Injury Report: 2019-2020 Injury Report

[Majorityof1]

For all the people wanting a trade to replace Tarasenko. what are we trading? Do we really want to trade more futures for a regular season stop-gap that we can't afford to re-sign? Sure, if we get Taylor Hall, we will be in a great position to repeat if Tarasenko comes back. But at what cost? We already let one of our top 3 prospects go for Faulk. Our cupboard is thin as is. I just don't think its worth giving away futures to replace a guy in the regular season. Even a pending UFA will be too much, as the teams will try to trade their UFA somewhere with a hope to re-sign him, thus raising the price.

 

[BlueMed]

I would have to think that Tarasenko will be ready by the stanley cup finals at the latest. Then, the big question is, can we get out of the western conference without him? I think we're still better than Nashville seeing as how they still don't have a real game breaking forward at the moment either. Colorado doesn't have the depth or defense to really compete. Winnipeg lost their defense. Vegas is a good team and probably our best competition, but even their defensemen are still questionable.

 

[simon IC]

Who cares if we could have fit him under the cap 'at the time' if we then can't field a roster. You don't go into a season with 6 D. There was no chance whatsoever that we were going to roll Bo, Dunn and Gunnar as our only 3 LD without bringing in another D to supplement Petro, Parayko and Bortzo on the right side. We were never going to just not sign Sanford, Fabbri, Sunny and Barby. And yes, believe it or not players go to lesser teams where they have opportunity to play larger roles all the time.

Count me down as a hard pass on Faulk, Kyrou and a 1st for Hall. Anyone advocating for that is living in EA fantasy land. Anyone wanting to do that would want to do that ight now regardless of whether Connolly was on the roster. He has had a great start to his season, but he also has a career high of 46 points. People willing to sell the farm for Hall aren't going to be suddenly unwilling to do so because we have an additional quality middle 6er.

I don't understand the bolded, Brian. Are you saying that this was Armstrongs intent, or are you saying that this was the direction the Blues needed to go in? Why not go into the season with the six defensemen that you mentioned? Aren't Borgman and Pouliot the guys that could have filled in in case of injuries? Our RD of Pietro, Parry and Bortz helped us win a cup, and we didn't have any RD insurance then. I just don't understand why it was necessary to trade for and then sign Faulk.

 

[Bluesguru]

For all the people wanting a trade to replace Tarasenko. what are we trading? Do we really want to trade more futures for a regular season stop-gap that we can't afford to re-sign? Sure, if we get Taylor Hall, we will be in a great position to repeat if Tarasenko comes back. But at what cost? We already let one of our top 3 prospects go for Faulk. Our cupboard is thin as is. I just don't think its worth giving away futures to replace a guy in the regular season. Even a pending UFA will be too much, as the teams will try to trade their UFA somewhere with a hope to re-sign him, thus raising the price.

If Fabbri had bounced back to the player he previously was, that would of helped a lot to offset the loss of Tank. But that looks like it isn’t happening.

Can Army free up some cap and sign Vanek for 700K? If he’s still in the market to find a team, he would be the most cost effective purchase without yielding an asset.

 

[DoubleK81]

To the couple of posters that have mentioned Tarasenko's recovery time, have you seen something that has definitively stated his injury, and repair procedure? I haven't been able to find anything that says other than upper body injury/left shoulder, or surgery scheduled for the 29th.

 

[Zizzle]

Let's see Gunderson has been banged up. Steen was hurt Sunday too. High time for Sanford and Fabbri to pick it up big time. It seems as though both Sunquist and Blais have been banged up too. Hopefully they are fine as well as Steen.

 

[Renard]

I don't think we need to panic. I would move Schenn to right wing to take Tarasenko's place, and play Robert Thomas at center.

In my view, Thomas is a future star in the NHL. We need him now. He is still inexperienced, and will make his mistakes, but by March of 2020 he will be much improved.

 

[Stealth JD]

For all the people wanting a trade to replace Tarasenko. what are we trading? Do we really want to trade more futures for a regular season stop-gap that we can't afford to re-sign? Sure, if we get Taylor Hall, we will be in a great position to repeat if Tarasenko comes back. But at what cost? We already let one of our top 3 prospects go for Faulk. Our cupboard is thin as is. I just don't think its worth giving away futures to replace a guy in the regular season. Even a pending UFA will be too much, as the teams will try to trade their UFA somewhere with a hope to re-sign him, thus raising the price.

Futures are over-rated. Flags fly forever.
This scouting staff has proven repeatedly to be able to find players in the 2nd, 3rd...6th! rounds of the amateur draft. I remember the 80's and 90's (and early '00's) when the Blues didn't even have prospects...or at least ones worth a crap. And they still iced competitive, contending clubs. Sure, the salary structures are different in the cap-world...but the NHL-roster is stacked, and the pipeline should be used primarily as a way to supplement the big club at this point. If we were in a rebuild, I'd be worried about the state of the farm...but there are probably only openings for 1 or 2 guys each season, and there won't be any shortage of guys wanting to play for a Cup-contender for at or below market.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

I would be willing to move Kyrou only if we could get a player of Hall’s caliber extended as part of the deal.

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

Hi. President of the Kyrou fan club. Sayer of things like "Kyrou is Barzal-lite".

Kyrou for an extended Hall you make 10/10, but it's likely that won't be needed/be an option due to cap issues.

That said, I do think we make a strong play for Hall. The history is there, and Army always (eventually) gets his man, for better or worse. See: ROR, Schenn, JBo, Miller. Army is not a guy to shy away from a big trade either (EJ). I think we see a lot of smoke, and I think if a deal does get made to bring Hall to the Lou that it costs less than some might think.

 

[DeuceNine]

Hi. President of the Kyrou fan club. Sayer of things like "Kyrou is Barzal-lite".

Kyrou for an extended Hall you make 10/10, but it's likely that won't be needed/be an option due to cap issues.

That said, I do think we make a strong play for Hall. The history is there, and Army always (eventually) gets his man, for better or worse. See: ROR, Schenn, JBo, Miller. Army is not a guy to shy away from a big trade either (EJ). I think we see a lot of smoke, and I think if a deal does get made to bring Hall to the Lou that it costs less than some might think.

I have yet to see Army make a trade we didn't benefit from. I don't view trades as a "win"/loss" thing because to me, unless you're trading within the division, the best trades are reciprocal. The only thing I care about is, does it help us? Really, the only 50/50 trade was the Miller deal, but at the time, it was clear Halak was not loving it here and was made of glass at the wrong time. With a Cup (really two if you count Dallas), it's clear Army knows what he's doing. Getting Hall for nearly any prospect package (because obviously NJ needs that) to me is worth it.

 

[Blanick]

Ok I decided to take a day to let the Tarasenko news settle. It is very upsetting but I really think the best course of action is to do nothing. Let Vkadi properly rehab his shoulder and let the young kids fight over the spot. I just think this is the most rational way to go. Our prospect pool isn't very deep and is something we are going to need to re stock over the next few years. The idea of clearing out the last few valuable pieces for a forward like Hall seems like a bad idea. You have to consider that there is no way we would be able to re sign him to a new deal after this year. So while yes Hall>Kyrou and a 1st in a vacuum it is a very shortsighted way of viewing things.

I think once Blais is healthy you move him back with Perron and O'Reilly. Then we keep Schenn at center and have Berube sit down with Fabbri, Sanford and Thomas and let them know that this unfortunate situation is a huge opportunity for them and one of them needs to step up and seize it.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I feel bad for Vlad, but I find I can’t feel bad about this season. I’m hopeful the team will be able to play well without him. But if they falter and he can’t return in time to help, I don’t mind much. The Cup win satiated something inside that would normally be depressed about this news.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

I feel bad for Vlad, but I find I can’t feel bad about this season. I’m hopeful the team will be able to play well without him. But if they falter and he can’t return in time to help, I don’t mind much. The Cup win satiated something inside that would normally be depressed about this news.

On top of all that, there’s something about having won the cup that gives me a feeling of “someone will step up”. Not that we’ll replace him but I’m not panicking.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

On board the No Panic Train.

Sucks to lose Vladi, but this could be just what the doctor ordered.

Guys will step up and the team will gel and play hard.

I’m not worried at all.

 

[MissouriMook]

I'm curious to see what effect, if any, this injury has on the Petro negotiations. Does Army try to accelerate the process so he knows more about his cap structure next season before moving forward with a potential replacement for Tarasenko for this season? Or does he take even more of a wait and see approach given that he now has even more variables about the future of the current core? Are the two things even connected?

 

[Majorityof1]

Futures are over-rated. Flags fly forever.
This scouting staff has proven repeatedly to be able to find players in the 2nd, 3rd...6th! rounds of the amateur draft. I remember the 80's and 90's (and early '00's) when the Blues didn't even have prospects...or at least ones worth a crap. And they still iced competitive, contending clubs. Sure, the salary structures are different in the cap-world...but the NHL-roster is stacked, and the pipeline should be used primarily as a way to supplement the big club at this point. If we were in a rebuild, I'd be worried about the state of the farm...but there are probably only openings for 1 or 2 guys each season, and there won't be any shortage of guys wanting to play for a Cup-contender for at or below market.

Where are all these great late rounders filling out our roster? If we are so good at it, why don't we just promote one of those late round steals instead of trading for someone else's draft pick?

Our roster when healthy:

1st round (17) - Trade (10) - 1st rnd (91)
6th rnd (9) - Trade (90) - 1st/FA (57)
1st rnd (15) - Trade (21) - 1st rnd (18)
2nd rd (49) - Trade (70) - Trade (20)

3rd rnd (55) - 1st rnd (27)
Trade (19) - Trade (72)
2nd rd ( 29) - Trade (41)

Scratches: Trade (4), Trade (12), 3rd rnd (28)

So 5 of our 21 skaters are our own picks, 2nd or later. Of those 5, one is a 4th liner and one is a healthy scratch. Barbashev was a super early 2nd rounder, almost a first. Without trading for a pick, we won't pick that early in the 2nd. Blais is a 2nd liner only because he fits that spot. He hasn't put up 2nd line numbers over a season yet. We have a few in the system who might become NHLers, but none look like potential world beaters aside from another early 2nd in Kyrou.

I don't even think we have traded away any non firsts that became big contributors. Lehtera, Jaskin, Reaves and Edmundson are really the most only notable non-first round skaters we have drafted over the past 15 years not listed above. Like 9 of our 80+ skater picks became regular NHLers and only Parayko would be considered a strong top 4/6 option. Given all the picks we have had in that time, that's not a good percentage to count on to say we can trade away our promising prospects and high-round picks willy-nilly for a regular season stop-gap that's a one year rental.

 

[67Blues]

I can't see them giving up another 1st rounder in a knee jerk trade. If they do, that will mean that we won't have a drafted first rounder that the organization since Thomas/Kostin until 2021. That is a long time to go without a first rounder in our development pipeline.

The Cup brings them some goodwill and patience this season. Let the kids play and see where we are and need to go forward.

 

[Blueston]

Where are all these great late rounders filling out our roster? If we are so good at it, why don't we just promote one of those late round steals instead of trading for someone else's draft pick?

Our roster when healthy:

1st round (17) - Trade (10) - 1st rnd (91)
6th rnd (9) - Trade (90) - 1st/FA (57)
1st rnd (15) - Trade (21) - 1st rnd (18)
2nd rd (49) - Trade (70) - Trade (20)

3rd rnd (55) - 1st rnd (27)
Trade (19) - Trade (72)
2nd rd ( 29) - Trade (41)

Scratches: Trade (4), Trade (12), 3rd rnd (28)

So 5 of our 21 skaters are our own picks, 2nd or later. Of those 5, one is a 4th liner and one is a healthy scratch. Barbashev was a super early 2nd rounder, almost a first. Without trading for a pick, we won't pick that early in the 2nd. Blais is a 2nd liner only because he fits that spot. He hasn't put up 2nd line numbers over a season yet. We have a few in the system who might become NHLers, but none look like potential world beaters aside from another early 2nd in Kyrou.

I don't even think we have traded away any non firsts that became big contributors. Lehtera, Jaskin, Reaves and Edmundson are really the most only notable non-first round skaters we have drafted over the past 15 years not listed above. Like 9 of our 80+ skater picks became regular NHLers and only Parayko would be considered a strong top 4/6 option. Given all the picks we have had in that time, that's not a good percentage to count on to say we can trade away our promising prospects and high-round picks willy-nilly for a regular season stop-gap that's a one year rental.

This is excellent point, Parayko, Binnington, and Blais are only guys we have drafted after 2nd round in past decade that have contributed at all.

 

[Stealth JD]

Where are all these great late rounders filling out our roster? If we are so good at it, why don't we just promote one of those late round steals instead of trading for someone else's draft pick?

Our roster when healthy:

1st round (17) - Trade (10) - 1st rnd (91)
6th rnd (9) - Trade (90) - 1st/FA (57)
1st rnd (15) - Trade (21) - 1st rnd (18)
2nd rd (49) - Trade (70) - Trade (20)

3rd rnd (55) - 1st rnd (27)
Trade (19) - Trade (72)
2nd rd ( 29) - Trade (41)

Scratches: Trade (4), Trade (12), 3rd rnd (28)

So 5 of our 21 skaters are our own picks, 2nd or later. Of those 5, one is a 4th liner and one is a healthy scratch. Barbashev was a super early 2nd rounder, almost a first. Without trading for a pick, we won't pick that early in the 2nd. Blais is a 2nd liner only because he fits that spot. He hasn't put up 2nd line numbers over a season yet. We have a few in the system who might become NHLers, but none look like potential world beaters aside from another early 2nd in Kyrou.

I don't even think we have traded away any non firsts that became big contributors. Lehtera, Jaskin, Reaves and Edmundson are really the most only notable non-first round skaters we have drafted over the past 15 years not listed above. Like 9 of our 80+ skater picks became regular NHLers and only Parayko would be considered a strong top 4/6 option. Given all the picks we have had in that time, that's not a good percentage to count on to say we can trade away our promising prospects and high-round picks willy-nilly for a regular season stop-gap that's a one year rental.

you've already got your stars for the next 3-4 years...pretty much all locked up. all you need is competent, cheap bottom of the lineup guys at that point. Seems reasonable to be able to expect your farm-system to fill in those gaps.

the immediate problem would be how to pay Dunn, Thomas or even Blais if you try to add yet another $9M player into the roster. Tampa can do it, so I don't see why the Blues can't too. Hypothetically, it could be done, but it would require Armstrong pull some Exec-of-the-Year type of shit. Let's assume the cap for next season (2020-2021) is $83.5M, a $2M raise from this year:

Schwartz-Schenn-Tarasenk0: $20.5M (already accounts for Schwartz' extension and raise to match Schenn's rate)
Hall-ROR-Perron: $21.5M (assumes $10M to Hall)
Blais-Thomas-Sundqvist: $5M (Blais and Thomas get RFA-screwed for the next cpl years)
Barbashev/Sanford/MacMac/Fabbri: $4.7M
Forwards: $51.7M

Gunnar-Petro: $10.8M (The Cap'n gets $9.1M)
Faulk-Parayko: $12.0M
Mikkola/Borgman-Bortuzzo: $2.2M
7th D: $0.8
Defense: $25.8

Binny: $4.4
Backup: $1.6
Goaltending: $6M

Grand total: $83.5M

With Seattle coming and the new TV deal, hopefully the next bump in cap will cover the raise that will be due to Binnington and then Parayko. The biggest casualty would be Dunn, who'd have to be traded to New Jersey as part of the package...which may or may not save you Kyrou or the 1st as part of the deal, which would then be able to backfill the eventual departures as youngster need raises or veteran salary gets shipped out. In this scenario, you've also managed to trade Steen, Bozak & Allen with no retention or cap-penalties, so, like I said...EOTY stuff would need to happen.

 

[MissouriMook]

you've already got your stars for the next 3-4 years...pretty much all locked up. all you need is competent, cheap bottom of the lineup guys at that point. Seems reasonable to be able to expect your farm-system to fill in those gaps.

the immediate problem would be how to pay Dunn, Thomas or even Blais if you try to add yet another $9M player into the roster. Tampa can do it, so I don't see why the Blues can't too. Hypothetically, it could be done, but it would require Armstrong pull some Exec-of-the-Year type of ****. Let's assume the cap for next season (2020-2021) is $83.5M, a $2M raise from this year:

Schwartz-Schenn-Tarasenk0: $20.5M (already accounts for Schwartz' extension and raise to match Schenn's rate)
Hall-ROR-Perron: $21.5M (assumes $10M to Hall)
Blais-Thomas-Sundqvist: $5M (Blais and Thomas get screwed for the next cpl years)
Barbashev/Sanford/MacMac/Fabbri: $4.7M
Forwards: $51.7M

Gunnar-Petro: $10.8M (The Cap'n gets $9.1M)
Faulk-Parayko: $12.0M
Mikkola/Borgman-Bortuzzo: $2.2M
7th D: $0.8
Defense: $25.8

Binny: $4.4
Backup: $1.6
Goaltending: $6M

Grand total: $83.5M

With Seattle coming and the new TV deal, hopefully the next bump in cap will cover the raise that will be due to Binnington and then Parayko. The biggest casualty would be Dunn, who'd have to be traded to New Jersey as part of the package...which may or may not save you Kyrou or the 1st as part of the deal, which would then be able to backfill the eventual departures as youngster need raises or veteran salary gets shipped out.

I don't see a scenario on D where Dunn ends up being the odd man out and all three of Petro, Parayko and Faulk are still here. More likely that Petro walks or they trade Faulk. Doing either actually helps the money in your scenario, though losing Petro would certainly make us a worse team.

 

[Stealth JD]

I don't see a scenario on D where Dunn ends up being the odd man out and all three of Petro, Parayko and Faulk are still here. More likely that Petro walks or they trade Faulk. Doing either actually helps the money in your scenario, though losing Petro would certainly make us a worse team.

I dunno. If New Jersey demands him as part of a deal that includes a Hall-extension, I don't hate it. Afterall, he's still sheltered with his defensive assignments and Faulk's addition should offset his lost offsense. Seems to me the Blues have already decided on the 3-headed RHD monster (assuming Petro is re-signed). Can't keep everyone; and with Dunn looking like he could turn into a $6M-$7M defender long-term why not sell him before you have to give him away in a cap-crunch?

The other thing to consider is the expansion draft. If you can only keep 3D, one of those four guys is out the door anyway. I'd rather trade one, than have one plucked for nothing. And Faulk can't be traded, soooo...

NJ fans have clamored for a LHD, so if that's Shero's priority too, it shouldn't be off the table.

 

[Brian39]

I don't understand the bolded, Brian. Are you saying that this was Armstrongs intent, or are you saying that this was the direction the Blues needed to go in? Why not go into the season with the six defensemen that you mentioned? Aren't Borgman and Pouliot the guys that could have filled in in case of injuries? Our RD of Pietro, Parry and Bortz helped us win a cup, and we didn't have any RD insurance then. I just don't understand why it was necessary to trade for and then sign Faulk.

He was saying we could have fit Conolley's contract under the roster, but only if we rolled those 6 D men as our everyday D men AND didn't roster a 7th D man. I'm not saying it was necessary to acquire Faulk. I'm saying that the logic of fitting a forward under the cap at the expense of not having any cap space to handle short term injuries is insane.

 

[Ranksu]

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Sounds like Walker has earned the call up.