St. Louis Blues: Smart Spenders?

[Bear of Bad News]

http://www.ksdk.com/story/sports/nhl/2014/05/19/nhl-st-louis-blues-smartest-spenders/9273307/

Analytics-focused interview with Doug Armstrong of the Blues.

Click to read more...

 

[sr edler]

The Blues doesn't have the big bucket players, especially up front. If Steen is your best player on the offensive side of the puck it's not gonna cost as much as it does for the elite teams, like CHI or LA. It's that simple. And the Blues also have problems with CHI and LA, especially in the playoffs, so I don't know how "smart" it really is.

 

[wgknestrick]

The Blues doesn't have the big bucket players, especially up front. If Steen is your best player on the offensive side of the puck it's not gonna cost as much as it does for the elite teams, like CHI or LA. It's that simple. And the Blues also have problems with CHI and LA, especially in the playoffs, so I don't know how "smart" it really is.

It is more about them being "smart" with what they have to work with. Top tier players are not easy to come by and usually are only acquired through drafting in the top 1-3 picks (meaning your team is terrible or got lucky with a traded draft pick ala BOS in the Kessel trade). STL doesn't have near the resources of other teams, yet usually outperforms them.

Every team has trouble with CHI and LA BTW.