Confirmed with Link: Scandella signs 4 year deal ($3.275m AAV)

[Em etah Eh]

Actually Parayko is one of the best defensemen in the league according to EH's metrics, especially defensively.

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At one point he broke the chart his defense was so good.
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But yes J-Bo has not been good over the past few years:
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Scandella is definitely an upgrade on Bouwmeester, that's for sure.

As for his time in Minnesota, he definitely used to be a lot better, but he was also a lot younger and so it's likely that he's declined since then (especially since his metrics since the 2016/2017 have continued to go down).

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As for his time in just St. Louis, I don't have that in chart form but the data is available so I'll just provide that:

RAPM	GF/60	xGF/60	CF/60	xGA/60	CA/60
Marco Scandella	0.008	0.039	-0.33	-0.101	-1.92

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

So from just his time in St. Louis he was good defensively and fine offensively, but it's a sample of only 11 games and 189 minutes so it's not really a lot to be confident about. I get why people in this thread are sold on Scandella, he looked good with the Blues and the results support that, but keep in mind he had years of poor results prior to arriving in St. Louis, so it's definitely very risky to bet on his St. Louis performance being the norm.

Well, the team he is on for the foreseeable future is the blues, so I wouldn't be surprised if he performs better for the next couple of years than he did on such wonderful teams like the Habs or Sabres. Sometimes it helps to not have to shoulder more weight than you are capable of. And I honestly haven't looked at who he was partnered with or anything on those teams, but all I'm saying is that playing for a team that knows how to play a system, can definitely turn a career around. It's a small sample size, but he did fit like a glove in Jaybo's absence and looks to be the exact piece we need on the left side next to Parayko.

 

[Blueston]

Well, the team he is on for the foreseeable future is the blues, so I wouldn't be surprised if he performs better for the next couple of years than he did on such wonderful teams like the Habs or Sabres. Sometimes it helps to not have to shoulder more weight than you are capable of. And I honestly haven't looked at who he was partnered with or anything on those teams, but all I'm saying is that playing for a team that knows how to play a system, can definitely turn a career around. It's a small sample size, but he did fit like a glove in Jaybo's absence and looks to be the exact piece we need on the left side next to Parayko.

This rings true. And notice that we acquired him to fill a specific need, playing a role he was comfortable with, playing with maybe best defensive defenseman in league. Contrast that with Faulk who we acquired without having specific need, an undefined role, shuffling partners, often playing his off side which he had rarely done. Is it any surprise that Scandella looked great and Faulk often struggled? Many here are so eager to dump Faulk, but seems like if we can get him defined role that suits his game, he too can thrive.

 

[Robb_K]

Well, the team he is on for the foreseeable future is the blues, so I wouldn't be surprised if he performs better for the next couple of years than he did on such wonderful teams like the Habs or Sabres. Sometimes it helps to not have to shoulder more weight than you are capable of. And I honestly haven't looked at who he was partnered with or anything on those teams, but all I'm saying is that playing for a team that knows how to play a system, can definitely turn a career around. It's a small sample size, but he did fit like a glove in Jaybo's absence and looks to be the exact piece we need on the left side next to Parayko.

Naturally, a defenceman's numbers, and a goaltender's numbers are going to look significantly better when the players with whom he is playing on his shifts are playing better, and playing more poised and confidently because they know the system, and the system works, and they KNOW it works. Many defencemen who had mundane, or even below average defensive stats have come to The Blues, and had a few years of good stats that made them look like solid defenders, and then get traded to another "run and gun" team, and their stats make them look like they can't play the position. That's why so many fans are down on Faulk, because his stats even with the Blues fairly good system, are still weak. But, naturally, he's going to have better stats when he has a solid defender playing next to him, than he would with a less responsible shiftmate, and forwards who don't backcheck.

 

[simon IC]

I love this guys attitude! He's a keeper.

 

[StLewis11]

Besides the cap, couldn't the expansion draft also be a possible factor? We may lose someone from the roster, which could free up more money for a Pietrangelo contract, or am I wrong?

 

[Brian39]

Besides the cap, couldn't the expansion draft also be a possible factor? We may lose someone from the roster, which could free up more money for a Pietrangelo contract, or am I wrong?

Long term? Yes the expansion draft could make it easier to manage the cap in a world where we have Petro at a big number.

But it doesn't help us for next season, which is the big cap crunch. The expansion draft isn't until next summer, so we have to be able to fit the first year of Petro's contract under the cap for a season before the expansion draft potentially offers some help.

 

[WATTAGE4451]

Besides the cap, couldn't the expansion draft also be a possible factor? We may lose someone from the roster, which could free up more money for a Pietrangelo contract, or am I wrong?

Expansion draft isnt this offseason, it happens after 2020-2021 season, while petro is free agent this offseason.

While itd make the future easier to deal with, it doesnt help we need to be cap compliant for next season while signing petro.

 

[GoldenSeal]

I'm so sick of hearing all of these comments about how are we going to afford Pie, we WILL take care of him if HE wants to stay in the STL. The Blues still have to fill holes and strengthen the team whether we sign Pie or not and there's enough coming off the books for us to realistically give him a blank check and say "Fill in your favorite number", which I don't think he will. If the management didn't think they couldn't sign him, he'd be gone. The truth is that we're waiting for contracts to fall off so they can clear the money to pay him. You can't tell me they don't have a handshake deal and Pie is waiting with pen in hand.

 

[Stlblue50]

I love this guys attitude! He's a keeper.

Sergio Memesso is a name out of nowhere from the past. I was young but still remember him from the Hull/Oates days. Very smart and well spoken guy, sounds like he’s on the radio side with MtL. Pretty cool to learn he’s Scandella’s uncle!

 

[Stlblue50]

I know it was only 11 games but I was really surprised to see how well he slipped into Jaybo’s spot. Those are big shoes to fill and it feels like almost every deadline pickup in the past takes a long time to adjust, if ever.

I went from worrying badly for Bo and feeling like his loss was a huge dent in the Blues repeat chances. To a void filled and seeing Jay at games was a quick turnaround mentality for the team. Too bad you know what happened because the team had something to rally around that’s for sure.

 

[Stlblue50]

. If the management didn't think they couldn't sign him, he'd be gone.

They weren’t going to trade him when you’ve been at the top of the conference all year and your top goal scorer coming back

 

[Brian39]

They weren’t going to trade him when you’ve been at the top of the conference all year and your top goal scorer coming back

Not to mention the full NTC he possesses and would have been absolutely insane to waive. Even if Petro's stance was "I hate this city/team and can't wait to get the hell out of here on July 1," it would have made zero sense for him to waive his NTC. He was in an ideal position here to keep his UFA value high. He wears the C and was 6th in NHL scoring. He was doing that on a team poised to make another deep run and in a system he is familiar with (and thrives in). The odds of him doing better personally on a new team are very, very small. Even if he was simply looking to make the most money somewhere else as a UFA, waiving his NTC would have made absolutely no sense.

Even if you make the assumption that a contract extension is 100% not happening and that the Blues 100% would prefer to trade him over using him to try and repeat, the vastly most likely outcome is that he refuses to waive his NTC and couldn't be traded.

 

[BlueDream]

Scandella is very well-spoken and has a bubbly personality. No wonder he fit into the room instantly.

I wonder what Faulk is like in the room because he doesn’t look nearly as comfortable. Maybe he’s just putting a lot of pressure on himself with the situation he was given but it’s interesting to think about.

 

[DatDude44]

Well, the team he is on for the foreseeable future is the blues, so I wouldn't be surprised if he performs better for the next couple of years than he did on such wonderful teams like the Habs or Sabres. Sometimes it helps to not have to shoulder more weight than you are capable of. And I honestly haven't looked at who he was partnered with or anything on those teams, but all I'm saying is that playing for a team that knows how to play a system, can definitely turn a career around. It's a small sample size, but he did fit like a glove in Jaybo's absence and looks to be the exact piece we need on the left side next to Parayko.

There’s a reason literally every Defenceman in buffalo is viewed as being bad defensively. Ristolainen went from being beloved to hated in the blink of an eye. They literally played a pure man-man D-Z under Housley and got absolutely exposed. Not to mention their forward group outside of eichel, reinhart and Olofsson is pretty brutal as well. Scandella type of defenceman are generally a lot more valuable on playoff teams and are generally chastized on garbage teams because they don’t provide much offense and get exposed a lot defensively due to being in a **** system with a **** team that has a **** locker room atmosphere and have to lineup against everyone else’s top lines.

it’s amazing how much a losing team in a lower end city can make guys literally depressed (see Berglund, ROR, Now Dahlin and eichel) and it obviously will effect their day to day attitudes in the room and obviously their on ice play. Not surprised scandella was absolutely rejuvenated and was absolutely fantastic in his role when he came to STL.

I’d be willing to bet if Ristolainen were traded to a better team in a better situation he’d “magically” go back to being a pretty dam good top 4D whos both physical and provides some offense

 

[WATTAGE4451]

I am glad we have scandella, he is our best defensive player on left side

 

[Stealth JD]

There’s a reason literally every Defenceman in buffalo is viewed as being bad defensively. Ristolainen went from being beloved to hated in the blink of an eye. They literally played a pure man-man D-Z under Housley and got absolutely exposed. Not to mention their forward group outside of eichel, reinhart and Olofsson is pretty brutal as well. Scandella type of defenceman are generally a lot more valuable on playoff teams and are generally chastized on garbage teams because they don’t provide much offense and get exposed a lot defensively due to being in a **** system with a **** team that has a **** locker room atmosphere and have to lineup against everyone else’s top lines.

it’s amazing how much a losing team in a lower end city can make guys literally depressed (see Berglund, ROR, Now Dahlin and eichel) and it obviously will effect their day to day attitudes in the room and obviously their on ice play. Not surprised scandella was absolutely rejuvenated and was absolutely fantastic in his role when he came to STL.

I’d be willing to bet if Ristolainen were traded to a better team in a better situation he’d “magically” go back to being a pretty dam good top 4D whos both physical and provides some offense

So if I'm hearing you correctly, you're suggesting Faulk for Risto?
Seems good to me. Blues would save $1.1M/year and the Sabres get a comparable player locked in for 5 more years than Risto.

I don't think Sabres fans would like to hear of another trade with STL though. Army did them dirty last time.

 

[DatDude44]

So if I'm hearing you correctly, you're suggesting Faulk for Risto?
Seems good to me. Blues would save $1.1M/year and the Sabres get a comparable player locked in for 5 more years than Risto.

I don't think Sabres fans would like to hear of another trade with STL though. Army did them dirty last time.

Faulk is so bad I’d do that in a heartbeat for STL. Risto 3rd pair on a great team would be sick lmao