poach Zucarello from the Rags. One, he's a really good player and two he's a fan favorite at MSG so taking him away from Ranger Nation would be really extra sweet.

Being fair, Lars Eller has also gotten $3.5M per on a 4-year deal. Don't know that he did any more than Berglund last season to justify that, though he is a center and definitely brought it in the playoffs.

Rags get Kreider for $2.75M per-that's a solid deal.

Zuccarello and St. Louis must make NYR the shortest team in the league...