Nate Prosser signs [1-year, 2-way]

[Oberyn]

I'm praying that all these depth dman signings will eventually lead to Leopold getting traded. At this point I'd do Leopold plus a 6th for a 7th cause why the hell not.

 

[Majorityof1]

Unless we need the cap space, I don't see any reason to trade Leopold. Sure, maybe we don't need 9 NHL capable forwards. By why the hell not? It may take 3 injuries to get to that point, but who expected 9 injuries all at once last year. 3 is peanuts compared to that. If we need the cap space, Leo should be gone. However, if we don't, there is no reason to drop a draft pick, even a 6th to clear him out. Besides, I don't think turning a 7th into a 6th is reason for someone to take on $2.25M in salary unless they actually want Leopold, in which case we just send him to the AHL and hope someone grabs him off of waivers.

 

[LUF]

Unless we need the cap space, I don't see any reason to trade Leopold. Sure, maybe we don't need 9 NHL capable forwards. By why the hell not? It may take 3 injuries to get to that point, but who expected 9 injuries all at once last year. 3 is peanuts compared to that. If we need the cap space, Leo should be gone. However, if we don't, there is no reason to drop a draft pick, even a 6th to clear him out. Besides, I don't think turning a 7th into a 6th is reason for someone to take on $2.25M in salary unless they actually want Leopold, in which case we just send him to the AHL and hope someone grabs him off of waivers.

If you bury Leopold in Chitown, he would still count for 1.325M against the cap.

I also doubt he would get claim, although I've seen weirder moves.

 

[Majorityof1]

If you bury Leopold in Chitown, he would still count for 1.325M against the cap.

I also doubt he would get claim, although I've seen weirder moves.

I know. I was saying that anyone who would trade Leopold and a 6th for a 7th would probably claim him off of waivers as bumping a 7th to a 6th rounder is really no added value. If that's all the inducement it required, just send him out on the wire. Most likely, we would have to add more than that.

He only has one more year, he's fine riding the press box and may gain value if he plays well in limited appearances. Maybe he plays decent and somebody loses a d-man and wants a rental. Who knows? Just no reason to dump him unless there is a reason to dump him (need cap space).

 

[2 Minute Minor]

Putting Leopold in the AHL is the kind of move a team like NYR can pull off. Trying to imagine the Blues eating that salary to gain more space under the cap is blowing my mind.

Nah, its gotta be a trade where the Blues sweeten the pot for someone to take Leopold and his salary.

 

[Alklha]

Putting Leopold in the AHL is the kind of move a team like NYR can pull off. Trying to imagine the Blues eating that salary to gain more space under the cap is blowing my mind.

Nah, its gotta be a trade where the Blues sweeten the pot for someone to take Leopold and his salary.

At this point I imagine that teams could probably sign Colaiacovo for 1 year at under $1m. A 6th or 7th isn't going to entice teams to do us a favour and take Leopold. That means we'd probably have to eat half his salary to try and move him, and even then it isn't a certainty.

If we need to save cap space, the most likely scenario is just a lot of paper transactions with Porter. He'll stay with the Blues, but constantly demote him to the AHL and "call him up" on the game days that he is needed. That limits his cap hit, we still effectively carry the 23 man roster and there is limited chance he is claimed. Not something you want to do with young players on 2 way contracts because it heavily impacts the amount of money they earn, but Porter will earn his $700k no matter where he is assigned.

All that said, Leopold will be playing for his roster place at camp. We've not committed this much money to the team to simply carry a player on the NHL roster because they are earning X amount. If Butler performs better, then I fully expect Leopold to be in the AHL if we can't trade him.

 

[2 Minute Minor]

At this point I imagine that teams could probably sign Colaiacovo for 1 year at under $1m. A 6th or 7th isn't going to entice teams to do us a favour and take Leopold. That means we'd probably have to eat half his salary to try and move him, and even then it isn't a certainty.

If we need to save cap space, the most likely scenario is just a lot of paper transactions with Porter. He'll stay with the Blues, but constantly demote him to the AHL and "call him up" on the game days that he is needed. That limits his cap hit, we still effectively carry the 23 man roster and there is limited chance he is claimed. Not something you want to do with young players on 2 way contracts because it heavily impacts the amount of money they earn, but Porter will earn his $700k no matter where he is assigned.

All that said, Leopold will be playing for his roster place at camp. We've not committed this much money to the team to simply carry a player on the NHL roster because they are earning X amount. If Butler performs better, then I fully expect Leopold to be in the AHL if we can't trade him.

Can you think of any recent examples where a team did the opposite? Where they played the inferior more expensive player because they couldn't afford to bring in the cheaper better younger player?

 

[Robb_K]

9 deep in NHL-capable D men. That is awesome. I don't think he is as good as Butler, but he is a Righty which we lacked. Another good signing.

A very good depth signing, and will also help The Wolves a lot. I still think that The Blues are trying to deal off Leopold to one of the 10 teams on his okay list. I hope they succeed. But, either way, this depth will help them a lot.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

It is easier said that done. Why would teams be interested in Leopold at $2.25m with the likes of Colaiacovo, McBain, Del Zotto, Díaz etc still looking for contracts? Then other teams looking to trade cheaper third pairing D...

I'm certain that Armstrong would love to trade Leopold, but would he even be an attractive option for other teams if we retained $750k?

Don't get me wrong, I completely agree with you. I was just trying to articulate that I think this means we'll be attempting to trade him. Whether we have success in that, I don't know.

 

[Majorityof1]

Are we wanting to get rid of Leopold because of his salary or because we think he is that bad? I've wanted to move him because he is not worth his salary and had cap concerns. Also, because I didn't want him to take time away from Cole. Now Hitch is saying he will give Cole a real shot I think Leopold is still a good 7th d-man. He'd be a good bottom pairing guy on most teams that aren't us. He was injured much of the year for us, but wasn't horrendous when he played. He can move the puck well, which is important in our system. He can play either side which is nice for a 7th D, as he can fill in anywhere. So if we don't need the cap room, why trade him? It seems like people think, absent the salary cap, we'd be better off without Leopold. I disagree with this. More depth if you can afford it is never a bad thing.

 

[BlueDream]

I don't think we can afford to pay him that much to be a 7th guy. I think Schwartz will get right around the amount of cap room we have available, he almost hit 60 points this season. And then if we want to make a move at the deadline we're going to have to be trading away the same salary as we're taking in. Not to mention call-ups, etc. We're just not going to have any room to do anything. Leopold is simply an average player that isn't worth that money. Butler could IMO do just as good of a job.

 

[Majorityof1]

I don't think we can afford to pay him that much to be a 7th guy. I think Schwartz will get right around the amount of cap room we have available, he almost hit 60 points this season. And then if we want to make a move at the deadline we're going to have to be trading away the same salary as we're taking in. Not to mention call-ups, etc. We're just not going to have any room to do anything. Leopold is simply an average player that isn't worth that money. Butler could IMO do just as good of a job.

It's not like he is making $3+ million. He is making $2.25M. We are already spending to the cap. Dumping him and calling up Butler will save us $1.5M in cap space. That isn't going to get us a superstar at the deadline. We'd need to make cap room at the deadline anyway, so Berglund would most likely be moved then as well. As I said, if we need the cap room, move him. I'm not going to be broken up. If management thinks we are fine, keep the depth. We are already spending to the cap. What's another 2 mil. I am just curious if we think he is bad or overpaid.

 

[Multimoodia]

Are we wanting to get rid of Leopold because of his salary or because we think he is that bad? I've wanted to move him because he is not worth his salary and had cap concerns. Also, because I didn't want him to take time away from Cole. Now Hitch is saying he will give Cole a real shot I think Leopold is still a good 7th d-man. He'd be a good bottom pairing guy on most teams that aren't us. He was injured much of the year for us, but wasn't horrendous when he played. He can move the puck well, which is important in our system. He can play either side which is nice for a 7th D, as he can fill in anywhere. So if we don't need the cap room, why trade him? It seems like people think, absent the salary cap, we'd be better off without Leopold. I disagree with this. More depth if you can afford it is never a bad thing.

Ideally Jackman, Cole, Leopold are swapped in and out depending upon the team they Blues are facing.
Dealing with a really fast team that doesn't have much in the way of physical play? Cole and Leopold
Dealing with heavier teams? Cole and Jackman
Dealing with a team with a lot of agitators? Leopold and Jackman

That's the best case scenario. If Hitch gets too tied to one of them that's going to be an issue later in the season, in particular with Jackman. The Blues have some serious depth on defense, it'd be a shame to ignore it.

A fresher Jackman in the playoffs upsetting the other team's stars is often a good thing.

 

[Dbrownss]

I still get a chuckle from jackman vs Jagr in the 2nd game against the Blues

 

[Multimoodia]

He's fantastic at it and the Blues will miss him when he is no longer with the team. The early days of Patrick Kane were fantastic as you could just see the kid ready to kill Jackman by about the end of the second period.

And Holmstrom...I sometimes wonder how Jackman managed to live some of the Red Wings games. You could see Tomas' eyes glowing red at different points.
I don't know if Jackman is naturally a pain in ass or if that is something that came about from him being around Pronger for a couple of years. But whatever it is, sometimes it's just fantastic.

 

[Dbrownss]

Another I can think of was after the whistle. A player was yelling at jackman and throwing a temper tantrum. Jackman just stood there and stared at him then shrugged his shoulders and skated away. #trollmaster

 

[Multimoodia]

The Jackman shrug should be copyrighted. Other than the Pronger smirk and the Tikkanen babbling I can think of no other Blues single maneuver that upsets opponents so.

 

[Note Worthy]

The Jackman shrug should be copyrighted. Other than the Pronger smirk and the Tikkanen babbling I can think of no other Blues single maneuver that upsets opponents so.

What about Jackman's eye roll that he gives literally every time a penalty is called on him?

 

[2 Minute Minor]

It's not like he is making $3+ million. He is making $2.25M. We are already spending to the cap. Dumping him and calling up Butler will save us $1.5M in cap space. That isn't going to get us a superstar at the deadline. We'd need to make cap room at the deadline anyway, so Berglund would most likely be moved then as well. As I said, if we need the cap room, move him. I'm not going to be broken up. If management thinks we are fine, keep the depth. We are already spending to the cap. What's another 2 mil. I am just curious if we think he is bad or overpaid.

It would be nice to be able to have the expanded roster for the playoffs. To my understanding, the 23 limit goes away but not the salary cap. So the difference between Butler and Leopold as the 7th D could become just the type of flexibility necessary to let the Blues make some moves with an eye to the playoffs.

 

[Multimoodia]

What about Jackman's eye roll that he gives literally every time a penalty is called on him?

That and the almost audible snort of derision.

He learned that one from Pronger. Never once has a penalty been called upon Prongs that he thought he deserved.

 

[Borderbluesfan]

I think of Leopold as a good solid defenseman. He usually makes good passes out of the zone and can contribute offensively at times, but I don't see him as anything special. He has experience and Hitchcock loves veteran players. With Cole showing flashes of being a good 5/6 dman and with the signings of Butler and Prosser, I really don't see a need to pay Leopold's salary. I would hope that we could trade him to someone desperate for defense even if it is for nothing more than a pick in a future draft.

 

[BlueDream]

I'm glad Barret Jackman only rolls his eyes though. I have yet to see Drew Doughty take a penalty where he didn't scream and whine like a baby after getting called.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

I'm glad Barret Jackman only rolls his eyes though. I have yet to see Drew Doughty take a penalty where he didn't scream and whine like a baby after getting called.

Amen to that. He's the biggest baby I've ever seen.

 

[2 Minute Minor]

I think Doughty is very talented, and seems to have a higher gear for the post-season than what I've seen from Pietro to this point....but he's so hard to root for because of how he carries himself.

 

[nicholas89alex]

He's fantastic at it and the Blues will miss him when he is no longer with the team. The early days of Patrick Kane were fantastic as you could just see the kid ready to kill Jackman by about the end of the second period.

And Holmstrom...I sometimes wonder how Jackman managed to live some of the Red Wings games. You could see Tomas' eyes glowing red at different points.
I don't know if Jackman is naturally a pain in ass or if that is something that came about from him being around Pronger for a couple of years. But whatever it is, sometimes it's just fantastic.

well i remember his 2nd or 3rd season he goaded someone into dropping their gloves, then skated away letting them take the penalty. as the were being escorted to the box Jackman gave a friendly little wave