I feel like people are severely over rating Neighbours. I think it's pretty clear he will be a bottom 6 guy and while he is still young and cost controlled his value is highest. He would be a great piece to include to get a D upgrade.
2022-2023 Blues Multi-Purpose Thread
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I feel like people are severely over rating Neighbours. I think it's pretty clear he will be a bottom 6 guy and while he is still young and cost controlled his value is highest. He would be a great piece to include to get a D upgrade.
This is only the case if you’re looking at nothing but offensive production, which isn’t very wise to do. I’d argue a guy who can be a two-way player is someone we should keep given our defensive deficiencies, not the other way around.
Neighbours strikes me as a guy who will be good defensively, physical, and have the versatility to play on different lines. Also seems like he has good leadership and locker room qualities.
Is Bolduc, for example, going to score more than him? Yeah maybe. Does that make him a better player or more valuable to our organization? No.
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every time I watch Neighbors, I see more and more of Backes in him. I’m really high on Neighbors.
He may strike you as being good defensively, but he has yet to show that.
Brian39
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How exactly is that pretty clear?
He just wrapped up his D+3 season and turned 21 in the last couple weeks of the season. He's got 52 NHL games under his belt with 12 points.
At this stage in his career, Backes had just left college and had 12 career AHL games played.
At this stage in his career Steen had 0 NHL games played.
At this stage in his career Schwartz had 52 career NHL games played and 16 total points.
At this stage in his career Schenn had 63 career games played and 20 total points.
At this stage in his career Oshie had just left college and had zero pro experience.
But sure, players fully actualize by their 21st birthday and their full potential is pretty clear. He's top 20 in his draft class in NHL games played and points. Tons of middle and top 6 NHL players take a 4-6 year development path to get there and aren't close to that finished product by 21.
LetsGoBooze
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I think he'll be a great glue guy. He'll bring the energy, step up and fight guys, and score enough to thrive on the 3rd line. And if needed, someone who could occasionally fill in and top out on the 2nd line.
ezcreepin
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Also let's not forget he was drafted during covid, so I'm positive there was some stunting in his development. He's got top 6 tools and work ethic that will make him an effective player. He's also a back-half 1st round draft choice, so you're not going to see him tear up the league like those top 10 picks before his 22nd birthday. I think he'll be fine in the long run, but I can understand wanting to see that offense he's had in the WHL and the AHL. We just need to relax a bit though
STL fan in MN
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Fair. His defensive stats resemble Kyrou’s. He simply got a pass since he was a rookie (which I think is fair). But he does have the makings of a player that should be good defensively once he fully adjusts to the NHL.
I think he’ll be a solid 3rd line LW most of his career that adds solid intangibles, but agree with others than his future isn’t set yet. We’ll have a better idea a year from now.
Brian39
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I have a similar opinion, but probably a notch higher. I think he will spend a lot of time as the guy/role you describe, but he will also be a guy known for his ability to effectively slide into the top 6 for long stretches and/or be a full-time complimentary piece to a top 6 line.
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For some reason I wouldn’t be upset if these happened…
make all 3 picks
suck again this year for another top 10 pick
trade Vrana for a 1st
trade Kap for a 2nd
we’d have a pretty stacked minors and be set up pretty nice for 2024-2025
make all 3 picks
suck again this year for another top 10 pick
trade Vrana for a 1st
trade Kap for a 2nd
we’d have a pretty stacked minors and be set up pretty nice for 2024-2025
Honestly without a solid LHD add this offseason this is the best outcome long-term.
BrokenFace
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Everyone around here correctly identifies that we need a legit #1 Dman, especially a lefty. The fact is, however, that type of player might not be available via free agency or trade, which means we have to draft him. I know nothing about draft prospects other than what I read on our draft forum but I hope we get a center with our 10th overall because we need another C who's at least as good as Thomas imo. Luckily this is a deep draft at forward so we should be able to get a difference maker at 10. That would leave us looking for a #1 D for another year. Realistically, the best way to find one may be with another high draft pick next year. The downside is that, even if we draft a great defenseman next year or even this year, it will take him several years before he develops into a #1. Hopefully having a good D core overall would allow us to contend during that time.
I really liked the idea of replacing Krug with Sanheim for the cost of a late 1st but, even then, I think we would still be in need of a true #1 D to really contend.
Brian39
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That's not my Plan A because I think it will be pretty hard for us to be bottom 10 in the league again without selling multiple good players before the season starts.
I'm high on Hofer to outperform what we got from Greiss last year. Even if we don't change the D at all, I think Scandella in the lineup all year makes the PK and defensive ability of the D group better. And I think a change to the defensive team structure will help the back-door tap ins. I wouldn't expect the group to be great defensively, but I wouldn't expect bottom 5 in the league again.
And our division is shaping up to be brutal. Arizona and Chicago should still be bad. Maybe not as bad as 2022/23, but still bad. It's looking like a tear-down in Winnipeg. Minnesota only has $8.2M to fill 7 roster spots (including extending/replacing Dumba and Gustavsson). I expect a step back from them. Nashville has some nice young players, but a full season without Ekholm is going to take its toll and there is still a non-insignificant chance that they sell another player or two for picks today. Lots of winnable games in this division next year.
I think the roster we have today is more like a 85-90 point team than an 80 point (or worse) team (which is usually about what it takes to be bottom 10). And if we do sell at the deadline, we would almost certainly be calling up Dean/Bolduc. They would be eager to earn jobs and they'd have gotten 50ish AHL games. I think that infusion of raw young talent (along with Alexandrov/Torpo getting increased ice time) would be enough to prevent a 5-15 post-deadline slide.
So I think that the top 10 pick is a tough one to pencil in. But if we don't upgrade the D, make all 3 picks, and wind up sellers then I'd be very pleased if we turn Vrana and Kap into a couple nice assets. A 2024 draft where we pick in the top 16, the late 1st, and three times in the 2nd would set the prospect pool up nicely.
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bleedblue1223
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Makes sense, but what's obviously unsaid here is that the defense will continue to see work this off-season.
Linkens Mastery
Conductor of the TankTown Express
So we're gonna have to change from Stifel to Ikea for our jersey adds in a couple years aren't we?
bleedblue1223
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Linkens Mastery
Conductor of the TankTown Express
Just make the Heritage Jersey our home jersey as well.
STL fan in MN
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Renard
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I'm sure Armstrong is always looking for ways to improve the team, but for me, I hope we settle in and see what we can do with the prospects, draft choices and new guy (Hayes) this season. We won't be great, but it will be interesting to watch the team.
Maybe Krug can rebound and become the darling of the fans. Maybe Kyrou will become another
Bob Gainey. Maybe Thomas will become a Gary Unger-type goal scoring center.
Maybe Krug can rebound and become the darling of the fans. Maybe Kyrou will become another
Bob Gainey. Maybe Thomas will become a Gary Unger-type goal scoring center.
Celtic Note
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I think a smart play for this year is to hold a decent amount of cap space for unforeseen acquisitions. Let’s not handcuff ourselves to only what we can fit in a cap in / cap out scenario.
Bobby Orrtuzzo
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