GDT: Defending Stanley Cup Champs St. Louis Blues vs. Chicago |The Rivalry Continues|

[tfriede2]

And one of Dunn or Faulk will be exposed if we resign Petro. We have lots of good players and will lose 1. That sucks but much better than having team where you don’t have enough good player that this will be an issue.

Faulk is good? Heh. Things could change, but that’s our best case scenario if Seattle takes Faulk.

 

[Spektre]

Well I guess it’s time for desert ((reading the Hawks GDT))

 

[Mike Liut]

Faulk is good? Heh. Things could change, but that’s our best case scenario if Seattle takes Faulk.

I like Faulk, But if we re-sign Petro, I’d entice Seattle with a 2nd pick to take Faulk.

 

[Blueston]

Eh, a few teams traded lower picks to entice Vegas to select a certain player - Islanders, TB, Carolina did just fine.

Islanders traded 1st and 2nd round picks to Vegas. But yeah, if we could give them a 5th to dictate who they take sure.

 

[Blueston]

Faulk is good? Heh. Things could change, but that’s our best case scenario if Seattle takes Faulk.

Let’s not let a rocky transition period overcome half dozen years as quality defenseman. He would be big loss.

 

[Thallis]

Let’s not let a rocky transition period overcome half dozen years as quality defenseman. He would be big loss.

Faulk has always been a mediocre defenseman

 

[Blueston]

Faulk has always been a mediocre defenseman

If by mediocre you mean he’s never been among truly elite, sure. But he’s been top pairing guy most of his career and still would be on many teams.

 

[WATTAGE4451]

Blais’ game is built for the playoffs. I’m sitting Bozak.

Blais has not produced that much since he came back from injury. Bozak provides secondary scoring as he is tied for 6th on team in goals.

Additionally, im not sure why bozak would be man out for blais when steen is still in lineip

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I’m not quite sure who comes out for Tarasenko. Probably Blais, but Steen would get some days off too.

Sanford’s finishing ability is what distinguishes him. Berube seems to have had a vision of Sanford as a power forward type. And I’ll be damned if I’m not starting to think he can pull it off.

 

[Dbrownss]

If by mediocre you mean he’s never been among truly elite, sure. But he’s been top pairing guy most of his career and still would be on many teams.

He was a top pairing dman prior to Slavin-Hamilton/Pesce. There's a reason he was pushed out of Carolina.

He's not a top pairing dman outside of being Carolina's only option for awhile.

 

[Dbrownss]

I’m not quite sure who comes out for Tarasenko. Probably Blais, but Steen would get some days off too.

Sanford’s finishing ability is what distinguishes him. Berube seems to have had a vision of Sanford as a power forward type. And I’ll be damned if I’m not starting to think he can pull it off.

Turns out Army and Berube>>>>>Fans.

Sanford has just been really solid and can break a game open.

 

[ezcreepin]

Turns out Army and Berube>>>>>Fans.

Sanford has just been really solid and can break a game open.

It was never that he couldn't do it, it's that he wasn't doing it. You don't get a free pass just because you're big and can shoot the puck, you've got to be able to put the work in and make things happen, even if it's uncomfortable for you. Rattie was touted as having a good shot, and proved it in the A. He came up and just couldn't play the game he needed to and that's why he's not in the league anymore. Sanford has more tools and has found a way to put it together. There's no doubt in my mind I would've liked Sanford in the lineup if he showed he had promise, but he has horrible consistency issues. We can all laugh and say told you so, but HE had to prove it.

I must say though, I really believe that Binnington just doesn't care about stats, which is saying a lot. If I were a player, I'd be so laser focused on how many points in a year I had, or in this context, what my sv% and gaa were. Binnington seems to only care about winning, and that's, to me, why he is so successful. Battles hard, gives the team a chance to win almost every game he's in, and the team is rewarded for it.

 

[Blueston]

He was a top pairing dman prior to Slavin-Hamilton/Pesce. There's a reason he was pushed out of Carolina.

He's not a top pairing dman outside of being Carolina's only option for awhile.

He was basically always top pairing in Carolina. He was pushed out bc of $. He was 2nd to Slavin in ice time each of last 3 seasons, 1st for both seasons prior, and in fact, he was either 1st or 2nd in ice time every single season he was there.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

We’ve never seen Sanford playing with this much confidence. The whole team has a swagger, even when they lose. It’s got to be annoying to opposing teams and fans. I don’t know if they can do it again, but I like their defense of the Cup this season. It’s been a very respectable effort.

 

[Dbrownss]

He was basically always top pairing in Carolina. He was pushed out bc of $. He was 2nd to Slavin in ice time each of last 3 seasons, 1st for both seasons prior, and in fact, he was either 1st or 2nd in ice time every single season he was there.

Interesting. I didn't look up TOI but going off of what Cane fans were saying.

With that said, I still dont think he's a true top pairing guy. He can log the minutes, cant deny that.

 

[simon IC]

Let’s not let a rocky transition period overcome half dozen years as quality defenseman. He would be big loss.

Last season was the first time in his entire career that his +/- was a plus. The seasons prior to that included a -22 and a -19. He can put up points but he can't defend.

 

[JoshFromMO]

Last season was the first time in his entire career that his +/- was a plus. The seasons prior to that included a -22 and a -19. He can put up points but he can't defend.

I don't think that matters much when you are on a bad team. O'Reilly had a career -60 and won a Selke after coming here

 

[stl76]

Last season was the first time in his entire career that his +/- was a plus. The seasons prior to that included a -22 and a -19. He can put up points but he can't defend.

It's not that Faulk can't defend, it's just that he is HYPER aggressive when defending. He constantly attacks/pressures the puck carrier when he defends. A lot of the time it works, but when it doesn't it looks really bad. That's my opinion anyway.

After watching a lot of Faulk this season, my summation of his play in one word: aggressive.

 

[ezcreepin]

It's not that Faulk can't defend, it's just that he is HYPER aggressive when defending. He constantly attacks/pressures the puck carrier when he defends. A lot of the time it works, but when it doesn't it looks really bad. That's my opinion anyway.

After watching a lot of Faulk this season, my summation of his play in one word: aggressive.

Yea I get that sense too. It's not a good or bad thing, just a stylistic way to play that has made him successful. He may not read as well as Bouw or Parayko or have their stick checking, but he can definitely separate players from the puck. As long as he has support, the right play will be made coming out of the zone. I'd say the reason Parayko seems to be more successful (other than being smarter defensively) is that he can check the puck away from guys, and with his great skating and puck handling skills, get the puck out of the quickly. I can't tell you how to defend, what strategy to implement, or anything else to do with hockey, but I hope I can at least make good guesses as to why players are successful or not.

 

[Novacain]

I miss this board when every god damned conversation didn’t turn into Faulk discussion.

 

[Meatball]

Robert Thomas made the GWG happen. We are so lucky, it's a joke.

 

[simon IC]

It's not that Faulk can't defend, it's just that he is HYPER aggressive when defending. He constantly attacks/pressures the puck carrier when he defends. A lot of the time it works, but when it doesn't it looks really bad. That's my opinion anyway.

After watching a lot of Faulk this season, my summation of his play in one word: aggressive.

A very astute observation! I agree with you 100%. Where we differ, is that my own observation is that Faulk's defending style fails more than it succeeds. In fact, I would go as far as to say he is twice as likely to fail. In hounding the puck carrier, he is often taking himself out of position. If he fails to separate the puck from the opposing forward, and the play continues into the Blues zone, he is helpless and often looks like he has absolutely no clue as to where to be. He is very, very poor at anticipating where the puck carriers team-mates are going to be, largely because he is focusing on the puck. In other words , he has difficulty reading a play. His rushing, aggressive style might be more effective in a "run and gun" system as opposed to the tight checking, defense first type system of the Blues. I think he is a bit lost when he is asked to participate in a more carefully executed transition game.

 

[Robb_K]

Tarasenko, ROR, Thomas, Schenn, Sundqvist, Perron?, Sanford?
Schwartz will be UFA and need not be protected (unless extended prior to the draft). Kyrou, Barby & Blais are the vulnerable selections, unless you swap Perron for youth.

The Blues could choose to protect only 3 defencemen, then they can protect 8 forwards. But if they protect Pietrangelo, Parayko, and Dunn, then they could lose Faulk or Scandella. But, IF they make a deal with Seattle, up front, for them to draft Faulk, they can assure keeping Scandella, Barbashev, and Blais. If Pietrangelo IS staying (and I think he will be), The Blues probably couldn't pay all 3 of him, Parayko, and Faulk, in any case. From what I've seen, I think Scandella is the better player, and the better fit with The Blues' team, and Berube's system.

 

[Meatball]

I miss this board when every god damned conversation didn’t turn into Faulk discussion.

I mean, he scored. We won. He's awesome.

 

[Ranksu]

Faulk 3:55 icetime at PK. 3 goals let at PK. Great job coaching staff. How about use Gunnar at PK instead of our worst defensive dmen. Gunnar had only 1:39 at PK. I understand Pietro and Parayko minutes at PK will increase at playoffs, so they get sheltered icetime at regular season. Try to keep them fresh. But I rather see Gunnar play as much as possible at PK not Faulk. That kid doesnt learn how to defend age of 27.