Summer of Signings 2 continues...

[DaDitka]

Blues Re-Sign Porter to One-Year Deal
Monday, 06.13.2011 / 10:43 AM / News
St. Louis Blues

Porter ST. LOUIS – St. Louis Blues Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced Monday the club has re-signed forward Chris Porter to a one-year contract extension.

Porter, 27, appeared in 45 games for the Blues this past season recording seven points (three goals, four assists) while also dressing in 36 games for the Blues’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, Peoria Rivermen, tallying 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists).

Overall, the 6’1, 200-pound forward has played in 51 career National Hockey League (NHL) games, all with the Blues, posting nine points (four goals, five assists).

The Toronto, Ontario native was originally drafted by Chicago in the ninth round, 282nd overall, of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He was signed by the Blues as a free agent on August 21, 2007.

[Portland Blues]

[AlsWoodenStick]

Holy crap, he played in 45 games?

[thedoc]

Fail

[Leedog]

This reminds me of when Lar used to say something like "we did sign UFA's. Just because they played for us last year doesn't matter."

[cardsfan04]

Holy crap, he played in 45 games?

That was my first thought when reading that, verbatim, too. lol

[WaukeeBlues]

Holy crap, he played in 45 games?

That was my first thought when reading that, verbatim, too. lol

IIRC Porter was typically the first forward called up when there was an injury... which as we all know we had none of this year

[DaDitka]

The best part was in an interview at the ed of the season last year, Armstrong was asked what kind of addition we needed at forward he stated ....

"If we had all our guys healthy, and a guy like Porter up her for a full year"


That said, everything I hear says he knows we need a top 6 - 9 forward and that was just 'coach speak' considering he had no idea what the budget would be and if they would be able to acquire anyone. None the less, I sure hope he threw up in his mouth a little while saying it.

[cprice12]

This reminds me of when Lar used to say something like "we did sign UFA's. Just because they played for us last year doesn't matter."

Which is ridiculous.
It does matter.
When you resign your own UFA's, you aren't improving your team...you're just treading water.
You need to retain your top guys and improve by signing UFA's coming from other teams.

I've beaten this to death. But this is where the Blues have failed miserably in their entire history...they haven't been able to sign top notch UFA's in their prime. Kariya was as close as we've been to doing that...and he was well past his prime when we signed him...but we still gave him "in his prime" money...$7 million a friggin' year.

[WaukeeBlues]

The best part was in an interview at the ed of the season last year, Armstrong was asked what kind of addition we needed at forward he stated ....

"If we had all our guys healthy, and a guy like Porter up her for a full year"


That said, everything I hear says he knows we need a top 6 - 9 forward and that was just 'coach speak' considering he had no idea what the budget would be and if they would be able to acquire anyone. None the less, I sure hope he threw up in his mouth a little while saying it.

Why do we need a top 6-9 forward? Didn't we just trade our former #1 overall pick to fill that need? I've heard this over and over again and I simply do not understand why these calls continue to ring out. Is it habit or something? When healthy (and maybe that's the key), our top 6 is skilled and deep. Why the calls for another big time offensive player haven't diminished despite the fact we just got one is beyond me.

Sure- EVERY team wants 6 all-stars heading up their offense, who doesn't? But we're not twice as cool as the Miami Heat and we SURE as heck aren't twice as rich.

[DaDitka]

The best part was in an interview at the ed of the season last year, Armstrong was asked what kind of addition we needed at forward he stated ....

"If we had all our guys healthy, and a guy like Porter up her for a full year"


That said, everything I hear says he knows we need a top 6 - 9 forward and that was just 'coach speak' considering he had no idea what the budget would be and if they would be able to acquire anyone. None the less, I sure hope he threw up in his mouth a little while saying it.

Why do we need a top 6-9 forward? Didn't we just trade our former #1 overall pick to fill that need? I've heard this over and over again and I simply do not understand why these calls continue to ring out. Is it habit or something? When healthy (and maybe that's the key), our top 6 is skilled and deep. Why the calls for another big time offensive player haven't diminished despite the fact we just got one is beyond me.

Sure- EVERY team wants 6 all-stars heading up their offense, who doesn't? But we're not twice as cool as the Miami Heat and we SURE as heck aren't twice as rich.

From what I understand the was a gritty veteran two way ruff neck that is skilled enough to skate on one of your top three lines. They think his some real veteran leadership would prove helpful on the ice, on the bench, and in the locker room. Not to mention the depth would be helpful in case of a rash of injuries again and since nothing is certain with DP.

[kodos]

What's crazy is that this team has the cap space to sign two star players without even having to make room for them.

Can you imagine if the Blues did that? Signed a real #1 defenseman and another top line scorer? Because if they had real ownership they totally could.

[DaDitka]

What's crazy is that this team has the cap space to sign two star players without even having to make room for them.

Can you imagine if the Blues did that? Signed a real #1 defenseman and another top line scorer? Because if they had real ownership they totally could.

Real ownership with really deep pockets that are willing to loose money.


That's what everyone seems to be missing here, new owners are not going to really change our payroll structure. It could allow us to maybe sign some more long term deals, but the organizations revenue is what it is and that's not going to change any time soon. Even with all the sellouts, the team didn't even break even last year. Make the first round of the playoffs and you can spend a couple more mill and still break even. Add a couple more million to last years salary and that puts us right at the salary floor again this year.

Even under new ownership this team is not going to spend more then 50 - 54 million a year and that means will still be 10 million under the cap. The organization's revenue simply will not support a high payroll then that until this team starts making consecutive runs deep into the playoffs. It would also be interesting to know when the new ownership would start making money off the concessions again considering the current ownership basically took a 'cash advance' on it and sold it off.

If we don't make a couple of deep runs into the playoffs these nest two years, I can't see them paying Bergie, Petro, Oshie, DP, and Shat all long term, let alone signing any other 'stars'.

[kodos]

There is some fuzzy math. The team wasn't selling out half those games. They were false sellouts and everyone knows it.

Also, who really knows how much money the team is making. There are too many ways to cook the books to show whatever info you want to show.

The bottom line is that this town loves this team and has shown them incredible support even though they have been quite awful for almost a decade now.

If the Blues were good enough to be a shoo-in for the playoffs every year and legitimate cup contenders, they would be making way more money. Easily enough to offset the extra 20 million per year in payroll.

[DaDitka]

If the Blues were good enough to be a shoo-in for the playoffs every year and legitimate cup contenders, they would be making way more money. Easily enough to offset the extra 20 million per year in payroll.

Sure, they'll make more....but easily offsetting a 50% increase in payroll will take more then hosting 8 playoff games. The St. Louis commercial market is crashing and even the Cardinals are feeling the pinch now. They can sell all the $20 tickets they want and it's not going to make a difference in the world. They need to sell boxes to their corporate customers and it's just not there. The lady I talked to with the Blues last year said it was actually their worst year for suite and party box sales since the first two seasons after the lock-out.

The Fans are excited, but the corporations don't seem to be catching the fever. And even if they eventually do, remember that the amount of corporate dollars in the St. Louis market place is dwindling by the day.

[Winning Unlimited]

Sobotka just got a 3 year deal

[deadcanvas]

Yep. 3 year, $3.9mil. Not bad for a solid third line with some potential.

[dmiles2186]

God, I hope Strickland's right. Per the Tweeter:

The Blues will officially not be re-signing UFA's Cam Janssen and goaltender Ty Conklin according to team source #Blues

WHOO!

[Portland Blues]

How will the Cam Janssen area be remembered?

Aside from thundering noises coming from the boards as a result of missed hits...

[gaijin]

How will the Cam Janssen area be remembered?

Aside from thundering noises coming from the boards as a result of missed hits...

There's now a rickshaw-shaped hole in my heart.