How would you grade this offseason?

[Harry S Deals]

I dont think we will be able to offer a true grade until we see Mailloux in regular season action. My gut tells me he will eventually be very good i also feel like he may require 100 NHL games to adjust to the speed of NHL forwards in the d zone.
Bjugstad is fine in a 4th line role he actually has produced decently on a 3rd line, I like Suter as the 3rd Center. As with any NHL franchise a lot will depend on :

Snuggerud, Holloway, Toropchenko, Broberg, Mailloux, Hofer, Dvorsky, Stenberg, etc, young guys need to keep advancing for the team to compete for a top 3 division spot. Its possible to likely.

On the face of the off season today, i'd give the grade a B+ after the Suter signing i think that really solidified a top 9 that was already decent but lacked a center.

[LGB73]

The whole true grade for this off season to date, for those wishing to apply one, will be about the big trade.

I wouldn't look for anything too great for the coming year but that's not what that trade is about. THAT trade may take years to judge.

This team will be competing for another play off spot this year with eyes toward bigger and better things the year after and beyond.

+1
Nailed it.
And I seriously doubt Bolduc was going to be resigned anyway. How could they afford to pay Neighbours, Broberg and Holloway. If Bolduc nets 30 he’d cost 4-5 million easy, not enough money to go around.

This. 4-5M is on the low end for Bolduc. If he topped 30g, he'd command 5M easily on a bridge.

If Bolduc is looking to be a 25-35 goal scorer, then we traded the wrong guy. Kyrou should have been sent even if it was for Mallioux and a pick.

[Natl20]

The whole true grade for this off season to date, for those wishing to apply one, will be about the big trade.

I wouldn't look for anything too great for the coming year but that's not what that trade is about. THAT trade may take years to judge.

This team will be competing for another play off spot this year with eyes toward bigger and better things the year after and beyond.

+1
Nailed it.
And I seriously doubt Bolduc was going to be resigned anyway. How could they afford to pay Neighbours, Broberg and Holloway. If Bolduc nets 30 he’d cost 4-5 million easy, not enough money to go around.

This. 4-5M is on the low end for Bolduc. If he topped 30g, he'd command 5M easily on a bridge.

If Bolduc is looking to be a 25-35 goal scorer, then we traded the wrong guy. Kyrou should have been sent even if it was for Mallioux and a pick.

So trade the 35 goal guy to keep the 25 MAYBE 35?

I'm no Kyrou lover ...far from it but what kind of logic did you use?

[bixblues]

Too early to tell but i'd say i'm pleasantly surprised at what got done.........B. We moved on from Leddy, added a young RD, added a depth piece in Bugstad and a 3C at a reasonable price/term. We'll miss Bolduc and Faksa but everyone couldn't come back if we were addressing our needs and keeping the door open for young guys to grow into this team. Looks like Dvorsky won't be pushed into a role he's not ready for and can be brought along with patience. We were never in on the big guys and that's ok.

[LGB73]

The whole true grade for this off season to date, for those wishing to apply one, will be about the big trade.

I wouldn't look for anything too great for the coming year but that's not what that trade is about. THAT trade may take years to judge.

This team will be competing for another play off spot this year with eyes toward bigger and better things the year after and beyond.

+1
Nailed it.
And I seriously doubt Bolduc was going to be resigned anyway. How could they afford to pay Neighbours, Broberg and Holloway. If Bolduc nets 30 he’d cost 4-5 million easy, not enough money to go around.

This. 4-5M is on the low end for Bolduc. If he topped 30g, he'd command 5M easily on a bridge.

If Bolduc is looking to be a 25-35 goal scorer, then we traded the wrong guy. Kyrou should have been sent even if it was for Mallioux and a pick.

So trade the 35 goal guy to keep the 25 MAYBE 35?

I'm no Kyrou lover ...far from it but what kind of logic did you use?

The logic is that if you evaluate Bolduc to be a 25-35 goal scorer playing his off wing and plays a physical all around game, and he's younger and he's cheaper, then you trade the more expensive, older, one dimensional player.

I'm going to assume the Blues don't think that he can regularly net 25+ or else they did something pretty stupid if MTL would have taken Kyrou and added additional parts on their side of the deal.

[Army's Mom]

The whole true grade for this off season to date, for those wishing to apply one, will be about the big trade.

I wouldn't look for anything too great for the coming year but that's not what that trade is about. THAT trade may take years to judge.

This team will be competing for another play off spot this year with eyes toward bigger and better things the year after and beyond.

+1
Nailed it.
And I seriously doubt Bolduc was going to be resigned anyway. How could they afford to pay Neighbours, Broberg and Holloway. If Bolduc nets 30 he’d cost 4-5 million easy, not enough money to go around.

This. 4-5M is on the low end for Bolduc. If he topped 30g, he'd command 5M easily on a bridge.

If Bolduc is looking to be a 25-35 goal scorer, then we traded the wrong guy. Kyrou should have been sent even if it was for Mallioux and a pick.

So trade the 35 goal guy to keep the 25 MAYBE 35?

I'm no Kyrou lover ...far from it but what kind of logic did you use?

The logic is that if you evaluate Bolduc to be a 25-35 goal scorer playing his off wing and plays a physical all around game, and he's younger and he's cheaper, then you trade the more expensive, older, one dimensional player.

I'm going to assume the Blues don't think that he can regularly net 25+ or else they did something pretty stupid if MTL would have taken Kyrou and added additional parts on their side of the deal.

The Blues likely value Kyrou more than Bolduc.
Kyrou is one of 3 right handed shooting forwards in the top 9?
Kyrou has elite speed, and pairs well with Holloway.
Kyrou has the trust of his coaches, moreso than Bolduc.

Bolduc is only cheaper because he's younger. There's a REAL risk he earns more than the 8M Kyrou is locked in at, with the way the cap is going up. Kyrou offers cost certainty.

I actually agree with you - I'd have rather traded Kyrou and counted on Bolduc and Snuggerud to replace that offense internally - but I can certainly understand why the Blues might have chosen to go this route instead.