Cameron Matthew Fowler

[MiamiLaw]

A lot of responses here are focusing why we need a player like Fowler and why his numbers may be down. You guys are kind of missing the crux of the issue. Why did he need to be signed last summer with still a year to go? He is not a young guy. It was very unlikely he was going to explode (or even sustain his torrid pace) and completely price himself out. It isn't like they could not have signed him right now (with much more information/leverage now that things didn't go great) or even next summer before free agency. If you had $6.1 to give him to age 37, he is taking that all day at 34 years old no matter when it is offered. If he signed a $4.5 mil deal, I would be singing a much different tune.

The only real risk to not signing him right when it was possible was that he would somehow sour on STL during this season and want to test the market. But if that happened, why would you want him here anyways? Nothing that has been said has really done much to justify why signing him last summer was any benefit to the team given the amount he signed for.

If Fowler maintained his play this season with the expected rise in the salary cap, his next deal is probably higher than the now $6.1 cap hit. We should at least mention that that too is a factor in this.

To me it was so unlikely that if that was truly the reason, I question the decision making. The risk he wouldn’t maintain was much much higher. If he said “I want to be here. I’ll take $4.5” then I see the rush. But at 34 years old he’d have to have an all star type season to get to a point where $6.1 wasn’t potentially the number based on other contracts to similar players.

[DoneLurking]

A lot of responses here are focusing why we need a player like Fowler and why his numbers may be down. You guys are kind of missing the crux of the issue. Why did he need to be signed last summer with still a year to go? He is not a young guy. It was very unlikely he was going to explode (or even sustain his torrid pace) and completely price himself out. It isn't like they could not have signed him right now (with much more information/leverage now that things didn't go great) or even next summer before free agency. If you had $6.1 to give him to age 37, he is taking that all day at 34 years old no matter when it is offered. If he signed a $4.5 mil deal, I would be singing a much different tune.

The only real risk to not signing him right when it was possible was that he would somehow sour on STL during this season and want to test the market. But if that happened, why would you want him here anyways? Nothing that has been said has really done much to justify why signing him last summer was any benefit to the team given the amount he signed for.

If Fowler maintained his play this season with the expected rise in the salary cap, his next deal is probably higher than the now $6.1 cap hit. We should at least mention that that too is a factor in this.

To me it was so unlikely that if that was truly the reason, I question the decision making. The risk he wouldn’t maintain was much much higher. If he said “I want to be here. I’ll take $4.5” then I see the rush. But at 34 years old he’d have to have an all star type season to get to a point where $6.1 wasn’t potentially the number based on other contracts to similar players.

I wouldn't say it's the only reason. I would say it was probably one factor in the analysis.

I don't agree that the risk he wouldn't maintain his play is any different than the risk that he would, but I doubt either of us are changing each other's minds.

The bolded, I don't know if we know that. This sounds like a gotcha, but I really don't know and haven't looked. Are there comparable contracts to his right now?

[Pierre McGuire]

They have been looking for a partner for 55 since JBo broke his heart. They found him in Fowler and they both played some of the best hockey of their lives together. They haven't played together at all this year. This idea of forcing Broberg and Parayko together didn't work well day 1 and hasn't improved. And Broberg was good with Faulk. The biggest problem with the D personnel is not having a Leddy or Suter type to play with Mailloux. Speaking of Leddy, wasn't he on waivers? What happened with that?

That’s why I believe they are gonna make a move for an LHD.
Broberg - Parayko
New LHD - Mailloux
Fowler - Jiricek

Maybe you have Broberg play with Mailloux and put the new guy with Parayko but Fowler should be on the 3rd pair next season.

I think i am in agreement with you here

Broberg - Parayko
New LHD - Mailloux
Fowler - Jiricek

Lindstein, Tucker, UFA

Are we writing off Tyler Tucker too soon though? 12pts 49.7% Corsi, Hits, fights. The issue with Mailloux AND Tucker is actually Mailloux AND Tucker. One of these guys at a time would be fine with the opposite being a solid dependable veteran. But bringing both along at the same time esp early in the season caused issues.
Im also not writing off the possibility that Lindstein could play as soon as next October. He plays a simple, smart game, moves the puck, skates. Id like to see him get his taste this season so he has the experience and knows what to work on this summer

Tucker will be in the mix. In a perfect world Jiricek comes in and claims that spot. We don’t have anybody better at this point.
Feel pretty good saying that if we go dman with our first pick this year , that any of Carels, Verhoeff, or Reid will be in the opening night lineup in 2027 so that could change things as well.

[skilles]

A lot of responses here are focusing why we need a player like Fowler and why his numbers may be down. You guys are kind of missing the crux of the issue. Why did he need to be signed last summer with still a year to go? He is not a young guy. It was very unlikely he was going to explode (or even sustain his torrid pace) and completely price himself out. It isn't like they could not have signed him right now (with much more information/leverage now that things didn't go great) or even next summer before free agency. If you had $6.1 to give him to age 37, he is taking that all day at 34 years old no matter when it is offered. If he signed a $4.5 mil deal, I would be singing a much different tune.

The only real risk to not signing him right when it was possible was that he would somehow sour on STL during this season and want to test the market. But if that happened, why would you want him here anyways? Nothing that has been said has really done much to justify why signing him last summer was any benefit to the team given the amount he signed for.

I think part of what you are missing is that 6.1 is the new 4.1

People are talking about the market but its not even here yet so we don't even know what the 2026 FA looks like yet to compare.

There were lots of reasons to get the deal done.

1. The the risk he might change his mind(I'd say at this point that is highly likely)
2. The cap is going through the roof making the UFA market very competitive(there is a huge market correction coming)
3. knowing from trying to make deals how hard it probably is for the Blues to attract a top 4 defender right now.
4. It really doesn't matter if its 4.5 or 6.1 as the Blues don't have a cap space problem at all and likely will have more problems finding good players to pay than they will have finding cap space to pay them.

You might say some of this is just me guessing but its really not, if the Blues could sign a better defender they would and literally still can, at this point big contracts are about to start coming off the books and are going to be very hard to replace. We are in danger of a years long complete nose dive right now that takes us to a low point that is VERY hard to dig out of. Guys like Fowler and Buch could be a huge part of saving us from that IMO.

[skilles]

Horrible contract, period. The timing makes it even more incredulous and irresponsible. Ive let up on some of my criticisms regarding Army, but he’s still making blatant mistakes regarding contracts, timing etc.

What are you comparing it to that makes it horrible?

Im comparing it to the contract of one Cameron Matthew Fowler. I know you’re Mr. Contrarian and you’re on record as thinkin it as a good extension, I cant fathom why, but I also dont care. You’re on my list of people I find impossible to discuss hockey with tho, cause of your penchant to argue just to argue, and once again. Sidetracking my opinion by askin what Im comparing his contract to is just a semantical attempt at arguing krap I didnt even bring up. If I was thinkin in terms of comparisons then I wouldve said so, but my comment is and was regarding the unnecessary early signing of Fowler, which I see as a big mistake. You dont, groovylicious, the end.

I don't know, asking you what you are comparing it to that makes it horrible seems like a pretty reasonable question to me.

Also I'm not "Mr. Contrarian" I simply think very different and in way more detail than most people. Not because I try to but because I just do.

[SameOldBlues]

Horrible contract, period. The timing makes it even more incredulous and irresponsible. Ive let up on some of my criticisms regarding Army, but he’s still making blatant mistakes regarding contracts, timing etc.

What are you comparing it to that makes it horrible?

Im comparing it to the contract of one Cameron Matthew Fowler. I know you’re Mr. Contrarian and you’re on record as thinkin it as a good extension, I cant fathom why, but I also dont care. You’re on my list of people I find impossible to discuss hockey with tho, cause of your penchant to argue just to argue, and once again. Sidetracking my opinion by askin what Im comparing his contract to is just a semantical attempt at arguing krap I didnt even bring up. If I was thinkin in terms of comparisons then I wouldve said so, but my comment is and was regarding the unnecessary early signing of Fowler, which I see as a big mistake. You dont, groovylicious, the end.

I don't know, asking you what you are comparing it to that makes it horrible seems like a pretty reasonable question to me.

Also I'm not "Mr. Contrarian" I simply think very different and in way more detail than most people. Not because I try to but because I just do.

Ok, well, I’ll take ya at your word then since I have no evidence other than my opinion that it comes across as you go out of your way to take the opposite side of an issue sometimes. If its not a purposeful strategy to argue, then good, glad to be wrong if thats the case.

[smilinjoefission]

No one wants Fowler. This was an needless signing by an ego driven GM who has tarnished his legacy to the point he should be fired before the season is over.

[steve li]

No one wants Fowler. This was an needless signing by an ego driven GM who has tarnished his legacy to the point he should be fired before the season is over.

“An ego driven GM”. Please explain this. How do you know? Have you talked to him? What are his exact words that lead you to state that?