St. Louis and San Jose Watch (1st round picks)

[HogtownSabresfan]

I’d rather have the Blues pick this year. Get to 11th guys. You can do it.

Actually the most exciting scenario would be them finishing 10th and someone behind them winning a top 3 spot to push the pick to 11.

In a perfect world we get those lotto results in between periods of a Sabres playoff game

Agreed,. I see Islanders scenario where they rebound and pick ends up lower.

 

[Genny Screamer]

How about the scenario of them finishing 11th and winning the lottery and getting Hughes or Kakko for next year?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the top 10 protection is after the lottery results.

 

[Djp]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the top 10 protection is after the lottery results.

It would be post lottery.

If they finish 11-15 then win a top 3 they keep the pick, but if they were 9 or 10 pre lottery and people behind them won pushing them to 12 they we get the pick.

 

[Djp]

Well we are almost assuredly getting 2 1sts this year via San Jose. Almost no chance they miss the playoffs. As for the second question no chance 2 picks in the 20-31 range bring back a top 5 pick. 8-13 maybe.

It’s way to early to say that.

There are some screwy schedules. I think Edmonton didn’t play a division foe till last week...so about 20 games in.

Arizona has a few games in hand so they could be just 2 points behind them plus they have games to play.

I think vegas, Arizona, and Edmonton will go on some 7-3/8-2 streak and bunch up with San Jose and Calgary. If Anaheim can stay close till they get healthy they could be in it.

At this point I see LA and Vancouver being a little out of the playoffs come deadline while the other teams are close.

I think St. Louis will have a better record but I think it will be hard for them or chucago to get into the top 4 in that division.

I think this season will be like I think 2015 deadline where a bunch of teams were close at the deadline where you had a clear top 7 and bottom 5 then everyone else was within an 8 pts range.

 

[Ralonzo]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the top 10 protection is after the lottery results.

To clarify prior point, Sabres fans'd be bummed if the Blues finished with 11OA, but won the lottery since that would cause the Blues to exercise their option, instead of the Sabres getting a relatively high pick in a good draft.

 

[Ace]

Best case scenario is they sit 11 after the lottery.

...well...best case scenario is they finish in the top 10 but choose to not keep the pick for some reason. Like...it’s 9 and they’re afraid of next year.

...well ok...best case scenario is they keep the pick and are terrible next year and win first overall in 2020.

The most realistic scenario is probably that they finish between 7 and 10 and keep the pick and have to roll the dice.

 

[jc17]

St louis is 4 points out of 11th, some of the teams in their way have played 2 more games.

StL is playing better than their standings position. Wouldn't be surprised at all if they finish in the teens. I think I'd almost expect it at this point

 

[Ace]

Their goaltending is shit and their possession numbers are bad. They aren’t outkicking their coverage by very much here. They aren’t good.

 

[Jim Bob]

Their goaltending is **** and their possession numbers are bad. They aren’t outkicking their coverage by very much here. They aren’t good.

They needed a new coach and an upgrade in goal.

It will be interesting to see if they do anything in goal.

Can we loan them Ullmark for the rest of the season and get him back next year?

 

[Montag DP]

So yeah, Laine scored 5 (!) on St. Louis tonight.

 

[Zip15]

Allen was garbage down the stretch last year and Armstrong's response was to swap Hutton for Ocho, arguably the worst regular goaltender in the entire league last season. Smart.

 

[Dirty Dog]

I'm uh starting to think we aren't getting the blues' 1st this year.

 

[HaNotsri]

Has anyone seen any post loss interviews with ROR? I’d like to know if he says the same things as last year. Same procedure as every year and all that.

 

[Moskau]

It's funny people focus on RoR so much when Chad Johnson actually took shots at the team to the media on the way out even though he and Lehner were the #1 reason for our terrible record last season.

 

[Dirty Dog]

It's funny people focus on RoR so much when Chad Johnson actually took shots at the team to the media on the way out even though he and Lehner were the #1 reason for our terrible record last season.

Haha what did he say?

And he was so bad last year

 

[Zip15]

It's funny people focus on RoR so much when Chad Johnson actually took shots at the team to the media on the way out even though he and Lehner were the #1 reason for our terrible record last season.

The #1 reason for our terrible record was our offense. But, yes, Ocho's exit interview wherein he stated that he was willing to come back but the organization was going to have to convince him that things would be better nearly broke the unintentional comedy scale.

 

[Doohickie]

Same procedure as every year

Nice reference, especially considering ROR had that DUI.

 

[Selanne00008]

Part of me wants them both for 2020. Just because it's so fun routing for a team to lose because you have their pick.

 

[JThorne]

Vegas(NOT LAS VEGAS) pounding the Sharks 5-0 at the moment.

 

[Djp]

At thus point San Jose hasn’t clinched anything. 3 teams in their division when factoring in games in hands puts them within 2 pts ir ahead if San Jose.

They are only 2 pts ahead of 5th place dallas if they don’t finish top 3 they are on WC bubble.

St. Louis after factoring in games in hand are only a few points behind the WC spots. If they can gi in an 8-2 hit streak would put them in the WC hunt.

 

[flashsabre]

Maybe if they weren't proudly bragging how they won the offseason doing the above wouldnt be so much fun...

They bought the Rex Ryan book, "Winning the Offseason" and studied it thouroughly.

I always include Hutton for Johnson in that trade even though they both signed as UFAs and it swings big time in Buffalo's favor. Why the Blues management love Jake Allen is perplexing to me.

 

[Djp]

They bought the Rex Ryan book, "Winning the Offseason" and studied it thouroughly.

I always include Hutton for Johnson in that trade even though they both signed as UFAs and it swings big time in Buffalo's favor. Why the Blues management love Jake Allen is perplexing to me.

Jake Allen is their prospect so they have a vested interest. A new GM thinks differently.

 

[Ana Crusis]

So if the season was to end now. Buffalo would have blues 2020 unprotected pick?

And sharks 2019 ?

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

So if the season was to end now. Buffalo would have blues 2020 unprotected pick?

And sharks 2019 ?

Yes.

 

[Ace]

Well the good news is Allen is playing much better.

The bad news is they’re being outshot 18-5 and are down 1-0 anyway.

Old friend Thomas Vanek with the goal.

Edit: 2-0