GDT: Blues @ Kings

[uncommonsense52]

I'm not a stats guy so much but are you sayin MPS deserves a three game look at least?

He deserves a few games on a line that can produce. For the entire game. On Tuesday, Paajarvi was on Tarasenko and Lehtera's line for one period, where Paajarvi had a really great chance at a goal and just missed. Then he was pretty much benched in favor of Ott for period's 2 and 3.

It's not enough to play him. Just like with Stastny this year, you need to play him in a situation where he can get acclimated to the guys he's on a line with.

 

[LGB51]

We literally just ****ing beat them. Please go "cheer" for some other team. Jesus.

Thank you MattyMo really getting tired of all the naysayers in our own ****ing fan base. We played LA even this year, first game a shutout lost in a shootout, throw that one out. We came back Tuesday and beat them by 2, they came back tonight and beat us by 2. You can't have a series any more even than that, against the cup champs I'll take it. I'm just thrilled we potted 8 on Quick, that will really boost their confidence finally scoring on him and in bulk like that.

 

[Fred Murtz]

David Backes tip in goal 1-0

 

[Alklha]

Why should that push Armstrong away from a bridge?

Assuming he finishes the season on his current pace, Tarasenko's camp is going to value any UFA year at a 50 goal/95 point player level. RFA years will be valued substantially less, because ultimately the arbitration process supports that and both sides know it. Unless Armstrong thinks Tarasenko might improve on those totals even more, a tantalizing thought that nevertheless seems improbable, Tarasenko's UFA year value doesn't really have anywhere to go but down.

With that in mind, a bridge gives Armstrong three benefits: 1) It give the Blues two years of a more manageable cap hit that allows them to move (or not move) other players based solely on desire and not financial need, 2) it gives Tarasenko's value a chance to come back to earth a bit, and 3) it delays the age at which Tarasenko hits UFA status.

I'm not sure what the upsides of a max contract is at this point, unless Tarasenko's willing to cut a deal on UFA year values in exchange for hitting UFA faster and the Blues prefer that route.

It really depends on what we see Tarasenko as and what he is looking for. If we think this is the player we can expect for the next 8 years, and Tarasenko will take a 7-8 year deal at $6.5m, you do that.

It is unlikely to make any difference to the time that he would become an UFA, unless we're willing to pay a premium (Subban). If you take a bridge, you follow it up with a 5-6 year deal (Duchene). It means he is an UFA at 30-31 and that maximises his earning potential.

 

[LGB51]

Remind me what our record at Staples Center is in the last decade.

What's it matter Boston was 0-8 against us t their house until they won this year finally, and it didn't stop them from winning a cup.

 

[kagei]

He deserves a few games on a line that can produce. For the entire game. On Tuesday, Paajarvi was on Tarasenko and Lehtera's line for one period, where Paajarvi had a really great chance at a goal and just missed. Then he was pretty much benched in favor of Ott for period's 2 and 3.

It's not enough to play him. Just like with Stastny this year, you need to play him in a situation where he can get acclimated to the guys he's on a line with.

Might as well at least try to showcase him for a trade if that becomes the case.

 

[LGB51]

We can win at home in the playoffs but don't do crap on the road.

The only time, you have to worry about must when playoff games on the road is if the other team is the bigger seed. And even still as long as you win all your home games (as the lower seed), only 1 of the 4 away games is a must win. It's not like they have to win every game at Staples or United to advance. With this team playing like I know they can, I like those odds.

 

[LGB51]

Please god let Ells come back soon.

QFT like a mother ****er.

 

[LGB51]

Because the blues always choke in the playoffs?

Jesus ****ing Christ how is losing to the defending champs, or soon to be reigning cup champs choking?? Choking is making it into the playoffs as a 1st seed, and losing to the wildcard like a Colorado, Dallas or even Minnesota. Not losing to Kings, Kings & Hawks B2B2B years.

 

[uncommonsense52]

Jesus ****ing Christ how is losing to the defending champs, or soon to be reigning cup champs choking?? Choking is making it into the playoffs as a 1st seed, and losing to the wildcard like a Colorado, Dallas or even Minnesota. Not losing to Kings, Kings & Hawks B2B2B years.

The first year we lost to the Kings, they slipped in as an 8th seed and we were considered a contender. Obviously the Kings took a lot of people by surprise that post season.

I think in general, our contender label means losing anywhere earlier than the Conference Finals leaves you vulnerable to the "choker" label. Do it three years in a row and...

 

[Meatball]

One thing I'd like to see is for our dmen to stop giving up the line so easily. Not sure if that's a player problem or a system thing.

 

[LGB51]

Starting goaltender is Elliott. He lost in the post season against the Kings.

Top 6 forward is Schwartz. He lost in the post season against the Kings.

Top 4 defender is Gunnarson. I don't see him as a difference maker.

So... no, that's not enough change for me. This team will be bounced as-is right now. Easily bounced.

Yet another person living in the past. Schwartz and Elliot are a significant level better this year then in seasons past. The amount of crow Elliot is gonna make A LOT of folks eat after this season is said and done will probably lead to the extinction of the species.

 

[kagei]

To live in the past a moment. Hitch actually made Brett Hull learn defense. One of the greatest coaching things ever.

 

[Fred Murtz]

Dmitrij Jaskin tip in goal 2-0

 

[elkranio]

.500 against dem Kings this season? I'll take it

 

[Backes to the wall]

Haven't posted in a while, but thought i'd chime in after tonight.

I don't think enough was made about the loss of Polak on our defense.
With Soby and Cracknell gone as well, our grit is basically gone.
Last I looked we were in the bottom 5 in the league for hits, and games like tonight show what can happen when a team gets super physical against us.
Our 3-0 lead was misleading. 2 of those were tip ins, but aside from that it really looked like LA was winning more of the battles.
Loved Backes/Ott/Jaskin/Berglund tonight, but it really felt like the other forwards especially Oshie and Taraseko were playing scared hockey.

I am really hoping this game sends a message to management, that the team needs a big young hungry forward to play on the wing.
I also REALLY think we need to get another Polak styled dman. Look at the cavemen that other teams are using, sure we have a ton of puck moving dmen, but they are not doing near enough to punish opposing forwards who either make their way to front of the net, or enter the zone.

I proposed trading Pietrangelo a couple weeks ago, nothing has changed in my mind. For what teams would offer us, i'd make a trade in a heartbeat if it got us back a power forward and a caveman.

 

[uncommonsense52]

Yet another person living in the past. Schwartz and Elliot are a significant level better this year then in seasons past. The amount of crow Elliot is gonna make A LOT of folks eat after this season is said and done will probably lead to the extinction of the species.

Elliott played fantastically against LA in 2013, recording just shy of a 92% save percentage and 1.90 GAA. The point is, it wasn't nearly enough to beat the Kings that series. So Even if Elliott plays out of his mind again at that level, we weren't good enough.

 

[EastonBlues22]

It really depends on what we see Tarasenko as and what he is looking for. If we think this is the player we can expect for the next 8 years, and Tarasenko will take a 7-8 year deal at $6.5m, you do that.

It is unlikely to make any difference to the time that he would become an UFA, unless we're willing to pay a premium (Subban). If you take a bridge, you follow it up with a 5-6 year deal (Duchene). It means he is an UFA at 30-31 and that maximises his earning potential.

If we're assuming ~$4.5 million average for his remaining RFA years, then an 8 x $6.5 deal is paying $8.5 million for each of his UFA years. If that's not already paying a premium for his UFA years, it's pretty darn close.

The only real risk to waiting is if the cap goes up significantly in the next year or two, which would raise the maximum contract value significantly (and thus theoretically Tarasenko's UFA year asking price, assuming no drop-off in play).

I agree that a lot is going to depend on what Tarasenko wants, which is a complete unknown. I just think a bridge makes some sense, and I wouldn't be surprised at all to see it happen.

 

[Fred Murtz]

Kevin Shattenkirk rocket slapshot PPG 3-0

 

[LGB51]

Somebody posted this in the Dwight King Scores from Center Ice thread.

The top and bottom says all you need to know

I don't understand, would you mind explaining what it means?

 

[LGB51]

X-axis is Save %
Y-axis is 5 on 5 Save %
Size of bubble is normalized # of minutes played
Color is normalized by shots faced/game
Brodeur is down at the bottom, Brian Elliott is only behind Rask

Could you simplify that a bit more, is red bad or good? Because both Brodeur and Elliot are red, or is blue bad or good? I'm literally just seeing a graph like this for the first time, so sorry for my stupidity

 

[Fred Murtz]

Dwight King kangaroo hop wrist shot goal 6-4



Kevin Shattenkirk vs Justin Williams fight St. Louis Blues vs LA

 

[EastonBlues22]

Could you simplify that a bit more, is red bad or good? Because both Brodeur and Elliot are red, or is blue bad or good? I'm literally just seeing a graph like this for the first time, so sorry for my stupidity

Circles in the upper right represent better save percentages (are good), and circles in the lower left are worse save percentages (are bad). This shows goalie performance.

Circle color is a visual representation of how many shots the goalie faces every 60 minutes...blue is more shots, and red is less shots. This gives some idea of the quality of the defense in front of the goalie.

Bigger circles represent goalies who have played more total minutes, and smaller circles represent goalies who have played less minutes. This gives some idea of relative sample size/workloads.

A lot of information crammed into a very small space.

 

[LGB51]

Elliott played fantastically against LA in 2013, recording just shy of a 92% save percentage and 1.90 GAA. The point is, it wasn't nearly enough to beat the Kings that series. So Even if Elliott plays out of his mind again at that level, we weren't good enough.

And my point is time has marched on, and Elliot has improved consistency. As well as the team who have improved their offense significantly. These last 2 games have been exactly what our offense needed, they beat Quick bad more so then the Kings beat our net minders in all 3 games played against them this year. That is a big weight lifted off their minds. Now if Pie and J-Bo would just figure out how to play D, by the time the playoff's role around, with Elliot in net we'll be in extremely good shape as a team.

 

[LGB51]

Circles in the upper right represent better save percentages (are good), and circles in the lower left are worse save percentages (are bad). This shows goalie performance.

Circle color is a visual representation of how many shots the goalie faces every 60 minutes...blue is more shots, and red is less shots. This gives some idea of the quality of the defense in front of the goalie.

Bigger circles represent goalies who have played more total minutes, and smaller circles represent goalies who have played less minutes. This gives some idea of relative sample size/workloads.

A lot of information crammed into a very small space.

Thank you Easton. Sorry you had to hold my hand through that.