Official Best Offseason Ever Thread

[JCShutout]

I know a lot of people are down on Fabbri, but why sell low? If he takes the minimum offer, which he should, he's a guy on the roster with upside. If he signs an offer sheet for Sanford money or more, then yeah, let him go.

You need a couple of spare forwards and a 7th dman anyways. Might as well have a guy with upside. I know everyone hopes Kyrou will step up, but I'd rather have him play half the season in the AHL getting 18 min a night than be the 12th-14th forward. Let him force his way onto the roster. You can always trade or waiver Fabbri if you really need the roster spot. (And/or not resign him next year if its clear then that Kyrou needs to start with the NHL club)

EDIT: Next year, you might be able to move Steen's one year contract (or at least the buyout doesn't hurt as bad) and trade Bozak too if the kids are really ready and need spots. (Probably need Bozak's money for Schenn next year anyways)

[StL Dan]

Interim HC Craig Berube: 06/24, offered and signed 3 yr contract with the StL Blues

UFA
Chris Thorburn
Pat Maroon
Michael Del Zotto
Carl Gunnarsson: 06/27 - signed 2 yr, 3.5M contract (1.75M AAV) with the StL Blues
Jared Coreau

RFA
Ivan Barbashev
Robby Fabbri
Jordan Binnington (2 years from UFA status)07/09 - Arbitration hearing set for Saturday, July 20
Ville Husso 07/09 - Arbitration hearing set for Monday, July 22
Oskar Sundqvist 07/09 - Arbitration hearing set for Wednesday, July 24
Joel Edmundson 07/09 - Arbitration hearing set for Sunday, August 4
Sammy Blais: 07/01 - signed 1 yr, 850K contract with the StL Blues
Zach Sanford: 07/08 - signed 2 yr, 3M contract with the StL Blues (1.5M AAV)

Existing contracts with caveats
Bozak has 10-team no trade list
Perron has 5-team no trade list
Schwartz has 15-team no trade list

Full no trade clauses:
Tarasenko
Pietrangelo
Steen
Bouwmeester

**Chris Butler: 07/03 - announces retirement from the NHL

[theohall]

Just for clarity - the Blues filed for arbitration with Husso. My guess is he wanted more term for injury protection, because arguing salary coming off an injury riddled season would be dumb. The Blues filing limits the term to 2 years. And a smart organization doesn't commit to longer term when a guy didn't play for essentially half a season. Husso is gonna have to prove it, again, even though he was on the AHL All-Rookie team 2 seasons ago.

[glen a richter]

I just bought another Blues cap with the SC logo on it. The wife is gonna kill me.

Aw what the heck. I've been waiting to buy stuff for almost 50 years.

I want a couple more things but I’ll wait until it all goes on the discount rack at this point because $35 is a lot for a shirt when I usually buy whatever clothes is cheapest at BJ’s.

[WaukeeBlues]

I just bought another Blues cap with the SC logo on it. The wife is gonna kill me.

Aw what the heck. I've been waiting to buy stuff for almost 50 years.

I want a couple more things but I’ll wait until it all goes on the discount rack at this point because $35 is a lot for a shirt when I usually buy whatever clothes is cheapest at BJ’s.

I ended up with 4 Stanley Cup Champions hats haha. Had to return one. Sad.

[gaijin]

I just bought another Blues cap with the SC logo on it. The wife is gonna kill me.

Aw what the heck. I've been waiting to buy stuff for almost 50 years.

I want a couple more things but I’ll wait until it all goes on the discount rack at this point because $35 is a lot for a shirt when I usually buy whatever clothes is cheapest at BJ’s.

I ended up with 4 Stanley Cup Champions hats haha. Had to return one. Sad.

Oh no! I'm still looking for another. I gave mine to my teenager who decided after the fact that he wanted one. So now I am looking for another (for me) and no one seems to have them anymore.

[gaijin]

Any rumors or info on the status of Maroon?

[theohall]

Only thing I've seen is Maroon isn't likely to return. Given the status of the RFAs and what it will cost to keep them, there isn't enough to sign Maroon - even to a "team friendly" contract, unless all the RFAs get less in arbitration - which pretty much never happens.

[theohall]

Coreau signed with the Islanders, so the Blues are going to be riding their goalie prospects. Won't be surprised to see Husso and Fitzpatrick both playing for the Rampage.

[glen a richter]

We're realizing the problem with being a cap team at this point. Colorado, Dallas, Nashville... they all got better and we're worrying about who we can and can't keep. I mean granted I'll take the Cup over all other things, but the path to a possible repeat is really complicated. Best guess is Eddy, Maroon and Fabbri aren't back. Now really, all those guys are replaceable parts with guys already in the system. Next season we're going to see a lot more of Blais, MacEachern, Kyrou, possibly Mikkola, Reinke or Pouliot but I think success next season really hinges on a few things:

1. Schwartz has to have a much better regular season
2. Thomas needs to make big strides in his NHL game and increase his offensive output
3. Binny needs to show he's not a flash in the pan--granted that was a hell of a bright flash but keep it up 50. Sustained success, please

Generally speaking because the team sucked so badly for the first half of the season, just a general improvement by everyone should make up for the strides the other teams in the conference have taken this offseason. The west is getting better around the Blues and there's nothing they can really do about it, from a purely financial standpoint. Good thing there's some bright lights in the system, your Bokk's, Toropchenko's, Kyrou's. These guys will have a major role in the next couple of seasons if the team wants to get some wiggle room in a cap system and keep up with the rest of the conference. The more I see what's going on in the rest of the league and what the Blues are able to do, the more I'm really incredibly thankful they pulled it off this year because it's not going to be easy from here on out.

[theohall]

I'm not sold on Nashville actually being better. What's Duchene done other than force a trade from Colorado, which improved after he left? Yes, Duchene has some nice individual stats, but that individual performance doesn't seem to be translating into improved team play for whichever team he is on. Nashville had to trade Subban, because of the cap hell they were in due to his contract.

Yes, Dallas and Colorado both look better, but IMO, the Blues defense is still hands down the best in the division.

The Blues are probably going to return all the remaining RFAs, with the one possible exception being Edmundson depending on what happens with arbitration. Fabbri is screwed given his injury history and no arbitration rights.

One thing I don't think people realize, Larry Robinson and Mike Van Ryn changed some significant things in how the defense was playing under Yeo. Robinson is on record saying he wished they would have had the defense from Day 1, because there are still things the Blues defense can do better. Think about that. He says the Blues defense, which shut down basically every top line they faced in the Stanley Cup playoffs, including the Perfection Line, can be better with some tweaks in how they handle positioning and stick angles.

In terms of the Conference, Vancouver looks much better on paper as long as Demko performs in goal like he was the few weeks of the season.

[flyingnote38]

.... but I think success next season really hinges on a few things:

1. Schwartz has to have a much better regular season
2. Thomas needs to make big strides in his NHL game and increase his offensive output
3. Binny needs to show he's not a flash in the pan--granted that was a hell of a bright flash but keep it up 50. Sustained success, please

Generally speaking because the team sucked so badly for the first half of the season, just a general improvement by everyone should make up for the strides the other teams in the conference have taken this offseason.

1. It would be hard for Schwartz not to be significantly better in the regular season. He had a great playoff, so his confidence has to be back.
2. Thomas has the sort of puck skill elusiveness that makes a player truly 'hard to play against.' He also was a lot better/more confident in the second half and in particular the playoffs.
3. I think we are probably better off letting the arbiter make the contract decisions on Binny and Eddy. I don't trust Armie to make the right contract decision on a goalie and hopefully they use Matt Murray as the comp come back in the $4 million range on a 1 or 2 year deal. Eddy either fits in or they walk away. Ought to be able to replace him for the $3 Mill he made last season let alone at any significant raise.

[glen a richter]

I feel like Pouliot is the alternate plan to Eddy. After all he was the 8th overall pick in his draft so the ability is obviously there. For reference, he went 8 overall in the draft we got Parayko. That year our first round pick was stud defenseman Jordan Schmaltz.

I know Pouliot has had some injury woes which is why his career has had a sputtering start but maybe that’s behind him by now.

[JCShutout]

I think Edmundson is pretty important, but you just can't pay guys who don't score that much in a salary cap league. If he really gets $4m+, sadly let him go/trade him because his production is replaceable. Its the same issue with Maroon. Love the hometown kid, but you have to prioritize guys with talent that you can't easily replace.

[StL Dan]

I just bought another Blues cap with the SC logo on it. The wife is gonna kill me.

Aw what the heck. I've been waiting to buy stuff for almost 50 years.

I want a couple more things but I’ll wait until it all goes on the discount rack at this point because $35 is a lot for a shirt when I usually buy whatever clothes is cheapest at BJ’s.

I ended up with 4 Stanley Cup Champions hats haha. Had to return one. Sad.

I was fortunate enough to have a family member buy the gray/black Cup champions hat at Kohl's on the Thursday after the Blues won the Cup. I have the all black flex fit on order, but REALLY want to get ahold of the Western Conference Champs snap back - but can't find it anywhere. I heard only 5,000 were made. Grrrrr.

My t shirt count is up to 6. lol

I'll buy some more stuff for winter towards the end of summer when the school year begins. Will probably pay a premium for doing that, but, that's the way it will be.

[WaukeeBlues]

Any rumors or info on the status of Maroon?

Saw on Twitter, I think from Rutherford, that the hold up is term. He's only getting offers for 1 year deals and he wants 2. He's willing to be patient, which is a gamble, but apparently that's the hold up. Everything I've read says the Blues are not in on him.

I'm not sold on Nashville actually being better. What's Duchene done other than force a trade from Colorado, which improved after he left? Yes, Duchene has some nice individual stats, but that individual performance doesn't seem to be translating into improved team play for whichever team he is on. Nashville had to trade Subban, because of the cap hell they were in due to his contract.

See I think Nashville is CLEARLY better than they were at the end of last year. You have your 1C and 2C set (Johansen and Duchene), scoring wingers to bury pucks (Forsberg and Arvidsson, who is due for a bounce back) and their defense probably didn't take a huge hit in losing Subban since Fabbro looks like an up and coming stud. They're looking to move Turris, but I think they're a better team for sure.

Yes, Dallas and Colorado both look better, but IMO, the Blues defense is still hands down the best in the division.

Colorado will win a cup in the next 3-4 years. They are friggen loaded. They may not have the best D in the league right now but in a few years they will, with Byram, Makar, Girard, and if our old buddy EJ can keep providing that stabilizing influence. The wild card with them is goaltending if Grubauer and whoever is backing up can handle the load.

Dallas is scary. They were one goal away from bouncing us, don't forget. Bishop can clearly steal a series by himself, and their defense is deep, experienced and skilled. Heiskanen was phenomenal in the playoffs and if he keeps developing he'll be a stud. As long as they can score up front, they're also right there with Colorado to win a cup here soon.

In terms of the Conference, Vancouver looks much better on paper as long as Demko performs in goal like he was the few weeks of the season.

I have no idea what the heck the Canucks are doing, and I'm not sure they know. They didn't want to enter a rebuild in the first place (they fell into it basically kicking and screaming) and now they don't have the patience to let the kids develop and keep stockpiling picks. They clearly want to contend as soon as next year, but signing a boatload of overpriced depth signings isn't the answer.

They're in cap trouble RIGHT NOW!!! After they signed Ferland they have just north of $5 million to re-sign Brock Boeser, and that's simply not going to get it done. They're going to have to make moves already to sign him. Which is kinda pathetic given how much cap space they've had the last 2 seasons.

They don't have a #1 defenseman (no, Tyler Myers does not count, IMO), they have a serious drop off in offensive talent after Horvat, Petersson, and Boeser... I just don't see it. They're as directionless as a franchise can be in the modern NHL, they're going to miss the playoffs this season so the Lightning are going to have an unprotected first rounder from them in 2021. They're unquestionably deeper, I just don't know that they're THAT much better, especially considering the money they're spending to do it.

[theohall]

I'm not buying Duchene improving any team until he SHOWS ME (says the St Louisan in me).

[WaukeeBlues]

Michael Del Zotto signs one year deal with the Ducks, so he's gone. No surprise there.

I don't know if it was coincidence or planned that the signing was announced after his day with the Stanley Cup. If delayed on purpose, that was a classy move.

[gaijin]

Michael Del Zotto signs one year deal with the Ducks, so he's gone. No surprise there.

I don't know if it was coincidence or planned that the signing was announced after his day with the Stanley Cup. If delayed on purpose, that was a classy move.

That's the kind of thing an agent would be aware of and plan accordingly. Yes, definitely awkward if he signs with Anaheim before his day with the Cup.

[JCShutout]

https://twitter.com/StLouisBlues/status/1149766641745633282 Good move. Lots of upside for under a million.