Blues Discussion Thread 2018-2019 - Part II

[Dbrownss]

Never watched Seinfeld?

Nope.

 

[Ranksu]

Nope.

 

[Majorityof1]

B-but, what if Jake sees the squirrel? (Waiting to see if Majority of One gets the reference)

?????????

 

[Chojin]

With Schmaltz signed for $700k, and he and Barbashev being subject to waivers, here's how I see the opening-day roster:

FORWARDS (13)
Right wing: V. Tarasenko ($7,500,000) - D. Perron ($4,000,000) - P. Maroon ($1,750,000) - D. Jaskin ($1,100,000)
Centre: R. O'Reilly ($7,500,000) - B. Schenn ($5,125,000) - T. Bozak ($5,000,000) - R. Thomas ($894,166) - I. Barbashev ($741,667)
Left wing: R. Fabbri ($925,000) - J. Schwartz ($5,350,000) - A. Steen ($5,750,000) - N. Soshnikov ($800,000)

DEFENSE (8)
Right: A. Pietrangelo ($6,500,000) - C. Parayko ($5,500,000) - R. Bortuzzo ($1,150,000) - J. Schmaltz ($700,000)
Left: J. Edmundson ($3,000,000) - V. Dunn ($722,500) - J. Bouwmeester ($5,400,000) - C. Gunnarsson ($2,900,000)

GOALTENDER (2)
J. Allen ($4,350,000) - C. Johnson ($1,750,000)

DETAILS
Roster Size: 23
NHL Salary Cap: $79,500,000
Bonus Overages: $150,988
Cap Hit: $78,559,321
Cap Space: $940,679

If Gunnarson or Bouw aren't healthy to start the season, they can go on IR and we can then call up a 14th forward, probably Thorburn. Once Gunnarson is healthy, I expect him to be traded for a mid-late pick.

 

[Beauterham]

If Gunnarson or Bouw aren't healthy to start the season, they can go on IR and we can then call up a 14th forward, probably Thorburn. Once Gunnarson is healthy, I expect him to be traded for a mid-late pick.

You're probably right. But to be honest, I really hope we can waive Thorburn after training camp. Don't get me wrong, I love his character but I'd rather have someone that is better offensively who's able to rotate for a spot (for 40-ish games a year) with Jaskin, Soshnikov, Thomas, Barbashev and Fabbri. With our forward depth and prospects under contract I'd rather run someone like Blais or Sanford on that extra roster spot then a guy like Thorburn, who although likable, is a huge offensive black hole. But I also know that guys like Blais and Sanford need to earn their spot.

 

[Chojin]

You're probably right. But to be honest, I really hope we can waive Thorburn after training camp. Don't get me wrong, I love his character but I'd rather have someone that is better offensively who's able to rotate for a spot (for 40-ish games a year) with Jaskin, Soshnikov, Thomas, Barbashev and Fabbri. With our forward depth and prospects under contract I'd rather run someone like Blais or Sanford on that extra roster spot then a guy like Thorburn, who although likable, is a huge offensive black hole. But I also know that guys like Blais and Sanford need to earn their spot.

I'd rather Blais and Sanford play big minutes in the AHL than sit in the press box in the NHL. That's probably what Thorburn is best at anyway.

 

[Brockon]

If this roster remains overall healthy and Allen is at least league average. Yet Blues faulter again, I can see Yeo's days become numbered. If that did happen, I would like to see Alain Vigneault. I like his style and could see the offense being more lethal running his system.

AV's failure to adapt to the other team's changes during the course of a playoff series would be incredibly frustrating to watch. AV is another Boudreau in my eyes, great in the regular season but sub par when it comes to the post season.

I watched a lot of Canucks games living several hundred kilometres north of Vancouver. His up tempo game likely plays well to our roster composition, to get us a good seed in the playoffs but his failure to adjust through playoff series would be our undoing.

 

[STL fan in MN]

I guess I’d just be surprised if the Blues kept 8 D and not 14 F, even with Schmaltz now waiver eligible. At least with that being the long-term plan anyway. I could see it being a short-term plan if the plan also included trying to move one of the lesser d-men (likely Gunnar or Schmaltz) to try to not lose one via waivers.

 

[Beauterham]

I'd rather Blais and Sanford play big minutes in the AHL than sit in the press box in the NHL. That's probably what Thorburn is best at anyway.

Depends on the amount of minutes. If the Blues are only going to keep Blais/Sanford/whoever in the pressbox for 80% of the games, I'd totally agree with you and rather give a guy like Nolan/Thorburn/Sunqvist that spot. But if you rotate them with a couple of guys and are able to guarantee they will get up to 40-50+ games a season I'd rather go Blais/Sanford.
I know 40/50+ games seems like a lot, but we will have the occasional injury while I wouldn't mind sitting young guys like Thomas and Fabbri now and then to keep them fresh and fit.

But as I said, they need to earn their spot. Can't wait for the season to start.

 

[PiggySmalls]

So it begins.

 

[The Note in MI]

So it begins.

Wtf bro.

Convenient that he can’t be compared to Husso.

 

[stlbluz]

Maybe it wasn't a phycologist that he was seeing but rather a chiropractor.

 

[Dbrownss]

Quick, someone post the Husso death star gif! Husso's ensuring his NHL spot

 

[Captain Creampuff]

So it begins.

Said it all last season. Allen is Halak 2.0

 

[izzy]

what is up w this team lmao

 

[Mike Liut]

Blues current roster and prospect pool vs Toronto. Who’d you take?

 

[bleedblue1223]

Blues current roster and prospect pool vs Toronto. Who’d you take?

Toronto.

 

[Majorityof1]

So it begins.

If 14 days is accurate, Allen will be back for first game of the season. He could even get some action in the last pre-season game. I'd like for him to get more pre-season practice to knock rust off, but its not crucial. Its non-news right now. Husso will get a few more looks in pre-season which is good. If this becomes an ongoing issue for Allen, it becomes more troublesome.

 

[bleedblue1223]

If 14 days is accurate, Allen will be back for first game of the season. He could even get some action in the last pre-season game. I'd like for him to get more pre-season practice to knock rust off, but its not crucial. Its non-news right now. Husso will get a few more looks in pre-season which is good. If this becomes an ongoing issue for Allen, it becomes more troublesome.

Or depending on Husso or Johnson, more convenient.

 

[shpongle falls]

Allen should be taking lots of Magnesium to help with those spasms. Also don't like that Foley has concussion issues this early in his career.

 

[Majorityof1]

Or depending on Husso or Johnson, more convenient.

Moving a $4.5M contract for a inconsistent goalie with high-end upside is difficult. Moving a $4.5M contract for a athletic goalie with a broken back is impossible. Troubelsome either way. If Husso or Johnson earned it, they would get the playing time regardless of if Allen was healthy or not, per your line of reasoning on Rattie/Schmaltz. But a bad back will make Allen harder to move, and give him no shot to find consistency himself.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Moving a $4.5M contract for a inconsistent goalie with high-end upside is difficult. Moving a $4.5M contract for a athletic goalie with a broken back is impossible. Troubelsome either way. If Husso or Johnson earned it, they would get the playing time regardless of if Allen was healthy or not, per your line of reasoning on Rattie/Schmaltz. But a bad back will make Allen harder to move, and give him no shot to find consistency himself.

Nothing in my post did I mention moving Allen, just the possibility of one of the other goalies playing more if they earn it.

Allen is already unmovable. If he was a free agent, he'd get a deal like Lehner's.

 

[Kind Sir]

Maybe Brodeur is painting his barn....

 

[PiggySmalls]

I thought Husso had an excellent camp last year and more play time this pre-season is good for him. Only goalies at start of camp will now be Johnson, Husso, Binnington, Fitzpatrick, and Hofler. This is an great opportunity for Husso/Binnington to make a statement.

 

[BlueDream]

For the love of god...

Like others have said it's really not a big deal, I think we'd have a good enough team to get off to a good start even with Johnson/Husso in net but back spasms are something that could be a lingering issue so that better not be the case.

In other news, has Luke Opilka ever been healthy? Jeez it sounds like that kid is constantly on IR. He has zero future.