Blues Discussion Thread 2018-2019 - Part IV

[Blueston]

It's almost like you take out your least effective forward, your worst defenseman, and a goalie who is playing terrible and team lacks confidence in and you become a totally different team.

 

[BlueDream]

Assuming Schenn returns for next game I wanna see:

Schwartz-ROR-Tarasenko
Fabbri-Thomas-Perron
Steen-Bozak-Schenn
Sanford-Barbashev-Soshnikov

Gunnar-Petro
Dunn-Parayko
Eddy-Schmaltz

Johnson

Never play Bouwmeester again. Maroon can also sit for now.

 

[Dbrownss]

Assuming Schenn returns for next game I wanna see:

Schwartz-ROR-Tarasenko
Fabbri-Thomas-Perron
Steen-Bozak-Schenn
Sanford-Barbashev-Soshnikov

Gunnar-Petro
Dunn-Parayko
Eddy-Schmaltz

Johnson

Never play Bouwmeester again. Maroon can also sit for now.

I'd swap Schenn and Perron. Nothing against DP, but I think Schenn's pace and shoot all pucks mentality would work well with those 2

 

[ScratchCatFever]

Anyone else think it might be wise to give Fabbri a night off after the game Sunday? He has looked great and I'm sure he wouldn't like it but I also think he's smart enough to understand the reasoning behind it. Hopefully Yeo goes with the same lineup we had for SJ against Minnesota and then possibly reinsert Maroon for the Chicago game where hopefully he'll bring an edge to his game after sitting two straight. (Assuming that happens)

 

[Dbrownss]

Anyone else think it might be wise to give Fabbri a night off after the game Sunday? He has looked great and I'm sure he wouldn't like it but I also think he's smart enough to understand the reasoning behind it. Hopefully Yeo goes with the same lineup we had for SJ against Minnesota and then possibly reinsert Maroon for the Chicago game where hopefully he'll bring an edge to his game after sitting two straight. (Assuming that happens)

No reason to take Fabbri out unless he's sore. He doesn't need a reset and Maroon doesn't need to be put back in. It's not a case of poor play, he's a detriment to the team

 

[i aint Dunn yet]

jake allen needs to be released ... every year he gets outplayed by a career backup ... its beyond comical at this point ...

 

[The Note]

Anyone else think it might be wise to give Fabbri a night off after the game Sunday? He has looked great and I'm sure he wouldn't like it but I also think he's smart enough to understand the reasoning behind it. Hopefully Yeo goes with the same lineup we had for SJ against Minnesota and then possibly reinsert Maroon for the Chicago game where hopefully he'll bring an edge to his game after sitting two straight. (Assuming that happens)

Unless he requests it there’s no reason to sit him. He’s the same fiesty, creative player we all came to value during his rookie year. He’s another top-6 forward and absolutely should not be benched for Maroon of all people.

 

[Edgar Carrow]

Anyone else think it might be wise to give Fabbri a night off after the game Sunday? He has looked great and I'm sure he wouldn't like it but I also think he's smart enough to understand the reasoning behind it. Hopefully Yeo goes with the same lineup we had for SJ against Minnesota and then possibly reinsert Maroon for the Chicago game where hopefully he'll bring an edge to his game after sitting two straight. (Assuming that happens)

He might be smart enough, but I guess I'm not because I don't quite understand the reasoning.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

The depth on this roster easily affords giving Fabbri (or any forward really) a maintenance day here or there. But why assume Fabbri needs one? He's just barely getting his timing and rhythm back. Playing is better than not playing for him. I'd like to see him and Thomas become a pairing that gets most of their minutes together. Not sure who the other winger should be right now.

 

[ScratchCatFever]

He might be smart enough, but I guess I'm not because I don't quite understand the reasoning.

Guess I'm just being paranoid and I don't want to see the kid experience any set backs. It's still a long season and if this team is going anywhere we'll need him at 100% for the long run.

 

[ScratchCatFever]

Unless he requests it there’s no reason to sit him. He’s the same fiesty, creative player we all came to value during his rookie year. He’s another top-6 forward and absolutely should not be benched for Maroon of all people.

I'm not suggesting anything more than a night off every few weeks. The kid is coming off two major knee surgeries and plays a hazardous style which is why we love him as a player. It's still a long season and I would just hate to see him experience any setback.

 

[SneakerPimp82]

Looking ahead to the off-season when Bouwmeester and Gunnarsson are off the books(roughly 8.7 million in cap space), which UFA forward do we realistically think the team could sign? Obviously i'm hoping for Mark Stone, he'd be an awesome complement to Tarasenko on RW, and the numbers seem to work. Skinner or Panarin would be great additions too, but with Schwartz and Fabbri on the left, there'd definitely be a logjam. My fourth choice would be one of Duchene/Simmonds/Eberle, in that order, basically a "we couldn't sign Mark Stone" consolation prize to help shore up the right side and keep this team's offense competitive.

Thoughts?

 

[simon IC]

Looking ahead to the off-season when Bouwmeester and Gunnarsson are off the books(roughly 8.7 million in cap space), which UFA forward do we realistically think the team could sign? Obviously i'm hoping for Mark Stone, he'd be an awesome complement to Tarasenko on RW, and the numbers seem to work. Skinner or Panarin would be great additions too, but with Schwartz and Fabbri on the left, there'd definitely be a logjam. My fourth choice would be one of Duchene/Simmonds/Eberle, in that order, basically a "we couldn't sign Mark Stone" consolation prize to help shore up the right side and keep this team's offense competitive.

Thoughts?

Stone would be my 1st choice too. Big, solid defensively and plays RW. There will likely be a bidding war, so, as you suggested, could we afford him? Of the remaining 3, Duchene is a C. I like him, but where do you put him? I'd like to see Thomas continue developing as a C, and ROR is obviously not moving. That leaves Schenn or Bozak moving to wing just to fit in Duchene. I love Simmonds, and he'd be a perfect 2/3 RW. My only question is, how much gas does he have left in the tank? His style of play has to have taken a toll on his body by now. Maybe if it was a short-term contract? As for Eberle, no thank you! Not under any circumstances. This team is too soft as it is. I don't want another perimeter player who actively avoids contact. These are interesting questions, should be another interesting TDL/ off-season!

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

Personally, I think our forward depth is fine, and is only going to get better with the kids getting more experience. I’d rather put money into getting a legit good starting goalie, and/or a very good LHD to boost our d corps even more(ala McDonagh to TBL).

Don’t forget, we also still have to re-sign Petro, Schenn, and I believe Schwartz fairly soon.

 

[Alklha]

Personally, I think our forward depth is fine, and is only going to get better with the kids getting more experience. I’d rather put money into getting a legit good starting goalie, and/or a very good LHD to boost our d corps even more(ala McDonagh to TBL).

Don’t forget, we also still have to re-sign Petro, Schenn, and I believe Schwartz fairly soon.

Exactly.

We have Edmundson & Fabbri (?) due their raise next season and then Pietrangelo, Schenn & Dunn the following season. We don't have any UFA's in 2020, other than Pietrangelo & Schenn, so we'll need to retain some flexibility.

If we can get a top UFA at on a reasonable contract, we'd have to do it and deal with the problems later. I just doubt we'll be in any bidding wars.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

Exactly.

We have Edmundson & Fabbri (?) due their raise next season and then Pietrangelo, Schenn & Dunn the following season. We don't have any UFA's in 2020, other than Pietrangelo & Schenn, so we'll need to retain some flexibility.

If we can get a top UFA at on a reasonable contract, we'd have to do it and deal with the problems later. I just doubt we'll be in any bidding wars.

Yep, I’d rather re-up our current guys, and leave some cap space for a potential rental at the deadline if we’re dealing with injury issues. I don’t see this team looking that much different over the next few years, and that’s a good thing. We are deep in legit NHL talent, and we have a deep farm system to supplement that. Army put in two offseason’s work in one this summer.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Exactly.

We have Edmundson & Fabbri (?) due their raise next season and then Pietrangelo, Schenn & Dunn the following season. We don't have any UFA's in 2020, other than Pietrangelo & Schenn, so we'll need to retain some flexibility.

If we can get a top UFA at on a reasonable contract, we'd have to do it and deal with the problems later. I just doubt we'll be in any bidding wars.

There will start to be a need to figure out who is exposed in the expansion draft. The Blues will probably be bitten that draft this time.

 

[Alklha]

There will start to be a need to figure out who is exposed in the expansion draft. The Blues will probably be bitten that draft this time.

As things stand right now we aren't in a bad position.

Protect ROR, Tarasenko, Schenn, Schwartz, Pietrangelo, Parayko, Edmundson, Dunn & Husso(?).

Everyone from the 2018 & '19 drafts are exempt, plus Thomas, Kyrou, Bokk, Kostin, Kaspick, Foley, Mikkola & Fitzpatrick.

That would mean we'd be leaving Steen, Bozak, Perron, Fabbri, Sanford, Soshnikov, Barbashev, Sundqvist, Blais, Stevens Schmaltz, Bortuzzo(?), Reinke, Walman & Allen exposed.

Fabbri is the only one there that it would probably hurt to lose, but trading a forward for good value won't be difficult to do because the vast majority of teams will protect 7+3. The problems teams had last time was they were trying to trade defensemen and the other teams didn't want to pay a high price because then they'd lose one of their top-4 guys. The team acquiring Fabbri would only be exposing a third liner at best.

That makes it easier to work a trade with Seattle because you just tell them that if we can't work out a trade then we'll move Fabbri and they'll be left picking from the group without him. Or, they can agree to take any other exposed player + a relatively modest sweetener.

 

[SneakerPimp82]

Exactly.

We have Edmundson & Fabbri (?) due their raise next season and then Pietrangelo, Schenn & Dunn the following season. We don't have any UFA's in 2020, other than Pietrangelo & Schenn, so we'll need to retain some flexibility.

If we can get a top UFA at on a reasonable contract, we'd have to do it and deal with the problems later. I just doubt we'll be in any bidding wars.

This is kinda what i was getting at. If you can get top flight talent and all it costs you is money and cap space(hey it's not my money, right? lol), you do your best to make it work, and save for Stone and Panarin, i don't think there'll be a bidding war for any of the other forwards that prices the Blues out of the market. We have very nice depth at the moment, no doubt, but I'm thinking of teams like Tampa, the Pens, the Caps, who have 2 or 3 Tarasenko+ caliber players on the roster, in addition to depth, and no Jake Allen holding them back. I guess you could say the addition of ROR definitely adds another Tarasenko+ caliber player to the roster who can affect the game offensively on any given shift.

But yea, depending on who gets extended during the season, it should be an interesting TDL and off-season.

 

[Evocable Manager]

The expansion draft is still a couple years away and there could be some real roster turnover.

But I don't think it'd be wise to extend Brayden Schenn unless he takes 3 years or less on his deal. If he wants (and he likely will) anything 4+, the Blues should cut ties with him.

It also might be a smart idea to take a long hard look at Kostin and consider flipping him for a LHD that around the same age that has upside and would be exempt from the expansion draft.

But that type of move would probably happen a lot closer to the actual draft.

 

[MissouriMook]

I think that the priority in the off-season, if we don’t address it in-season, is goaltending first (obviously) and then a Top 4 LHD. I don’t see a reason why we would be in the market for a UFA forward unless we’re trading a forward for a goalie or a LHD.

 

[Frenzy31]

There will start to be a need to figure out who is exposed in the expansion draft. The Blues will probably be bitten that draft this time.

Not if they play their cards correctly. Agree to a contract with Pie and schenn ahead of time and expose them both as UFAs. Seattle will not likely go that route and if both are serious about staying they would want to keep all the talent around them that is possible.

 

[BlueDream]

I can't see the Blues adding any forwards. If anything, I think they will trade away a vet forward in the Summer. Thomas and Kyrou could realistically be expected to be quality top 9 forwards next year in addition to the group we already have, so you gotta account for guys like Sanford and Barbashev who have 3rd line ability too. It's going to stay crowded, I'd say there's almost no chance the Blues add yet another player to block all of them.

Like others have said, we'll have other issues. A HUMONGOUS portion of Doug Armstrong's time next Summer should be solving the crease so we have an actual plan going into 2019 (unless he wants to accelerate that and solve it this year). This will almost certainly be the last year of Jake Allen unless he just completely changes who he is and shocks the world (unlikely). So we either have to be confident in Husso next September (which isn't looking good at the moment) or he's gotta find someone via a Halak-style trade.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Not if they play their cards correctly. Agree to a contract with Pie and schenn ahead of time and expose them both as UFAs. Seattle will not likely go that route and if both are serious about staying they would want to keep all the talent around them that is possible.

It doesn’t work like that.

 

[Frenzy31]

Enlighten me. Why doesn’t tit work like that? The expansion draft is before the draft. Expose both players as UFAs. Seattle won’t take them because they would lose that asset in under two weeks.

After the expansion draft, Blues sign both. Heck it is likely both would be signed the day of the entry draft. Allows the Blues to protect more players and have a stronger roster which would be better for both players long term abnyways