What do you expect today? (trade deadline day)

[cprice12]

Well deadline over - gotta give Armstrong an F for doing absolutely nothing. Elliott was not going to implode from starting his first game back in the playoffs - especially a veteran like him. With 3 guys able to go on LTIR there was no excuse for him not to add firepower for a deep Blues run. I think it would have also sent the message to the locker room that "we're going for it" and that can be exciting to the other players and give some momentum. For Pete's sake, the Rangers got Staal and didn't even have to give up a 1st rounder for him.

Um, the deadline isn't over until 2pm central.

[cardsfan04]

Yep, everyone seems to forget that Army took a big swing just TWO years ago with the Miller trade. And yes, I agree that maybe goaltending wasn't the most pressing issue, but nonetheless, Miller was one of the biggest names on the market at that time, the Blues got him and it just didn't work out.

More like that was a 100% mistake. Miller isn't doing much for Vancouver, either, after signing his FA deal. Over-rated goaltender. May have been great in the East, but he can't handle the West. When one sees what Allen and Elliott have done with the Blues, yet Ryan friggin' Miller played like crap with that same defense in front of him??

I think it was a 100% failed move. I'm not sure I'd say it was a mistake though. We had a really good team and acquired one of the biggest names on the market. He didn't work out, but I liked the move at the time. And, really, I still like the move now. It's the results that I dislike.

[beat2life]

With all due respect I think your GM is weak - I'm seeing more of the playoff exits being his fault rather than Hitch. You want to have an aggressive GM who goes for it, not someone who is timid and refuses to pull the trigger. He's got plenty of room to wheel and deal today since Elliot and Steen are out. For item #4 above it's the chemistry that has been the problem the last 3 seasons for the Blues - so I'm scratching my head on why he 'doesn't want to mess that up'. For item #5 I don't understand why his loyalty to Backes takes precedence over improving the club - if the right deal is there and involves Backes he should take it.

Honestly, I agree with a lot of that, especially the Backes part. St. Louis suffers from too many loyalty and "good guy" issues. I care about the Blues. period. Sometimes fan favorites, or long time club members, get dealt. That's how it goes. We forget these dudes are getting millions of dollars to play a game. If you need warm, fuzzy feelings go to your kid's peewee game.

[dmiles2186]

Also, just because a deal hasn't been announced at 2 doesn't mean the call isn't in and just working on the paperwork. Trades still come out an hour or two after the deadline.

[abc789987]

This has been a pretty boring day... Unless shit. blows up in the next 5 mins...

[cardsfan04]

This has been a pretty boring day... Unless shit. blows up in the next 5 mins...

I think that works in our favor. If we're going to stand pat, I'd like our competition to stand pat as well. Of course, the blackhawks turned over 1/4 of their roster last week. That doesn't bode well for us this year.

[dmiles2186]

This has been a pretty boring day... Unless shit. blows up in the next 5 mins...

I think that works in our favor. If we're going to stand pat, I'd like our competition to stand pat as well. Of course, the blackhawks turned over 1/4 of their roster last week. That doesn't bode well for us this year.

And this is what's frustrating about our actions at this point. Sure, our competition hasn't done anything, but the Hawks have and if we've got any chance, we've gotta go through them. This is a 'prove it year.' I don't understand why Army is just sitting there. If they have another 1st round exit, he's toast most likely. So why not go all in?

[Nyghtewynd]

So how has the 2015-2016 "Waiting for Army and Hitch to Become Average" season been going? Good, huh?

[cardsfan04]

This has been a pretty boring day... Unless shit. blows up in the next 5 mins...

I think that works in our favor. If we're going to stand pat, I'd like our competition to stand pat as well. Of course, the blackhawks turned over 1/4 of their roster last week. That doesn't bode well for us this year.

And this is what's frustrating about our actions at this point. Sure, our competition hasn't done anything, but the Hawks have and if we've got any chance, we've gotta go through them. This is a 'prove it year.' I don't understand why Army is just sitting there. If they have another 1st round exit, he's toast most likely. So why not go all in?

Yeah, I wanted more too. I think the issue wasn't so much that he stood pat, but that he had to stand pat because of the cap. I never really minded the unpopular deals he made (Ott, Berglund, etc.), and in a vacuum, still don't. But, together they're a problem.

We're still a really good team, but a large enough portion of our roster is mediocre that I wanted an impact guy to have confidence in the playoffs. But, we couldn't make a deal because we are too close to the cap . . . because of the contracts to the mediocre players on the roster. We would be significantly better today if we had (for example) Rattie in the everyday top 12 making 833K another Upshall-type sitting in the pressbox every night and Berglund elsewhere freeing up roughly 3MM in cap room to make a move.

I'm not on the fire Hitch/Army bandwagon like some are (at least not today--waiting for playoff results). But, there's some very legit criticism of how Army managed the roster and salary cap.

[cardsfan04]

So how has the 2015-2016 "Waiting for Army and Hitch to Become Average" season been going? Good, huh?

Well, we're 4th in the NHL in points despite a ridiculous amount of injuries. There's reasonable criticism toward those 2, but saying that we're average because of them isn't one of them.

[Nyghtewynd]

So how has the 2015-2016 "Waiting for Army and Hitch to Become Average" season been going? Good, huh?

Well, we're 4th in the NHL in points despite a ridiculous amount of injuries. There's reasonable criticism toward those 2, but saying that we're average because of them isn't one of them.

So the Kool-Aid is running pretty strong around here still. Gotcha.

[ecbm]

Well deadline over - gotta give Armstrong an F for doing absolutely nothing. Elliott was not going to implode from starting his first game back in the playoffs - especially a veteran like him. With 3 guys able to go on LTIR there was no excuse for him not to add firepower for a deep Blues run. I think it would have also sent the message to the locker room that "we're going for it" and that can be exciting to the other players and give some momentum. For Pete's sake, the Rangers got Staal and didn't even have to give up a 1st rounder for him.

As someone with a long track record of criticizing Army, I have to strongly disagree. First, I think you avoid "F" status if you don't make any stupid deals, especially when you've got the 4th-most points in the league and are comfortably in a playoff spot. I can only imagine how hard you must be on those among the 26 teams in the league with fewer points who did nothing. I'd much rather do nothing than pull what the Avs did today, giving up futures for a couple of players who won't make a difference this season and will be gone next season. I think you may also be buying into media narratives about this club's needs. Despite there having been only about 10 games this year where the Blues had all of their top-4 wingers and top-4 D available, they've still amassed the 4th-most points in the league. And I'm confident that when Steen returns the Blues will be at least average in terms of GPG. Given that, what should Army have done? Given up a young roster player and a pick for a rental of Eriksson? Sometimes no move is the best move you can make.

Also-as much as I respect how good Bowman is at what he does I think he overpaid for Ladd. But as you say, if you win the big one nobody will care about that.

[cardsfan04]

So how has the 2015-2016 "Waiting for Army and Hitch to Become Average" season been going? Good, huh?

Well, we're 4th in the NHL in points despite a ridiculous amount of injuries. There's reasonable criticism toward those 2, but saying that we're average because of them isn't one of them.

So the Kool-Aid is running pretty strong around here still. Gotcha.

I mean, if you're on either extreme of the positive/negative spectrum, you're not voice of reason. I definitely tend to lean more homerish than most. But, the idea that you're the voice of reason and anybody that doesn't see it the same as you, the most negative fan I have ever encountered on any message board, is just drinking kool aid is pretty insane.

[cprice12]

I wanted to see a tweak made to help the offense because even when healthy, I think we're short of where we need to be.

Drouin has to be livid today. Wow.
I really wanted to see him here...maybe that will still happen in the offseason. We'll see.

Getting Steen back will be huge...assuming he does come back. I think the fact no trades were made, maybe bodes well for Steen's return. If they felt he'd miss some playoff time, then maybe they try hard to make a move to replace him. Or maybe they did and fell short. I dunno. I know they hope to have him back sometime after the 4 week mark, but it's a shoulder, and that is what gave Berglund fits for over a year so...you never know.

It's just really rough seeing the division make moves to get better and then see the Blues do absolutely nothing to help, what I feel, is an offense that just isn't good enough, even when healthy.

Using cap issues and LTIR as reasons why moves weren't made, are just lame excuses. Other teams were against the cap and found a way to get some deals done. I'm not condoning making a move for the sake of making a move, but this team is short of where it needs to be and nothing was done to help it...so I consider today a failure. It's as simple as that.

[cardsfan04]

I wanted to see a tweak made to help the offense because even when healthy, I think we're short of where we need to be.

Drouin has to be livid today. Wow.
I really wanted to see him here...maybe that will still happen in the offseason. We'll see.

Getting Steen back will be huge...assuming he does come back. I think the fact no trades were made, maybe bodes well for Steen's return. If they felt he'd miss some playoff time, then maybe they try hard to make a move to replace him. Or maybe they did and fell short. I dunno. I know they hope to have him back sometime after the 4 week mark, but it's a shoulder, and that is what gave Berglund fits for over a year so...you never know.

It's just really rough seeing the division make moves to get better and then see the Blues do absolutely nothing to help, what I feel, is an offense that just isn't good enough, even when healthy.

Using cap issues and LTIR as reasons why moves weren't made, are just lame excuses. Other teams were against the cap and found a way to get some deals done. I'm not condoning making a move for the sake of making a move, but this team is short of where it needs to be and nothing was done to help it...so I consider today a failure. It's as simple as that.

I think the cap stuff is a valid reason to not have made any trades. But, I think Army is at fault for the cap stuff. So, it's certainly not a good excuse.

[theohall]

Looks like the Bruins switched from selling Eriksson to acquiring players for a playoff run.

[dmiles2186]

I can't say I have any positives to speak on this trade deadline. Complete and utter failure. Why was Ott not put on LTIR? I get Steen and Elliott. Why not Ott? What is that guy going to do to help us in the playoffs? Absolutely nothing. Unless you call 'getting in the heads' of the opponent only to have them literally laugh it off and still beat us in 6 a contribution to the team.

The problem now is that if you have an injury, you are giving significant time to Paajarvi and Jaskin, both of whom haven't really done anything this year.

If Steen or Schwartz or (God forbid) Tarasenko get hurt, then you are immediately behind the 8 ball. And this team already hasn't played as well as teams in recent past. Yes, I know there has been injuries, but the team I'm seeing on the ice doesn't quite show any consistency in dominating games. The offense is lacking. Isn't that the EXACT same thing that has bounced us from the playoffs in recent year?

Do we automatically expect Backes and Steen to start scoring at will in the playoffs when they have a proven track record of not doing that? I guess a positive is that Oshie is no longer here to join them. Is Brouwer that much of a playoff performer that he can help? Remains to be seen.

At this juncture, you have to hope that either Elliott or Allen just plays out of his friggin' mind to steal games. You have to hope that Fabbri and Rattie (if given a chance) continue to flourish and are that scoring punch down the lineup that is needed. You have to hope that the injury bug will leave us before the end of the season. You have to hope that Stastny earns his 7 mil with another big playoff performance. You have to hope that Tarasenko doesn't regress from his previous playoff performances.

That's just a few of the things you have to hope for and THAT is why I'm not happy sitting pat at the deadline. There is no extra threat. There is no Cup leadership coming into the roster.

[Kerfuffle]

I wanted to see a tweak made to help the offense because even when healthy, I think we're short of where we need to be.

Drouin has to be livid today. Wow.
I really wanted to see him here...maybe that will still happen in the offseason. We'll see.

Getting Steen back will be huge...assuming he does come back. I think the fact no trades were made, maybe bodes well for Steen's return. If they felt he'd miss some playoff time, then maybe they try hard to make a move to replace him. Or maybe they did and fell short. I dunno. I know they hope to have him back sometime after the 4 week mark, but it's a shoulder, and that is what gave Berglund fits for over a year so...you never know.

It's just really rough seeing the division make moves to get better and then see the Blues do absolutely nothing to help, what I feel, is an offense that just isn't good enough, even when healthy.

Using cap issues and LTIR as reasons why moves weren't made, are just lame excuses. Other teams were against the cap and found a way to get some deals done. I'm not condoning making a move for the sake of making a move, but this team is short of where it needs to be and nothing was done to help it...so I consider today a failure. It's as simple as that.

Agreed - and the fact this team had the most cap room of anyone when one factors in the LTIR advantage and still did nothing is a problem. Erikkson could have been had for a #1 pick and a prospect, and even Staal could have gone to the Blues for a couple #2 picks. Drouin is interesting and I believe he wasn't dealt to send him a message - GMs aren't happy about a guy on an entry level contract demanding a trade.

[theohall]

Erikkson could have been had for a #1 pick and a prospect.

While that's what all the rumors said, the Bruins did the opposite and acquired players for a playoff run, so I doubt that one was even possible.

[cprice12]

I wanted to see a tweak made to help the offense because even when healthy, I think we're short of where we need to be.

Drouin has to be livid today. Wow.
I really wanted to see him here...maybe that will still happen in the offseason. We'll see.

Getting Steen back will be huge...assuming he does come back. I think the fact no trades were made, maybe bodes well for Steen's return. If they felt he'd miss some playoff time, then maybe they try hard to make a move to replace him. Or maybe they did and fell short. I dunno. I know they hope to have him back sometime after the 4 week mark, but it's a shoulder, and that is what gave Berglund fits for over a year so...you never know.

It's just really rough seeing the division make moves to get better and then see the Blues do absolutely nothing to help, what I feel, is an offense that just isn't good enough, even when healthy.

Using cap issues and LTIR as reasons why moves weren't made, are just lame excuses. Other teams were against the cap and found a way to get some deals done. I'm not condoning making a move for the sake of making a move, but this team is short of where it needs to be and nothing was done to help it...so I consider today a failure. It's as simple as that.

I think the cap stuff is a valid reason to not have made any trades. But, I think Army is at fault for the cap stuff. So, it's certainly not a good excuse.

Nah, it's a poor excuse.
God forbid Berglund get waived or traded for a conditional draft pick to free up salary. They didn't have to get that creative to make room for a move.
But so help me God if they get bounced once again from the playoffs because of their inability to score big goals...and then everyone will blame the goaltending, again.