Confirmed with Link: Blues sign NCAA FA Anton Malmstrom to entry level deal

[ezcreepin]

I only brought him up because you left him off your predicted Top 7 defencemen for The Blues to start next season. Is it realistic for them to play BOTH Lööf AND Tucker, rather than keeping Rosen and starting Lööf immediately in The NHL, without having him play a little in The AHL first? I like Rosen's play, and he seems to be improving steadily (albeit slowly). But he's proven he can play adequately on the 3rd pairing. Do you think Tucker is better than Rosen right now? Are you basing this on saving money from getting rid of Rosen's Cap hit?

My comment was more of a hope than a realistic possibility. I thought he was more seasoned and could jump in pretty soon but the thought here is that he probably needs 1-2 more years. I guess I'd be ok with Rosen being brought back, but I'd much rather a younger player deserving of that spot play instead of a guy like Rosen who is a fringe NHL'er.

Personally, I think Tucker is a more competitive option on the 3rd pair rather than Rosen. I feel like people get too amped about the goal totals in so few games, but we have a lot of puck movers as it is and Tucker is not bad either. If they explore trading Bortuzzo this offseason (I don't think they will) and move a guy like Kessel to the roster, then I think bringing back Rosen is fine, but I don't want him beating out younger competition just based on him being an older player with experience. That's just my personal preference but I'm open to changing my mind if there's a better argument.

 

[stl76]

FWIW Calle Rosen is signed with the Blues for next season at basically league min. He could always be traded or injured or something, but he’ll probably be in the line up and play some games for the Blues next season.

 

[Robb_K]

My comment was more of a hope than a realistic possibility. I thought he was more seasoned and could jump in pretty soon but the thought here is that he probably needs 1-2 more years. I guess I'd be ok with Rosen being brought back, but I'd much rather a younger player deserving of that spot play instead of a guy like Rosen who is a fringe NHL'er.

Personally, I think Tucker is a more competitive option on the 3rd pair rather than Rosen. I feel like people get too amped about the goal totals in so few games, but we have a lot of puck movers as it is and Tucker is not bad either. If they explore trading Bortuzzo this offseason (I don't think they will) and move a guy like Kessel to the roster, then I think bringing back Rosen is fine, but I don't want him beating out younger competition just based on him being an older player with experience. That's just my personal preference but I'm open to changing my mind if there's a better argument.

I just don't like trying to break in two rookie defencemen at the same on The NHL level. Pairing them together would be a mistake, hurting their chances to learn and improve (slowing their progress). Having to start one on the 2nd pairing puts him up too high, or screws up the pairings, having too many different combinations, hurting continuity, trying to keep down the 2nd shift rookie's exposure. Better to groom just one rookie (the farther along one) in The NHL, and keep the newer one in The AHL playing higher pairing minutes, getting more experience. So Tucker should start off 2023-24 with The Blues, and Lööf start at Springfield, and brought up later, after Tucker is much more comfortable and more consistent, and can be trusted more, and Lööf is more comfortable has gained much more confidence in meeting the demands of The Pro Game.

 

[ezcreepin]

I just don't like trying to break in two rookie defencemen at the same on The NHL level. Pairing them together would be a mistake, hurting their chances to learn and improve (slowing their progress). Having to start one on the 2nd pairing puts him up too high, or screws up the pairings, having too many different combinations, hurting continuity, trying to keep down the 2nd shift rookie's exposure. Better to groom just one rookie (the farther along one) in The NHL, and keep the newer one in The AHL playing higher pairing minutes, getting more experience. So Tucker should start off 2023-24 with The Blues, and Lööf start at Springfield, and brought up later, after Tucker is much more comfortable and more consistent, and can be trusted more, and Lööf is more comfortable has gained much more confidence in meeting the demands of The Pro Game.

I would generally agree with you Robb, but it is all gonna depend on what these guys look like in camp. Obviously Loof isn't signed and he may stay for a few more years, but lets say he signs, comes over, and has a great camp. I don't think it's fair to keep him off the roster just because he's a rookie; we've seen the Blues add two rookies on to a meh d-corp in recent memory.

In 2015-2016 the Blues had 4 NHL defenseman (2 legitimate top pairing guys) and 2 rookies. The rookies were Edmundson and Parayko. Now I'll give you that Edmundson played in the AHL for two seasons, but Tucker has effectively played for 2 seasons (he played there 3 years but total games equals essentially 2 years) and Loof playing against older competition for like 2.5 years. On that 2015-16 team though, only Petro and Bouw were considered top players, the others were Shattenkirk and Gunnarsson (Bortuzzo was on the team but he was the 7th d).

Obviously there's no one on the team that is as good as Petro was and no one on the left side who would be better than Bouw, but I think Leddy, Faulk, and Parayko could manage to equal those two. Shattenkirk is a wash with Krug, Bortuzzo is clearly not as good as he used to be, and then Scandella is slightly worse or on par with Gunnarsson. I think you could be fine with two rookies unless the other option is to go and get a guy in a trade or free agency, but admittedly my scenario rests on a guy like Loof being ready to go pro.

 

[STL fan in MN]

FWIW Calle Rosen is signed with the Blues for next season at basically league min. He could always be traded or injured or something, but he’ll probably be in the line up and play some games for the Blues next season.

His cap hit next season will actually be slightly less than league minimum.

League minimum goes up $25k next season ($750k to $775k) and on his 2 year deal, he’s signed to league min for both years. So the AAV is just the average. Doubt that $12,500 is really going to make a difference but it’s an interesting instance as I doubt there will be many players with AAVs under $775k next season.

 

[Robb_K]

I would generally agree with you Robb, but it is all gonna depend on what these guys look like in camp. Obviously Loof isn't signed and he may stay for a few more years, but lets say he signs, comes over, and has a great camp. I don't think it's fair to keep him off the roster just because he's a rookie; we've seen the Blues add two rookies on to a meh d-corp in recent memory.

In 2015-2016 the Blues had 4 NHL defenseman (2 legitimate top pairing guys) and 2 rookies. The rookies were Edmundson and Parayko. Now I'll give you that Edmundson played in the AHL for two seasons, but Tucker has effectively played for 2 seasons (he played there 3 years but total games equals essentially 2 years) and Loof playing against older competition for like 2.5 years. On that 2015-16 team though, only Petro and Bouw were considered top players, the others were Shattenkirk and Gunnarsson (Bortuzzo was on the team but he was the 7th d).

Obviously there's no one on the team that is as good as Petro was and no one on the left side who would be better than Bouw, but I think Leddy, Faulk, and Parayko could manage to equal those two. Shattenkirk is a wash with Krug, Bortuzzo is clearly not as good as he used to be, and then Scandella is slightly worse or on par with Gunnarsson. I think you could be fine with two rookies unless the other option is to go and get a guy in a trade or free agency, but admittedly my scenario rests on a guy like Loof being ready to go pro.

Yes, I agree that it will depend upon whether or not Lööf is NHL-ready. Personally, whether or not he's been recently been playing in Sweden's top or #2 pro league, or juniors, I'd want him to play for a month or 2 in The AHL, because The European game is very different from The North American game, because of its wider rinks. It's more of a slower play developing east-west game, as opposed to NA's quick transition, north-south game. I hsaven't heard that Lööf is some super Phenom, that should be an all-star in ANY league. But all that will be decided from his play in Camp and pre-season games. I really hope Army can get Krug shipped off before next season starts, and he can add a very solid 1st pairing D-Man.

 

[Renard]

Seems like how he is billed but sounds like he's a bit of a project:

"The hulking 6’4″ defenseman from Österhaninge, Sweden, is an undrafted free agent signing out of Bowling Green State University, one of the first college signings of the 2023 season. Andy Strickland of Bally Sports Midwest reported last month that Malmstrom was drawing some NHL interest and named the Blues as the frontrunner to sign him after he attended their development camp in 2022.

This season with Bowling Green, Malmstrom served as an alternate captain and registered three goals and six points in 33 contests, along with a -8 rating. Those both were career-highs for Malmstrom at Bowling Green, and even considering his junior production in Sweden, his point production has never been where you’d expect an NHL-level prospect to be. Even if his defensive game is the appeal behind his signing, Malmstrom must work on his offensive awareness in Springfield for a shot at the NHL."

I like the description of the guy as "hulking."

I imagine him warning opposing players not to make him mad, they wouldn't like him when he is mad.