Tracking the Improbable...

YouTube · Post by **cprice12** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 10:38 am

Hollywood wrote:
If you're looking for a firesale, it's just not going to happen (nor should it happen) unless the Blues start to tank soon.
Thanks Mr Davidson.

We will not be outworked!!

YouTube · Post by **cprice12** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 10:40 am

Hollywood wrote:
Trade a player or two at the deadline? Absolutely.
Have a firesale at the deadline? No friggin' way.

So don't commit either way.

I call it... going with the flow and not forcing the issue.

BringBackZezel · Post by **BringBackZezel** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 10:49 am

cprice12 wrote:
Hollywood wrote:
Trade a player or two at the deadline? Absolutely.
Have a firesale at the deadline? No friggin' way.

So don't commit either way.
I call it... going with the flow and not forcing the issue.

That would be the cowardly way of going about things.

Pick a path and go with it.

This good enough to make the playoffs crap but never good enough to win stuff is painful to real Blues fans.

SIU LAW · Post by **SIU LAW** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 10:52 am

BringBackZezel wrote:This good enough to make the playoffs crap but never good enough to win stuff is painful to real Blues fans.

Are you seriously suggesting that Curt is not a real fan? Or am I misinterpreting that statement?

YouTube · Post by **cprice12** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 11:13 am

BringBackZezel wrote:
cprice12 wrote:
Hollywood wrote:
Trade a player or two at the deadline? Absolutely.
Have a firesale at the deadline? No friggin' way.

So don't commit either way.
I call it... going with the flow and not forcing the issue.
That would be the cowardly way of going about things.

Pick a path and go with it.

This good enough to make the playoffs crap but never good enough to win stuff is painful to real Blues fans.

No, if the team keeps playing like they have been playing, there is no need to hold a firesale and start over. Make a couple moves and make some improvements, but don't gut the team. IF, this team happens to make the playoffs, they will have had one of, if not the best record in the NHL over the last 50+ games of the season under a new coach. I'm not crazy about tearing that team apart should it pan out like that.

If the right deal comes along for a player or two that will help you long term, then I can see a deal being made But should things keep going well for the Blues, you don't tear apart the team and trade all of your veteran leadership. I've always been of the mindset that every team needs some quality veteran leadership. Sorry if you don't agree.

I understand what you are saying and it is a good theory for some teams, but I don't think it applies to this team, this year, right now.

But I'm sorry, what am I saying? I obviously don't know what I am talking about. Let me get out of the way so the REAL fans can discuss this matter.

Hollywood · Post by **Hollywood** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 11:19 am

If the right deal comes along for a player or two that will help you long term, then I can see a deal being made But should things keep going well for the Blues, you don't tear apart the team and trade all of your veteran leadership. I've always been of the mindset that every team needs some quality veteran leadership. Sorry if you don't agree. .

So what we should do is keep 'our quality vetern leadership' for the rest of the year and then let them walk away for nothing at the end of the year? Can't afford to keep all of them.

I understand what you are saying and it is a good theory for some teams, but I don't think it applies to this team, this year, right now.

Which team would it be good for? If not the Blues, who?

BringBackZezel · Post by **BringBackZezel** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 11:24 am

That's being very short-sighted to say the least.

There are only a few ways of adding assets to your team:

1. Draft
2. signing FAs

There is only one way of losing assets from your team:

1. letting contracts expire on your dime.

If you're really convinced that this is the proper leadership for this franchise, the Blues need to sign Tkachuk, Guerin, Drake and Brewer to extensions right now.

Letting their contracts expire and those assets walk for nothing is the worst possible move for every franchise in ANY situation.

YouTube · Post by **cprice12** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 11:43 am

Hollywood wrote:
If the right deal comes along for a player or two that will help you long term, then I can see a deal being made But should things keep going well for the Blues, you don't tear apart the team and trade all of your veteran leadership. I've always been of the mindset that every team needs some quality veteran leadership. Sorry if you don't agree. .
So what we should do is keep 'our quality vetern leadership' for the rest of the year and then let them walk away for nothing at the end of the year? Can't afford to keep all of them.

Such is the life with a playoff team or team trying to get into the playoffs.
And if this team had been hovering around 12th place all year, with no real hot streaks, I'd be more inclined to trade a handfull of guys at the deadline. But the reality is, this team is playing excellent hockey under Murray, and I am curious to see what this team can do.

Hollywood wrote:
I understand what you are saying and it is a good theory for some teams, but I don't think it applies to this team, this year, right now.
Which team would it be good for? If not the Blues, who?

[/quote]
Teams that are sinking like a rock and going in the opposite direction as the Blues. As of right now, I'd say teams like...Philly...LA...Chicago...Columbus.

Phoenix is in the same boat as the Blues. Do you think they are going to have a firesale at the deadline if they are still playing good hockey? Probably not.

I'm not saying I'm right by any means...afterall, I'm not a REAL fan.

execwrite · Post by **execwrite** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 12:03 pm

BringBackZezel wrote:That's being very short-sighted to say the least.

Letting their contracts expire and those assets walk for nothing is the worst possible move for every franchise in ANY situation.

There is something worse. Over-bidding and giving vets bad contracts that are too expensive and too long.

If another team wants to overpay, then it is a mistake to outbid that team.

BringBackZezel · Post by **BringBackZezel** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 12:06 pm

execwrite wrote:
BringBackZezel wrote:That's being very short-sighted to say the least.

Letting their contracts expire and those assets walk for nothing is the worst possible move for every franchise in ANY situation.
There is something worse. Over-bidding and giving vets bad contracts that are too expensive and too long.

If another team wants to overpay, then it is a mistake to outbid that team.

They are still adding an asset to their team which will help them win.

When you let UFAs walk, you are taking assets away from your team.

You can never have enough talent....and letting UFAs leave does nothing but lose talent.

execwrite · Post by **execwrite** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:12 pm

BringBackZezel wrote:
execwrite wrote:
BringBackZezel wrote:That's being very short-sighted to say the least.

Letting their contracts expire and those assets walk for nothing is the worst possible move for every franchise in ANY situation.
There is something worse. Over-bidding and giving vets bad contracts that are too expensive and too long.

If another team wants to overpay, then it is a mistake to outbid that team.
They are still adding an asset to their team which will help them win.

When you let UFAs walk, you are taking assets away from your team.

You can never have enough talent....and letting UFAs leave does nothing but lose talent.

It's called opportunity costs - the money you pay the wrong guy is money you should be spending on the right guy.

TC · Post by TC » Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:23 pm

Look, Chris...

first-name basis with BBZ? jeez, how rich & connected are you, big shot? alls i know about is a couple of bunny rabbits...

Hollywood · Post by **Hollywood** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 3:10 pm

bamabluesfan wrote:can we just get back to calling each other douchebags?

Nope, those posts get deleted.

Just sayin.....

YouTube · Post by **cprice12** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 3:18 pm

Ok...yeah, yeah...

It's getting off topic, and I'm party to blame.
I've removed the pointless off topic bickering, in which I participated in quite a bit.

Back on topic boys....carry on.

bamabluesfan · Post by **bamabluesfan** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 3:32 pm

I posted this over at Stltoday, it is possible that the blues could be 5 pts out of 8th by the all star break, if they get help from Chicago, Dallas and Anaheim if the stars stay at 51 and the oilers lose 1 of their 2 before the break the only team that can even tie 51 is Col and that is all they can do tie it.

So obviously the blues have to win tonight and saturday but they needed to do that anyway, but if they do there is at least a possibility that they could be below the 6pt threshold before the break. If they do that they can be no worse than where they are now.

If they keep their current style of play going I think they can squeze into the playoffs, once there I agree with whoever said that nobody would really want to play them from 29th to 15th or 16th is a nice little run.

YouTube · Post by **cprice12** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 4:17 pm

So obviously the blues have to win tonight and saturday but they needed to do that anyway, but if they do there is at least a possibility that they could be below the 6pt threshold before the break.

I thought the 6 pt. threshold was to be at the trading deadline, and not the all-star break?

bamabluesfan · Post by **bamabluesfan** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 4:25 pm

cprice12 wrote:
So obviously the blues have to win tonight and saturday but they needed to do that anyway, but if they do there is at least a possibility that they could be below the 6pt threshold before the break.
I thought the 6 pt. threshold was to be at the trading deadline, and not the all-star break?

It is, I guess my point there was if they hoping to be within 6 by the trade deadline then it underscores the effort they have put out over the past few weeks.

I just wonder if this is the team, that it isnt just an anomoly or a surge under a new coach. I think maybe this is more what JD was envisioning. Watching them the other night I couldnt help but think they were kind of like Detroit in that they play good D and jump when they get a chance. As much as I hate detroit, you still have to respect them, that oportunistic attitude is very similar to the way they play. Of course solid goaltending over the last month has helped a lot.

Tezmyster · Post by **Tezmyster** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 4:46 pm

bamabluesfan wrote:
cprice12 wrote:
So obviously the blues have to win tonight and saturday but they needed to do that anyway, but if they do there is at least a possibility that they could be below the 6pt threshold before the break.
I thought the 6 pt. threshold was to be at the trading deadline, and not the all-star break?
It is, I guess my point there was if they hoping to be within 6 by the trade deadline then it underscores the effort they have put out over the past few weeks.

I just wonder if this is the team, that it isnt just an anomoly or a surge under a new coach. I think maybe this is more what JD was envisioning. Watching them the other night I couldnt help but think they were kind of like Detroit in that they play good D and jump when they get a chance. As much as I hate detroit, you still have to respect them, that oportunistic attitude is very similar to the way they play. Of course solid goaltending over the last month has helped a lot.

[img:400:340]http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a42/go ... tchick.jpg[/img]
This girl likes Detroit, I'd take her home if she'd change her shirt.

Regarding the surge in play, well if it was a "surge" then it probably should be over by now. The Blues are beyond a surge, they are on fire

bluenotebacker · Post by **bluenotebacker** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 6:13 pm

If I was taking her home, she wouldn't have the shirt on for long anyway, so I wouldn't care one iota

BoxCar · Post by **BoxCar** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 6:31 pm

I don't see what the problem is with selling some at the deadline. I don't think that trading Brewer, Weight, Tkachuk and/or Guerin would necessarily be a firesale. Here are my points:

1) Regardless of playoff positioning no picks or prospects should be traded unless it is for a pick/prospect upgrade.

2) I think that even if we are close to the playoffs, trading Guerin Weight and even all the others will not destroy the chemistry of the team if we get young talent that can help immediately or next season. There are pleanty of good players like Prucha and others that could be had who would be able to contribute upon arrival. This builds for the future and doesn't erase any playoff hope.

3) Making the playoffs won't hurt the team's future cup chances. 4 draft spots up or down probably will not decide whether we get a Joe Sakic or a Tom Koivisto. It will, however, give the young players we have now the confidence they need later on in their careers.

This team is improving and trying to stunt that growth is a mistake.