Mails -6

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I must admit I was shocked when I learned Bolduc had been traded, but I figured they were getting a good return. Looks bad so far. I've seldom seen a player so highly touted look so clueless.

Where are people getting the idea that he’s super highly touted?

He was a later 1st round pick. He’s had two solid years in the AHL. He’s 22. He’s supposed to have good but not other worldly offensive instincts and be a work in progress defensively. We’re less than 4 games into his Blues career and it’s NHL game #11 overall. What are people expecting exactly?

I’m not sold at all on the trade yet but good lord. Calm down folks.

Anybody drafted in the first round has to be highly touted by somebody.

[swatski]

Was he on the ice tonight for Hofer’s first two goals and the easy one given up by Binny? If so that’s 3 minuses that shouldn’t count. Nor should they count against anyone on the ice.
Except for Parayako, the whole defense looks disconnected.

[taynos]

I am way more concerned with Tucker. Two of the last four games we have seen serious issues with Tucker lead to goals. Mails is in a tough spot. He is learning and his partner has been brutal this year. I would swap Tucker first.

Tucker’s been a nightmare in two or three games already. Mailloux is going to catch a lot of heat, but I’d argue Tucker has been worse.

Mailloux has been mainly paired with Broberg and Tucker was with Faulk the past 2 games. Mail looked impressive in pre and then when pace picked up opening night just hasn’t been able to make plays under any kind of pressure. When he gets hemmed in it’s Turnover city. I’m concerned he’s the type of player that shows well in the A and can’t play quick enough in the show. Brobergs underlying metrics tonight also dragged way down paired with him. Time will tell but concerned is an understatement. I don’t recall disliking a Kessel game this much on any given night and I’m not the hugest fan of him either.

[skilles]

Hopefully we still get lucky and it works out but we got took.

they can send him down to the minors and sign Lucic

Who do we play on d? As far as I can tell we only have 4 NHL d men.

I don't think we need to sign Lucic either, we need people to start fighting for and earning roster spots.

well the good news is if Lindstein can look like he did at the outset with Springfield then he might get an early crack at what is going to be his soon enough anyway, a spot on the left side behind Fowler and Broberg. That isn't immediate help though. In the immediate term the only answer is Tucker has to get better. If he can't they have to severely limit his minutes and shelter him.

as for the right side we have one excellent defender, one who is clearly declining, and one who looks utterly overmatched, then we have some tweeners, a raw possibility still developing who's just 19, and little else. Kessel has to get better and help, this is probably his last shot to get in there and nail down a regular NHL spot. Mailloux being unprepared for the pace of the NHL has given him a chance

To be honest we could probably be ok with Mailloux or Tucker but not both

[britishblue]

Hopefully we still get lucky and it works out but we got took.

they can send him down to the minors and sign Lucic

Who do we play on d? As far as I can tell we only have 4 NHL d men.

I don't think we need to sign Lucic either, we need people to start fighting for and earning roster spots.

well the good news is if Lindstein can look like he did at the outset with Springfield then he might get an early crack at what is going to be his soon enough anyway, a spot on the left side behind Fowler and Broberg. That isn't immediate help though. In the immediate term the only answer is Tucker has to get better. If he can't they have to severely limit his minutes and shelter him.

as for the right side we have one excellent defender, one who is clearly declining, and one who looks utterly overmatched, then we have some tweeners, a raw possibility still developing who's just 19, and little else. Kessel has to get better and help, this is probably his last shot to get in there and nail down a regular NHL spot. Mailloux being unprepared for the pace of the NHL has given him a chance

To be honest we could probably be ok with Mailloux or Tucker but not both

Exactly this.

I was shocked we didnt sign a veteran bottom pairing guy in the summer, a Suter type would have been ideal for both Mailoux and Tucker to learn from.

The issue we have is that Mailoux and Tucker as a pairing sucks, and neither of those players are good enough to slide up the lineup either.

Means we either have to play all of the top 4 for ~25 mins a night or weaken the top for and split up broberg and faulk which makes them less effective.

Still very early though so i really do think we need to give it 20 games to see how its progressing.

[TheHighHat]

^^
Joseph, Texier, and Bjugstad eating up nearly 7 million in cap space for at best 4th line production is a big issue.
I get that Bjugstad was signed a day before P. Suter but that money should have went to a veteran d-man to hold the hand of Mailloux and Tucker.

Remember that Ottawa gave us a 3rd rounder just to take Joseph off their hands/books.
Thankfully this is the last year of the 5 million dollar whiff (Joe & Tex) from the summer of 24

[Tony Palazzolo]

The whole team had a rough night. On the one goal, he passes the puck behind the net. Even sees that a player is headed behind the net and angles off the back boards. Unfortunately that player was Bedard that cut it off, settled the puck and passed it right up the middle for a goal. It was the right play with the wrong player on the ice. My first thought was he won't do that again.

[ForumPolice]

We had to trade Bolduc and shore up our blue line or else our D would be giving up 8 goals to the hated Blackhawks.

Oh wait a minute......

[Cardsfanforlife]

Was he on the ice tonight for Hofer’s first two goals and the easy one given up by Binny? If so that’s 3 minuses that shouldn’t count. Nor should they count against anyone on the ice.
Except for Parayako, the whole defense looks disconnected.

and how about Buch, god is there anyone more clueless than him. ya mails is trash, but hes not making 80m a yr for 200 yrs. buch is at the center of almost every stupid play. even hofer looked annoyed with him on the first goal. tough to tell from the highlights, but im willing to bet it was buch being stupid there.

[blues2112]

Hopefully we still get lucky and it works out but we got took.

they can send him down to the minors and sign Lucic

Or Suter.

[moose-and-squirrel]

Was he on the ice tonight for Hofer’s first two goals and the easy one given up by Binny? If so that’s 3 minuses that shouldn’t count. Nor should they count against anyone on the ice.
Except for Parayako, the whole defense looks disconnected.

and how about Buch, god is there anyone more clueless than him. ya mails is trash, but hes not making 80m a yr for 200 yrs. buch is at the center of almost every stupid play. even hofer looked annoyed with him on the first goal. tough to tell from the highlights, but im willing to bet it was buch being stupid there.

hofer shouldn't be looking at anybody after last night.. he needs to worry about himself

[BalotelliMassive]

The whole team had a rough night. On the one goal, he passes the puck behind the net. Even sees that a player is headed behind the net and angles off the back boards. Unfortunately that player was Bedard that cut it off, settled the puck and passed it right up the middle for a goal. It was the right play with the wrong player on the ice. My first thought was he won't do that again.

The Blues have been trying that goalie pass up the middle nonsense all season long and got burned.

[Army's Mom]

he was apparently highly touted by our scouting staff who basically said we would have drafted him except for the moral baggage

either way we can't let it go on much longer, he can figure it out in Springfield. people say he needs to play. those are individual needs which are less than the team needs

This.

We can agree that Army was wrong to say Mailloux is ready for full time NHL work. Army probably shouldn't have gone out on a limb making that claim despite Mailloux's inexperience and mixed early results. The past four games doesn't really change things as much as it clarifies how much work is needed.

Of course, watching Bolduc play as well as he can (at the other extreme from Mailloux) makes the early comparisons inevitably hurtful. But it is what it is. The question is, how do the Blues course correct?

[DawgDad]

he was apparently highly touted by our scouting staff who basically said we would have drafted him except for the moral baggage

either way we can't let it go on much longer, he can figure it out in Springfield. people say he needs to play. those are individual needs which are less than the team needs

This.

We can agree that Army was wrong to say Mailloux is ready for full time NHL work. Army probably shouldn't have gone out on a limb making that claim despite Mailloux's inexperience and mixed early results. The past four games doesn't really change things as much as it clarifies how much work is needed.

Of course, watching Bolduc play as well as he can (at the other extreme from Mailloux) makes the early comparisons inevitably hurtful. But it is what it is. The question is, how do the Blues course correct?

No, we cannot agree. Yes, a LOT of work is needed. Yes, Bolduc at this point is irrelevant.

Mailloux has talent, he needs to process game situations better. There is no Bedard in the AHL, he needs to learn how to handle him and the talent in the NHL.

I do believe Tucker and Mailloux are proving that both is a bridge too far, at least for now. It is fair to ask where the Blues should place their bets, it's also clear what the answer is to that question. Tucker can play better but I think we saw his ceiling at the end of last season.

[seattleblue]

The whole team had a rough night. On the one goal, he passes the puck behind the net. Even sees that a player is headed behind the net and angles off the back boards. Unfortunately that player was Bedard that cut it off, settled the puck and passed it right up the middle for a goal. It was the right play with the wrong player on the ice. My first thought was he won't do that again.

why would you assume he won't do it again if that's all he's full of up to this point?

[LGB73]

He's certainly proving being an AHL all-star defenseman is a pretty meaningless distinction. If this was the route the team was set on then he needs to play to develop. I wish we had someone better than Tucker to pair him with but it is what it is. Keep rolling them out there and coach them up.