Let's Go Blues

Hall traded. So we don't have to hear about that anymore irt the Blues.

Kinda surprised the Devils didn't get a current NHL roster player in this deal.

To NJ F Nick Merkley, F Nate Schnarr, D Kevin Bahl, 1st Rd 2020 pick, and conditional 2021 pick for Hall from @NJDevils. The conditional pick: Hall re-signs with AZ and AZ wins 1st round of playoffs = 1st; either of the prior two = 2nd; neither happen = 3rd

This is from the AZ beat writer on twitter. the 2020 and 2021 years could be flopped, but he's confident that's the order.

They are considered higher end prospects and NJ has a good idea what they are getting in Bahl, because he already plays with 3 NJ prospects for the Ottawa 67s.

Edit: Blake Speers and Hall to AZ.

Kinda glad we didn't get Hall.

Been a loser his whole career. Not saying it is all because of him, but there might be something to it.

ibldbl wrote:Kinda glad we didn't get Hall.

Been a loser his whole career. Not saying it is all because of him, but there might be something to it.

I get the same feeling. An above average player, but not all he was hyped up to be.

Same, didn’t want to overpay for a rental. If push comes to shove and Army wants to add at the deadline Chris Kreider could come cheaper for sure.

ibldbl wrote:Kinda glad we didn't get Hall.

Been a loser his whole career. Not saying it is all because of him, but there might be something to it.

It's really rare to see a first overall pick get traded twice before age 29. Like... I can't think of another time, ever, rare. Maybe he was just a victim of circumstances (A team so desperate for defensive help they were willing to trade one of their best players and then a team in rebuild without a player desire to re-sign long term) but maybe he's not and there's something "else" there.

Either way, I share most of the feelings I've been hearing from Blues Nation: I'm also glad we didn't get involved in that.

A corollary trade for the Blues would probably have had:

1) The same 1st round pick implications (a lottery protected first round pick this year; an "offseason performance and Hall re-signing" first round pick next year).

2) Players. This one would be different than what the Coyotes did. The Blues have $20k cap space. Even if they sent down a "healthy scratch" forward and defenseman (let's say MacEachern and Mikkola) (leaving only 1 back up forward), that'd only leave, with the $20k we got, $1,612,500 in cap space. Another $1,400,000 would have to come off somewhere.

If Bozak or Steen would allow it they'd be gone I think. If they vetoed it one of Sundqvist, Barbashev or Sanford would be dealt. Let's say Sanford.

So it'd be the 1st round picks plus Sanford, plus 2(?) B level prospects, which would be who? Kyrou? Kostin? Laferriere? Alexandrov? Walman? Probably 2 of those guys if Kostin/Kyrou is involved; the other 3 if they're not. Would be my guess.


SOOOO.... a first round pick, a conditional first, Zach Sanford, Kostin/Kyrou, and Laferriere/Alexandrov/Walman for Hall.

Ugh. That's a lot. Yea, I'm glad we weren't involved.

Former #7 overall pick Lias Andersson has asked for a trade from the Rangers. Got the potential but he hasn’t followed through with it so far.

The guy is 21 and asking for a trade already? Seems kinda short-sighted. Rags won't get much for someone who isn't really doing anything and isn't showing the character to be patient and develop, even if he was a top 10 draft pick. His production for a winger/center at the AHL level is on par with Blues defenseman in San Antonio.

How do the Blues only have $20k capspace? I thought they got cap relief for Tarasenko's salary.

20K is the "projected" space when Tarasenko returns. Current space is 4.945M Blues Cap Friendly

Ah, I see. Thanks!

The Predators fired Peter Laviolette. If I’m Seattle I’m jumping now and getting him on board to be their inaugural coach.

glen a richter wrote:The Predators fired Peter Laviolette. If I’m Seattle I’m jumping now and getting him on board to be their inaugural coach.

Never in my living memory do I recall so many head coaches being fired by this point in the season. Crazy. Something to do with the Blues success last year after firing their head coach? Teams really believing the team still has a chance as long as they pull the plug soon enough? I think so.

Don't be surprised if the Predators wind up hiring Babcock - even with the BS that came out of Toronto after he was fired. There isn't really anyone in the organization ready to move up to a head coach position, which makes it seem even crazier he was fired. Laviolette didn't put that team together, Poile did. This one seems more like a desperation move, than a "necessary" one. I still believe Matt Duchene is more of a problem than a solution given what has happened to every team he's played for the past few years.

WaukeeBlues wrote:

glen a richter wrote:The Predators fired Peter Laviolette. If I’m Seattle I’m jumping now and getting him on board to be their inaugural coach.

Never in my living memory do I recall so many head coaches being fired by this point in the season. Crazy. Something to do with the Blues success last year after firing their head coach? Teams really believing the team still has a chance as long as they pull the plug soon enough? I think so.

The same thought crossed my mind, as well. The difference - perhaps - in the Preds situation is that Lavs assistance coach was also fired. Who is their "Chief"?

Holy crap! The Predators hired John Hynes, whom the Devils fired earlier this year, with good reason. Hynes' teams were a disaster defensively, not just this season, and the Predators are in desperate need of someone to help them defensively. Doesn't seem like a smart hire. Good news for the Blues!!

Beat me by a minute, Theo.

I don't get this hire. Hynes isn't a good coach.

glen a richter wrote:Beat me by a minute, Theo.

I don't get this hire. Hynes isn't a good coach.

Perception v. reality and all that...

WaukeeBlues wrote:

glen a richter wrote:Beat me by a minute, Theo.

I don't get this hire. Hynes isn't a good coach.

Perception v. reality and all that...

In that case, they couldn't have requested an interview with Mike Yeo?

Hynes was a good AHL coach. Just not a good NHL coach. To be fair, Berube wasn't a good NHL head coach in his first gig either. Still think Hynes is bad hire, though.

Vegas fired Gerard Gallant and immediately hired Pete DeBoer. This is turning into an epidemic. Everyone seems to want to follow the Blues model, but I mean really how many times can a team actually pull that off?