Army's fatal flaw over the past 5 years

[ICCFIM2]

I think you can pin this year's disaster (thus far) on one transaction above all others: Bolduc/Mailloux. Well, that, and the obvious injuries which have decimated the offense.

But when Snuggy came along and started producing, the Blues suddenly had 4 lines that could all put a puck in the net if the opponent took a nap for even one shift. And sure enough, most opponents did, because most didn't have 4 lines to match the Blues' depth.

Then, by no means were Leddy and Suter some sort of offensive juggernaut on the blue line, but they were incredibly solid defensively, knew what they were doing, and helped the play in all zones. And compared to Mailloux's production, they now look like an offensive juggernaut.

We gave up the piece that changed the offensive lineup from good to exceptional, dumped the 2 most solid and unappreciated defensive stalwarts on the blue line, and what did the Blues replace it with?

1 goal, 1 assist, and a rookie project defenseman who makes more errors and boneheaded plays than any young defenseman I've ever seen.

I disliked the deal when it happened and have basically lost all hope for this season after watching how horribly it's played out the first half of the season. It was just (Ef'En) STUPID. There's an old, old, OOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLDDDDDDDDDDDDDD saying that is something everyone should learn before they become an adult: if it's not broken, don't (Ef'En) fix it.

Army had done an exceptional job imo with the retool on the fly. But this one move has caused more damage than any other. My gawd it was just so (Ef'En) stupid. Ugh....

It is easy to pick that trade and blame it solely. The Blues really were missing a RH defenseman at any level. So, I understand the trade. But, he should have gotten a lot more back for Bolduc than Mallioux. There is also a lot more to this.

1. Binnington has been awful.
2. Parayko went from scoring 16 goals last year to 0.
3. Fowler went from scoring 9 goals last year to 1.
4. Buchnevich has been really bad for the contract he received.
5. Injuries.

Outside of the trade, the Blues might have had better results if one of Parayko or Fowler played up to the prior year standards and Buch was just a bit better. But, when you have 4 of your top players underperforming / not performing at all, it is hard to do win a lot of games. Lets give them another 10 games before calling for a complete blow-up. But, if the playoffs look out of the question on January 31, then trading Parayko and Faulk, as well as Kyrou, Buch and Shenn among some other should be on the table. The problem is if they get draft picks back, the team will be 5-6 years out. It will be worse than the Cardinals. Outside of Carbaneou, I am not sure if the team has that much high end talent coming through. Perhaps if they load up on picks, they can get some players at the draft day. But, I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel unless some of the players being paid to perform starting performing.

Armey's mistakes.

1. Krug
2. Buch contract
3. Trading Bolduc
4. Letting both Leddy and Suter go this offseason instead of retaining 1 of them.

[rezero]

I think you can pin this year's disaster (thus far) on one transaction above all others: Bolduc/Mailloux. Well, that, and the obvious injuries which have decimated the offense.

But when Snuggy came along and started producing, the Blues suddenly had 4 lines that could all put a puck in the net if the opponent took a nap for even one shift. And sure enough, most opponents did, because most didn't have 4 lines to match the Blues' depth.

Then, by no means were Leddy and Suter some sort of offensive juggernaut on the blue line, but they were incredibly solid defensively, knew what they were doing, and helped the play in all zones. And compared to Mailloux's production, they now look like an offensive juggernaut.

We gave up the piece that changed the offensive lineup from good to exceptional, dumped the 2 most solid and unappreciated defensive stalwarts on the blue line, and what did the Blues replace it with?

1 goal, 1 assist, and a rookie project defenseman who makes more errors and boneheaded plays than any young defenseman I've ever seen.

I disliked the deal when it happened and have basically lost all hope for this season after watching how horribly it's played out the first half of the season. It was just (Ef'En) STUPID. There's an old, old, OOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLDDDDDDDDDDDDDD saying that is something everyone should learn before they become an adult: if it's not broken, don't (Ef'En) fix it.

Army had done an exceptional job imo with the retool on the fly. But this one move has caused more damage than any other. My gawd it was just so (Ef'En) stupid. Ugh....

It is easy to pick that trade and blame it solely. The Blues really were missing a RH defenseman at any level. So, I understand the trade. But, he should have gotten a lot more back for Bolduc than Mallioux. There is also a lot more to this.

1. Binnington has been awful.
2. Parayko went from scoring 16 goals last year to 0.
3. Fowler went from scoring 9 goals last year to 1.
4. Buchnevich has been really bad for the contract he received.
5. Injuries.

Outside of the trade, the Blues might have had better results if one of Parayko or Fowler played up to the prior year standards and Buch was just a bit better. But, when you have 4 of your top players underperforming / not performing at all, it is hard to do win a lot of games. Lets give them another 10 games before calling for a complete blow-up. But, if the playoffs look out of the question on January 31, then trading Parayko and Faulk, as well as Kyrou, Buch and Shenn among some other should be on the table. The problem is if they get draft picks back, the team will be 5-6 years out. It will be worse than the Cardinals. Outside of Carbaneou, I am not sure if the team has that much high end talent coming through. Perhaps if they load up on picks, they can get some players at the draft day. But, I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel unless some of the players being paid to perform starting performing.

Armey's mistakes.

1. Krug
2. Buch contract
3. Trading Bolduc
4. Letting both Leddy and Suter go this offseason instead of retaining 1 of them.

Pretty much sums it up.

PS-Good to see you slide back over to the Blues board as I missed your banter. Maybe I need to spend more time on the Cards board.

[britishblue]

For me the issue this year is very simple.

We dont have a proven 3rd pairing dman.

We lost Suter and gave Leddy away.

It should have been addressed in the summer, i can only assume Army thought we could get to the deadline with what we had and add then.

That has meant our D pairings have been split and its been a mess.

[BobbyOrr]

Losing Petro was not where the rock slide started.
The cap was a problem and you were going to lose players regardless.
IMO, losing Jbow unexpectedly is what started it all…. We spent 4+ yerars trying to patch that hole of who was going to play with Parayko and be your #1 defensive pair.
[/quote]

That ^^^^. !

[ICCFIM2]

I think you can pin this year's disaster (thus far) on one transaction above all others: Bolduc/Mailloux. Well, that, and the obvious injuries which have decimated the offense.

But when Snuggy came along and started producing, the Blues suddenly had 4 lines that could all put a puck in the net if the opponent took a nap for even one shift. And sure enough, most opponents did, because most didn't have 4 lines to match the Blues' depth.

Then, by no means were Leddy and Suter some sort of offensive juggernaut on the blue line, but they were incredibly solid defensively, knew what they were doing, and helped the play in all zones. And compared to Mailloux's production, they now look like an offensive juggernaut.

We gave up the piece that changed the offensive lineup from good to exceptional, dumped the 2 most solid and unappreciated defensive stalwarts on the blue line, and what did the Blues replace it with?

1 goal, 1 assist, and a rookie project defenseman who makes more errors and boneheaded plays than any young defenseman I've ever seen.

I disliked the deal when it happened and have basically lost all hope for this season after watching how horribly it's played out the first half of the season. It was just (Ef'En) STUPID. There's an old, old, OOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLDDDDDDDDDDDDDD saying that is something everyone should learn before they become an adult: if it's not broken, don't (Ef'En) fix it.

Army had done an exceptional job imo with the retool on the fly. But this one move has caused more damage than any other. My gawd it was just so (Ef'En) stupid. Ugh....

It is easy to pick that trade and blame it solely. The Blues really were missing a RH defenseman at any level. So, I understand the trade. But, he should have gotten a lot more back for Bolduc than Mallioux. There is also a lot more to this.

1. Binnington has been awful.
2. Parayko went from scoring 16 goals last year to 0.
3. Fowler went from scoring 9 goals last year to 1.
4. Buchnevich has been really bad for the contract he received.
5. Injuries.

Outside of the trade, the Blues might have had better results if one of Parayko or Fowler played up to the prior year standards and Buch was just a bit better. But, when you have 4 of your top players underperforming / not performing at all, it is hard to do win a lot of games. Lets give them another 10 games before calling for a complete blow-up. But, if the playoffs look out of the question on January 31, then trading Parayko and Faulk, as well as Kyrou, Buch and Shenn among some other should be on the table. The problem is if they get draft picks back, the team will be 5-6 years out. It will be worse than the Cardinals. Outside of Carbaneou, I am not sure if the team has that much high end talent coming through. Perhaps if they load up on picks, they can get some players at the draft day. But, I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel unless some of the players being paid to perform starting performing.

Armey's mistakes.

1. Krug
2. Buch contract
3. Trading Bolduc
4. Letting both Leddy and Suter go this offseason instead of retaining 1 of them.

Pretty much sums it up.

PS-Good to see you slide back over to the Blues board as I missed your banter. Maybe I need to spend more time on the Cards board.

Thanks, I know less about hockey. I watch probably 50-60 Blues games a year. I just don't know the players from the other teams as well as I know the baseball players. So I tend to read on this board and comment less.

[DawgDad]

I think you can pin this year's disaster (thus far) on one transaction above all others: Bolduc/Mailloux. Well, that, and the obvious injuries which have decimated the offense.

But when Snuggy came along and started producing, the Blues suddenly had 4 lines that could all put a puck in the net if the opponent took a nap for even one shift. And sure enough, most opponents did, because most didn't have 4 lines to match the Blues' depth.

Then, by no means were Leddy and Suter some sort of offensive juggernaut on the blue line, but they were incredibly solid defensively, knew what they were doing, and helped the play in all zones. And compared to Mailloux's production, they now look like an offensive juggernaut.

We gave up the piece that changed the offensive lineup from good to exceptional, dumped the 2 most solid and unappreciated defensive stalwarts on the blue line, and what did the Blues replace it with?

1 goal, 1 assist, and a rookie project defenseman who makes more errors and boneheaded plays than any young defenseman I've ever seen.

I disliked the deal when it happened and have basically lost all hope for this season after watching how horribly it's played out the first half of the season. It was just (Ef'En) STUPID. There's an old, old, OOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLDDDDDDDDDDDDDD saying that is something everyone should learn before they become an adult: if it's not broken, don't (Ef'En) fix it.

Army had done an exceptional job imo with the retool on the fly. But this one move has caused more damage than any other. My gawd it was just so (Ef'En) stupid. Ugh....

It is easy to pick that trade and blame it solely. The Blues really were missing a RH defenseman at any level. So, I understand the trade. But, he should have gotten a lot more back for Bolduc than Mallioux. There is also a lot more to this.

1. Binnington has been awful.
2. Parayko went from scoring 16 goals last year to 0.
3. Fowler went from scoring 9 goals last year to 1.
4. Buchnevich has been really bad for the contract he received.
5. Injuries.

Outside of the trade, the Blues might have had better results if one of Parayko or Fowler played up to the prior year standards and Buch was just a bit better. But, when you have 4 of your top players underperforming / not performing at all, it is hard to do win a lot of games. Lets give them another 10 games before calling for a complete blow-up. But, if the playoffs look out of the question on January 31, then trading Parayko and Faulk, as well as Kyrou, Buch and Shenn among some other should be on the table. The problem is if they get draft picks back, the team will be 5-6 years out. It will be worse than the Cardinals. Outside of Carbaneou, I am not sure if the team has that much high end talent coming through. Perhaps if they load up on picks, they can get some players at the draft day. But, I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel unless some of the players being paid to perform starting performing.

Armey's mistakes.

1. Krug
2. Buch contract
3. Trading Bolduc
4. Letting both Leddy and Suter go this offseason instead of retaining 1 of them.

I agree with most of your analysis but the more you typed the farther off-track you got. I wholly agree the core issue has been collective underperformance by the veterans, for whatever reasons.

One, this team is not going to trade vets for a bunch of low first round picks. Not what they need to feed their transition plan.

Two: Losing Suter was more significant than it seemed on paper, but the transition plan screamed need to find a young RHD and give Tucker/Kessel PT. Clearly, they expected more from Tucker. Mailloux was awful in his initial shot, he's probably been about what they expected since his recall, talented and mostly serviceable but in need of NHL experience.

The loss of Bolduc is VASTLY overrated by many on this board. Vastly. Mailloux is part of the core forward, Bolduc would be getting squeezed for PT.

The "Army mistakes" is just dumb. Krug has nothing to do with this team or any future Blues team. He is water under the bridge. Buchnevich may be overpaid but what was the alternative? Bolduc cannot carry his boot laces as a versatile player, even as off as Buchy has been offensively. We don't know what the return might have been for trading him.

As for Suter/Leddy, the brain trust decided to go young, give Mailloux/Tucker/Kessel the ice time. It's been a rough road but one that might pay dividends long after those two veterans fade away.

We should keep in mind the Blues are trying to transition this roster, in a methodical manner. We've seen them invest significant playing time in valued prospects Holloway, Neighbours, Snuggerud, Dvorsky, Stenberg, Broberg, Mailloux, Hofer, Tucker. They will work in more prospects in upcoming seasons, and they still have all their future #1 draft picks. The road will likely be bumpy but near the end of this decade the Blues project to be playing with a younger and more talented core, a team with upside potential.