Blues Trade Proposals Part XXX

[bleedblue1223]

If we add a high end RW, are we then legit Cup contenders?

We have Stastny (who is 31 and very likely to slow down even more, high end #2), Barbie (unproven, looking good, but probably a high end #3) and Berglund (a strong #3). What team has won a Cup with anything like that?

Is adding a center the only possible way we can improve this team?

You are making kind of a ridiculous argument here. We can make more than 1 acquisition, and we can also view Drouin as a center.

 

[BleedBlue14]

To be honest with you if we can move Fabbri in a deal for Drouin I don't think that's the worst thing that could happen to this roster especially if Drouin is comfortable at RW. Now I realize some pieces from us would more than likely have to go the other way but my god our LW group is completely fine regardless and if we have an explosive top 6 wing group of Schwartz/Steen/Tank/Drouin I'm pretty sure that would make up a lot for our lackluster top 6 center group. I don't really know how we could fit Drouin in the budget though in regards to our Cap unless Lehtera or Bouwmeester are moved. This kind of creates a hole at LW though if JBo is moved that I really don't feel comfortable with.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

If we add a high end RW, are we then legit Cup contenders?

We have Stastny (who is 31 and very likely to slow down even more, high end #2), Barbie (unproven, looking good, but probably a high end #3) and Berglund (a strong #3). What team has won a Cup with anything like that?

I guess it depends on how you feel about Toews/Handzus/Shaw/Kruger as center depth. Or Toews/Richards/Shaw/Vermette. Toews is obviously, clearly a step above anything we've got at center, but I still might take Stastny/Barbashev/Berglund/Brodziak over either of those quartets. I think it's pretty obvious that the Blackhawks have won on the backs of their wingers, defensemen, and goalies though.

 

[bleedblue1223]

We have internal fillers at RW. Center is a position where we really don't have anyone.

Look, I would love to bring in Drouin, but if it blocks our chances at getting a center, then I ask if we are better off waiting.

Some are saying he can play center, but with the gaping hole that Tampa had for most of the year, he didn't play there much. To me that raises questions. If the guy can play at the same level at center as he can on the wing, then why not play him in the position of need? Is the same as Fabbri, Schwartz, Oshie, etc. IMO. Their skills do not translate at center don't translate to the NHL as well as they do in wing. You could argue that Fabbri and Drouin haven't had the chance, but I would argue that there are good reasons that they haven't played there much.

Tampa didn't have a gaping hole at center. Filppula was producing at around a 50 point pace, they had Johnson, Point has been productive, so they've had multiple top 6 center options, and that kept Drouin on the wing.

We don't really have many good internal top 6 RW options, they are all primary LW that are being shifted over. We need more production than what Perron provides there IMO, especially if we are already getting below average production from the 2C spot. Steen, Schwartz, and Fabbri are all better as LW IMO, but sure, they are capable of playing RW.

 

[Celtic Note]

Is adding a center the only possible way we can improve this team?

You are making kind of a ridiculous argument here. We can make more than 1 acquisition, and we can also view Drouin as a center.

It certainly is not the only way to improve. But, I am not interested in improving for the sake of improving. If we are talking about the steps necessary to challenge for the Cup, then a top C is the only area where we fall short. Upgrading our wings just doesn't seem like a solution given the history of Cup winners. Even Boston had a tremendous 1-2 punch despite both being on the 1A/1B line.

My ambitions are the Cup. Just getting there would be pretty satisfying, as long as we didn't get blown out.

One and done or two and done playoffs don't really do anything for me. I have been watching the Blues do that for plenty of years.

Until we get a bare minimum of a 1B center in addition to Stastny, I am not going to feel hopelessly optimistic.

If Army had shown me any semblance of willing to make two or more moves to successfully accomplish a need, then I would be more open to Drouin. He just doesn't do well with trades.

I could see many ways where getting Drouin would work, but with Army at the helm, it is hard to see us getting Drouin and the center we need. Army is going to need to make a lot of cap and trade magic happen for that to work out.

 

[Oberyn]

Drouin is a player I've liked for a long time but it's hard to gauge what his value is. I'd have to think it begins with Fabbri.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

Swapping Fabbri for Drouin makes next to 0 sense. It's robbing Peter to pay Paul. Fabbri is a year younger (i.e. has +1 year of control on his ELC over Drouin), has basically the same production as Drouin, and is already a part of the locker room / knows the system and the players. Why would you chuck 2 years of development out the window for maybe 10 more points, assuming Drouin works here? The risk isn't worth the reward, is what I'm trying to say. Drouin as a LWer just doesn't make sense for us. Drouin as a center or RWer makes more sense.

Fabbri-Barbashev-Drouin is what we ought to be aiming for, if we're going after JD.