Armstrong says we are "Rebuilding"

[Toasted Oates]

I know Duncan Keith signed a contract with crazy term (13 years?) but is there a more team friendly cap hit in the league? He's like $5.5 million against the cap. Not bad for a couple Norris trophies, a Conn Smythe, and those 3 Stanley Cups. He's the heartbeat of that franchise.

He signed that deal under the old CBA - this was one of those cap circumventing deals - Hossa has one too. So if either retire before their deal ends there is a cap recapture penalty. I know Hossa's is big - like $4M penalty - he's got 4 years left after this year but is doing well for a 38 year old.

Yeah, good bit of info there. And absolutely Hossa looks as strong as ever. What an animal.

[Toasted Oates]

By the way, another gem from Doug via the Blues' Twitter machine:

"Armstrong: "There are exciting reasons to watch our group play. Younger players will make a statement... our goal is to make the playoffs."

The goal is to make the playoffs. Follow your dreams, boys.

Also this, via Jeremy Rutherford:

Army cont'd: "But we will lean heavily on Steen, Stastny, Bouwmeester, Berglund, Brodziak and that group to lead the competitive charge."

HAHAHA! What about the guy you made captain? Or #91? And Bouwmeester and Berglund leading a "competitive charge?"

Fire this buffoon.

[theohall]

So is it going to be younger players making a statement, or the continued reliance upon all those veterans listed??? Nice way to try to placate everyone while not actually committing to anything.

[WaukeeBlues]

I know Duncan Keith signed a contract with crazy term (13 years?) but is there a more team friendly cap hit in the league? He's like $5.5 million against the cap. Not bad for a couple Norris trophies, a Conn Smythe, and those 3 Stanley Cups. He's the heartbeat of that franchise.

He signed that deal under the old CBA - this was one of those cap circumventing deals - Hossa has one too. So if either retire before their deal ends there is a cap recapture penalty. I know Hossa's is big - like $4M penalty - he's got 4 years left after this year but is doing well for a 38 year old.

Yeah, good bit of info there. And absolutely Hossa looks as strong as ever. What an animal.

I'll admit I haven't seen much of him this year. From what I've seen his hands, shot and puck possession decisions are still at all-world levels. But I distinctly remember last playoffs looking at him and thinking that he'd lost just a quarter or half a step. Just seemed slightly behind everyone else on the ice. First time I ever thought of Hossa "he looks tired." We'll see come playoff time.

Double edged sword for the Hawks. If he's going to retire he better do it now because the per-year recapture penalty won't be nearly as crippling at the end of this year as it would be him playing another year or two. Frankly I think he's either retire now or play out the whole contract. Only 2 options. Or I guess there's a third do the LTIR thing once the season starts. Chris Pronger style.

[Kerfuffle]

I'll admit I haven't seen much of him this year. From what I've seen his hands, shot and puck possession decisions are still at all-world levels. But I distinctly remember last playoffs looking at him and thinking that he'd lost just a quarter or half a step. Just seemed slightly behind everyone else on the ice. First time I ever thought of Hossa "he looks tired." We'll see come playoff time.

Double edged sword for the Hawks. If he's going to retire he better do it now because the per-year recapture penalty won't be nearly as crippling at the end of this year as it would be him playing another year or two. Frankly I think he's either retire now or play out the whole contract. Only 2 options. Or I guess there's a third do the LTIR thing once the season starts. Chris Pronger style.

You're correct - he showed decline last year - numbers were way down. But he already surpassed those total this year. It seemed the 500 goal mark was a stressor for him - he played better once he got past it. He can't retire - we'd get hit with a $4M recapture each year for the next 4 years. He still has plenty of value too. And he already said he wants to play as long as he can - he's another Jagr type so I expect him to play the remainder of his contract. I'm okay with it as long as he is still able to contribute and so far he is.

[theohall]

And in yet another brilliant moment, Magnus Paajarvi has "earned" the right to stay with the team the rest of the season and won't be sent back to the Wolves. Kind of easy to "earn" a place playing on the top line. The 2 G and 0 A in 5 games was really impressive.

And they plan to keep Schwartz-Lehtera-Tarasenko together.

Let's just keep repeating the failed lines from earlier this season, Doug. It's a brilliant!!! plan.

What they could and should do....

1) Barbashev on Tarasenko's line. See if it can work, because Lehtera isn't working there.
2) Recall Dunn and see what he can do on the Blues PP, and allow Steen to be a F on the PP, instead of the LD.
3) Play Sanford - and not on the 4th line where a skilled C is completely wasted. Have him center Perron and Schwartz or something. See if he can be a C they are missing.

We know the Blues aren't winning a Cup with this roster right now. So now is the time to start tinkering and see what the kids can do, instead of keeping the veterans together who sucked for half the season playing on the lines our GM seems to think they should keep together. Dear Doug Armstrong, S-T-L HAD chemistry two years ago and for a few games last season. They haven't had good chemistry at all this entire season and they are the 3 forwards who've played the most on the same line together. It isn't working. Change it.

Or just have Yeo keep repeating what didn't work for Hitchcock which led to Hitchcock getting fired in the first place. That works for me, since it will likely mean firing Armstrong for his horrible coaching hires and firing Yeo for being worse at getting offense from this roster than Hitchcock. Of course, this would require Stillman to grow a pair of balls, instead of staying "loyal." Too much loyalty is what screwed this team this season.

[glen a richter]

I'll assume Schmaltz was recalled ahead of Dunn because of the right vs left thing, so I'm okay with it as long as Dunn is in next season which there's no reason to believe he wouldn't be. Bouwmeester is presumably a goner which opens up the left side for Dunn. Gunnarsson I could also live without, so heck either one who leaves is fine by me since Dunn is the replacement for either.

I worry that the kids will spoil because of Yeo, though. Imagine if Andy Murray hadn't been an iron fist with Perron. Would his career have turned out better? If we're rebuilding, the theme should be centered around speed, skill and scoring or basically what the Metropolitan is proving is the formula to success right now. To do that, Yeo won't work as HC. I really can't imagine him being fired without at least a full season to go ahead and screw things up.

[Toasted Oates]

https://twitter.com/bschaeffer12/status/837366310711541760

[gaijin]

https://twitter.com/bschaeffer12/status/837366310711541760

And Yakupov, and Upshall, and Bouwmeester, and...

[not_a_wings_fan]

I'm fine with a rebuild... but they need to actually rebuild.

you don't sign Berglund and then call it a rebuild. That's remodeling... not a renovation.

I would love to see them jettison some more "veterans" in the offseason to get this thing younger and faster and playing more offense.

I still think we need a legit #1.

It may be that they are going to dangle some of these contracts (bergie) in the expansion draft as a way of getting some money off the books, idk.

I'm not happy with the personal, coaching, or style of play. Let's actually rebuild here instead of half assing it like we do our playoff runs.

[theohall]

The more I think about this and read/hear what Armstrong is saying, the more convinced I am Armstrong is a major part of the Blues problem. He repeatedly says things which reward players for any tiny bit of success, which winds up being reflected in players being over-paid based on a few games in one season, instead of what they've done over 3 seasons. On top of that is this seeming refusal to play more talented younger players over "veterans" like Paajarvi who simply don't improve the players around them. There is Armstrong living in the past with ideas about what lines have chemistry, instead of accepting the present and doing what's necessary to try and actually improve the team.

There are players like Megan and Agostino who are more talented than Paajarvi and actually improve the players around them. If the Blues want to get Steen going, playing him on a line with Paajarvi is the wrong answer.

Going to do a little research on Tarasenko's goals this season in relation to which line he was with when they were scored. Will also look at Lehtera in this same regard.

[theohall]

Lehtera w/ Tarasenko - 5G 13A
Lehtera w/o Tarasenko - 1G 0A

Seems to tell me it isn't Lehtera with the talent. It's #91 elevating #12's game. This is not "chemistry," it is a weaker player benefitting from playing with a great one.

In other words, without Tarasenko, Lehtera wouldn't even be an NHL center.

[theohall]

Schwartz-Lehtera-Tarasenko line as 3G and 6A in even strength play this season. They had 0 even strength goals this season before Hitchcock was fired, and are currently pointless since being reunited the last 3 games. Some chemistry.... If that's chemistry for playing against playoff teams, I certainly wouldn't want to be the chemist.

[glen a richter]

Let's be clear that aiming for Lehtera to get 40 points when he plays with a guy like Tarasenko is entirely insulting to the fans. You play with him, I think over the last 3 seasons he has something like the 3rd or 4th most goals in the NHL, you should be getting 40 points every half season. To insinuate that your supposed top line center needs to get 40 points? GTFO. Your top line center needs to put up top line center numbers. This isn't the trap era, Army. It's ridiculous, all these teams are adjusting, the eastern conference teams have adjusted better than anyone, and we're bringing up the rear. By the time we get it together and start keeping up with the rest of the league, it'll be shifted back to a more defense first NHL and we'll be wasting our offensive talent again. This team is always behind with the times. Always.

[cardsfan04]

Let's be clear that aiming for Lehtera to get 40 points when he plays with a guy like Tarasenko is entirely insulting to the fans. You play with him, I think over the last 3 seasons he has something like the 3rd or 4th most goals in the NHL, you should be getting 40 points every half season. To insinuate that your supposed top line center needs to get 40 points? GTFO. Your top line center needs to put up top line center numbers. This isn't the trap era, Army. It's ridiculous, all these teams are adjusting, the eastern conference teams have adjusted better than anyone, and we're bringing up the rear. By the time we get it together and start keeping up with the rest of the league, it'll be shifted back to a more defense first NHL and we'll be wasting our offensive talent again. This team is always behind with the times. Always.

I don't necessarily disagree that 40 points for the guy that centers Tarasenko is a low bar. But, I think we'd be laughing at Army if he said he wanted 60 points out of Lehtera.

[theohall]

Let's be clear that aiming for Lehtera to get 40 points when he plays with a guy like Tarasenko is entirely insulting to the fans. You play with him, I think over the last 3 seasons he has something like the 3rd or 4th most goals in the NHL, you should be getting 40 points every half season.

And the reason Tarasenko has the 3rd/4th most goals in the league the past 3 seasons hasn't been because of Lehtera. The catalyst this season for Tarasenko was moving Fabbri to his wing. He is missing now and Yeo is too dumb to try something that isn't "comfortable" for the players.

[goon attack]

Flush this franchise!

[glen a richter]

I'm laughing at Army because he's clueless enough to think 40 points is an admirable goal for a top line center with one of the elite players in the league as a linemate. He shouldn't be wishing for 40 points from Lehtera, he should be replacing Lehtera with someone who doesn't flat out suck.

[Toasted Oates]

I'm laughing at Army.

I wish I could. I also wish someone could promise me he would be fired if they missed the playoffs. But my granny told my bros and I @ a young age: "You can wish in one hand, shit in the other and see which one gets filled up first."

[Oaklandblue]

Brian Elliott's on a five game winning streak, just broke over .900 and catching fire fast and now that we're veering back into Checketts 2.0 territory, I'll be over in the Flames board, you know, a team and management that really wants to win it all.