Half-Assed GDT: Game 4

[Louie the Blue]

Damn I forgot we even had him....

It goes to show how much of a crapshoot it is evaluating goalies.

I think Armstrong is a good GM, but how he's handled the goalie situation the past decade has been without a plan for the most part.

Halak was supposed to be the #1, ended up being a good tandem goalie. Lucked into Elliott. Miller trade back fired without long term consequence. Allen didn't inherit the throne like everyone wanted him to. Binnington was never really given a shot until Allen's backup played like crap after letting Hutton leave.

If I were a GM, I'd just draft a goalie once every 2 years or so and hope one develops. The Blues spent a lot of capital hoping to find one and investing a significant amount in a position with such variability in performance (see: Luongo, Schneider, Bobrovsky, etc) typically doesn't make up for the value given up.

 

[simon IC]

Somebody has to go, possibly two. I would honestly rather see any one or two of Allen, Bozak, Steen, Tarasenko, Schwartz, Dunn or Faulk leave than see Pietrangelo walk.

 

[izzy]

It goes to show how much of a crapshoot it is evaluating goalies.

I think Armstrong is a good GM, but how he's handled the goalie situation the past decade has been without a plan for the most part.

Halak was supposed to be the #1, ended up being a good tandem goalie. Lucked into Elliott. Miller trade back fired without long term consequence. Allen didn't inherit the throne like everyone wanted him to. Binnington was never really given a shot until Allen's backup played like crap after letting Hutton leave.

If I were a GM, I'd just draft a goalie once every 2 years or so and hope one develops. The Blues spent a lot of capital hoping to find one and investing a significant amount in a position with such variability in performance (see: Luongo, Schneider, Bobrovsky, etc) typically doesn't make up for the value given up.

should be taking a goalie every year with a pick outside of the first 2 rounds (unless theres a close to sure thing) as they are essentially a gamble

 

[Louie the Blue]

should be taking a goalie every year with a pick outside of the first 2 rounds (unless theres a close to sure thing) as they are essentially a gamble

Only reason I didn't say every year is because of the possibility of there not being enough spots in the minors for development of said goalies(which is what happened to Binnington).

 

[izzy]

Only reason I didn't say every year is because of the possibility of there not being enough spots in the minors for development of said goalies(which is what happened to Binnington).

i think it would happen enough that they bust within a year or two that it wouldnt be an issue

2 of the 4 goalies between Binnington and Hofer picks didnt even make it past juniors and Fitzpatrick is starting to look like a waste of even an echl spot

 

[kimzey59]

should be taking a goalie every year with a pick outside of the first 2 rounds (unless theres a close to sure thing) as they are essentially a gamble

There's not enough spots to go around to pick a goalie every year.
I agree you should pick goalies on regular basis, but I think if you go too far over 3 goalies every 5 years you run into the AHL log-jam issue. You need to stagger things to where ELC's run out right as the next batch is ready to hit the AHL.

 

[Louie the Blue]

I also don't think there's any point to sign a FA goalie as more than a AHL starter/3rd string goalie-which is what Elliott was initially brought into to do.

Going back to 2000 here are the SC winning goalies:

Brodeur(Drafted by the team he won the cup on-Devils)
Roy(HoFer that was acquired for peanuts because of a toxic situation-Avalanche)
Hasek(HoFer signed in FA)
Osgood(Drafted by the team he won the cup on- Redwings, though came back from FA)
Fleury(Drafted by the team he won the cup on-Penguins)
Crawford(Drafted by the team he won the cup on-Blackhawks)
Quick(Drafted by the team he won the cup-on Kings)
Ward(Drafted by the team he won the cup on-Hurricanes)
Giguere(Acquired by Ducks via trade when he was 23)
Murray(Drafted by the team he won the cup on-Penguins)
Holtby(Drafted by the team he won the cup on-Capitals)
Binnington(Drafted by the team he won the cup on-Blues)

 

[mk80]

Ignore the tweet caption... this is the mentality of the Blues the last two games!

 

[izzy]

There's not enough spots to go around to pick a goalie every year.
I agree you should pick goalies on regular basis, but I think if you go too far over 3 goalies every 5 years you run into the AHL log-jam issue. You need to stagger things to where ELC's run out right as the next batch is ready to hit the AHL.

see post above yours, a decent amount of drafted goalies dont make the echl/ahl

 

[Linkens Mastery]

The Schwartz-ROR-Perron line is just disgusting. Those 3 and Schenn and Thomas should be part of the core for a long long time. If Tarasenko can get his feet back I would add him there too, but he definitely holds the most value on our team. Im just worried about him.

 

[Nederlander]

The Schwartz-ROR-Perron line is just disgusting. Those 3 and Schenn and Thomas should be part of the core for a long long time. If Tarasenko can get his feet back I would add him there too, but he definitely holds the most value on our team. Im just worried about him.

Yeah, a lot of people hating on Schwartz, saying trade him, he's looked damn good the last couple of games on that ROR line.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Yeah, a lot of people hating on Schwartz, saying trade him, he's looked damn good the last couple of games on that ROR line.

Schwartz, Schenn, ROR, and Perron are playoff performers. They just have that extra gear. Just like Pietrangelo and Parayko.

 

[simon IC]

Yeah, a lot of people hating on Schwartz, saying trade him, he's looked damn good the last couple of games on that ROR line.

I can think of one or two that have actually called for him to be traded because of his play. I wouldn't call that a lot. I can think of a few more, including myself, that like Schwartz, but said that they would consider trading him if it meant keeping Pietrangelo. That is not really hating on him.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

I honestly think someone like Stone or Gallagher would fit this team more than Tarasenko. But that's just me.

 

[execwrite1]

Here's the plan - Allen wins Game 5, then we get ready for Game 6.

That's all that matters now.

 

[Zezel’s Pretzels]

It's not about being fair to anyone, it's all about the ratings.

The two smallest markets are playing at noon on a weekday, and the two biggest have the prime EST draw. Playing the Canucks late makes it prime time for that market, which is about the best the NHL can do to maximize their overall ratings.

Oh, I get it - it just sucks

 

[Chet Manly]

The Schwartz-ROR-Perron line is just disgusting. Those 3 and Schenn and Thomas should be part of the core for a long long time. If Tarasenko can get his feet back I would add him there too, but he definitely holds the most value on our team. Im just worried about him.

I just wish Thomas would trust his shot more. Spends a little too much time skating around trying to find the perfect pass. Take a rip kid, see what happens!

....Also cost me $75 last night.....

 

[Chet Manly]

I also need to type out an apology letter to Faulk.

Last night was probably the best game he's played in a blue note. Rock solid all night.

Oh, and Roussell is a giant bitch.

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

I also need to type out an apology letter to Faulk.

Last night was probably the best game he's played in a blue note. Rock solid all night.

Been trying to tell people to be patient. Hopefully this trend he’s on continues.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I also need to type out an apology letter to Faulk.

Last night was probably the best game he's played in a blue note. Rock solid all night.

Oh, and Roussell is a giant bitch.

If people are apologizing to Faulk, they need to apologize to Armstrong too.

 

[Chet Manly]

If people are apologizing to Faulk, they need to apologize to Armstrong too.

I already wrote that letter after he fleeced Buffalo 2 years ago.

 

[Stlblue50]

Binnington was 25 and was bypassed by Husso, to the point they loaned him to the Bruins' AHL affiliate. He was comparable to Husso in AHL performance relative to work load, though Husso had 1 down season.

This is all on Armstrong for having such a terrible plan for goaltending. Unless he signed the worst backup available with the plan to send him down if he didn’t become another Elliott or Hutton.

Binnington also put up really strong numbers everywhere he played. The organization was always high on Husso for whatever reason.

 

[Stlblue50]

If people are apologizing to Faulk, they need to apologize to Armstrong too.

Let’s calm down a bit, it’s been two games...played in front of zero fans.

 

[Oberyn]

Blues are so fun to watch when they get their groove going. Wearing down the opposition and giving their D no room to breath. I counted so many instances last night where the Blues forechecker either stripped the D of the puck or forced a turnover due to the pressure.

Also the Schwartz-ROR-Perron line is absolute money. Three workhorses cycling the puck on a string. I can't believe Schwartz only has 2 goals in 7 games but the points will come if that line stays together.

 

[MissouriMook]

Steen needs to retire. Hire him for front office.

If he's truly hurt and perhaps ready to hang them up, this is a perfectly feasible scenario. He's only owed $3.5M for next season despite his cap hit. If he retires, 100% of the cap hit drops off but he forfeits the salary. Hire him for the coaching staff or in a front office/scouting role for the same money spread over a longer period of time and he doesn't have to walk away from any money at all. Perfectly legit under the terms of the CBA.