The Offseason

[SIU LAW]

Guerin (bust)

Not to be picky...but what?

1 year contract. 2 million (I think). 28 goals as a Blue. Traded for a 1st round pick, prospect, and a spare part (salary dump).

That was probably one of the better signings both for the short term and the long term.

[DaDitka]

Guerin (bust)

Not to be picky...but what?

1 year contract. 2 million (I think). 28 goals as a Blue. Traded for a 1st round pick, prospect, and a spare part (salary dump).

That was probably one of the better signings both for the short term and the long term.

[SIU LAW]

Hinote signing was so craptastic, it colored his memory.



I am willing to give JD a little bit of leash. He hasn’t been perfect, but now we should see what he and his staff can do when he there is a real need to supplement this “core” they have drafted.

Before they were trying keep a shipping sink afloat while getting some young talent on this team. They had to bring on whatever they could to do that (McKee, Hinote, ect.). However, NOW, they have to make some pretty important decisions move this team forward and not regress.

This offseason is not about “becoming competitive,” but establishing the Blues on path of winning. Hopefully, the young players we have draft are up to the task once they get some help.

[SIU LAW]

And to continue to talking to myself…here is something I posted at another forum about the offseason:

I think there is a pretty good chance that the Blues will be unable to convince one of the mega-UFAs to sign here.

They may be forced to make a trade to try and bring in some firepower. One of the young guys may have to be sacrificed. I wouldn't be surprised it if it isn't Perron quite frankly. But that is just my hunch.

They might even have to role the dice and pull the trigger on a player that some team wants to dump because they overpaid and want some room to maneuver (see NYR dealing Gomez).

The Blues need a #1 center in the worst way. It will have a ripple effect of the team talent wise.

Also, the thing that scares me, is Perron and Johnson are going to follow Backes' lead if necessary and use an offer sheet to get what they want. Just watch.

[DaDitka]

Also, the thing that scares me, is Perron and Johnson are going to follow Backes' lead if necessary and use an offer sheet to get what they want. Just watch.

As long as they don't follow his lead and stop trying at all post Olympics.

[SIU LAW]

I don’t have time to get into a lengthy discussion about it now, but I think Perron will be the most interesting. He and his agent have gone out of their way to try to establish Perron as this visible personality and fan favorite (for example: see his Twitter page – his agent had him do that).

Perron shows flashes of real talent, but the question remains will he breakthrough and become consistent?

His agent is going to try and obtain a contract based on his expected potential and fan favorite status, instead of his real numbers to date.

I predict his agent will use an offer sheet because the Blues will balk at their price tag.

I think the Blues will pony up for Johnson's "potential," but Perron could be an interesting decision. The Blues may also see this coming from a mile away, and make him part of deal. Backes and Oshie will be getting new deals in the near future, and someone is going to have to get axed.

[DaDitka]

I think the Blues will pony up for Johnson's "potential," but Perron could be an interesting decision. The Blues may also see this coming from a mile away, and make him part of deal. Backes and Oshie will be getting new deals in the near future, and someone is going to have to get axed.

I've been on this horse since mid season last year. I think Perron will always be consistently inconsistent and he is what you see. If someone else wants to pay for that 'potential' let them go right a head. As you said, someone has to go and my money is on Perron.

They'll pay Johnson, Backes is under contract for another year, and Oshie's value will be greater in St. Louis then anywhere else in the league when his compensation would be strictly based on one ice performance.

As you so astutely pointed out, this team needs a elite, #1 scorer and we'll probably have to attain one via a trade (looking at the FA market and the 'overpaying' aspect'. With Berglund's low current value, higher ceiling, and contract situation, Perron is the obvious 'odd kid out'.

[not_a_wings_fan]

I am all for tradingn perron now... before he becomes marty reasoner II.

The kid has AMAZING hands and is a very good player, but it is becoming more and more clear he's just not big enough or strong enough to consistently win battles in this league.

[JWatt (formerly PMS)]

The kid has AMAZING hands and is a very good player, but it is becoming more and more clear he's just not big enough or strong enough to consistently win battles in this league.

What are you talking about? He wins battles along the boards with players 30lbs bigger than himself. He has a knack of coming out with the puck along the boards. That's where he is best, digging the puck out along the boards and making a quick move to the net.

[ViPeRx007]

The kid has AMAZING hands and is a very good player, but it is becoming more and more clear he's just not big enough or strong enough to consistently win battles in this league.

What are you talking about? He wins battles along the boards with players 30lbs bigger than himself. He has a knack of coming out with the puck along the boards. That's where he is best, digging the puck out along the boards and making a quick move to the net.

++, Perron's been one of the most fun players on the team to watch this season.

[DaDitka]

The kid has AMAZING hands and is a very good player, but it is becoming more and more clear he's just not big enough or strong enough to consistently win battles in this league.

What are you talking about? He wins battles along the boards with players 30lbs bigger than himself. He has a knack of coming out with the puck along the boards. That's where he is best, digging the puck out along the boards and making a quick move to the net.

He battles his azz off sure, but he seldom wins that battle. Watch him next game, he'll approach the blue line, dump the puck into the corner, and then head in full speed. bang around a little, fall down, loose puck. (nearly at least once per shift!)

He's crafty with the puck and his great hands keep it away from bigger guys on some plays along the half boards and behind the net, but don't confuse that with winning battles on the boards.

[Nyghtewynd]

Yeah, quick--trade him for Salvador. Then we'll "win more battles".

That'll work.

[fargoblues]

The kid has AMAZING hands and is a very good player, but it is becoming more and more clear he's just not big enough or strong enough to consistently win battles in this league.

What are you talking about? He wins battles along the boards with players 30lbs bigger than himself. He has a knack of coming out with the puck along the boards. That's where he is best, digging the puck out along the boards and making a quick move to the net.

++, Perron's been one of the most fun players on the team to watch this season.

Perron is part of what is good about the St. Louis Blues. If he wasn't relegated to fourth-line status and the doghouse the first half of the year, I'd bet my paycheck he'd have 30 goals. And yes, I'm gainfully employed.

[Sec310K67]

I honestly believe that the team will be much younger next year.
What I mean when I say that is....
Goodbye
Winchester, Tkachuk, Kariya, Weaver, Colaiacovo, Sydor, Armstrong
Hello
Eller, Junland, Pietrangelo, Sonne, Pelletier, Reaves, cole, Strachan

The team will look drastically different.
The only way they bring back Kariya is if he signs for less than $3 mil a season. Far less than that in my opinion.

Oshie, Berglund, Perron(rfa), Mcclement, Crombeen, Backes, Steen(rfa), Mcdonald, Boyes
Brewer, Jackman, Johnson(rfa), Polak
Conklin

Thats who will 99% likely be here. Well i dont see Kovalchuck taking 7 mil a year here when he can get 8-10 somewhere else.
JD said he wants to build from within, well i think this offseason they make a move for Jaroslav Halak, maybe resign Weaver, then fill in the forward ranks from Peoria. Eller and fillin types.
Total salary next year $45 million. Cap of prolly $49 with bonuses accounted for the entry level guys and plenty of space to make a move.

[not_a_wings_fan]

He battles his azz off sure, but he seldom wins that battle. Watch him next game, he'll approach the blue line, dump the puck into the corner, and then head in full speed. bang around a little, fall down, loose puck. (nearly at least once per shift!)

He's crafty with the puck and his great hands keep it away from bigger guys on some plays along the half boards and behind the net, but don't confuse that with winning battles on the boards.

This.

If he gets a step he can take it and make people pay. But more often than that, he gets thrown aside like a rag doll.

He's got heart, and he fights hard. Not afraid to get his nose dirty, but he's just not physically large enough.

Another way to say it is that he doesn't know how to get open enough to use his amazing hands to their full potential.

Either way, I suggest his trade value will never be much higher than it is right now while he still has "interesting potential."

[glen a richter]

I honestly believe that the team will be much younger next year.
What I mean when I say that is....
Goodbye
Winchester, Tkachuk, Kariya, Weaver, Colaiacovo, Sydor, Armstrong
Hello
Eller, Junland, Pietrangelo, Sonne, Pelletier, Reaves, cole, Strachan

And a team like that could only succeed immediately with a youth oriented head coach such as Payne. He's proven perfectly capable at the ECHL and AHL level with predominately young kids.

I think (hope) at that point, Perron, Oshie, Backes, Berglund will be "veteran enough" to help usher in the other guys. Johnson should have also been "veteran enough" if he hadn't been playing kickball with a golf cart.

[TheoSqua]

I would try to trade Perron as a part of a deal to obtain Bobby Ryan from Anaheim. The Ducks can't afford Bobby Ryan at the price he wants (He wants Perry/Getzlaf money) but the Blues can. That would give us our needed consistent 30 goal scorer, and in return Anaheim would be getting a cheaper offensive forward that has shown flashes of ability but that will come cheaper.

Then again Perron is younger than Ryan and could potentially hit Ryan's skill level fairly shortly, so it'd be a risk. Then again, Payne has used Perron pretty well and he's still on pace to score 21 goals a season under Payne.

[BoxCar]

I'm cool with needing to move one of the kids to bring in elite scoring and I do agree that it is likely Perron that is dealt, but I don't think that he makes the most sense because of his play.

He plays about as hard as Oshie and has much better puck-handling skill. He does battle and work his ass off and loses lots of those battles, but there has to be some trade-off... Not everyone can be a dangler and a grinder combined. The team needs some flashy players to occasionally make the spectacular individual play. The Blues are not desperate for effort, they are desperate for scoring. Perron is just the type of wild card player that is worth taking a risk on. If he works out and continues increasing his goal production each year, great! At worst you overpay a little for a "fan favorite" and a player that will bust his ass trying to make some big plays. I don't think his St. Louis stardom is near that of Oshie that could cause management to dump "too much" into him.

I'd prefer to keep them all, but the glaring hole is still an elite scorer. One of them probably has to go, but I wouldn't label that as Perron due to "inconsistency," but more due to the status of the other possibilities (Berglund's value may be too low to risk moving, Oshie's value in STL is bigger than his value elsewhere, moving Johnson would send panties in a bunch, and Backes is just too American). Perron is going to eclipse 20 goals and 40 points easily on a team that has trouble potting biscuits, that is quite alright with me.

It is very exciting to think of all the differences the addition of even 1 elite scorer could make by relieving pressure from Boyes and McDonald. If Oshie and Perron can be near the team lead in goals and points playing just around one another their potential from playing with a proven star is very... awesome.

I'd really like to get a sneak preview for these last few games of Eller, Piet, Junand and the others.

[JWatt (formerly PMS)]

I would try to trade Perron as a part of a deal to obtain Bobby Ryan from Anaheim. The Ducks can't afford Bobby Ryan at the price he wants (He wants Perry/Getzlaf money) but the Blues can. That would give us our needed consistent 30 goal scorer, and in return Anaheim would be getting a cheaper offensive forward that has shown flashes of ability but that will come cheaper.

Then again Perron is younger than Ryan and could potentially hit Ryan's skill level fairly shortly, so it'd be a risk. Then again, Payne has used Perron pretty well and he's still on pace to score 21 goals a season under Payne.

The compensation for an offer sheet in the Getzlaf/Perry price range is a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round pick. They'd likely ask for a whole lot more, and if they don't get it, they'll probably just match. They only have $35MM committed to the cap for next year, and their only RFAs are Ryan and Wisniewski. Sure, Koivu, Selanne, and Niedermayer are UFAs, but as a rebuilding team, they aren't going to resign those guys. They'll likely just patch up their roster with guys who aren't wanted by other teams and are low risk, high reward signings (like we did with Guerin a few years back).

[DaDitka]

I honestly believe that the team will be much younger next year.
What I mean when I say that is....
Goodbye
Winchester, Tkachuk, Kariya, Weaver, Colaiacovo, Sydor, Armstrong
Hello
Eller, Junland, Pietrangelo, Sonne, Pelletier, Reaves, cole, Strachan

T.

WTF!?!?!?!

Dude, Sonne has 11 goals and a total of 23 points in 63 games, he will NEVER play in the NHL.

Cole is leaving college, he's not making the team out of camp.

Eller, has been held to 14 freaking goals against the talent down there, so put him down for 8 up here.

Reaves is -13

Pelletier is nearly 27 years old, so I have to wonder why he's never cracked the NHL

and on the other end, Weaver is your BEST defensive defensman right now.

That team would certainly secure the #1 overall draft pick next year. Look, just because they are young and you've head their name does not mean they belong in the NHL. That would be a SERIOUS step back and I'm fairly certain the season ticket holders would revolt.

I can't even begin to describe the level of SUCK that team would have.