Let's Go Blues

the blues somehow managed to be better than I expected. that the Blues were competitive with the defending cup champs for the last wild card spot until the final week of the season and would still be contending in the East, was better than I would have expected before the season.

Armie has a chance this offseason to start making the team better, not just different. The first wavelet of expiring bad contracts (Scandella, Kapanen, Vrana, Blais) and a cap bump gives the Blues almost $13 mill in cap space heading into an offseason in which no one needs to get paid (at least not that will affect the 2024-5 payroll).

the only RFAs are Alexandrov and Parunovich, neither of whom should crack a million. they may extend Buch, but the new contract will start in the 2025-6 season when another additional $5 mill of cap space is anticipated. that leaves $11 mill to work with.

while there are a few UFAs that would likely help the club (Reinhart, Guentzel, Lindholm), there aren't a lot of top tier UFAs this offseason and I doubt the Blues will win any bidding wars. The cap space should give army flexibility in the trade market though as he won't need to match salary in/out.

a new coach and a more competitive roster should keep the Blues entertaining while we await the return to true competitiveness around about 2026-7.

Give Zach Dean a shot at center. His defensive positioning and faceoff percentage for someone "adjusting" to the NHL have been excellent. And for the love of pete, don't let Buch play center. He's a GREAT winger and a terrible center.

Scandella can go....

I’m not sure I really want them to use that cap space yet, unless it’s really for someone for that next window. I can’t see us being able to move a dman, so we would just have to wait it out another year or two. (I’m hoping Krug might be easily moved or bought out in his last year)

I’d sign a couple short term depth guys, middle six or so, to give the kids competition.

Take another year to see what you have.

I mean, sure, if you can find another schenn/buchy type trade where we turn a lot of meh into a top6 guy, but I just don’t see that happening all that often. (I almost added ror as a similar trade but since we gave up Thompson (but got the cup!!!) I call it a win-win trade.

I’d just keep acquiring picks and prospects

1. Hire a coach within the next month
2. Try to get a 2nd pick in the 1st round (Calgary has 3) - I'd include Perunovich in a deal (See below)
3. Either way, draft a RHD in the 1st round
4. Try to unload Krug again
5. Give Dvorsky a very long look in camp
6. Give Peterson a look in camp as a bottom 6'er
7. Give Lindstein a look but proceed with caution and have a stopgap who can fill in for Perunovich's minutes

Sell the franchise to investors in Pickle Lake, Ontario, and let it go there where it belongs.

glen a richter wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 18, 2024 9:03 am

1. Hire a coach within the next month
2. Try to get a 2nd pick in the 1st round (Calgary has 3) - I'd include Perunovich in a deal (See below)
3. Either way, draft a RHD in the 1st round
4. Try to unload Krug again
5. Give Dvorsky a very long look in camp
6. Give Peterson a look in camp as a bottom 6'er
7. Give Lindstein a look but proceed with caution and have a stopgap who can fill in for Perunovich's minutes

I'd kinda like to see what Perunovich could do no his natural side instead of being forced to play the wrong side every flipping night. But... that hasn't happened since he started college, so who knows? At the same time, he does have some serious defensive warts that are entirely size related... just like Krug who has them worse since it's now lack of size and lack of speed.

glen a richter wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 18, 2024 9:03 am

1. Hire a coach within the next month
2. Try to get a 2nd pick in the 1st round (Calgary has 3) - I'd include Perunovich in a deal (See below)
3. Either way, draft a RHD in the 1st round
4. Try to unload Krug again
5. Give Dvorsky a very long look in camp
6. Give Peterson a look in camp as a bottom 6'er
7. Give Lindstein a look but proceed with caution and have a stopgap who can fill in for Perunovich's minutes

I'd kinda like to see what Perunovich could do no his natural side instead of being forced to play the wrong side every flipping night. But... that hasn't happened since he started college, so who knows? At the same time, he does have some serious defensive warts that are entirely size related... just like Krug who has them worse since it's now lack of size and lack of speed.

One name I’ve seen tossed around for a while now has been David Carle. Would you go for a 34 year old coach who hasn’t gone beyond the college ranks? I’m extremely hesitant. Is there something I don’t know about this guy that people are actually talking about him besides that he’d be able to connect with young players in a way someone like Lindy Ruff, for example, couldn’t?

David Carle was Jim Montgomery's assistant coach in Denver. He and Montgomery are the guys behind Denver's last 3 NCAA championships, Carle as HC for 2 of them. If he has the same coaching style as Montgomery, I'd definitely want him as an HC, considering how successful Montgomery has been bringing his coaching game to the NHL. And we know what the Blues offense looked like with Montgomery as an Assistant Coach for the Blues.

David Carle was Jim Montgomery's assistant coach in Denver. He and Montgomery are the guys behind Denver's last 3 NCAA championships, Carle as HC for 2 of them. If he has the same coaching style as Montgomery, I'd definitely want him as an HC, considering how successful Montgomery has been bringing his coaching game to the NHL. And we know what the Blues offense looked like with Montgomery as an Assistant Coach for the Blues.

David Carle was Jim Montgomery's assistant coach in Denver. He and Montgomery are the guys behind Denver's last 3 NCAA championships, Carle as HC for 2 of them. If he has the same coaching style as Montgomery, I'd definitely want him as an HC, considering how successful Montgomery has been bringing his coaching game to the NHL. And we know what the Blues offense looked like with Montgomery as an Assistant Coach for the Blues. Prior to joining Dallas, Montgomery had zero NHL coaching experience, too.

Three Swedes signed to ELC's...

Two guys I never heard of until yesterday, a RHD Samuel Johannesson and a forward Marcus Sylvegard, and then I had this sneaking suspicion Simon Robertsson wasn't far behind and sure enough he signed one too. Steener is really pulling his weight. We'll see how these guys turn out, I assume we're looking at AHL depth with all three. Robertsson in particular I hope he finds his game once he comes over here. Nothing spectacular over in Sweden but supposed to have a great shot.

Do you give Dvorsky the 10 games to see what he has? Many may not remember Pietrangelo had two such auditions in 08-09 & 09-10 before he was able to stick.

Stenberg too. The Sweden Louis Blues.

To Bama’s question I’d give Dvorsky the 10 for sure. I see this team being competitive for a Cup in 3 years…

Dvorsky this year and Lindstein I’d give a 10 game look to. Dvorsky as long as he doesn’t crap the bed I’d keep him on the roster all season. Meanwhile, draft. RHD this year with the 1st, season after this one get Parayko paired with Lindstein, get Snuggerud in, have Buch extended and any of Peterson, Pekarcik, Dean, Kaskimaki, Robertsson, Stenberg get those guys looks for a revamped and young bottom 6. By year three we have the kids with at least a year under their belts, slide the RHD drafted this year into the lineup.

Next year should be a step forward, year after a step back standings-wise while a bunch of kids acclimate to the league. 3rd year we’re looking at a contender with a multi year window, maybe a decade or more.

Stenberg too. The Sweden Louis Blues.

To Bama’s question I’d give Dvorsky the 10 for sure. I see this team being competitive for a Cup in 3 years…

Dvorsky this year and Lindstein I’d give a 10 game look to. Dvorsky as long as he doesn’t crap the bed I’d keep him on the roster all season. Meanwhile, draft. RHD this year with the 1st, season after this one get Parayko paired with Lindstein, get Snuggerud in, have Buch extended and any of Peterson, Pekarcik, Dean, Kaskimaki, Robertsson, Stenberg get those guys looks for a revamped and young bottom 6. By year three we have the kids with at least a year under their belts, slide the RHD drafted this year into the lineup.

Next year should be a step forward, year after a step back standings-wise while a bunch of kids acclimate to the league. 3rd year we’re looking at a contender with a multi year window, maybe a decade or more.

What are the chances Army sends Kyrou on his way. And, if he does, what kind of haul could the Blues get for him before his NTC kicks in NEXT summer?

What are the chances Army sends Kyrou on his way. And, if he does, what kind of haul could the Blues get for him before his NTC kicks in NEXT summer?

Army won’t trade Kyrou, but if he did he could maybe use him as a way to also unload Krug.

There’s a reason I’m not a GM, but if you want to dump Krug’s salary you presumably have to include someone else in the deal. If that package can get a 1st next year or something that would be cool.

I see a future where our top two lines are Kyrou/Thomas/Buch and Snuggerud/Dvorsky/Bolduc. It’s a nice looking future, and the pieces are in the system for a nice bottom 6 as well.

For all the skill and talent Kyrou has, in MY PERSONAL OPINION, the Blues don't win with him. Would you trade Kyrou to Ottawa for Brady Tkachuck? Addition by subtraction. Maybe somebody will make a crazy offer. Further, maybe Krug will be willing to move this summer.

Big day, today we find out if the Blues take advantage of that huge 0.5% chance of jumping to #6.

By this time tomorrow, of course, they'll be cemented into draft position #16 and, of course, Chicago will be taking the 1st overall pick because who would expect anything less?