Speculation: Friedman: Blues not happy with Tarasenko?

[STLBloosiers]

http://www.todaysslapshot.com/from-the-ice/friedman-wonders-about-tarasenkos-future-blues/

Interesting article....

I have heard he has been playing well over playing weight, as the season has gone on. That is fine and all when you lose out in the first round and he tears it up. However, if he is not hurt you can really tell he has ran out of gas.


Not to mention vladdy needs to figure out how to score besides using this wrist shot. Said it last night look at Pavelski:

Tips pucks

One timers

Slap shots

Goes to the hard areas to score


All of these are traits vladdy really doesn't do, which amazes me that he scores 40 without doing these often.

Click to read more...

 

[Dbrownss]

Copied from other thread

It's absolutely insane that were having this conversation. Tarasenko is literally the last player thought I would think this would happen to. Never before did I question him. Always found an excuse to make for him..... but they need him now, and he's paid to be the player they want/need. No excuses unless he has a broken ****ing wrist.


Tarasenko does have a bigger bag of tricks but it's just not his game. The only one that's an issue now is not going to the hard areas and he's being too stationary. He can absolutely tip pucks, his one timer isn't amazing but when he gets it off, it's an laser. As for slap shots...doesn't need one when his wrist shot is almost as fast

 

[STLBloosiers]

Copied from other thread

It's absolutely insane that were having this conversation. Tarasenko is literally the last player thought I would think this would happen to. Never before did I question him. Always found an excuse to make for him..... but they need him now, and he's paid to be the player they want/need. No excuses unless he has a broken ****ing wrist.


Tarasenko does have a bigger bag of tricks but it's just not his game. The only one that's an issue now is not going to the hard areas and he's being too stationary. He can absolutely tip pucks, his one timer isn't amazing but when he gets it off, it's an laser. As for slap shots...doesn't need one when his wrist shot is almost as fast

Guess I meant his one-time slap shot is pretty piss poor


Feel like the guy you're paying this much should be able to do it.

Kucherov, OVI, stammer etc

Are all scoring at least 10 plus goals a year of those type of shots alone

 

[taylord22]

I'm frustrated with him right now. Big time. It's concerning.

However, it's equally concerning that "very quietly all year, there have been rumblings that they haven’t been satisfied with him."

Not satisfied with the skater that kept the team afloat during the first half of the season? I suppose this could be in regard to his lack of engagement on the defensive side of the puck, but if it's true, this organization really needs to check themselves. Sometimes you have to take what you're given. And when you're given 40 goals (the bulk of which are 5 on 5 and timely) you shouldn't act terribly sour about not getting 100% of what you're asking.

 

[Overkamp]

I love conjecture and hyperbole. Those guys in Calgary are bored these days.

Half this team hasn't shown up this series. Goaltending has been suspect. End of story.

 

[STLBloosiers]

I love conjecture and hyperbole. Those guys in Calgary are bored these days.

Half this team hasn't shown up this series. Goaltending has been suspect. End of story.

Actually it was Elliotte Friedman who said it. He's not from Calgary. He's one of the best in the biz when it comes to breaking stories etc

 

[izzy]

He keeps putting on weight and muscle every offseason and it's obviously hurting his conditioning and evasiveness.

 

[Overkamp]

Actually it was Elliotte Friedman who said it. He's not from Calgary. He's one of the best in the biz when it comes to breaking stories etc

I meant Toronto. Apologies.

Friedman loves to dig up dirt about all teams except Edmonton and Toronto. Those are his teams.

Just read his archives, podcasts. He's a rumor guy.

McKenzie and Dreger are best in the biz. Friedman is one of dozens of hockey hacks.

This is pure conjecture. Nothing less. Nothing more.

 

[Mad Brills*]

Dreger are best in the biz.

As a leafs fan, that's laughable. Dreger is a shill.

 

[Oberyn]

I meant Toronto. Apologies.

Friedman loves to dig up dirt about all teams except Edmonton and Toronto. Those are his teams.

Just read his archives, podcasts. He's a rumor guy.

McKenzie and Dreger are best in the biz. Friedman is one of dozens of hockey hacks.

This is pure conjecture. Nothing less. Nothing more.

Dreger is best in the business but Friedman is a hack? Dreger only has the inside scoop on Toronto cause he's related to Dave Nonis.

 

[Pyromaniac]

Dreger is best in the business but Friedman is a hack? Dreger only has the inside scoop on Toronto cause he's related to Dave Nonis.

Nonis is in Anaheim now.

 

[Stealth JD]

I'm convinced he's hurting. Physically...not the team.

Wouldn't surprise me to find out he's got an off-season surgery in his future.

 

[Oberyn]

Nonis is in Anaheim now.

Yes and he was with Toronto for most of his executive career.

 

[Pyromaniac]

Yes and he was with Toronto for most of his executive career.

My point is Dreger lost his connection with Nonis. The info that he puts out there is still reliable. Friedman does a lot of speculating, there have multiple instances where teams have called him to debunk his "rumours", most recently with Phoenix and Vancouver.

 

[Mike Martin]

I meant Toronto. Apologies.

Friedman loves to dig up dirt about all teams except Edmonton and Toronto. Those are his teams.

Just read his archives, podcasts. He's a rumor guy.

McKenzie and Dreger are best in the biz. Friedman is one of dozens of hockey hacks.

This is pure conjecture. Nothing less. Nothing more.

Friedman has a job to do, he doesn't have his own team, there's no secret conspiracy theory against certain teams or against your Blues.

 

[Evocable Manager]

I don't know who comes up with these ridiculous articles, but my God you'd think they'd do their research before stupid crap like this:
Has been good? No, but anyone remember that hit Hjalmarsson laid on him? Hasn't been the same since. I'd assume hes hurt, but even hurt I'll agree he should be better.

Hes obviously part of our future, otherwise as a 23 year old, we wouldn't sign him for 8 years. He had a career high in goals and points, and our team was better, considering the injuries. Since 2014 he leads the league in 5v5 pts/60, yes the NHL. He hit 40 goals, without a #1 center, those who did had one. Take him out and were probably not even a playoff team. And when he mentioned "3rd round and he hasn't played a role" yea so what if he was playing like Tarasenko does? Doubt we'd be in the 3rd round, we'd be waiting for Pittsburgh vs Tampa to end, beating Hawks in 5, Stars in 6 and Sharks in 6-7.

Trading him doesn't benefit us at all. Maybe we get the 1C, but who'd that 1C play with?

Tarasenko is being traded? Kiss my ass. Cause Edmonton ain't trading McDavid.

 

[Mike Martin]

My point is Dreger lost his connection with Nonis. The info that he puts out there is still reliable. Friedman does a lot of speculating, there have multiple instances where teams have called him to debunk his "rumours", most recently with Phoenix and Vancouver.

I've seen teams and players "debunk" plenty of rumors which end up being proven true like when Ryan Kesler denied asking to be traded from Vancouver, but of course he was traded a few months later thus proving he wasn't being honest. Generally on this board what I've seen over the years is that fans of a certain team want to believe rumors that make them feel good while automatically opposing rumors which make them feel bad. So in this case Blues fans don't want to believe there's tension between the Blues and Tarasenko so they attack Friedman's character.

 

[BlueDream]

Lol at calling Friedman a hack.

People just believe what they want to believe. Unless it's McKenzie, they will trash the guy unless the rumor favors his or her team/player. Yawn.

 

[Evocable Manager]

Lol at calling Friedman a hack.

People just believe what they want to believe. Unless it's McKenzie, they will trash the guy unless the rumor favors his or her team/player. Yawn.

How does trading Tarasenko benefit us? In any regard?

 

[BlueDream]

How does trading Tarasenko benefit us? In any regard?

I never said it did.

 

[Stealth JD]

How does trading Tarasenko benefit us? In any regard?

You could make an argument for trading Tarasenko to Toronto for the #1OA, receiving payroll flexibility for the next 3 years, and receiving a potential PPG, franchise-center. Might not help immediately, but could be an improvement long-term, trading a 40-30-70 winger for a 30-50-80 center.

 

[STL fan in MN]

What a bunch of crap. I'm a little perturbed with Tarasenko but to speculate that perhaps the Blues should trade him is absolute crap.

 

[GoldenSeal]

Tarasenko's problem is easy to figure out: He just became a dad and has been trying to spend time with his newborn and play playoff hockey. In short, he's fatigued and it really shows.

I'd be less concerned with his performance and more concerned with this team's sense of resolve. It comes and goes so much the team should be tested for bipolar disorder.

 

[Oberyn]

Why do people act like Tarasenko has only been bad in the playoffs? He's been awful since December of last year, so all these excuses about having a baby or taking hits from Chicago don't mean anything when he's been playing like crap for 6 months now.

 

[GoldenSeal]

Why do people act like Tarasenko has only been bad in the playoffs? He's been awful since December of last year, so all these excuses about having a baby or taking hits from Chicago don't mean anything when he's been playing like crap for 6 months now.

That can be said for pretty much every player on this team, with exception.