GDT: Blues at Preds 7:00 FanDuel

[BleedingBleu]

Everyone knows Zach Bolduc would have matched Stamkos goal-for-goal, but all of his would have come on the PK. Then, he’d of won all the faceoffs opposite Ryan O’Reilly and tea-bagged Filip Forseberg, further cementing his dominance of the ice.

Naturally, he would have needed someone else to contribute. How did we ever win a Stanley Cup without THE Nick Leddy? Nick Leddy would have 3 power play points tonight, per usual.

All of this would have been done before a Colten Ellis shutout. Don’t get too focused on that, though. The stifling defensive prowess of Niko Mikkola, Jake Walman, Ryan Suter, Vince Dunn, Alex Pietrangelo and Nick “Unleaded” Leddy would have force only Neutral Zone dumps and occasional bouncing pucks to reach the goal crease.

The Final Score would have looked something like 11-0 after the dust settled and Perron showed mercy

[MiamiLaw]

Everyone knows Zach Bolduc would have matched Stamkos goal-for-goal, but all of his would have come on the PK. Then, he’d of won all the faceoffs opposite Ryan O’Reilly and tea-bagged Filip Forseberg, further cementing his dominance of the ice.

Naturally, he would have needed someone else to contribute. How did we ever win a Stanley Cup without THE Nick Leddy? Nick Leddy would have 3 power play points tonight, per usual.

All of this would have been done before a Colten Ellis shutout. Don’t get too focused on that, though. The stifling defensive prowess of Niko Mikkola, Jake Walman, Ryan Suter, Vince Dunn, Alex Pietrangelo and Nick “Unleaded” Leddy would have force only Neutral Zone dumps and occasional bouncing pucks to reach the goal crease.

The Final Score would have looked something like 11-0 after the dust settled and Perron showed mercy

So what are you saying with this? Every move Army has made was right? It’s good that he’s steadily disassembled a cup team for the mess we see now?

As you point out, he’s jettisoned basically an entire d corps in 5 years and the defense of this team currently sucks. The blue font may not be appropriate here.

[BleedingBleu]

Everyone knows Zach Bolduc would have matched Stamkos goal-for-goal, but all of his would have come on the PK. Then, he’d of won all the faceoffs opposite Ryan O’Reilly and tea-bagged Filip Forseberg, further cementing his dominance of the ice.

Naturally, he would have needed someone else to contribute. How did we ever win a Stanley Cup without THE Nick Leddy? Nick Leddy would have 3 power play points tonight, per usual.

All of this would have been done before a Colten Ellis shutout. Don’t get too focused on that, though. The stifling defensive prowess of Niko Mikkola, Jake Walman, Ryan Suter, Vince Dunn, Alex Pietrangelo and Nick “Unleaded” Leddy would have force only Neutral Zone dumps and occasional bouncing pucks to reach the goal crease.

The Final Score would have looked something like 11-0 after the dust settled and Perron showed mercy

So what are you saying with this? Every move Army has made was right? It’s good that he’s steadily disassembled a cup team for the mess we see now?

As you point out, he’s jettisoned basically an entire d corps in 5 years and the defense of this team currently sucks. The blue font may not be appropriate here.

No where did I infer every move Army has made was right. That’s just stupid and completely unrealistic. The moves can be viewed in a more reasonable manner, with logic, understanding, and hindsight. However, no one stays on top for long. The Blackhawks & Penguins Dynasties failed after retaining their Stars. The Capitals like the Blues choked in the playoffs more than a female actress looking for a lead role in Harvey Weinstein’s production.

The Capitals had the good fortune to have an ageless all-time great to keep them competitive/interesting. The Blues one-shot at a Top Overall Pick was Erik Johnson. Not exactly Armstrong’s fault.

So, who from that defensive group would you want over what we got? I’m eliminating Pietrangelo from the list entirely, since he chose to leave. He was offered $7.7M AAV over 8 years, but signed for $8.8M AAV over 8. That’s not in the same ballpark of an offer. That’s a <14% increase and the equivalent of a 9th year absorbed within the same time frame. So, it’s a non-factor. You can’t keep a guy that doesn’t want to be here.

For me, I was the most saddened about losing Vince Dunn. He was a young, ascending player who’d of been 25. However, they could only protect 3-D per NHL’s Expansion Draft rules. Here’s who they protected in 2021…

Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan O'Reilly, David Perron, Brayden Schenn, Jordan Kyrou, Colton Parayko, Justin Faulk, Torey Krug, Robert Thomas, and goalie Jordan Binnington.

At his current salary, he’d be our highest paid D-Man at $7.35M through 2026/7. However, in the hypothetical sense that we kept Pietrangelo and didn’t sign Krug, then we lose Dunn to the Expansion Draft, regardless.

We signed Krug & Faulk because the team was very much still in a Championship Contending Window. Many still lament about Nazem Kadri’s aggressive play that injured Jordan Binnington in the 2nd Round of the 2021/22 Playoffs, because there was real optimism the team could have hoisted the Cup. Imagine how different Hull & Gretzky’s postseason goes w/a healthy Grant Fuhr?

Along w/Vince Dunn, Jake Walman was exposed to the Expansion Draft. Now he’s getting paid more than any Blues defenseman at $7M AAV until 2032/3 season. No thank you.

Niko Mikkola is making $5M through the 2033/4 Season; which is more than Philip Broberg. No thank you.

Need I say anything about Nick Leddy & Ryan Suter? They’re not bailing out this team w/their current injury situation at Forward.

Im not a cynic. I still want a Blues win over a Blues Loss. I not only enjoyed the decade of the 2010’s as a Blues fan, but I would have enjoyed that more than what the Edmonton Oilers did. If the Blues did that sh¡t, they’re probably in Vegas, Seattle, or Utah.

That doesn’t mean that would happen. However, getting the #1 Overall Pick doesn’t guarantee anything. Potentially drafting Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg, or whoever at #1/2 doesn’t mean they’ll be a HOF Blue for their career. However, if the team is going to miss the playoffs because of several injuries, the ebbs and flows of the next young core developing, and poor Goaltender play, then eff it. Sh¡t happens. Might as well strike when the potential down year hits amidst a rebuild.

I think that’s pretty reasonable rather than dwelling on who we couldn’t or wouldn’t have kept.

[MiamiLaw]

Well what you are saying in this second post is very different than the post I responded to. But as to the “can’t be on top forever” sentiment, no team that has won the Cup recently years has had even close to the core turnover that the Blues have had.

The Blues have had MASSIVE turnover since then and it’s almost universally been a downgrade. I’d much rather be watching the aging cup team mostly intact right now than whatever this [shirt] is. Most of those “old” guys are still producing much better than what we have now.

[a smell of green grass]

Probably an unpopular opinion here but I will give it anyway. I am not an Army basher as I think he is one of the better GMs in the game. But one thing that troubled me when Army announced the coaching change, was the 5 year contract for Monty. Why so long? Especially when it seemed like he had just lost the locker room in Boston. I am not saying that Monty is the reason we are playing like dog turds, but it seemed a little long to me considering every thing. I understand coaches will eventually wear thin on a team, but him losing the Bruins locker room, seemed pretty quick in my opinion. Boston had just set the all-time points record 18 months before. I understand there are many other factors involved and he is here to stay, especially with a 5 year contract. I guess it can be good in one respect, that it shows the so called "coach killers" on this team, that the coach isn't going anywhere. But at the same time, the coach knows he isn't going anywhere either! Before all the injuries, I just couldn't understand some of the constant juggling of the lines, the stubbornnes to change up the power play, to bench some of the vets, but other vets get a pass earlier in the season, our pre-season roster and compete level, etc... Again, I am not saying this is on the coach at all, but what the heck changed from last year to this year? I don't see the same hunger and passion, from basically the same team of players. Quite frankly, I don't see the same hunger and passion in Monty either. There is more to it than just the Bolduc trade. Was last year just the result of the "coach bump" after letting Bannister go? Flame away....

Synopsis of Army/Monty:
Army is retiring, and he is more focused on his legacy than the Blues future. So in desperation, he hires a new Coach mid-year to pound a win-at-all-cost approach into the team at the same time that every other team is aware that the regular season is over. Florida lost 7 of their last 10 games.

Anyone with an open eyes could see that the Jan 2025 was going to return in October 2025, especially when you subtract the league veterans that Army has been leveraging to cover up his talent-poor roster.

Then came the offseason with the rising cap, and Army had no chance to do what he always does: Get players from other rosters to cover up the holes in his own.

Everyone claims that Army is brilliant based on the Broberg/Holloway move. However, how can it be good that YOUR BEST young prospects come off the bench of a winning team?! What did that tell us about Army's ability to acquire talent the normal way?!

Army and his talent evaluation scouts are the problem.

[LewisL]

Was at this game last night. The only good thing I can say, at least my jersey (new road white) looked better than anyone else's.

[BleedingBleu]

Well what you are saying in this second post is very different than the post I responded to. But as to the “can’t be on top forever” sentiment, no team that has won the Cup recently years has had even close to the core turnover that the Blues have had.

The Blues have had MASSIVE turnover since then and it’s almost universally been a downgrade. I’d much rather be watching the aging cup team mostly intact right now than whatever this [shirt] is. Most of those “old” guys are still producing much better than what we have now.

The Washington Capitals didn’t have a massive turnover? Where’s Philip Grubauer? Where’s Braden Holtby? Kuznetsov? Chandler Stephenson? Orlov?

After winning the Cup, the Capitals had 4-straight First Round knockouts then a top 10 Pick in the draft. What about those that made it to the Cup Finals but didn’t win? You don’t think our opponent that Finals, the Boston Bruins, had massive turnover? What about the 2021 Montreal Canadians? 2017 Nashville Predators?

The thing is, the Blues core was aging. They made deals to get the likes of Schenn (27), O’Reilly (27), JayBo (35). To get a guy like O’Reilly, they had to give up Tage Thompson, and a 2019 First Rounder. To get a guy like Schenn, they had to give up First Round picks in 2017 & 2018. JayBo cost us our 2013 First Rounder.

I’m going to come-off as talking down to you, but I don’t know how better to support my comment in defense of your statement. Acquiring all of those guys not only costs future prospects and therefore Cap Flexibikity w/younger, cheaper options. Then you’ve got to pay them sizable cap allotments to their market value. That on top of some nice Free Agent signings of Perron (30), Bozak (32), Maroon (30), and you’re going to be top-heavy and age quickly.

Fortunately, those moves supplemented a premium pick (#4) and other dimes they drafted/developed years prior. I’m thinking guys like Pietrangelo (29 - 2008), Tarasenko (27) & Schwartz (26 - 2010), Parayko (2012) Barbashev (2014), Kyrou (2016), Thomas (2017).

Without those trades & signings, there is no Cup Champion. Maybe they keep them together longer, but let’s not act like the teams built & winning today are in the same boat as the St Louis Blues Title Contention that was interrupted by COVID and thus a flat cap. Awfully hard to retain your aging core when you need to retain your upcoming stars and remain cap compliant.