2023-2024 Blues Multi-Purpose Thread

Blueston

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Here is a question: do you view CP as a legit #1 dman? This year I have started to see him as a #1.

I agree we need to up grade our LHD. But another hole time right now is a complete lack of a second line. We have 4 top 6 forwards…. And two lines worth of 4th liners.
no. to me, a true #! you want out there in all situations. can quarterback pp, spearhead transition, everything. that isn't cp55. he is great defender man-on-man, very good defender in zone, excellent puck handler, cannon of a shot. but he doesn't have offensive vision, he doesn't consistently spring teammates in transition, he isn't guy to qb pp. he plays a lot of tough minutes and does it well, but he's a very good #2.
 

542365

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Love Parayko. I really think he'd be an amazing complement to a guy like Dahlin/Hughes/Sergachev/Josi etc. The problem is that we don't have that guy.
 

PocketNines

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We know what Parayko's highest possible usage is - the 2019 run. That is the best he can play and it is really great. The people who think he was the real #1 that year, I don't know what else to say at this point but they don't have a real good line on hockey yet. Parayko is simply too unskilled in key areas that a real #1 defenseman must have. But his upside is one that contributes a ton of heavy lifting and it's real. Love Parayko. Perfect #2 on a contender. Can handle all minutes and most situations besides PP.

He can be deployed as a #1, which we are seeing. As a #1 he is insufficient.
 

Frenzy31

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May 21, 2003
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Too me he has been really solid this year. He handles the heavy lifting and following that reasoning, I think he is a #1. Now he wasn’t even close last seasons, but he is this season.

I understand the PP QB thing, but was Pie on our top unit? When Shatty was here he wasn’t. And I do t remember during the cup run. Was it more Dunn? I think there will always be specialist. But if you were a coach and you had Pie and CP on the same team, who play against the top line.
 
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Reality Czech

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Too me he has been really solid this year. He handles the heavy lifting and following that reasoning, I think he is a #1. Now he wasn’t even close last seasons, but he is this season.

I understand the PP QB thing, but was Pie on our top unit? When Shatty was here he wasn’t. And I do t remember during the cup run. Was it more Dunn? I think there will always be specialist. But if you were a coach and you had Pie and CP on the same team, who play against the top line.

Pretty sure Petro was the pp1 guy after Shatty left, but a lot of that was out of necessity. Plus, you had Parayko/Bouwmeester doing a lot of the heavy lifting on defense. It's tough to ask a guy to be the #1 guy both offensively and defensively. Guys like Josi and Hedman can handle it, but I'm guessing they don't use Parayko much on the PP because we've got other guys who can do it and they wanna keep Parayko focused on playing defense instead of offense.
 

Majorityof1

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Mar 6, 2014
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no. to me, a true #! you want out there in all situations. can quarterback pp, spearhead transition, everything. that isn't cp55. he is great defender man-on-man, very good defender in zone, excellent puck handler, cannon of a shot. but he doesn't have offensive vision, he doesn't consistently spring teammates in transition, he isn't guy to qb pp. he plays a lot of tough minutes and does it well, but he's a very good #2.

Out of curiosity, how many true #1s that fit that definition do you think are in the league?
 

Xerloris

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Jun 9, 2015
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AP lead our team in both PP and PK ice time after Shatty left. He was 2nd in 5v5 ice time to Parayko by about 11 seconds per game. He was every bit the "True #1" people talk about.

You forgot the important part, being good to great at both categories. Was his defense there? absolutely. Was his PP QBing there? ehhhhh, not really. Could you make due with him? ya but it would have been preferable to use someone better. We used Steen a lot for the PP QB as well.
 

Thallis

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Jan 23, 2010
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Here is a question: do you view CP as a legit #1 dman? This year I have started to see him as a #1.

I agree we need to up grade our LHD. But another hole time right now is a complete lack of a second line. We have 4 top 6 forwards…. And two lines worth of 4th liners.

Absolutely not. He has never been able to move the needle offensively and that's vital to a 1D's skill set. He doesn't really have the vision as a puck mover that's necessary to really tilt the ice, which is why his most effective way of moving the puck out is to carry it himself. It's a good option, but once he gets up ice he can't consistently convert that to dangerous chances.
 
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BadgersandBlues

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Jun 6, 2011
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You forgot the important part, being good to great at both categories. Was his defense there? absolutely. Was his PP QBing there? ehhhhh, not really. Could you make due with him? ya but it would have been preferable to use someone better. We used Steen a lot for the PP QB as well.
During the stretch that AP ran the first PP he had the 18th most PP points of any Dman and we were in the top half of the NHL in PP %. I think he did his job in that regard.
 

Xerloris

reckless optimism
Jun 9, 2015
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During the stretch that AP ran the first PP he had the 18th most PP points of any Dman and we were in the top half of the NHL in PP %. I think he did his job in that regard.

3g/10a and 30th ranked PP in 17/18 15.4%
3g/12 and 10th ranked PP in 18/19 21.1%
6g/16a and 3rd ranked PP in 19/20 24.3%

I really don't think what you think is the job of a #1 Dman is really being shown by these numbers. Remember I'm not the one that said a #1 Dman needs to run the PP, I think a #1 Dman should be even strength and PK performance.
 

PocketNines

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Apr 29, 2004
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The kids coming in for forward spots hopefully supplant some of the frustratingly unreliable forwards. The team identity is boom bust because as Armstrong has devolved his roster he has had to patch with those kind of guys. Guys who give you 100% but only 60% of the time.
 

HighNote

Just one more Cup
Jul 1, 2014
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Naked Gun wouldn't be a bad theme for us if we make the playoffs.

Although there's only a 10 percent chance of that.
 

Stupendous Yappi

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Aug 23, 2018
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A long seven game losing streak to end the season wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. If we could somehow fall behind Pittsburgh, the Islanders, Washington, Minnesota and Detroit the Blues may be able to salvage a decent pic from a lost season.
Binnington would have to be put in ice, and swap in someone incompetent. But our rookie backup may spoil it even then.
 

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