Blues 2022 Off-Season Thread

[goon attack]

That said I had no idea Greiss was a nazi sympathizer.

Probably because he's not.

[theohall]

Seeing what Leddy and Perron each signed for, looks like Armstrong made a choice. It was one or the other. Leddy probably could've gotten more elsewhere.

JR was indicating Perron could've gotten more from the Blues than what Detroit played him. I'm calling BS since the Blues have less than 3M in space with multiple RFAs still to sign and Perron got almost 5M AAV from Detroit.

[glen a richter]

With Gaudreau signing in Columbus I think it’s a foregone conclusion Calgary knows they have to make it work with Tkachuk and will make it happen. I think we can put that dream to rest permanently.

[flyingnote38]

Seeing what Leddy and Perron each signed for, looks like Armstrong made a choice. It was one or the other. Leddy probably could've gotten more elsewhere.

JR was indicating Perron could've gotten more from the Blues than what Detroit played him. I'm calling BS since the Blues have less than 3M in space with multiple RFAs still to sign and Perron got almost 5M AAV from Detroit.

I think its probably the wiser move. we have more forward depth and higher end prospects. our defense looked pretty iffy if any of our top 4 was out. Maybe we can move scandella to Carolina for 'free'
reacquire Perron at the deadline

Binnington is still the key to our being contenders. if he's not better than mediocre, we won't be either.

[glen a richter]

All things staying as they are right now I’d say it’s possibly better than 50/50 Bolduc stays with the team.

[theohall]

While some of us didn't like the Snuggerud pick, he and Bolduc have been clear standouts at Prospect camp. Neighbours didn't participate.

[WaukeeBlues]

Seeing what Leddy and Perron each signed for, looks like Armstrong made a choice. It was one or the other. Leddy probably could've gotten more elsewhere.

I think you're right Army viewed it as an either/or situation (he basically said as much with this "rob peter to pay paul" comment in the presser) but I disagree it was a black and white choice. It would've taken a sweetener but Scandella could've been moved. That gets Perron done.

Frustrating it had to go down this way. I think we're a better team with Perron than without him and the offense is worse now because of it.

The offense is worse
Defense stays the same
Goaltending is worse

We're no closer to beating Colorado than we were last postseason and arguably in worse shape to do so. I guess we'll see...

[theohall]

Colorado chose to go cheap on goaltending which will make them beatable again.

Moving Scandella probably would've involved the Blues retaining some salary while also giving up someone we don't want to give up. Most GMs aren't stupid and Scandella has done this before, where he's good for 20-30 games, then becomes irrelevant. Not so sure moving Scandella would be as easy as some assume. There's still a chance be could be moved, but it's going to cost something to move him.

[glen a richter]

I’d argue that IF Neighbours and Bolduc both make the team and stick beyond the 9 games it’ll be a somewhat more painful season but at the same time will shorten the suffering long term.

Shit could be worse, we could be Blackhawks fans. Their rebuild will take years but the stars are aligned for the Blues to go through a gentle soft rebuild that yeah this year will definitely kind of suck but it’ll pay dividends next season. Neighbours and Bolduc will both have a year under their belts, Kyrou will be resigned and Thomas obviously he’s the face of the franchise moving forward. It’s unlikely but still possible to get Matt Tkachuk next offseason. One of O’Reilly or Tarasenko will stay the other will go, the defense will be fine and Greiss is only here for one season.

I think if we can accept a worse team this year we’ll be rewarded with a much improved team in two or three years.

[flyingnote38]

The offense is worse
Defense stays the same
Goaltending is worse

We're no closer to beating Colorado than we were last postseason and arguably in worse shape to do so. I guess we'll see...

presented with the cap restrained choice of losing a top 6 forward or a top 4 defenseman, Armie chose to realize perron was actually 8th in scoring on the Blues and is mid 30's so likely to start declining

we also have more, better, and closer offensive prospects that could fill a top 6 role.

offense might be worse
defense if healthier is better (on average line up composition)
goaltending is on binner - if he returns to being his career average self rather than the goalie he was last season, goaltending is better

[theohall]

The Finnish guy the Blues just drafted, Kaskimaki, plays alot like Perron. We'll see if his international play, where he stood out, translates to the NHL in a couple of seasons. He will for sure be playing for Finland in the 2023 U20 World Championship and probably the World Championship,, since he already played for both this year.

[theohall]

Blues defense is only better if the staff uses them properly. Their failure to use Leddy on the PP in the playoffs is darn near inexcusable, considering they f'ed up both PP units by refusing to use Leddy at all vs the Avs.

[theohall]

Goaltending might wind up being on Hofer if Binner pulls his inconsistent crap and Greiss shows his age. What's sad, Blues could've kept Lindgren for less AAV, if they'd given him the 3 years the Capitals did. Given his performance last season, IMO, he'd earned it. And the Blues don't have any prospect goalies signed for the next 3 years anyway.

[glen a richter]

If the defense is better, Binner should also be better as the benefactor of that. If not then he, Greiss, Hofer, Ellis, Cranley, Zherenko, etc... whoever ends up next man up is just as equally doomed.

[glen a richter]

I was reading an article on Matt Kessel, sounds like he’s got his head on right and is doing all the right things to make a push for a roster spot soon.

Projecting ahead its one thing if Army could unload Scandella but also clearing Bortuzzo from the books. I know his cap hit isn’t that much but every dollar helps. Minus Scandella and Bortuzzo plus Perunovich and Kessel over the next two seasons would be a way to make some money available. Maybe if Kessel is essentially ready by deadline time Bortuzzo would be a good trade chip, easier to unload than Scandella.

[theohall]

Bortuzzo wouldn't provide enough savings to matter. Kessel's AAV is .925. Bortuzzo is .950.

Just move Scandella and figure it out from there. Carrying 8D, 13F is always an option, especially if the Blues figure out Logan Brown just doesn't fit. I won't be surprised if Brown winds up on waivers just before the season starts when they have to make roster decisions.

[WaukeeBlues]

If Doug Armstrong somehow pulls off a trade for Matthew Tkachuk and signs him to an extension I take back every bad thing I said about him ever.

[glen a richter]

If Doug Armstrong somehow pulls off a trade for Matthew Tkachuk and signs him to an extension I take back every bad thing I said about him ever.

Getting Tkachuk isn’t out of the question at all. The question is who goes the other way? Financially Tarasenko would definitely have to and I’d think Krug too which is a matter of waiving the NTC at that point. Maybe they could entice Calgary to take Scandella by also throwing in a 1st rounder but I think getting Tkachuk would require a 1st anyway.

As someone who clearly isn’t a GM or GM material I’d offer Tarasenko, Krug, a mid level prospect—maybe Washkurak, and a conditional 1st, the condition being Tkachuk signing a long term deal which would be inevitable in exchange for Tkachuk, a conditional 1st with the condition being he doesn’t sign a long term contract and a mid round pick. In this scenario Tkachuk clearly replaces Tarasenko and we presume that Perunovich will naturally replace Krug. I’d use the extra pick acquired to sweeten the pot on hopefully unloading Scandella’s contract somewhere—hell I’d even trade with Chicago who clearly needs to make sure they’re at the cap floor, and then hopefully someone like Tucker or Rosen can slide into a more permanent NHL role. I haven’t worked the math but I think these would be enough to ensure retaining O’Reilly and Kyrou.

Edit: So what I'm seeing involves more teams than just the Blues and Flames. The general idea is that the Flames will want picks and younger players and not Tarasenko who I guess they'd just assume they won't resign him. I saw one that had Tarasenko going to the Islanders for a single 1st round pick... seems like a helluva low return for sure, then that pick, Kyrou, Kostin and one of Neighbours or Bolduc going to the Flames for Tkachuk. Scandella and a pick get sent somewhere (in the run down I saw they proposed San Jose) for essentially zero return but obviously for cap space.

Army will have a lot of juggling to do and need to have everything in place all at the same time. It's not out of the question, but I guess it won't be as easy as just making a swap directly with the Flames. If Tarasenko has to get traded somewhere other than Calgary to make it happen I would absolutely prefer that trade goes down with either the Isles or the Devils because that has the added benefit of really screwing with the Rangers and making their path out of the east harder. I'd not be overly wild about including Kyrou in the deal though. If it can happen without losing him, that's a big plus but considering the rest of the package obviously Jordan would be the big name going out there and they're not going to accept just scraps for a guy like Tkachuk, so I guess it would be goodbye to him. Interestingly, the pick the Blues used for Kyrou was acquired in the trade with Calgary that sent Brian Elliott out.

Bottom line is it sounds like a trade is coming soon, before the end of July probably. Blues aren't the only players for Tkachuk and seem to be the most cap strapped of the clubs who are interested so whether he wants to play in St. Louis may be immaterial unless Army does a lot of other stuff to make the space for him.

[theohall]

Saw a rumor the the Blues offered Krug, Kyrou, and a 1st for Tkachuk which Calgary supposedly rejected. My flaw with this rumor, no way does Tkachuk sign for less than 10M and this deal only has 9 going to Calgary.

[glen a richter]

Tkachuk's arbitration hearing is August 11th, so I guess that establishes a firm time table if they're going to trade him.