Speculation: How will the Blues eventually get a "true #1 center"?

[Bubblhead00]

I know it won't happen but sign Shattenkirk hope Parayko becomes or 1D and trade Pietranglo for a Draisaitl/Strome/Barkov type

 

[Stealth JD]

I know it won't happen but sign Shattenkirk hope Parayko becomes or 1D and trade Pietranglo for a Draisaitl/Strome/Barkov type

gross

 

[Renard]

Parayko should not be moved unless it's for a Barkov, Matthews or McDavid type, but those teams won't trade those players.

The guy is the best U-23 defenseman (if not, he certainly isn't far from Ekblad). He is already showing signs of being a capable #1D and the size skill and speed he brings would take a miracle to replace (he himself was a miracle). None of our prospects on defense will ever be as impactful as him at the NHL level.

As for the thread, Fabbri is our only hope. I don't think he has as many deficiencies as some claim, he always had the effort on defense and now that he's become stronger he looks a lot better. I do think he could be a very good player, a player who is serviceable defensively and can produce 65+ points and 30 goals. It's an absolute long shot for him to reach 75+ point level (essentially become the next Giroux) and I'd make no bets on it. That being said, I'm not counting him out.

It would take a rebuild for us to truly acquire that #1C unless Fabbri surpasses expectations or we end up with another Parayko miracle except with a center.

Truth is, none of us know what the future holds, so we don't really know. This is all just educated guesses.

I agree that none of our prospects figure to be as good as Parayko. So trading Parayko would be a major loss to the defensive corps. But we have some players who can make up some of the loss. But who do we have on the way to play center? Barbashev has racked up some points this year with the Wolves. But I've never seem him projected to be a number one center. Thompson is 18 years old, looking good so far, but can we count on him to develop into a number one center?

I have no idea if Fabbri can be a top centerman in the league. We haven't seen him there once.

Unless the Blues tank out for a year or two, we either have to take a big chance with Parayko, or hope for dumb luck option. Oh well, dumb luck worked with the Doug Gilmore pick.

 

[Note Worthy]

I know it won't happen but sign Shattenkirk hope Parayko becomes or 1D and trade Pietranglo for a Draisaitl/Strome/Barkov type

It won't happen and it shouldn't happen.

Pietrangelo is a franchise dman. It would be idiotic to trade him and we would instantly become a worse team.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

Strike gold in the draft

Also did Doug Weight not count?

No he does not count.

I'm very biased on this subject though. Turgeon was/is my favorite player and I was incensed they choose to let him go and I hated Doug Weight as a result. Even now, I don't like that guy.

Back to the question, it'll be through the draft or it won't happen.

 

[Brian39]

There were 13 centres who were on pace for 70 points last season (Giroux, Scheifele, Krejčí, Barkov, Tavares, Kopitar, Bäckström, Kuznetsov, Thornton, Seguin, Malkin, Crosby & McDavid).

I think what we have to take from the list is that our only chance of getting a 70 point centre is drafting him, or ripping off the Bruins.

I think this really shows how difficult it is to get a top end center outside of the draft. Only 2 of those 13 guys were acquired by trade and the Thornton deal was a dozen years ago. Most people thought Boston was making a huge mistake with Seguin, so I'm not sure you can bank on finding a guy that way.

 

[Ranksu]

There should be option for vote. "new GM".

I don't want to see Army dealing any trades in Blues. Soon as possible would be best for team before he'll make any more errors which have deep and long effects to Blues. Just fire him.

 

[izzy]

gross

Yeah seriously. There is less than a 1% chance Parayko becomes as good as Petro while they are both still in the NHL unless Petro plays way too far into old age

 

[DatDude44]

I FOUND HIM! http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=2152871

We're gonna pull a panarin with this guy but at C LOL

 

[Ranksu]

I FOUND HIM! http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=2152871

We're gonna pull a panarin with this guy but at C LOL

Only problem Chicago is gonna take him, Army isn't interesting about him. Like wasn't Panarin. LOL

 

[Cotton McKnight]

Only problem Chicago is gonna take him, Army isn't interesting about him. Like wasn't Panarin. LOL

Good job Army.

 

[JoshFromMO]

Armstrong summer '15: Bread man too small
Armstrong summer '16: signs Perron and trades for Yakupov after letting Backes and Brouwer walk

 

[Oberyn]

Armstrong summer '15: Bread man too small
Armstrong summer '16: signs Perron and trades for Yakupov after letting Backes and Brouwer walk

Perron has been one of our best forwards and is third on the team in points. I would take him over Brouwer any day.

The loss of Backes does sting, but that was expected in the short term.

 

[JoshFromMO]

Perron has been one of our best forwards and is third on the team in points. I would take him over Brouwer any day.

The loss of Backes does sting, but that was expected in the short term.

I agree every bit, it was more of a jab that he cared so much about size last summer before he realized the game is changing. I was behind the Perron signing 100%, he's a changed man since his first time here

 

[Bluesguru]

There should be option for vote. "new GM".

I don't want to see Army dealing any trades in Blues. Soon as possible would be best for team before he'll make any more errors which have deep and long effects to Blues. Just fire him.

Agreed. Army needs to go. He's hurting this franchise. Unfortunately, he won't get let go until attendance takes a dive. How long will that take and by the time it occurs, how much more damage will he have done by then?

 

[Bluesguru]

Perron has been one of our best forwards and is third on the team in points. I would take him over Brouwer any day.

The loss of Backes does sting, but that was expected in the short term.

Not a chance, Brouwer showed up big time in the playoffs last year. Had 80 hits in 20 playoff games, 7 goals, 14 points. Came out like a gang buster in a must win situation up in San Jose in Gm 4. No way is Perron capable of matching this kind of performance.

 

[Bluesnatic27]

Not a chance, Brouwer showed up big time in the playoffs last year. Had 80 hits in 20 playoff games, 7 goals, 14 points. Came out like a gang buster in a must win situation up in San Jose in Gm 4. No way is Perron capable of matching this kind of performance.

We didn't think Brouwer was capable of that performance either. Just saying.

 

[BlueDream]

We didn't think Brouwer was capable of that performance either. Just saying.

Exactly, especially considering how poor Brouwer's playoff numbers were his entire career. Perron's are at least more respectable.

Not to take anything away from Troy but Stastny and Fabbri were playing some terrific hockey. Any player who is not terrible would have put up some points with them.

Perron is easily the better player.

 

[Oberyn]

Not a chance, Brouwer showed up big time in the playoffs last year. Had 80 hits in 20 playoff games, 7 goals, 14 points. Came out like a gang buster in a must win situation up in San Jose in Gm 4. No way is Perron capable of matching this kind of performance.

Did you see Brouwer's playoff numbers prior to last year? They were awful. Nobody thought Brouwer could play like that in the postseason, but he did. I don't see how you can write off Perron putting up a similar performance.

Not to mention, how many of Brouwer's goals were simple tap ins because of great passes by Fabbri? Brouwer did well because his linemates put him in a position to succeed. He's always been a passenger on a line.

 

[TruBlu]

I think letting Brouwer walk was a good decision. Paying him what he got in Calgary would have been a BAD decision. He is not worth that kind of money. Perron will outperform him this season for much less money than what it would have cost us to keep Brouwer. Backes' loss is the one I think is felt the most. We just don't have anyone to replace what he did in the lineup.

 

[Klank Loves You]

Did you see Brouwer's playoff numbers prior to last year? They were awful. Nobody thought Brouwer could play like that in the postseason, but he did. I don't see how you can write off Perron putting up a similar performance.

Not to mention, how many of Brouwer's goals were simple tap ins because of great passes by Fabbri? Brouwer did well because his linemates put him in a position to succeed. He's always been a passenger on a line.

I agree with everything in the post, but there has to be some value for actually finishing the tap-ins. There were a lot of years where none of those tap-ins would have gone in, due to being in a Blues Uniform. The ability to overcome the Blues choking curse is a pretty valuable trait.

 

[Oberyn]

I agree with everything in the post, but there has to be some value for actually finishing the tap-ins. There were a lot of years where none of those tap-ins would have gone in, due to being in a Blues Uniform. The ability to overcome the Blues choking curse is a pretty valuable trait.

I agree. I'm not trying to devalue Brouwer's goals, just showing an example of how he wasn't really an enabler on his line. He was the beneficiary of some good passes, but credit to him for being in those positions and finishing.

 

[Nordic*]

Parayko should not be moved unless it's for a Barkov, Matthews or McDavid type, but those teams won't trade those players.

The guy is the best U-23 defenseman (if not, he certainly isn't far from Ekblad). He is already showing signs of being a capable #1D and the size skill and speed he brings would take a miracle to replace (he himself was a miracle). None of our prospects on defense will ever be as impactful as him at the NHL level.

As for the thread, Fabbri is our only hope. I don't think he has as many deficiencies as some claim, he always had the effort on defense and now that he's become stronger he looks a lot better. I do think he could be a very good player, a player who is serviceable defensively and can produce 65+ points and 30 goals. It's an absolute long shot for him to reach 75+ point level (essentially become the next Giroux) and I'd make no bets on it. That being said, I'm not counting him out.

It would take a rebuild for us to truly acquire that #1C unless Fabbri surpasses expectations or we end up with another Parayko miracle except with a center.

Truth is, none of us know what the future holds, so we don't really know. This is all just educated guesses.

Is he better than Lindholm?

 

[Stealth JD]

Is he better than Lindholm?

Who...Parayko?

They're pretty close, imo. I wouldn't trade Parayko for Lindbohm, but I'd expect Ducks fans to say the same thing. At this point Hampus is more proven...but Parayko has attributes Lindholm will never have and looks to be at least as capable defensively, but with more offensive upside. As a biased Blues' fan, I wouldn't disagree with anyone saying Parayko is the better choice now and in the future.

 

[Ranksu]

Lindbohm or Lindholm they are same.