What Do They Need Most?

[HighStick]

We've all come to the general consensus that the Blues need a #2 center and a 2nd pairing RHD. With Bro and Holloway getting big raises at the end of next season Army's hands might be tied a bit. He might only be able to fill one of these needs this off-season.

So my question is who do the Blues need more? A 2nd line center or a 2nd pairing RD?

I personally think Faulk has been terrible the last few years and would look for a replacement there.

[seattleblue]

They only have Jiricek and McIssac over on the right side and Jiricek at this point is like a bonus if he turns into something. He is a world-class skater, his backward stride is above class. But he seems to think that as an RFD his job is to make a beeline for the side of the crease in the attacking zone so that he is in the farthest possible position from the defending RHD corner as is possible on the sheet of ice as a whole. I don't understand his thinking, it's like a cat's brain out there inside of a person. He's also riddled with injury and finds a way to get hit in awkward positions.

Besides the very weak prospect pool on RHD the Blues have aging players on the right side.

Meanwhile they are utterly loaded with forwards plus more forwards bursting through the system, including their highest drafted forward prospect in decades who happens to be a skilled 1C/2C on the cusp of arrival, plus RHD is the more difficult cornerstone position to fill if you have to go out to he market. Also the RHD filling Faulk's shoes needs to be better than a second pair RHD. Because Parayko and a player less effective than Parayko over there is a good defense but not in the hunt for a championship defense.

To me this is not a close question. It's obvious in about three ways.

[Inglewood Jack]

Realistically - A 2nd C, as if there is a true 200' player impact player available, then this supports the D. Going with a team play rather than a strong D-man - I just think that getting one (D) is not within reach, either in losing assets or in $$$. As for need, the D man as Seattle states.

[LGB73]

They only have Jiricek and McIssac over on the right side and Jiricek at this point is like a bonus if he turns into something. He is a world-class skater, his backward stride is above class. But he seems to think that as an RFD his job is to make a beeline for the side of the crease in the attacking zone so that he is in the farthest possible position from the defending RHD corner as is possible on the sheet of ice as a whole. I don't understand his thinking, it's like a cat's brain out there inside of a person. He's also riddled with injury and finds a way to get hit in awkward positions.

Besides the very weak prospect pool on RHD the Blues have aging players on the right side.

Meanwhile they are utterly loaded with forwards plus more forwards bursting through the system, including their highest drafted forward prospect in decades who happens to be a skilled 1C/2C on the cusp of arrival, plus RHD is the more difficult cornerstone position to fill if you have to go out to he market. Also the RHD filling Faulk's shoes needs to be better than a second pair RHD. Because Parayko and a player less effective than Parayko over there is a good defense but not in the hunt for a championship defense.

To me this is not a close question. It's obvious in about three ways.

What he said.

[DawgDad]

We've all come to the general consensus that the Blues need a #2 center and a 2nd pairing RHD. With Bro and Holloway getting big raises at the end of next season Army's hands might be tied a bit. He might only be able to fill one of these needs this off-season.

So my question is who do the Blues need more? A 2nd line center or a 2nd pairing RD?

I personally think Faulk has been terrible the last few years and would look for a replacement there.

I'm not radically out of agreement but no, the Blues do not "need" a 2C. They need a depth center, ideally a 2C/3C. Even if Faksa signs up again they IDEALLY need more offense at 3C or even at 2C bumping Schenn down. Given the cap structure and other needs bumping Schenn down is a costly move but not out of the question.

On Schenn: I would advise everyone fawning over Sam Bennett to take a close look at the cards in-hand. My read is the concern with Schenn is primarily age-related decline, because those two guys play in much the same manner.

The real "hole" right now is 3C. I love me some Sunny but him playing a season between two of Neighbours, Bolduc, and Snuggerud figures to be a lost opportunity offensively.

No question the Blues could use a RH RD. They can live with Faulk at 2RD if they have a playable 3RD. Like with Broberg, go high-end if you can but definitely add a depth piece one way or the other.

[rbirules]

We've all come to the general consensus that the Blues need a #2 center and a 2nd pairing RHD. With Bro and Holloway getting big raises at the end of next season Army's hands might be tied a bit. He might only be able to fill one of these needs this off-season.

So my question is who do the Blues need more? A 2nd line center or a 2nd pairing RD?

I personally think Faulk has been terrible the last few years and would look for a replacement there.

I'm not radically out of agreement but no, the Blues do not "need" a 2C. They need a depth center, ideally a 2C/3C. Even if Faksa signs up again they IDEALLY need more offense at 3C or even at 2C bumping Schenn down. Given the cap structure and other needs bumping Schenn down is a costly move but not out of the question.

On Schenn: I would advise everyone fawning over Sam Bennett to take a close look at the cards in-hand. My read is the concern with Schenn is primarily age-related decline, because those two guys play in much the same manner.

The real "hole" right now is 3C. I love me some Sunny but him playing a season between two of Neighbours, Bolduc, and Snuggerud figures to be a lost opportunity offensively.

No question the Blues could use a RH RD. They can live with Faulk at 2RD if they have a playable 3RD. Like with Borberg, go high-end if you can but definitely add a depth piece one way or the other.

Pretty much this.

[billybaseball]

Biggest need is a middle 6 center. Preferably a 2c. Schenn shouldn't be counted on as the 2c. He was exposed when Holloway went down. Sundqvist cannot be our 3c next year. So best case a legit 2c that can stay productive no matter his linemates. Worse case a 3c that can create some strategic deployment mismatches for Montgomery.

[skilles]

C is the most urgent need, D is the biggest need.

I think we can get both.

[STL fan in MN]

Short-term, as in next season, I’d say the bigger need is at C. We need a 2/3C to move Sunny down the lineup and bridge the gap to when Dvorsky should be ready to assume the role.

But 100% agree with Seattle on RD being the bigger longterm need. And I think we need to be honest with ourselves. Dante Fabbro would not solve the RD issue longterm. Dougie Hamilton would not solve the RD issue longterm. These guys would help in the short-term. They would probably be better than Faulk. But what the Blues truly need is someone at the caliber of Parayko if not higher. While the C hole is the more pressing need, RD is the bigger longterm need and the harder player to acquire. It may take years for the opportunity to arise to be able to acquire that player but if that opportunity comes before the C issue is resolved, the Blues should go for it. It’s that important longterm.

I’ll also mention that a right side of Parayko and even Faulk or someone like Fabbro would be fine if we had a stud LD. Either way, we really need a #1 d-man. Or at least another d-man that’s a borderline #1 like Parayko. So let’s say in a couple years Fowler moves on or down the lineup as age catches up to him, we could have something like:

Stud LD-Parayko
Broberg-Faulk/Fabbro/someone that’s a good #4
Fowler/Lindstein-decent 3RD

So the big defensive add doesn’t necessarily need to be on the right side but we definitely need another top d-man to be a Cup contender IMO. And as the team is structured today and with Faulk clearly regressing, RD seems to be the more obvious spot to go after. But with that position at such a premium, I’m simply presenting another option that’d get our defense to Cup caliber…it’d just take more finagling/more moving parts most likely.

[dhsux]

C is the most urgent need, D is the biggest need.

I think we can get both.

That's where I am. Not sure how the cap would work to do it but get a solid mid priced stop gap center and then seek a long term RHD.

Going to have to give to get on the latter for sure and yes I would have some untouchables in the process making it even more difficult.

Scary trade but I'd trust DA on this.

[Inglewood Jack]

C is the most urgent need, D is the biggest need.

I think we can get both.

That's where I am. Not sure how the cap would work to do it but get a solid mid priced stop gap center and then seek a long term RHD.

Going to have to give to get on the latter for sure and yes I would have some untouchables in the process making it even more difficult.

Scary trade but I'd trust DA on this.

The untouchable is the D man the Blues would try to acquire, IMO, which would require our untouchables. Just do not see it happening at that level. Something like a Binner and Neighbors going the other way???? It is not often that a stud D gets traded in their prime years. Just being realistic, thats why I see a 2/3 C as realistic. Agree with all the comments above, but think there are some serious buds in those pipe dreams.

[seattleblue]

In terms of picking the right player to build a defense with Armstrong has earned distrust, but also hope.

[skilles]

C is the most urgent need, D is the biggest need.

I think we can get both.

That's where I am. Not sure how the cap would work to do it but get a solid mid priced stop gap center and then seek a long term RHD.

Going to have to give to get on the latter for sure and yes I would have some untouchables in the process making it even more difficult.

Scary trade but I'd trust DA on this.

I'd look for a stop gap C and a young d that we think will develop into what we need.

[theograce]

In terms of picking the right player to build a defense with Armstrong has earned distrust, but also hope.

What player are you referring to

[seattleblue]

In terms of picking the right player to build a defense with Armstrong has earned distrust, but also hope.

What player are you referring to

There is nobody who has crashed the plane into the side of the mountain in the recent past who I am going to "trust" at flying the plane by that same mountain. He's earned some hope because maybe he remembers these past few years of non-contention and sometimes people learn. I have hope but not trust. "Trust" is a bridge too far and it's unearned.

[bluetunehead]

C is the most urgent need, D is the biggest need.

I think we can get both.

That's where I am. Not sure how the cap would work to do it but get a solid mid priced stop gap center and then seek a long term RHD.

Going to have to give to get on the latter for sure and yes I would have some untouchables in the process making it even more difficult.

Scary trade but I'd trust DA on this.

Yeah I agree with these takes. Immediate need for the next couple seasons is probably 2C until Dvorsky is ready. Longterm it's definitely RHD. We just don't have much in the pipeline there beyond Jiricek.

I think a great offseason for me that doesn't involve any outside the box swings would be finding a way to sign Duchene (around 2 years) and Fabbro (maybe 4-5) but those are going to be popular players come July 1. Both are probably more stopgap signings, but Fabbro is also young enough to be part of the core going forward if he continues to play like he did in Columbus.