2021-2022 S Blues Multi-Purpose Thread Part 3

[Itsnotatrap]

I am fairly confident Perunovich will carve out a solid NHL career, but I also see that our situation is particularly poorly suited for him. If you have a rock solid defensive zone specialist instead of Krug, it would be a very different story, but it’s just a little harder to shelter his weakness and leverage his strength with our current composition.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

Was right there with you after Kostin’s year after the draft. The writing was clearly on the wall.

I remember. There were only a few of us throwing shade on the Klim.

 

[ValHaller]

Not that Perunovich needs any help being bad enough defensively to not crack the roster, but it bears repeating that the biggest barrier to his opportunity on this team is Krug.

 

[BlueDream]

I'm probably more excited to watch a preseason game this year than I've ever been.

This offseason really dragged on. Glad camp is finally here.

 

[STL fan in MN]

I am fairly confident Perunovich will carve out a solid NHL career, but I also see that our situation is particularly poorly suited for him. If you have a rock solid defensive zone specialist instead of Krug, it would be a very different story, but it’s just a little harder to shelter his weakness and leverage his strength with our current composition.

This is a fair take. Agree that the way the Blues D is currently constructed makes it a bit harder for him.

But I think he can be fine paired with either Borts or Mikkola. And Faulk and Parayko will continue to get huge amounts of ice time so no reason why Perunovich can’t get the occasional shift with them as well.

We’ll soon find out if he’s able to make that step and become a contributor this season.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Looks like big opportunities for Neighbours, Alexandrov, and Leivo to prove themselves. It's normal for fringe guys to be paired with established vets to see how they stack up. Could probably say the same thing for Lyle and Tucker as they are in the running to compete with Rosen for that AHL call up spot.

 

[STL fan in MN]

Looks like big opportunities for Neighbours, Alexandrov, and Leivo to prove themselves. It's normal for fringe guys to be paired with established vets to see how they stack up. Could probably say the same thing for Lyle and Tucker as they are in the running to compete with Rosen for that AHL call up spot.

Assuming those positions are correct, the main thing I notice is Barbashev at RW. May be a clue as to what they’re thinking for the 3rd line RW spot.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Assuming those positions are correct, the main thing I notice is Barbashev at RW. May be a clue as to what they’re thinking for the 3rd line RW spot.

Possibly, but I'm not reading too much into that. Could easily just be Buchnevich is with Alexandrov and Leivo to give them good looks with a top player, and Kostin is with Acciari and Barbashev to get a good look with other established vets. It feels more like coaching staff telling Kostin we need you to play consistently with more grit, so play with these guys that bring that element.

 

[PocketNines]

Saad-ROR-Kyrou
Buchnevich-Thomas-Tarasenko
Neighbors-Schenn-Barbashev

are the top three lines I expect out of camp barring injuries

 

[Reality Czech]

This is a fair take. Agree that the way the Blues D is currently constructed makes it a bit harder for him.

But I think he can be fine paired with either Borts or Mikkola. And Faulk and Parayko will continue to get huge amounts of ice time so no reason why Perunovich can’t get the occasional shift with them as well.

We’ll soon find out if he’s able to make that step and become a contributor this season.

If Perunovich can round out his overall game, I could see him and Parayko being a good combination in the future. For now, Bortz and Mikkola will do just fine as partners. For him, it's all about getting reps and we have enough veterans to bring him along slowly. No need to rush him, he hasn't played that many professional games since leaving college due to covid and injuries.

 

[rumrokh]

If Perunovich can round out his overall game, I could see him and Parayko being a good combination in the future. For now, Bortz and Mikkola will do just fine as partners. For him, it's all about getting reps and we have enough veterans to bring him along slowly. No need to rush him, he hasn't played that many professional games since leaving college due to covid and injuries.

A Perunovich and Parayko pairing would be worse than a Krug and Parayko pairing unless Perunovich explodes.

The Risky Puck Mover + Shutdown D combo is an old NHL idea. You want Parayko doing heavy lifting with defensive zone starts and you want guys like Krug and Perunovich getting maximum offensive zone starts.

The only way that pairing makes sense is if the rest of the team, especially the other four defensemen, are so defensively reliable or are so good at puck control that you don't need to lean on Parayko for extreme shutdown duty. Otherwise, you want Parayko's partner to be someone with matching strengths rather than some theoretically complementary strengths.

 

[execwrite1]

Is the Saturday game in Phoenix on TV?

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

Also curious to see if Chief is dropping some hints early.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I don't think Schenn is lined up for the LW spot, he's definitely #3 C. Brown will just be given an opportunity to earn it, but he's shown nothing that would lead us to believe he'd get it.

The young and fringe guys are just given opportunities with vets to see how they stock up against them.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

I don't think Schenn is lined up for the LW spot, he's definitely #3 C. Brown will just be given an opportunity to earn it, but he's shown nothing that would lead us to believe he'd get it.

The young and fringe guys are just given opportunities with vets to see how they stock up against them.

I mean, he did play some wing last year, but I think that it makes the lineup better with him centering the third line. According to JR though, Brown was the first player mentioned by Army as someone who is getting every opportunity to get a top 9 spot.

Also the last part has nothing to do with my post lol. I know that top prospects and fringe guys get put with NHL’ers during camp, but that’s not what I’m discussing here. It’s about who goes next to Chief’s twosomes when camp ends.

Could Barbashev actually end up back on the fourth line? Does Brown finally get his top 9 chance?(he’s not a 4th liner)

If both of those are the case, it boils down to Neighbours/Bolduc/Kostin/Frk battling for the last top 9 spot, and Pitlick/Kostin/Walker/Leivo/Highmore for the 4th line spot. Army has basically said it’s top 9 or AHL for Neighbours.

Could this be our opening lineup to start the year?

Schenn-O’Reilly-Kyrou
Buchnevich-Thomas-Tarasenko
Saad-Brown-xxx
Barbashev-Acciari-xxx

 

[BlueDream]

I actually like the idea of Brown with Saad and Schenn. Those two can help him out defensively, and that line would provide some offense, along with having a lot of size.

The Blues could do a lot worse for a 3rd line. If Brown can round out his game just a little bit, that would give us a ton of depth and balanced firepower.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I mean, he did play some wing last year, but I think that it makes the lineup better with him centering the third line. According to JR though, Brown was the first player mentioned by Army as someone who is getting every opportunity to get a top 9 spot.

Also the last part has nothing to do with my post lol. I know that top prospects and fringe guys get put with NHL’ers during camp, but that’s not what I’m discussing here. It’s about who goes next to Chief’s twosomes when camp ends.

Could Barbashev actually end up back on the fourth line? Does Brown finally get his top 9 chance?(he’s not a 4th liner)

If both of those are the case, it boils down to Neighbours/Bolduc/Kostin/Frk battling for the last top 9 spot, and Pitlick/Kostin/Walker/Leivo/Highmore for the 4th line spot. Army has basically said it’s top 9 or AHL for Neighbours.

Could this be our opening lineup to start the year?

Schenn-O’Reilly-Kyrou
Buchnevich-Thomas-Tarasenko
Saad-Brown-xxx
Barbashev-Acciari-xxx

And I'm sure he'll play wing again at points. Brown being mentioned still doesn't mean much to me. I would have assumed he'll get every opportunity because he's similar to Kostin, where this is probably his last shot to make it. If he fails to make the 3rd line out of camp, he's essentially just a AHL tweener, and that's what I already think of him. He hasn't really shown me much of anything to think he's a NHL player.

No shit, that's why I didn't quote you, it was just in response to JR speculating that Schenn could be the LW on the ROR/Kyrou line.

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If Brown wasn't drafted 11th overall or from St. Louis, no one would care about him. He had that stretch of 6 points in 9 games, and then 5 in 30 the rest of the way.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I get the news is just heating up, but I think we are reading too much into this. Assuming the order a coach lists names off for who's competing for the 9th spot means that the 1st player said has the inside track is a bit much.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

And I'm sure he'll play wing again at points. Brown being mentioned still doesn't mean much to me. I would have assumed he'll get every opportunity because he's similar to Kostin, where this is probably his last shot to make it. If he fails to make the 3rd line out of camp, he's essentially just a AHL tweener, and that's what I already think of him. He hasn't really shown me much of anything to think he's a NHL player.

No shit, that's why I didn't quote you, it was just in response to JR speculating that Schenn could be the LW on the ROR/Kyrou line.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


If Brown wasn't drafted 11th overall or from St. Louis, no one would care about him. He had that stretch of 6 points in 9 games, and then 5 in 30 the rest of the way.

Ahhh to be fair I thought that the last part was towards me, so that’s a misread on my part.

We definitely are reading too much into things, but that just comes with the territory with the first day of camp.

I’m just curious to see how things play out by the time the season starts. Seems like it’s been a bit since we’ve had as many guys fighting for multiple spots. Our roster is usually predetermined for the most part.

 

[bleedblue1223]

So, Toropchenko was playing hurt basically all last season. Looking forward to him being healthy.

 

[PocketNines]

The player who makes the top 9 needs to make more of an impact than an injured Toropchenko had in limited minutes last year.

 

[STL fan in MN]

Yeah…I’d definitely say JR is reading too much into things based on those 2 things he said today.

Is it possible he’s geeking out over hockey being back more than we are??

 

[Blueston]

Yeah…I’d definitely say JR is reading too much into things based on those 2 things he said today.

Is it possible he’s geeking out over hockey being back more than we are??

JR misreading into what Berube or DA say? I don't believe it!

 

[Majorityof1]

Could this be our opening lineup to start the year?

Schenn-O’Reilly-Kyrou
Buchnevich-Thomas-Tarasenko
Saad-Brown-xxx
Barbashev-Acciari-xxx

I highly doubt we keep Barbashev on the 4th line at the start of the year when he is coming off the season he had, especially when that puts Brown and another in the top 9. Barby had 26 goals and 60 points. That's 5 times as many goals and 3 times as many points as Brown has in his NHL career.

We are no longer deep enough to roll 4 scoring lines. Acciari is a good 4th liner, but he puts up no offense. He's much better off anchoring a defensive 4th line. We'd be really neutering Barbashev's offense to put him with him and whatever other guy we wins that line. Given Barby was one of our best goal scorers last year and we lost goal scoring without adding any, I see no reason to put Barby with Acciari with less ice time.

If we have to go with pairs where one of our 8 best is with Acciari as the basis of our lines, I'd rather swap Saad and Barbashev, then have one of the youngsters win the top 9 RW. So we'd have an offensive line with Barby-Brown-Bolduc, and a defensive line of Sadd - Acciari - Highmore.

I don't really like that either as I'd rather have our 8 best in the top 9, with a spot for a youngster or new signing to earn.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

I highly doubt we keep Barbashev on the 4th line at the start of the year when he is coming off the season he had, especially when that puts Brown and another in the top 9. Barby had 26 goals and 60 points. That's 5 times as many goals and 3 times as many points as Brown has in his NHL career.

We are no longer deep enough to roll 4 scoring lines. Acciari is a good 4th liner, but he puts up no offense. He's much better off anchoring a defensive 4th line. We'd be really neutering Barbashev's offense to put him with him and whatever other guy we wins that line. Given Barby was one of our best goal scorers last year and we lost goal scoring without adding any, I see no reason to put Barby with Acciari with less ice time.

If we have to go with pairs where one of our 8 best is with Acciari as the basis of our lines, I'd rather swap Saad and Barbashev, then have one of the youngsters win the top 9 RW. So we'd have an offensive line with Barby-Brown-Bolduc, and a defensive line of Sadd - Acciari - Highmore.

I don't really like that either as I'd rather have our 8 best in the top 9, with a spot for a youngster or new signing to earn.

I can’t argue any of this. The only thing with Barbie is that we don’t know if that was a fluke or not. He was our worst forward in the playoffs, so who knows what Chief is thinking with him. Only time will tell.

I personally(like many others) have been anticipating the lineup below to be based around this, but we’ll just see how it shakes out.

Saad-O’Reilly-Kyrou
Buchnevich-Thomas-Tarasenko
Barbashev-Schenn-xxx
xxx-Acciari-xxx