His contributions on the PP were elite three seasons ago and should remain strong for another few years (not six though). You're truly insulted that he'd be labeled for the second pair/as a specialist? Defensively he is a weak link, there's no way around it. Last year's Colorado series also happened. He was forced to play against top forwards and it was like two different sports were being played. He is a little guy. Now and going forward he's a PP specialist 4/5 for a contender or a 3 on an average team. He's a top pair guy on a non-playoff team.
That's not how this works. Some teams have 3 top pairing defenseman, some teams have 0. The amount of teams in the league does not dictate how many players are good enough to be considered a top pairing defenseman.
Hard pass. Perron should (and probably will) retire a Blue. He is a major part of the Blues offense. The next two first should be off limits as the cupboard is bare on prospects and needs to be restocked. That trade would probably close the Blues window and there would be no picks on which to launch a retool.
Armstrong is going to be hard pressed to do what he needs to do to make the team a real contender which is acquire a better defender than anyone in the organization now. This mediocre defensive unit is on him. So it's not hate toward Krug from me; I see Krug as an expensive PP luxury on a Blues team with both a cheap internal replacement for that luxury and an expensive glaring need.
My understanding of this thread is St. Louis needs a top 4 caliber LD that can play a shutdown role because Scandella is not good enough (not my opinion just what I think is being said). It's not that Krug is a #4, it's more that they can't be writing off the season if Parayko goes down.
Wow you obviously have not watched much penguin hockey over the last couple seasons. He is currently on the third pair in Pitt and the most likey player to be sent out. He is a bottom pair guy on an inflated contract. Has the size somewhat but incredibly soft in front of his own net. Not the best skater and while still fairly young his progress hasn't devolved. The blues already have better
Im not calling him a #1, I'm calling him a top 4 shut down guy, which he is more than capable of.
The entire premise of the thread is 100% correct. Yes, I am saying that Parayko-Faulk-Krug is not a contending defense if that's your top 3. I have quite literally said multiple times that when 31+ yo Krug is your #3 playoff minutes player you have an average defense. I cannot possibly underline this more.
For some Blues fans, upgrading Scandella slightly is what the defense needs. If that's what readers are getting out of the thread then the thread is pointless. It's not titled anything like "Blues desperately need to tweak their second pair." They have an average team with strong offense and vulnerable average defense. The goal is not to "compete in the arena" it's to win the thing and to do that they have to get a major impact defender. It's super straightforward, even if executing that maneuver is very difficult.
Nope. Try again. He fell out of that role in Pittsburgh and found himself 9n the third pairing. If petterson is in your top 4 , your defense is pretty weak . He lacks the physicality to be a shutdown D. He is pushed off puck with ease. His best weapon is a decent stick. Ill point out even right on he finds himself again outside the top 4 on a very average D team in Pitt
