Jaden Schwartz’s next contact

[Celtic Note]

That faith isn't translating to ice time beyond putting him on the top PP unit. He's been under 14 minutes in 5 of our last 7 games. Under 11 minutes as many times as he's been over 14.

I could see Hoffman embracing that role if we ensure that he doesn't have to worry about signing another contract at 34 or 35. But that's pretty limited usage for being on a coach's good side.

Edit: as a Blues fan, I'm happy with this limited usage so long as he's on the top PP unit. I'm speaking purely from the player perspective and it's rare that 30 goal guys are happy playing less than 15 minutes a night long term.

Agreed that it hasn’t translated to 5v5 minutes. But I am not terribly worried there. The Thomas line looks good and their utilization in key parts of the game seems to be better than what has been the case previously. Hoffman is part of that equation. I suspect that if they keep up that play, more minutes will come.you don’t get this coaches faith easily. It seems a slow process and one that trio seems to be making at the moment.

 

[Xerloris]

I can't see him leaving money/term on the table for those factors without assurances that he won't be moved. Which our organization doesn't do.

NTC would do the trick because let's be honest here, we're not going to send Hoffman to the AHL.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

As another poster pointed out, I feel like locker room presence and community may be a bigger deal to Hoffman than most players. After the crap his fiancee now wife was accused of and the locker room in ottowa not taking his side, he probably values being somewhere he and his wife feel comfortable.

Whether he feels that in st louis is anyone's guess but I'm sure that may play a part.

Or, he has learned not to count on that stuff and circled the wagons emotionally around his family.

 

[Brian39]

NTC would do the trick because let's be honest here, we're not going to send Hoffman to the AHL.

The NMC isn't just for protection about being sent to the AHL. It is about the threat of the team putting you on waivers and allowing you to be claimed by a team you don't want to go to. Tyler Johnson was waived this year in an attempt by the Lightning to shed his contract after he wouldn't waive his NTC. He was never sent to the AHL and has played every Lightning game but 1 this season. Having a NTC instead of a NMC put him at risk of going to a bottom feeder against his will. There is absolutely a difference between the two. There is a very real reason that Army will fairly freely give out NTCs but won't give out a NMC. Army also has a penchant to give NTCs that wane in effectiveness toward the end of the deal (see Krug, Faulk, Schenn, Binner, Steen, Bozak, etc).

We can debate about whether Army's no NMC policy is a good policy. But it is foolish to pretend like it is a meaningless distinction between a NTC and NMC.

 

[Spektre]

The more games Schwartz plays the less I would be comfortable with the Blues paying him. He’s such a non-factor in the majority of games. He had a great run with the Blues but I hope Army isn’t somehow emotionally tied to Schwartz.

 

[Chojin]

I think it's time for Schwartz to move on. An oft-injured winger exiting his prime on a team that's clearly no longer a contender is a luxury we can't afford. I have to imagine he'll be an early signing by the Kraken.

 

[TheChamber91]

I’d like to see Schwartz resign at 5-6 for 4 years and we let Bozak go. We have about 2 years after this left as contenders and I’d like to see him both on that contending team and part of the core that we can trade for prospects/use to build up younger guys like Kostin after those 2 years.

 

[TruBlu]

We are clearly not contenders. I don't think our window is officially closed, but our core is exiting its prime and we are loaded with some contracts right now that we need to start looking at moving away from to prepare for what's coming in the next few years. I see a moderate retool next year. I think it's time to start moving in some younger talent to work under ROR's leadership. In about 3 years we'll be in firesale mode with some of the anchor contracts coming due and with a need to shift to a young core. I'm a huge Schwartz fan, but I think his time here is over unless he's willing to take something in the range of 5 mil per year for 3 or 4 years. He's a half a point per game player in two of the last three years and he's not going to be trending up at this point.

 

[BuLLeT1291]

I’d like to see Schwartz resign at 5-6 for 4 years and we let Bozak go. We have about 2 years after this left as contenders and I’d like to see him both on that contending team and part of the core that we can trade for prospects/use to build up younger guys like Kostin after those 2 years.

I think you let them both go.

 

[Tryblot]

Chicago remained competitive by not giving retirement contracts to their players and moved on from them. It was cold hearted, but they won 6 championships in 6 years. The minute they gave those bloated contracts to kane, Toews, Seabrook, and Crawford they dropped like a rock.

 

[JoshFromMO]

Chicago remained competitive by not giving retirement contracts to their players and moved on from them. It was cold hearted, but they won 6 championships in 6 years. The minute they gave those bloated contracts to kane, Toews, Seabrook, and Crawford they dropped like a rock.

It was definitely 3 in 6 but I'm pretty sure Kane is still elite and Toews recently came off his best offensive season since signing it. I don't think those 2 are the problem

 

[Tryblot]

It was definitely 3 in 6 but I'm pretty sure Kane is still elite and Toews recently came off his best offensive season since signing it. I don't think those 2 are the problem

Sorry, I meant 3 in 6.

You're right, Kane is still elite, but Toews didn't play this year but my point was as they got their raises, they had less space for their depth which was why they missed the playoffs.

Giving Schwartz a raise, or a contract similar to what he's making now will be a mistake. He's not a top line player, id consider him a third line player at this point.

 

[Chojin]

Schwartz is fine, and he'll be a great fit on another team. Just not this one.

 

[mk80]

I honestly think it's time to move on from Schwartz. Any amount of money he would sign for here could be used to better upgrade our LW side behind Perron.

 

[ort]

The Blues need to go into soft rebuild mode. They aren't going to be able to compete with the new wave of contenders in the West... so it's time to start thinking long term.

Not saying they should sell the farm, but we need to accept that this team isn't a powerhouse anymore. And a few tweaks isn't going to fix that.

Once they let Petro go their window slammed shut. May as well cut ties with Schwartz as well. I loved his time here and he put in some good years, but the amount we would have to spend to retain him will not be a good investment. His best years are in the rear view mirror. He's not the kind of player who remains a force in their mid-30s. His game is too reliant on passion, tenacity and hustle... he's going to start fading fast.

 

[GoldenSeal]

We played the AVs series without most important pieces of the puzzle. The one player I would definitely shoot into the sun is Krug.

 

[Thallis]

Chicago remained competitive by not giving retirement contracts to their players and moved on from them. It was cold hearted, but they won 6 championships in 6 years. The minute they gave those bloated contracts to kane, Toews, Seabrook, and Crawford they dropped like a rock.

They didn't have to give retirement contracts because they had guys on 12 year deals off their original RFA

 

[AjaxManifesto]

We played the AVs series without most important pieces of the puzzle. The one player I would definitely shoot into the sun is Krug.

Krug is fine...I have no idea why everyone trashes the guy. He is like last year's Faulk.

You should be asking where the F was 9,10,12,13,17,18,21,91

 

[Tryblot]

They didn't have to give retirement contracts because they had guys on 12 year deals off their original RFA

What I meant was, they weren't afraid to let go of important pieces because of loyalty. They dealt a lot of good players to keep their costs down and then as soon as they started signing their guys to big money contracts, they haven't won a series since. Kane and toews' massive contracts started in 15-16, they lost to the blues that year. Then they lost to the preds the next year and then started missing the playoffs completely.

My point is, is Schwartz isn't who he was 4-5 years ago and if he wants a raise, or a big contract, I just don't see it going well at all.

 

[Thallis]

What I meant was, they weren't afraid to let go of important pieces because of loyalty. They dealt a lot of good players to keep their costs down and then as soon as they started signing their guys to big money contracts, they haven't won a series since. Kane and toews' massive contracts started in 15-16, they lost to the blues that year. Then they lost to the preds the next year and then started missing the playoffs completely.

My point is, is Schwartz isn't who he was 4-5 years ago and if he wants a raise, or a big contract, I just don't see it going well at all.

Their core was Hossa, Kane, Toews, Kieth, Seabrook, Crawford and all of them were on long term contracts and all of them got extended to retirement. Everyone else was complimentary and easy to let go when they needed to. They let go of Saad to get Panarin and they did everything they could do to resign Panarin, but he wanted to be in new york

 

[GoldenSeal]

Chicago remained competitive by not giving retirement contracts to their players and moved on from them. It was cold hearted, but they won 6 championships in 6 years. The minute they gave those bloated contracts to kane, Toews, Seabrook, and Crawford they dropped like a rock.

The Hawks won 6 Championships in 6 years ?

 

[Tryblot]

Their core was Hossa, Kane, Toews, Kieth, Seabrook, Crawford and all of them were on long term contracts and all of them got extended to retirement. Everyone else was complimentary and easy to let go when they needed to. They let go of Saad to get Panarin and they did everything they could do to resign Panarin, but he wanted to be in new york

I personally don't believe Schwartz is good enough right now to be a core player.

The Hawks won 6 Championships in 6 years ?

I made a mistake.

 

[simon IC]

Krug is fine...I have no idea why everyone trashes the guy. He is like last year's Faulk.

You should be asking where the F was 9,10,12,13,17,18,21,91

I beg to differ with you on the subject of Torey Krug. He has not been "fine". He is too slow and too small to deal with a team like the Avs when at 5 on 5. He needs to pair with a defensive-minded partner with speed and reach. This eliminates Justin Faulk. On paper, a healthy Colton Parayko would seem to be the ideal candidate, but for whatever reason, this hasn't translated to on-ice success. He is a very talented player but needs to be used selectively, ie., as a playoff specialist in the mold of Kevin Shattenkirk.

 

[GoldenSeal]

Krug is fine...I have no idea why everyone trashes the guy. He is like last year's Faulk.

You should be asking where the F was 9,10,12,13,17,18,21,91

Krug is many things, fine isn’t one of them.

 

[GoldenSeal]

I beg to differ with you on the subject of Torey Krug. He has not been "fine". He is too slow and too small to deal with a team like the Avs when at 5 on 5. He needs to pair with a defensive-minded partner with speed and reach. This eliminates Justin Faulk. On paper, a healthy Colton Parayko would seem to be the ideal candidate, but for whatever reason, this hasn't translated to on-ice success. He is a very talented player but needs to be used selectively, eg. as a playoff specialist in the mold of Kevin Shattenkirk.

It’s because he needs to be -heavily- sheltered and he brings the pairing down. I don’t understand how he worked in Boston but there were no shed tears by their fan base when he left.