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Please fix the Blues


Sicarius

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Does anyone want a slightly used GM named Army? How about a slightly used core of players ie: Backes, Berglund & Oshie?

Three years in a row of 1st round exits. They bring back Hitchcock. They haven't made one trade and Berglund's no trade clause kicks in tomorrow 7/1. Hitchcock actually made the comment publicly he thought he could coach the current players to play faster (not sure how you can teach that, thought he was being kind by not saying we're going to trade people at the time but looking back maybe he actually thinks that he can make everyone faster)

Berglund has 2 years left as a 3rd line C or Winger at 3.7 million per year. I would have much preferred Sobotka to Berglund but that's been beaten to death. Last year in 77gp he had 12 goals & 27 pts. The year before in 78gp he had 14 goals and 38 pts. He's 27 years old so I don't see how there's much upside.

I know the organization and the fans are in a win now mode. I still felt it would have been ok to trade Backes, Oshie and Berglund for futures and stock up on draft picks. A little similar to what Boston did.

I actually like Backes and Oshie. But since they bring Hitch back you would think changes have to happen player wise. I think Backes and Oshie have been thrust into a #1 line when all along they were never #1 line guys. They're better than most line 2 guys but that's where they belong.

Fellas, I've been watching for 35 years now. I've seen numerous expansion teams come into the NHL and win the Cup. Throw us a bone here in St.L. We had a number one overall draft pick and who do they take.. Erik Johnson over Toews, Backstrom, Kessel, & Giroux. That is the way of this franchise.

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The Blues have the worst luck.

2015: They finish first and play Minnesota. Minnesota was the 2nd best team in the conference since the turn of the year (The Blues were the first!), but they should have been playing someone like Winnipeg or Calgary. They got matched with Minnesota who was 6th anyway, so the Blues got screwed over by the wildcard rules meant to promote divisional rivalries.

2014: They get a billion injuries in the last month of the season, fall to 2nd place in the division, and lose to the defending cup champs Chicago instead of getting to play a Dubnyk-less Minnesota. Chicago loses in the conference finals to LA who wins the cup.

2013: Lose to the defending cup champs LA, who lose in the conference final to chicago who win the cup.

2012: After knocking off 1st place Vancouver, lose to sandbagging LA (finished 8th, but finished at a 113 points pace in the last month)

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Coaching decisions definitely didnt help. Tarasenko/Lehtera line shouldve played 20-24 min per game in playoffs not a minute less than backes/oshie line.

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Looks like there's rumors of a pretty big blues trade coming up.

you wanna talk to this guy, he's trading everything right now.

Sweeney.0.jpg

What will you give Sweeney for the dog?

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Oshie to the Caps, not sure why

http://capitalstoday.monumentalnetwork.com/2015/07/02/capitals-acquire-tj-oshie-from-st-louis

The Washington Capitals have acquired right wing T.J. Oshie from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for right wing Troy Brouwer, goaltender Pheonix Copley and a third-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.

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Brow's numbers are about the same, and the age difference isn't that much, and the cap hit is very similar (~$400k)

The young goalie worth the difference in speed, not sure.

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Ya this just sinks the GM for me.

I was on the fence with Army - some good some bad moves but since the Blues had their asses handed to them he gets a F--- if there is such a thing.

He comes out on the press conference and in essence states he doesn't fear to lose his job because he's so much smarter than the owner. Wow, that's not saying much there Army. He and Hitch both stare into the cameras and tell some big BS about how they need to be a faster team, and how Hitch can somehow magically make slow guys fast.

So instead of packaging Oshie, Backes, and Berglund for futures like they really should have done they trade Oshie for Brouwer? I've seen Brouwer play. He's the speed demon we've been missing obviously. This is exactly why I was against doing sideways hockey trades player for player.

I like Oshie and Backes both. Berglund I wouldn't care if we got back a sack of White Castle burgers for. Backes is really a #2b Center who has to play vs the #1 Centers in the West and that's a tall task. He does a damn good job at shutting them down for the most part. He wouldn't be my pick for the C nor should he ever have been on line 1. But that's how the Blues were built. Oshie, when he wants to, can be one of the best checkers in the league. I've seen him lay people out much bigger including Chara of all people. Not too many can claim that. Oshie has very good hands but has never shot enough. He's more of a playmaker. He doesn't really fit Hitch's system of dump and chase. He's more of a puck handler and should thrive with Backstrom and Ovie barring injury.

Backes has one year left on his contract and then he's a UFA. His price will be 6+ per year. It was the time to trade him.

The Blues have this currently:

Schwartz Lehtera, Tarasenko

Steen, Stastny, Brouwer

Porter, Backes, Berglund

Ott, Goc, Reaves

Blues just signed Brodziak within the last hour so he must be going on 4th line somewhere

Pietrangelo, Boumeester

Gunnarsson Shattenkirk

Lindbohm Bortuzzo -

xtras are Butler & Harold

In the wings are C Ivan Barbashev, C/RW Robby Fabbri, RW Ty Rattie.

On Def they have Jordan Schmaltz, Colton Parayko, Thomas Vannelli, Jani Hakanpaa, (Konrad Abeltshauser got days ago from SJ)

All three of those Forwards should be playing in the NHL next year. There isn't a purpose in keeping them in the minors. Fabbri 100%, Barbashev 95% and (Rattie 100% if not with Blues then should be traded)

This is how you make this franchise not only better but faster if that indeed is your goal. Fabbri, Barbashev and Rattie should be the Blues 3rd line this year. There's no room for them. The 4 D excluding Abelt are on the verge of being NHL ready and at the most 1 year away.

You either come up with a blockbuster that involves some prospects along with someone like Oshie and actually upgrade your current team like trading for someone like Kessel or someone of elite talent. Or you package current players for Picks + Prospects. What you don't do is exactly what Armstrong has done and make a sideways move that isn't even sideways but instead it's a backwards step for the Blues.

Another option is trading Shattenkirk or Boumeester. Shatty has way more value at the moment than Bou but you would think they have to trade 1 of them. Shatty has 2 years left making 4.25/yr. After that he will get 7+ per year. There's little chance the Blues roll with 3 Def making that kind of coin. So to me and I would hate to see Shattenkirk moved but it could be the smart long term play.

One deal could have been a deal centered around Shattenkirk to Edmonton for Ryan NugentHopkins or Leon Draisatl. If it's for Draisatl I'd want picks or Yakapov along with it. If we had to give another young D to make the deal work that's fine, or package Oshie with it. It would give Edmonton the much needed Def and to the Blues a true #1 C they still don't have even with Stastny.

This is what Army should have been working on, or something similar.

You could be looking at

Schwartz, RNH, Tarasenko

Steen, Stastny, Fabbri

Barbashev, Backes, Jaskin

4th line Ott, Brodziak, Reaves

I'd probably have traded Rattie for best possible draft picks or throw in package to Edm for something back

Or

Schwartz, Stastny, Tarasenko

Steen, Draisatl, Yakupov

Barbashev, Backes, Jaskin

Either one of those future lines would be head and shoulders above what we currently have. And most of them would be very young, fast and cheap for the most part. At least for the forseeable future.

Whatever,,, it's life as a Blues fan

Edited by Sicarius
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