skilles wrote: ↑27 Jun 2026 12:31 pm
If we can come up with a right winger Stenberg will be great starting in the AHL and being the first call up. Doing so would make our top 3 lines so deep we wouldn't need much from the 4th making Finley A great option to win FO in the d end and change.
I do think in this scenario Suter is not a great fit for us anymore. Not because he doesn't deserve to be but because the pieces just are not a match and that spot would be better served by A similar valued RW
Its unlikely they send Stenberg back down they used him in all situations last year and he was good the guys in jeopardy are here:
Druoin
Walker
Finley
Toropchenko
Suter (last for me on this list)
The bottom line is the Blues 4th line was probably the worst in the Central last year, maybe the last few years. On what other Central div team does Finley have a job? What about Walker? We love Walker the Blues like him too hes a heart and soul guy but he got benched at times with Monty there has to be improvement in the this squad.
ratonmono2 wrote: ↑27 Jun 2026 11:59 am
Holloway Thomas Snuggerud
McMichael McTavish Buchnevich
Neighbours Dvorsky Berggren
Stenberg Suter Toropchecnko
Drouin, Finley extras Walker to AHL
Broberg Mailloux
Fowler Parayko
Lindstein Carlo
Tucker/Kessel as extra
Hofer
Binnington
Should compete for a playoff spot. But not likely to make it as injuries and inconsistencies in the middle six will inevitably strike.
I'd keep Walker over both Drouin and Finley.. everyday
Lol why? Finley winning faceoffs is more important than anything Walker brings.
that's the ONLY thing Finley does.. Walker does everything else much better
Finley kills penalties. He was the FIRST choice to kill penalties and take defensive zone faceoffs. Hell they started him on the ice 3-3 overtimes just to win the (drat) draw.
He's on the team until he's supplanted by someone that can do what he does. That isn't Walker.
and Walker kills penalties as well.. again, he's a better all around player than Finley. not even close
They ain't ditching Finley for Walker unless they replace the critical skill Finley brings with another player.
Walker is the little engine that could I get it and I'm fine if he's the 14 forward. He has attributes. Not at the expense of Finley, again, unless they find someone else that's better than Finley and brings what he brings
ratonmono2 wrote: ↑27 Jun 2026 11:59 am
Holloway Thomas Snuggerud
McMichael McTavish Buchnevich
Neighbours Dvorsky Berggren
Stenberg Suter Toropchecnko
Drouin, Finley extras Walker to AHL
Broberg Mailloux
Fowler Parayko
Lindstein Carlo
Tucker/Kessel as extra
Hofer
Binnington
Should compete for a playoff spot. But not likely to make it as injuries and inconsistencies in the middle six will inevitably strike.
I'd keep Walker over both Drouin and Finley.. everyday
Lol why? Finley winning faceoffs is more important than anything Walker brings.
Lets stop making Finley a FO specialist. He has 45 NHL games played TOTAL at 23 and hes a career 51% guy in just more than half a full season of experience.
Yep the other centers on the roster really need to be working on FOs this summer with the Blues or their trainers, its a key. But Finley is a slug hes probably going to the AHL
that's the ONLY thing Finley does.. Walker does everything else much better
Need to dump off Drouin to make a spot for Stenberg.
Stenberg for Bourque even up!
No thanks.
I'm not trading Stenberg at this point.
You wouldn't trade Stenberg, who hasn't scored goals at any professional level to speak of (AHL, SHL, NHL) for a 24 year old right shot winger with identical size who just scored 20?
Gotta say, yeah, I'm in disagreement there.
You can find a right shot winger for far less than Stenberg.
Such as whom? Who are you thinking. Not being an (donkey), but who?
DP57
Assuming you can clear out Drouin and Suter.
People need to stop trying to trade Suter. He’s the most versatile forward we have. Outside of 1st line minutes, we could move him up and down the lineup as needed. Injuries happen and we’ll need a guy like Suter who’s as comfortable playing 4th line center as he is playing 2nd line wing (in a pinch).
Agree. One of the most consistent players last year. I think he has more to give this team as well.
I’d like to see Stenberg on the nhl roster this season. I don’t know that he gets anything out of going back to the AHL. Stenberg-Dvorsky-Neighbours sounds like a good 3rd line to me.
Harry S Deals wrote: ↑27 Jun 2026 12:27 pm
Holloway Thomas Buch
Neighbours McT Snuggerud
Connor M Dvorsky Stenberg
Walker Suter Torop/Berggren
I'll take Kaskimaki in camp over Walker but that may not happened in a shortened camp, Walker has a contract. Finley sucks, waive him down. Druoin is a no body who couldnt make the line up last year, dump him too. Torop has some pretty good intangibles, they may retain Berggren as the depth guy.
This could get even more complex if they sign a vet RW.
The up side here is this:
Holloway is a rising star, he and Thomas were (drat) near unstoppable. Monty may have to spread some offense down with Snuggy, Neighbours will bounce back and provide some responsible D play. Even if McTavish disappoints a bit hes a 50 pt player there is big upside here but who is he passing too? That may limit his point totals. A 50 pt 2nd center for STL is light years from where they were last year and probably means playoffs. McTavish has the ceiling to explode as well, tbd.
The 3rd line is where is see offensive growth McMIchael is a good forward he'll get 20 ish, DD is probably a 15 goal 35-40 pt center, Stenberg looked really good at the end of the year, PK guy, 12 goals ish. Again a big improvement over the bottom 6 last year
4th line will be better esp if Suter is the pivot although Suter can play wing too with injuries. Whether its Toro/Walker or Berggren or Kaskimaki the 4th line will produce more points finally
Was really hard to finish reading your post after seeing that you split up that top line. That line is set in stone as far as I’m concerned.
skilles wrote: ↑27 Jun 2026 12:31 pm
If we can come up with a right winger Stenberg will be great starting in the AHL and being the first call up. Doing so would make our top 3 lines so deep we wouldn't need much from the 4th making Finley A great option to win FO in the d end and change.
I do think in this scenario Suter is not a great fit for us anymore. Not because he doesn't deserve to be but because the pieces just are not a match and that spot would be better served by A similar valued RW
Its unlikely they send Stenberg back down they used him in all situations last year and he was good the guys in jeopardy are here:
Druoin
Walker
Finley
Toropchenko
Suter (last for me on this list)
The bottom line is the Blues 4th line was probably the worst in the Central last year, maybe the last few years. On what other Central div team does Finley have a job? What about Walker? We love Walker the Blues like him too hes a heart and soul guy but he got benched at times with Monty there has to be improvement in the this squad.
A couple things.
1. On Stenberg They are unlikely to find a right Wing that fits the bill at the right price. If they did Stenberg goes down to start the season and is back as a callup within 20 games probably and then ends up playing probably 50-60ish NHL games which would be about perfect. Even if we don't find a RW it might be Suter is 3LW and JN 3 RW and Stenberg goes down and is the first call up.
2. Finley murdered the FO dot for us in the D zone , he is young and that was new(he hasn't done that before). Whether he can continue that would be the deciding factor in whether he'd have a job on other teams. If he can it is a huge factor, if he can't then the answer is probably no but we should 100% find out.
The Average Gatsby wrote: ↑27 Jun 2026 12:52 pm
I’d like to see Stenberg on the nhl roster this season. I don’t know that he gets anything out of going back to the AHL. Stenberg-Dvorsky-Neighbours sounds like a good 3rd line to me.
If you start Stenberg in the AHL he probably gets 50-60 NHL games
They are trying to open up a five year window to contend.
Somehow they are going to have to find another scoring right shot winger.
Having only one right shot scoring threat at wing isn't a winning recipe. Maybe they're willing to wait for Carbonneau. But he may not break out until the window is almost closed.
They don't have to rush out and find this player tomorrow. But they're going to need that player.
Love Stenberg's but he looks like a 4th line Winger for now. He needs another year in the AHL to figure out how to score at this level. I would have loved to have Samoskevich for our 3rd line RW but he's gone.
ratonmono2 wrote: ↑27 Jun 2026 11:59 am
Holloway Thomas Snuggerud
McMichael McTavish Buchnevich
Neighbours Dvorsky Berggren
Stenberg Suter Toropchecnko
Drouin, Finley extras Walker to AHL
Broberg Mailloux
Fowler Parayko
Lindstein Carlo
Tucker/Kessel as extra
Hofer
Binnington
Should compete for a playoff spot. But not likely to make it as injuries and inconsistencies in the middle six will inevitably strike.
Not likely a playoff team lol. Stop. Some of you are a bit confused.
Ok, you think otherwise? Grand. I said competing for a spot is likely. I think they miss because the middle of the forward lineup is just meh. What exactly is it that you see in this lineup that screams playoff bound for certain?
Parayko will 100% be on the top line defense verse Mailloux.
This team is far from a playoff spot. We are rebuilding and will be focusing on player development for the next 2 years. That second line is very weak and the first line will be a step of two below teams like a Colorado, Vegas, Dallas, Edmonton, Minnesota, etc… We need to go into the season with a focus on Snuggerud and Dvorsky taking a step forward and Neighbors getting back to a gritty second line potential.
skilles wrote: ↑27 Jun 2026 12:31 pm
If we can come up with a right winger Stenberg will be great starting in the AHL and being the first call up. Doing so would make our top 3 lines so deep we wouldn't need much from the 4th making Finley A great option to win FO in the d end and change.
I do think in this scenario Suter is not a great fit for us anymore. Not because he doesn't deserve to be but because the pieces just are not a match and that spot would be better served by A similar valued RW
Its unlikely they send Stenberg back down they used him in all situations last year and he was good the guys in jeopardy are here:
Druoin
Walker
Finley
Toropchenko
Suter (last for me on this list)
The bottom line is the Blues 4th line was probably the worst in the Central last year, maybe the last few years. On what other Central div team does Finley have a job? What about Walker? We love Walker the Blues like him too hes a heart and soul guy but he got benched at times with Monty there has to be improvement in the this squad.
A couple things.
1. On Stenberg They are unlikely to find a right Wing that fits the bill at the right price. If they did Stenberg goes down to start the season and is back as a callup within 20 games probably and then ends up playing probably 50-60ish NHL games which would be about perfect. Even if we don't find a RW it might be Suter is 3LW and JN 3 RW and Stenberg goes down and is the first call up.
2. Finley murdered the FO dot for us in the D zone , he is young and that was new(he hasn't done that before). Whether he can continue that would be the deciding factor in whether he'd have a job on other teams. If he can it is a huge factor, if he can't then the answer is probably no but we should 100% find out.
Finley is 23 and has a total of 45 NHL games with a 51% FO pct this is "murdered". This is a fringe NHLer/AHL. I guess we will see how camp goes, Stenberg is a Blue hes part of the young core they are preaching he isnt going anywhere other fringe types will be waived, traded, dump, taken out back and shot first
stljrs wrote: ↑27 Jun 2026 14:17 pm
Love Stenberg's but he looks like a 4th line Winger for now. He needs another year in the AHL to figure out how to score at this level. I would have loved to have Samoskevich for our 3rd line RW but he's gone.
Lol ok Nastradamus, Otto literally just turned 21 he has 32 NHL games you may want to let it play out a bit before making wild proclamations, ala Mailloux, Broberg, Holloway, etc
