Armstrong says we are "Rebuilding"

[Oaklandblue]

Pullquote from the linked article below:

• Armstrong used the word "rebuild" for the first time when referring to this season. "You build your team, then you look at it and you rebuild it," he said. "There are two teams that haven't had to rebuild it, and that's the Chicago Blackhawks and the Pittsburgh Penguins." He added: "This is not a good feeling. This is not a feeling I want to continue. But it's something that I felt like we had to transition, and when you transition, you have to make hard decisions, and you have to ride out the storm. Has it been easy? No."

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/hockey/p ... fea06.html

[glen a richter]

Well if you're going to rebuild, make it quick.

Barbashev in on a permanent basis, get Blais up and see what he can do at the NHL level. Dunn in for sure, Schmaltz next season. Think seriously about giving Kyrou, Musil and Thompson shots next season at a roster spot, revamp the 4th line to be more offense minded and able to play more minutes/game than our current 4th line. This doesn't have to be a colossal dumpster fire before it gets better IF Army doesn't go and foul it all up by doing stupid things.

[theohall]

...revamp the 4th line to be more offense minded and able to play more minutes/game than our current 4th line.

This mindset is pointless until the Blues change head coaches. Yeo is worse than Hitchcock relying on limited personnel and not getting the most offensively from his players. Worse by more than .5 G/Gm. Yeo's 4th lines barely play even 10 minutes per game based on his coaching record in Minnesota and the 12 game sample with the Blues.

7 of 12 games - 2 goals or less under Yeo and counting.

[glen a richter]

If this is a true rebuild, Yeo won't be long for the team anyway.

[theohall]

Just to point out the stupidity that is the Blues use of their 4th line...

Only 2 players on the entire Blackhawks roster who have played 20+ game have less than 11 minutes of ATOI and those two aren't regular guys who've played consistently at all this season.

Meanwhile, the entire Blues regularly playing 4th line is under 11 minutes per game.

Hell, the 'Hawks 4th line vs the Blues played 12+ minutes in the last game. The Blues, under 11, again, because Yeo is relying on the select few to carry the team, no matter how much extra stress this puts on them, just like Hitchcock was doing.

If one looks around the league at the top teams, their 4th lines are all playing 11+ minutes per game - not 10 and under. But, the Blues seemingly don't get the concept of balancing ice time enough to keep your top lines energy strong for an entire game. Instead of playing a forward 20+ minutes per night (Steen), play them 18ish and give the 3rd and 4th line each an extra minute. That's all it takes. 2 shifts per game and players tend to perform better. Scott Gomez has been all over this in his NHL Network takes and was particularly critical of Hitchcock in this regard. If you wear out your top line by playing them the equivalent of a defensman's minutes night in and night out, they aren't going to be as effective later in a game.

[Kerfuffle]

I don't get it - why did this team have to rebuild after going to the WCF last year? He needed to 'tinker' in the offseason, not blow it up and start over. Armstrong should be fired for taking a big step backwards this year but not sure how your ownership loyalty is with him. Some organizations stay with the same guy no matter what.

[cardsfan04]

This is much ado about nothing. Everybody knew this was going to be a transition year before it started. He didn't blow anything up and we're not starting over. There's valid criticism over some of the contracts he has given out, but I don't think that's what drove us losing 4 key players (and the transition year):

-Backes: Army wouldn't give him 5 years. Good. I love Backes, but don't want to be paying him $6 mil when he's 38. Teams regret doing that kind of thing. It sucks, but it's not on Army.

-Brouwer: I would have liked him back. This is the one I think you can make an argument about bad contracts impacting our ability to retain somebody. That said, he has 21 points in 56 GP this year. He's also a -10. He's a nice piece, but losing him isn't significant.

-Elliott: He asked for a trade. We can debate whether Army should have honored that, but Elliott lost his starting job on a non-playoff team. So, it's not just the Blues that don't see him as a starter. Allen's numbers are slightly better than Elliott's despite losing his mind for 6 weeks.

-Shattenkirk: It was reported this morning that the Blues offered Shatty an 8 year extension in the offseason and he said no because he didn't like his role here anymore. We're stacked on right defense and he wanted more ice time late in games when we were up a goal even though he was the weakest of the 3 defensively.

[WaukeeBlues]

Mostly agree with Cardsfan. This is a transition year, not a full "rebuild" and with the full sentence Armstrong used, I don't think he meant it to sound that way.

The Bruins will live to regret that Backes contract for SURE. I'm glad Army held firm in his limited term and dollars offer. That's what you want to see. Same for Brouwer. They walked for more money and term elsewhere. Okay fine. It's the cost of doing business and going "all in" for a Stanley Cup, which we were two games away from competing for last season. How on earth that can ever be viewed as a negative is beyond me.

Shatty just is what it is. He probably could have/should have been traded far sooner than this year's trade deadline. But he wasn't. So we got the best return we could get in the current circumstances.

Jury is still out on the Elliott deal. Might prove to be smart. Time will be the decider on that one.

Hated the Ott extension, hate the Lehtera extension... gotta live with it I guess. Or trade him to a team with excess cap space, throwing them a prospect or pick for their trouble.

I'm kind've "excited" about this mini rebuild actually. Get some of the kids infused and we have multiple first round picks this year for the first time in forever. Yea I know "weak class" but you gotta have crap in the pipeline in order for anything to ever come out of it.

[gaijin]

Mostly agree with Cardsfan. This is a transition year, not a full "rebuild" and with the full sentence Armstrong used, I don't think he meant it to sound that way.

The Bruins will live to regret that Backes contract for SURE. I'm glad Army held firm in his limited term and dollars offer. That's what you want to see. Same for Brouwer. They walked for more money and term elsewhere. Okay fine. It's the cost of doing business and going "all in" for a Stanley Cup, which we were two games away from competing for last season. How on earth that can ever be viewed as a negative is beyond me.

Shatty just is what it is. He probably could have/should have been traded far sooner than this year's trade deadline. But he wasn't. So we got the best return we could get in the current circumstances.

Jury is still out on the Elliott deal. Might prove to be smart. Time will be the decider on that one.

Hated the Ott extension, hate the Lehtera extension... gotta live with it I guess. Or trade him to a team with excess cap space, throwing them a prospect or pick for their trouble.

I'm kind've "excited" about this mini rebuild actually. Get some of the kids infused and we have multiple first round picks this year for the first time in forever. Yea I know "weak class" but you gotta have crap in the pipeline in order for anything to ever come out of it.

Plus, 1st round picks can be swapped for roster players around draft time, if other teams are wanting to move up in draft position.

[Kerfuffle]

good points all around - I can see freeing up cap room too now and make a play in the free agent market this summer. Supposedly this draft is supposed to be a weak one. Where are you guys on cap space now?

[WaukeeBlues]

good points all around - I can see freeing up cap room too now and make a play in the free agent market this summer. Supposedly this draft is supposed to be a weak one. Where are you guys on cap space now?

According to NHLnumbers.com it's a bit tighter than I'd thought.

Clicky!

We're clearing about $4 million after this season. But Allen's extension kicks in and we'd have to re-sign Parayko as well.

If we trade/release Yakupov that clears another $2.5 million. Lehtera is $4.7 which is killing us.

There's some wiggle room there but we're not sitting on a bankroll by any means.

How's the Hawks salary cap situation for next season?

[theohall]

One other thing many seem not to mention irt Brouwer. He wanted to play for Calgary, period. This was his big UFA chance to play for a team of his choosing. I doubt he would have re-signed with the Blues even if they had the room, unless they offered him a # significantly higher (1-2M more to sacrifice his biggest UFA chance) than what Calgary offered. There were reports Brouwer was already buying a house in Calgary basically as soon as the Blues season ended.

As far as this mini-rebuild, until Yeo is gone, it's not going to work. And Yeo won't be gone when the Blues win 2/3rd of their remaining games playing a bunch of non-contending teams like AZ and COL (7 games combined). Throw in last place Carolina, too.

Right now is the time to start making the changes to prepare this team for next season. Play the kids more. Get rid of the defensive-minded coach. Instead, the Blues will wind up starting next season with essentially the same roster they have right now and a coach who doesn't get his players to generate offense with any kind of consistency while having them over focus on the defensive side of the game. And even if they do bring up kids who win spots, there is still the problem of the coach who doesn't get his players to generate offense with any kind of consistency while having them over focus on the defensive side of the game and sucks at developing talent. (Yes, I repeated myself)

[Kerfuffle]

How's the Hawks salary cap situation for next season?

Yeah we can't pay anyone for like another 5 years. That's why we get guys like Jurco at the trade deadline with 0 goals and 0 assists. 2 of our lines are all kids this year. Hate the Toews/Kane contracts but you pay for success at the expense of the future.

[Toasted Oates]

Sort of relieved Doug stayed quiet today; he's done enough already.

So if the Blues send him packing who are your candidates for next GM? Trusting Broduer to take the reins?

[glen a richter]

Me. I'll do it for $200,000/yr. Seriously though, the day Army goes should be declared an official holiday. He's the problem. I'd be comfortable with Brodeur getting that job.

[Toasted Oates]

Me. I'll do it for $200,000/yr. Seriously though, the day Army goes should be declared an official holiday. He's the problem. I'd be comfortable with Brodeur getting that job.

I'd be cool w/ you, him, anyone that doesn't get all misty eyed when he fires a coach or contradicts himself every time he opens his mouth or signs mediocre players to fat contracts.

And well done on spelling "Brodeur" correctly; need to brush up on my French.

[WaukeeBlues]

good points all around - I can see freeing up cap room too now and make a play in the free agent market this summer. Supposedly this draft is supposed to be a weak one. Where are you guys on cap space now?

The two heaviest cap hits in the NHL on one team. No hometown discount at all. I mean I know you have to pay the guys, sure, but I think they knew that too.

I'd feel bad for the Hawks but the whole 3 cups thing...

[Kerfuffle]

The two heaviest cap hits in the NHL on one team. No hometown discount at all. I mean I know you have to pay the guys, sure, but I think they knew that too.

Neither is the top player in the league or top 5. I'd put Kane in top 10, maybe Toews in top 15. Both took every last dollar they could and then some. I like them for they've given us but they've certainly made it harder if not impossible to win again during their careers. Their agent knew the Hawks would have to pay up cause the PR disaster by losing one or both would be horrible. Hawks mgmt had no leverage. I may eat my words if we win another but I certainly don't see it happening this year.

[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.

By the way, Jori Lehtera's cap hit is $4.7 million. LET'S GO BLUES!

[Kerfuffle]

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.