Dr.Sens(e)
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(AP) St. Louis: It was a cruel end to an enigmatic season for the Blues, as they lost game 7 in a tight series with the Minnesota Wild, one in which they seemed to have in hand up 3 games to 1.
This brought to an end a season where the Blues squad was never quite the sum of its parts, and brought to the forefront many questions about the future of the team, in particular given the vast number of pending free agents.
Players less than two months from unrestricted free agency include Joe Thornton, Zdeno Chara, Jeff Carter, Andrew MacDonald and Eric Nystrom, and pending restricted free agents include Jonathan Toews, Cal Clutterbuck, Lars Eller and Jonas Enroth, amongst others.
While most of these players would be logical candidates to be re-signed, as a team consistently bumping into the cap ceiling, there are difficult choices to be made, some of which might be easier solved via trade.
New Arrivals
There are several players who are knocking on the door for a full-time HFNHL gig next season, including a trio of forwards led by Mark Stone, who is clearly ready for a prominent roll on the right side. With Jeff Carter and Wayne Simmonds occupying the right wing of the top two lines this past season, Stone may take a spot on a more formidable 3rd line, or perhaps Carter will be moved back to his pivot position to make room for Stone. This will depend on what happens with three prominent free agent pivots in Toews, Thornton and Eller.
Also ready for full time duty are checking center Cedric Paquette and left winger Johan Larsson, who are both likely to take a roll on a younger and more invigorated 4th line.
On the left side, Clark MacArthur and Michael Frolik will take spots on two of the top three lines, while Andrew Shaw, Patrick Eaves and Clutterbuck will help round out the bottom 6 at various spots. Kyle Chipchura is likely to return as a depth player. It is suspected Nystrom will be allowed to find employment elsewhere given the arrival of some younger and cheaper replacements.
Holes on D
While questions amongst the forwards are about too many bodies, and not enough positions, the opposite can be said for the team’s defence. A trade would seem like a logical solution to correct this imbalance.
The top three positions on the blue line are set with Zdeno Chara, Dustin Byfuglien and Roman Josi once again set to log substantial minutes, and young d-men Ian Cole and Mark Borowiecki are clearly ready for third pairing minutes. But the trading of Marc Staal and the pending retirement of Kimmo Timonen will leave a gap in the team’s top four, and this will need to be filled either via trade, or free agency.
While Jordon Leopold remains under contract for next season, he seems more likely to be traded than retained, simply based on his larger than can be swallowed cap number. He spent the entire season in the minors for this same cap reason.
In goal, it would seem Jimmy Howard will return as the team’s starter, perhaps facing a more meaningful challenge from long-time back-up Enroth, but at the same time, this might also be a position the Blues look to shake up.
European Players
The Blues have the rights to several prominent European players, some of whom are rumoured to return to the NHL next season. This includes Russians Alexander Burmistrov and Victor Tikhonov, and Frenchman Stephane Da Costa, all of whom played in the KHL this last season. Burmistrov seems like all but a certainty to return, while both Tikhonov and Da Costa have expressed interest in such a move. With all three being forwards however, this will just compound the imbalance the team already faces and any of these players could ultimately be a trading chip.
Blues Moves
With draft approaching, the Blues currently hold their own 1st, 2nd and 4th round picks, while also holding the Panthers 2nd round pick. It’s quite possible the Blues will makes some moves around the draft involving some of their depth, while targeting an established blueliner who has perhaps worn out his welcome elsewhere.
This brought to an end a season where the Blues squad was never quite the sum of its parts, and brought to the forefront many questions about the future of the team, in particular given the vast number of pending free agents.
Players less than two months from unrestricted free agency include Joe Thornton, Zdeno Chara, Jeff Carter, Andrew MacDonald and Eric Nystrom, and pending restricted free agents include Jonathan Toews, Cal Clutterbuck, Lars Eller and Jonas Enroth, amongst others.
While most of these players would be logical candidates to be re-signed, as a team consistently bumping into the cap ceiling, there are difficult choices to be made, some of which might be easier solved via trade.
New Arrivals
There are several players who are knocking on the door for a full-time HFNHL gig next season, including a trio of forwards led by Mark Stone, who is clearly ready for a prominent roll on the right side. With Jeff Carter and Wayne Simmonds occupying the right wing of the top two lines this past season, Stone may take a spot on a more formidable 3rd line, or perhaps Carter will be moved back to his pivot position to make room for Stone. This will depend on what happens with three prominent free agent pivots in Toews, Thornton and Eller.
Also ready for full time duty are checking center Cedric Paquette and left winger Johan Larsson, who are both likely to take a roll on a younger and more invigorated 4th line.
On the left side, Clark MacArthur and Michael Frolik will take spots on two of the top three lines, while Andrew Shaw, Patrick Eaves and Clutterbuck will help round out the bottom 6 at various spots. Kyle Chipchura is likely to return as a depth player. It is suspected Nystrom will be allowed to find employment elsewhere given the arrival of some younger and cheaper replacements.
Holes on D
While questions amongst the forwards are about too many bodies, and not enough positions, the opposite can be said for the team’s defence. A trade would seem like a logical solution to correct this imbalance.
The top three positions on the blue line are set with Zdeno Chara, Dustin Byfuglien and Roman Josi once again set to log substantial minutes, and young d-men Ian Cole and Mark Borowiecki are clearly ready for third pairing minutes. But the trading of Marc Staal and the pending retirement of Kimmo Timonen will leave a gap in the team’s top four, and this will need to be filled either via trade, or free agency.
While Jordon Leopold remains under contract for next season, he seems more likely to be traded than retained, simply based on his larger than can be swallowed cap number. He spent the entire season in the minors for this same cap reason.
In goal, it would seem Jimmy Howard will return as the team’s starter, perhaps facing a more meaningful challenge from long-time back-up Enroth, but at the same time, this might also be a position the Blues look to shake up.
European Players
The Blues have the rights to several prominent European players, some of whom are rumoured to return to the NHL next season. This includes Russians Alexander Burmistrov and Victor Tikhonov, and Frenchman Stephane Da Costa, all of whom played in the KHL this last season. Burmistrov seems like all but a certainty to return, while both Tikhonov and Da Costa have expressed interest in such a move. With all three being forwards however, this will just compound the imbalance the team already faces and any of these players could ultimately be a trading chip.
Blues Moves
With draft approaching, the Blues currently hold their own 1st, 2nd and 4th round picks, while also holding the Panthers 2nd round pick. It’s quite possible the Blues will makes some moves around the draft involving some of their depth, while targeting an established blueliner who has perhaps worn out his welcome elsewhere.
