Proposal: Blues badly need a number 1 LHD.

[PocketNines]

Images of Michael Scott declaring bankruptcy immediately spring to mind. Doug Armstrong declares him a "#1 DEFENSEMAN!!!", and Parayko is like:

As for the premise of the thread, I too think the Blues need their Lindholm-sized hole on LHD filled in order to be a Cup Contender. No combination of Scandella, Krug, Walman or Mikkola are going to sufficiently eat all of the top-4 LHD minutes. I like Hanifin, Chychrun and even Ekholm in that spot too, when looking at playoff bubble-teams who may be talked into selling at the deadline. But the current group of defenders is primed to get run over in the playoffs once again, just as Colorado cut through them like a hot knife in warm butter last spring.

We watch The Office in classic comedy series rotation and that moment gets cited a lot in our house. We select from "The Book of Airplane II" and "The Book of Trading Places" and "The Book of the Holy Grail" etc (Caddyshack, Vacation, etc etc) for our dinner grace.

If I were designing a path of things breaking right to get this player, it would go something like this. Tarasenko returns to productivity and still wants out to a contender but Blues are healthy on the wings and can fade the loss so they trade him east to a contender and return a 2022 1st, which in turn is used with someone like Kostin to rent Lindholm. I choose Kostin because when he was getting raved about in the KHL run, he was a spectacular penalty box machine, continually hurting his team, even losing them a conference final game on one of them. Let's dodge the years of discovering that contribution of his the hard way.

Another option might be Giordano if Seattle struggles; Blues give up Tarasenko to the east, that team sends Seattle its 1st rounder, Seattle sends the Blues Giordano as a rental. More likely broken up into two trades.

Neither 37yo Giordano nor a returned-to-health Lindholm is the ideal addition, but in practical terms of how they might upgrade their chances this season both players should be able to provide impact. The Blues just need the guys they have to all be pushed down one spot and then they need to stay healthy in that schematic.

If any given practical idea is unworkable, the need is still glaring and paramount. Hopefully Armstrong won't just lunge at someone like that time he offered big money to Matt Carle in UFA. Armstrong is a forwards type GM. He inherited a franchise cornerstone who staked him to a decade of winning and Cup shots. Now that he prized his NMC integrity it turns out Mackinnon and Rantanen easily skate around that NMC integrity and score on the Blues, who get run out of the rink.

 

[PocketNines]

Then go all in for Ekholm at the deadline.

This falls on the less likely area of the spectrum of possibilities since he's in-division, but I suppose you never know. With a player like Chychrun he almost has to be the player that defense builds around making his availability far less likely. But maybe Bill Armstrong would be mesmerized by the Blues own 2022 1st and an additional 2022 1st from a productive-Tarasenko trade as the main pieces.

They need an additional all-situations defenseman who will become (1) at least the second most stalwart defender and who contributes 45-50 points, or (2) the most stalwart defender who contributes at least 40 points. I am under no illusions that acquiring that player will be easy. It will probably not happen in time. Nevertheless they very soon need a player with that kind of impact to reopen their window. Years ago, it took awhile to agree that top pair LD was a need previously, and then it took multiple years to find the player. As constructed, this roster doesn't have years to wait like that one did (behind a young Pietrangelo who set the floor so high).

 

[405Entrance]

Lindholm if he doesn’t want to resign with the ducks

 

[Blueston]

The entire premise of the thread can be wrong.

Just so I have this straight...Krug as a #3 = no chance at Cup, Krug as a #4 = Cup contender?

How many teams have 3 defenseman who are better and play more minutes that Krug? I think a team with a healthy Parayko as the top D stopper, Faulk as the two-way guy and Krug as the offensive specialist can do some damage in the postseason, but we need Colt at full strength to have a chance. Not having Parayko at 100% was a much bigger factor in our struggles than Krug was, because Krug was forced to play a more defensive role than he is accustomed to. Despite that, he was still +11 on a team with a -1 goal differential, so I don't think he was nearly as bad as some fans make it seem.

Amen.

 

[Blueston]

This falls on the less likely area of the spectrum of possibilities since he's in-division, but I suppose you never know. With a player like Chychrun he almost has to be the player that defense builds around making his availability far less likely. But maybe Bill Armstrong would be mesmerized by the Blues own 2022 1st and an additional 2022 1st from a productive-Tarasenko trade as the main pieces.

They need an additional all-situations defenseman who will become (1) at least the second most stalwart defender and who contributes 45-50 points, or (2) the most stalwart defender who contributes at least 40 points. I am under no illusions that acquiring that player will be easy. It will probably not happen in time. Nevertheless they very soon need a player with that kind of impact to reopen their window. Years ago, it took awhile to agree that top pair LD was a need previously, and then it took multiple years to find the player. As constructed, this roster doesn't have years to wait like that one did (behind a young Pietrangelo who set the floor so high).

This is silly. Last full season there 13 D who had 50 points. 30 who had 40. Last year Krug paced for about 50 and Faulk for about 40. Parayko had much less bc he was playing hurt and really struggled. If all 3 are healthy Blues D is at least league average, if not better. Would they be a better team if Scandella was on 3rd pair and they had someone like Chychrun or Lindholm in top 4? Of course, but Chychrun ain't getting moved. Maybe they can add Lindholm or Eckholm if they don't resign, but adding someone marginally better than Scandella would I'd argue make us top 10D in league, maybe top 5. This is a want, not a need at this point.

Is every fanbase as pessimistic about their team as ours?

 

[rumrokh]

This is silly. Last full season there 13 D who had 50 points. 30 who had 40. Last year Krug paced for about50 and Faulk for about 40. Parayko had much less bc he was playing hurt and really struggled. If all 3 are healthy Blues D is at least league average, if not better. Would they be a better team if Scandella was on 3rd pair and they had someone like Chychrun or Lindholm in top 4? Of course, but Chychrun ain't getting moved. Maybe they can add Lindholm or Eckholm if they don't resign, but adding someone marginally better than Scandella would I'd argue make us top 10D in league, maybe top 5. This is a want, not a need at this point.

Is every fanbase as pessimistic about their team as ours?

I basically agree, but I'm kinda between the two sides. The Blues need to pursue an upgrade, and more than just a small one over Scandella, but they're fine for now. I'm not convinced they can acquire the right upgrade without hurting the rest of the team, so we'll have to see how it plays out. I think Krug is a clear #3, but he's an offensive #3 who should be sheltered a bit. That's not a surprise - those players exist around the league. That doesn't take him down to 4/5 territory, but the Blues still need to be seriously looking at someone to take those defensive matchups with Parayko.

 

[stl76]

Eventually the Blues will need to upgrade Scandella on the left side, but I'm not sure that time is right now.

Call me crazy, but I want to see how this d-corps performs with a healthy Parayko over a decent sample size before drawing any conclusions

 

[Reality Czech]

This is silly. Last full season there 13 D who had 50 points. 30 who had 40. Last year Krug paced for about 50 and Faulk for about 40. Parayko had much less bc he was playing hurt and really struggled. If all 3 are healthy Blues D is at least league average, if not better. Would they be a better team if Scandella was on 3rd pair and they had someone like Chychrun or Lindholm in top 4? Of course, but Chychrun ain't getting moved. Maybe they can add Lindholm or Eckholm if they don't resign, but adding someone marginally better than Scandella would I'd argue make us top 10D in league, maybe top 5. This is a want, not a need at this point.

Is every fanbase as pessimistic about their team as ours?

Pretty much this. Would the Blues be better off with another top pair or top 4 LHD? Sure, most teams would. Do we "badly need" a top pair LHD? I wouldn't say so. But if they position themselves as a legit contender, then they will be looking to bolster the lineup by the deadline deadline like any other contender.

 

[PocketNines]

It is definitely a sign of good faith to insist the Blues have at least, say, the 15th-18th best ("average" of 32 teams) defense as a rebuttal to a claim the Blues don't have a real contender defense. Good job making my point for me. You pretzeled yourselves! Don't pretzel yourselves.

 

[gordonhught]

Oilers trade you Klefbom for a first rounder

 

[elitepete]

If OEL has a rebound season and puts up like 60 points while being decent in his own zone, would you have interest?

7.26m cap hit. Just turned 30.

 

[Stealth JD]

If OEL has a rebound season and puts up like 60 points while being decent in his own zone, would you have interest?

7.26m cap hit. Just turned 30.

Zero chance.

 

[elitepete]

Zero chance.

Just curious, how come?

 

[Stealth JD]

Just curious, how come?

Payroll allocation. Can’t see them bringing in a guy making more than the $6.5M/yr they pay Faulk, Krug and Parayko. Even if he bounces back in VAN there’s no guarantee that he carries that success onto St. Louis. He’d need to have a McDonagh-like impact for him to make sense for STL…and if he’s just that for the Canucks, why would they be dealing him? He’s probably waaaay down the list of LHD to target after the steep and noticeable falloff he’s exhibited.

 

[kij]

Doubt the Rangers will move him anytime soon, also doubt he will develop into a top pair player, but Zac Jones looks to be a quality LHD that can play 2nd pair minutes right now and grow further. Probably will top out as a high end 2nd pair guy though. Numbers game pushes him down.

 

[jay from jersey]

Doubt the Rangers will move him anytime soon, also doubt he will develop into a top pair player, but Zac Jones looks to be a quality LHD that can play 2nd pair minutes right now and grow further. Probably will top out as a high end 2nd pair guy though. Numbers game pushes him down.

Jones plays a Krug like style though.
I can see the Blues having interest in Robertson/Miller/Lindgren
They’d be more the type
Lindgren despite being the smallest, is the most physical.
Miller had solid Rookie campaign and Robertson still needs a year year n half in hartford

 

[boots legrand]

Are there any available and what do you want not named Colt?

a desire yes, a "badly needed" situation ? No.

 

[boots legrand]

Romanov for Thomas?

absolutely not happening.

 

[westc2]

any order or Krug/Mikkola/Walman is a pretty decent left side. Walman broke out last year. Scandella should be the odd man out and used as a #7-8.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Perunovich?

 

[Blueston]

any order or Krug/Mikkola/Walman is a pretty decent left side. Walman broke out last year. Scandella should be the odd man out and used as a #7-8.

Lol. Neither Mikkola nor Walman have shown they are legit nhl d.

 

[Reality Czech]

any order or Krug/Mikkola/Walman is a pretty decent left side. Walman broke out last year. Scandella should be the odd man out and used as a #7-8.

Not a chance. Scandella is the #4 and Walman and Mikkola will fight it out for that 6 spot as it should be.

 

[Deadly Dogma]

How about a young player who oozes top 4 potential in Sandin+1st for Perron

 

[67Blues]

How about a young player who oozes top 4 potential in Sandin+1st for Perron

If the Blues were rebuilding, this deal in a heartbeat. But they aren't. Too many future "ifs" for our top scorer.

 

[sh724]

This falls on the less likely area of the spectrum of possibilities since he's in-division, but I suppose you never know. With a player like Chychrun he almost has to be the player that defense builds around making his availability far less likely. But maybe Bill Armstrong would be mesmerized by the Blues own 2022 1st and an additional 2022 1st from a productive-Tarasenko trade as the main pieces.

They need an additional all-situations defenseman who will become (1) at least the second most stalwart defender and who contributes 45-50 points, or (2) the most stalwart defender who contributes at least 40 points. I am under no illusions that acquiring that player will be easy. It will probably not happen in time. Nevertheless they very soon need a player with that kind of impact to reopen their window. Years ago, it took awhile to agree that top pair LD was a need previously, and then it took multiple years to find the player. As constructed, this roster doesn't have years to wait like that one did (behind a young Pietrangelo who set the floor so high).

So Ekholm isnt likely bc it is within the division but Chychrun makes sense even though its the same division....