Confirmed with Link: Ryan O'Reilly traded to STL for Tage Thompson, Patrik Berglund, Vladimir Sobotka, 2019 1st, 2021 2nd

[old kummelweck]

Blues acquisitions Q&A with Respect The Note

There is enough there to fuel the hopes of the glass half full crowd and to scare the glass half empty crowd.

Sounds like Sobatka is this years Josefson.

 

[sabrebuild]

Square peg, round hole. I want more LaFontaine and less Peca.
Plus his stick is too long to be good at faceoffs.

There are no elite centers in this league, who are not at least respectable defensively. At least none I can think of.

 

[Crazy Tasty]

There are no elite centers in this league, who are not at least respectable defensively. At least none I can think of.

Meh, most "Elite" centers in the league also have "elite" wingers playing with them. One player doesn't make the line or the team.

 

[Montag DP]

Maybe a comparison will make our ships meet in the night. Would you say that Ovechkin was a lazy defensive player? Because I would say yes, when he was Eichel’s age. Maybe you would say no. If you say no, then fair enough we just have hugely different expectations of professionals.

I didn't watch him enough to make a judgment one way or another. I do think part of Eichel's problem on defense is not having the best defensive instincts, so he doesn't always know where to go to break up the play. He'll either start chasing the play or kind of get stuck in no-man's land a lot of times. I don't interpret that as being lazy, but I can see how it would look that way.

 

[joshjull]

There are no elite centers in this league, who are not at least respectable defensively. At least none I can think of.

Many who came in as offensive dynamos (at lower levels) had to develop that part of their game.

 

[Gabrielor]

I'd rather have my elite offensive guy score 90 first, and improve his defense second.

But I know how much zealotry surrounds the 'two-way-guy' around here.

 

[sabrebuild]

Meh, most "Elite" centers in the league also have "elite" wingers playing with them. One player doesn't make the line or the team.

Winger has nothing to do with his individual defensive work. At least for what I’m talking about. And ya some do, but Kopitar doesn’t and he just had over a ppg and was a great defensive center, with a couple cups. Same thing could be said for Barkov.

Let’s put it this way, his line could be giving up more goals than they already do, and if he was working hard on it and just getting steam rolled by more talent then you wouldn’t here me complain. I would compliment him for battling thru.

That’s actually what I think of his offense right now. He works hard at it and he doesn’t have much help. His talent and desire still shine thru.

I have some small critiques of how he attacks, but that is purely minor, the difference between elite and a Hart winner.

 

[sabrebuild]

I didn't watch him enough to make a judgment one way or another. I do think part of Eichel's problem on defense is not having the best defensive instincts, so he doesn't always know where to go to break up the play. He'll either start chasing the play or kind of get stuck in no-man's land a lot of times. I don't interpret that as being lazy, but I can see how it would look that way.

Ya I think he had a lot of those confused moments in BU and his rookie year in Buffalo. I don’t mind that and expect it. My problem is with easy ones and the lack of big progress in the pace he plays with in his own end. I’ll see if I can figure out the video instead, because writing about it is boring for everyone.

 

[Jim Bob]

I'd rather have my elite offensive guy score 90 first, and improve his defense second.

But I know how much zealotry surrounds the 'two-way-guy' around here.

I would like to see Eichel have the career arc of guys like Modano, Yzerman, and Sakic. There will be plenty of time for him to develop his 200 foot game.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

I'd rather have my elite offensive guy score 90 first, and improve his defense second.

But I know how much zealotry surrounds the 'two-way-guy' around here.

The problem with Eichel’s defensive flaws are less “they exist” and more “our organization has done nothing to address them.”

What’s worse, most of his linemates suggest his coaches don’t view it as an issue.

 

[sabrebuild]

Many who came in as offensive dynamos (at lower levels) had to develop that part of their game.

Absolutely. He is not even remotely the first guy to nerd years to adjust. Which is why I find it so weird that posters get so upset when anyone says he struggles defensively, particularly his first two years.

And by no means do I think he won’t ever improve. I just would like to see the pace of development happen much faster, particularly because I don’t think he is unable, I think he just doesn’t view it as his job. Pure opinion on my part, but up to this point, with some improvement, I think Eichel views his job as being an offensive catalyst and not being a center.

Perhaps trading O’Reilly will help speed the process, by basically showing him, not only do you have to win your own end for your line, but now your the only top 6 center we have that is capable. I don’t like the mindset that implies, but it could be the kick he needs.

 

[joshjull]

Five of the top 6 paid forwards on this team are now currently over 30 and slow AF. Botts is adding **** contracts faster than we're able to ditch them.

Wilson, Oglevie, Pilut, Hickey, and Sheary are marginal NHL talent at best -- bottom six, third pair guys. Half that list might not even make it to the NHL. Aside from lucking into Dahlin, this team has done very little to address getting the kind of players (young, fast, talented) it claims it's wants in order to play their preferred system. And guys seemingly ill suited for the system -- Larsson, Girgensons -- are still around. And guys not fit for any system -- Bogosian, Beaulieu -- are being counted on to produce yet again.

We're on the road to nowhere.

We are on a good path. Time will tell if it works out.

Our current management team started the process of rebuilding the organization from the bottom up last year with their work in Rochester. It was a good first step and it led to a strong team culture down there. To man the players down there have said this. Many of the AHL vets wanted to come back and did. They built a positive team culture and are now going to be infused with a lot of new young talent to go with some holdovers. Our current management group was responsible for some of this new talent ( Thompson, Pilut, Hickey, O'Regan, Ogelvie) and some of it was already on the way (Borgen, Asplund, Pu, Olofsson). When combined with whats already here (Guhle, Erod, CJ Smith, Bailey, Baptiste, Nelson, Nylander, Malone) and we have a pretty large group of young talent to work with to develop some more pieces we need going forward.

This young talent will create the internal competion for spots, call ups, etc this organization has badly needed. Obviously all of the guys will not work out. But the more in the mix, the more likely we get some pieces developed for the NHL roster. Add in a couple extra 1st rounders and the talent pool should be a good shape for some time.

I feel the combination of the locker room issues, the coming large influx of young talent and Mitts progression after getting drafted last year led to our management feeling it might be a good idea to reset with a younger core group and to clean up the room for them. Winning the lottery and getting Dahlin would have sealed it. So they moved on from ROR. You don't have to like that they did. But there is a plan or course of action that can be seen in what they're doing.

None of the contracts we added are hurting us long term. Thats why I keep mentioning that we currently only have 6 players under contract when Mitts ELC expires. The roster is pretty much an open canvas going forward because of that.

Our current management has also added Scandella, Sheary and Hutton to the mix. Too early to say what the two drafts will yield but there are a few promising players.


When our current management team came on board we had a farm team that was a mess, a Rochester pipeline with little in it, a locker room that had issues, not enough depth on the NHL roster, not enough depth in the organization as a whole and some crappy contracts. We also had issues with rules, expectations and accountability from Murray that led to the infamous Sam benching fiasco, among others things.

As I said at the beginning, we are on a good path. Time will tell if it works out.

 

[Royal Thunder]

Sounds like Sobatka is this years Josefson.

Not a great comparison IMO. Josefson is downright sterile offensively to the point where he might be out of the league. Sobotka is no offensive dynamo either but he definitely has more skill and it shows not only in their ppg this past season but over their entire careers.

 

[1972]

It’s hard to judge guys coming from St.Louis. They seem to always play a game that kinda limits certain guys offensive game.

 

[Sabre the Win]

So with Berglund having an NTC that means we HAVE to protect him in the expansion draft. Not that we have tons of players to save but it is something to think about.

 

[1972]

So with Berglund having an NTC that means we HAVE to protect him in the expansion draft. Not that we have tons of players to save but it is something to think about.

NTC don’t carry over

 

[UnleashRasmus]

Sounds like Sobatka is this years Josefson.

He's a much better player than Josefsson was at any point of his career. It's not even close.

 

[Sabre the Win]

NTC don’t carry over

That Die by the Blade article made it sound like he did, quote from the article.

Berglund has a limited no-trade clause so that could be trouble in the future, but if it’s to a potential cup contender, he’d likely wave it, in my opinion.

 

[1972]

He's a much better player than Josefsson was at any point of his career. It's not even close.

Sobotka was one of the best depth/role players in the NHL at one point. Josefsson was a first rounder who because a fringe forth liner. There’s not much of a comparison. I’m holding out hope Sobotka can rebound, he’s still only 30 years old.

 

[dotcommunism]

NTC don’t carry over

Yes they do, but only NMCs mattered for the previous expansion draft.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Sobotka was one of the best depth/role players in the NHL at one point. Josefsson was a first rounder who because a fringe forth liner. There’s not much of a comparison. I’m holding out hope Sobotka can rebound, he’s still only 30 years old.

For playoff teams. I think that's important. Still has years left. I love adding those 2 veterans, just wish it was with O'Reilly still here. I'm still looking for Botterill to add someone to replace O'Reilly in our top 6.

 

[1972]

Yes they do, but only NMCs mattered for the previous expansion draft.

I thought once a player waives his NTC the team acquiring the player has the option to keep it or not.

 

[dotcommunism]

I thought once a player waives his NTC the team acquiring the player has the option to keep it or not.

That is for players who are traded before their NTC or NMC takes effect (like what happened with Bogosian). It does not apply to players who opt to waive their NTC/NMC

 

[SabresFan26]

Sobotka was one of the best depth/role players in the NHL at one point. Josefsson was a first rounder who because a fringe forth liner. There’s not much of a comparison. I’m holding out hope Sobotka can rebound, he’s still only 30 years old.

Could be very energized to prove a point early in the year and with opportunities for an increased role.

 

[DJN21]

Could be very energized to prove a point early in the year and with opportunities for an increased role.

Best case scenario for this team is that sobotka finds his old style play for us. Like a hornet on the puck, chippy to the extent he needs to be, chips in offensively. He doesn't look like the same guy since coming back overseas but if he can find that old fire we will be quite happy to have him.