Re: Off-Season Signing & Trades Thread

626
Was looking up some team stats from last year and I noticed Carolina led the league in SOG differential.

Makes you realize their biggest problem was in goal. Scott Darling was a terrible acquisition. His save pct last year was .888 and all they did was pick up Mrazek this year to replace Cam Ward.

Carolina was supposed to be a playoff team last yr but it's easy to see why they failed.



Shots On Goal Differential

1 Carolina Hurricanes
413

2 Boston Bruins
304

3 Pittsburgh Penguins
270

4 St. Louis Blues
239

5 San Jose Sharks
214

6 Calgary Flames
205

7 Columbus Blue Jackets
194

8 Philadelphia Flyers
183

9 Vegas Golden Knights
165

10 Dallas Stars
113

Re: Off-Season Signing & Trades Thread

627
BillP wrote:Was looking up some team stats from last year and I noticed Carolina led the league in SOG differential.

Makes you realize their biggest problem was in goal. Scott Darling was a terrible acquisition. His save pct last year was .888 and all they did was pick up Mrazek this year to replace Cam Ward.

Carolina was supposed to be a playoff team last yr but it's easy to see why they failed.



Shots On Goal Differential

1 Carolina Hurricanes
413

2 Boston Bruins
304

3 Pittsburgh Penguins
270

4 St. Louis Blues
239

5 San Jose Sharks
214

6 Calgary Flames
205

7 Columbus Blue Jackets
194

8 Philadelphia Flyers
183

9 Vegas Golden Knights
165

10 Dallas Stars
113
The problem is every goalie mysteriously gets a lot worse in Carolina. The shot differentials have been very good for a few years, but the save percentage has been garbage. Could be bad goaltending, could be something systemic under recently fired Bill Peters. Not sure which one it is, but I know I'm not going anywhere near Mike Smith in my fantasy hockey drafts this year.
...but whatever, the Blues won the Cup!!!!!

Re: Off-Season Signing & Trades Thread

628
Very excited for the start of the season. Keep going over potential lines and I think at the moment I'd like to see this:

Schwartz Schenn Perron
Fabbri O'Reilly Tarasenko
Maroon Thomas Kyrou
Steen Bozak Barbashev/Jaskin/Soshnikov

We just don't have the players to ice a traditional grinding/energy type 4th line I can see those "3rd" and "4th" lines both getting around 13-14 minutes a piece and the top two lines getting 16-17 minutes a piece in an ideal game situation. Maroon's lack of foot speed will be mitigated playing with the two speedster kids and he can provide them with some room. Perron re-vamped his game last season in Vegas as a playmaking wing and feeding Schwartz and Schenn I can see him putting up some good numbers and being a good fit there.

Is it October yet?

Re: Off-Season Signing & Trades Thread

630
Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote:O'Reilly needs to be out there versus the other teams top line. For that reason, I don't think I want Tarasenko on a line with him. O'Reilly and Schwartz together would seem like a nightmare for other teams top lines to have to go against.
Late game shifts with a lead I wouldn't be surprised to see O'Reilly line up with Schwartz and Schenn. Still I think Tarasenko's defensive game is actually better than he gets credit for and he and O'Reilly might really click.

Re: Off-Season Signing & Trades Thread

631
ratonmono wrote:
Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote:O'Reilly needs to be out there versus the other teams top line. For that reason, I don't think I want Tarasenko on a line with him. O'Reilly and Schwartz together would seem like a nightmare for other teams top lines to have to go against.
Late game shifts with a lead I wouldn't be surprised to see O'Reilly line up with Schwartz and Schenn. Still I think Tarasenko's defensive game is actually better than he gets credit for and he and O'Reilly might really click.
I don't think you would take Tarasenko off his wing, even in late games. It also depends on who ends up on their LW, or if Thomas eventually forces his way up there. Tarasenko isn't awful defensively. He's not great. If you have Perron, Fabbri, Steen, or Maroon on that LW, or eventually Thomas at C with O'Reilly on the left, I think that Tarasenko and O'Reilly would be fine taking on another team's top line. However, if you really want a defensive shutdown line, you'd put together Schwartz, O'Reilly, and Steen, Jaskin, or Thomas as those are probably the 5 best defensive forwards.

Re: Off-Season Signing & Trades Thread

632
ratonmono wrote:
Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote:O'Reilly needs to be out there versus the other teams top line. For that reason, I don't think I want Tarasenko on a line with him. O'Reilly and Schwartz together would seem like a nightmare for other teams top lines to have to go against.
Late game shifts with a lead I wouldn't be surprised to see O'Reilly line up with Schwartz and Schenn. Still I think Tarasenko's defensive game is actually better than he gets credit for and he and O'Reilly might really click.
Oh for sure. Late games I expect to see O'Reilly basically take every faceoff whether the team is up by one or down by one.

And I wasn't really saying Tarasenko is a defensive schlub. But Schwartz fits the bill better for me.

I want Tarasenko out there with Maroon and Schenn. That's a do it all line.
Just a Russian propaganda account

Re: Off-Season Signing & Trades Thread

634
Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote:Basically, what I'm looking at is

Maroon - Schenn - Tarasenko
Schwartz - ROR - Steen
Fabbri - Bozak - Perron
Jaskin - Thomas - Revolving door

Thomas gets his chance to flash on the 2nd PP unit.
Interesting. Why put Steen and Perron at spots where they are weaker? Neither has ever been great on the RW side. Also, why split up Schwartz and Schenn until you know their chemistry is gone?

Start of Season:
Perron - O'Reilly - Tarasenko
Schwartz - Schenn - Fabbri/Kyrou (if he makes it)
Steen - Bozak - Maroon/Kyrou (if he makes it)
Maroon/Jaskin - Thomas - Soshnikov
EXT: Jaskin/Barbashev

Middle of Season:
Fabbri - O'Reilly - Tarasenko
Schwartz - Schenn - Kyrou
Maroon - Thomas - Perron
Steen - Bozak - Jaskin/Soshnikov/Barbashev
EXT: Jaskin/Barbashev/Soshnikov

Re: Off-Season Signing & Trades Thread

635
Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote:Basically, what I'm looking at is

Maroon - Schenn - Tarasenko
Schwartz - ROR - Steen
Fabbri - Bozak - Perron
Jaskin - Thomas - Revolving door

Thomas gets his chance to flash on the 2nd PP unit.
I'm assuming somebody in the top 9 gets hurt and Thomas starts on the wing in the middle 6. I'd rather have him there anyway to start, but I don't know who moves down if all are healthy.
...but whatever, the Blues won the Cup!!!!!

Re: Off-Season Signing & Trades Thread

636
wannabebluesplayer wrote:
Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote:Basically, what I'm looking at is

Maroon - Schenn - Tarasenko
Schwartz - ROR - Steen
Fabbri - Bozak - Perron
Jaskin - Thomas - Revolving door

Thomas gets his chance to flash on the 2nd PP unit.
Interesting. Why put Steen and Perron at spots where they are weaker? Neither has ever been great on the RW side. Also, why split up Schwartz and Schenn until you know their chemistry is gone?

Start of Season:
Perron - O'Reilly - Tarasenko
Schwartz - Schenn - Fabbri/Kyrou (if he makes it)
Steen - Bozak - Maroon/Kyrou (if he makes it)
Maroon/Jaskin - Thomas - Soshnikov
EXT: Jaskin/Barbashev

Middle of Season:
Fabbri - O'Reilly - Tarasenko
Schwartz - Schenn - Kyrou
Maroon - Thomas - Perron
Steen - Bozak - Jaskin/Soshnikov/Barbashev
EXT: Jaskin/Barbashev/Soshnikov
I kind of already explained why I'd split Schenn and Schwartz up. I think Schwartz can play with anyone.

I have no doubt that Perron will be playing the right side for the Blues again. And I don't want him taking an offensive zone penalty every time Tarasenko is about to score so I'd pass on pairing them.
Just a Russian propaganda account

Re: Off-Season Signing & Trades Thread

637
Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote:
wannabebluesplayer wrote:
Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote:Basically, what I'm looking at is

Maroon - Schenn - Tarasenko
Schwartz - ROR - Steen
Fabbri - Bozak - Perron
Jaskin - Thomas - Revolving door

Thomas gets his chance to flash on the 2nd PP unit.
Interesting. Why put Steen and Perron at spots where they are weaker? Neither has ever been great on the RW side. Also, why split up Schwartz and Schenn until you know their chemistry is gone?

Start of Season:
Perron - O'Reilly - Tarasenko
Schwartz - Schenn - Fabbri/Kyrou (if he makes it)
Steen - Bozak - Maroon/Kyrou (if he makes it)
Maroon/Jaskin - Thomas - Soshnikov
EXT: Jaskin/Barbashev

Middle of Season:
Fabbri - O'Reilly - Tarasenko
Schwartz - Schenn - Kyrou
Maroon - Thomas - Perron
Steen - Bozak - Jaskin/Soshnikov/Barbashev
EXT: Jaskin/Barbashev/Soshnikov
I kind of already explained why I'd split Schenn and Schwartz up. I think Schwartz can play with anyone.

I have no doubt that Perron will be playing the right side for the Blues again. And I don't want him taking an offensive zone penalty every time Tarasenko is about to score so I'd pass on pairing them.
If I remember right, JR reported that Schenn tends to like to play in a more structured style so putting him with Tarasenko probably isn't the best use of him which I why I wouldn't want to take Schwartz away. I do agree that Schwartz could probably play with anyone and Perron is probably going back to the right side. I just think Perron is better on the LW side. We'll see what Yeo does. Hell, he's probably dumb enough to put Sundqvist back up with the big club and starting over Barbashev, Jaskin, or Soshnikov.

Re: Off-Season Signing & Trades Thread

641
Yeo better get it right. Expectations are high. If he sticks to his close to the vest structure style, he better be winning at a good clip with it or else he'll be gone. But when you think about it, defensive coaches is all DA has ever employed so who knows. I mean, you'd think the Blues would loosen it up this year and go Vegas style but that remains to be seen given the track record of management.

Re: Off-Season Signing & Trades Thread

642
I don't see any reason to split Schwartz and Schenn unless their chemistry from last season doesn't carry over. I haven't seen the actual WOWY numbers from last season, but it sure seemed like both players started the season as PPG candidates starting the season together. You don't just walk away from that. That kind of philosophy reminds me of the days when we were breaking up things that were working to "get Bergy or Stewy going".

As far as who centers Tarasenko, he's still the straw that stirs the drink. You have him centered by whoever he shows the most chemistry with. I don't care if it is ROR, Schenn, Bozak, Thomas or even Barbashev - if they work exceptionally well with 91 they stay with 91. Period.

Re: Off-Season Signing & Trades Thread

643
JR said his best guess was this:

Schwartz-Schenn-Perron
Maroon-ROR-Tarasenko
Fabbri-Bozak-Steen
Soshnikov-Thomas-Jaskin/insert whoever makes it here

That seems most logical to me. I don't see Schwartz and Schenn being split up. Those guys clicked from day 1. Pair Tarasenko with ROR. Perron is right handed and was signed to play RW...we didn't need another LW, even before we signed Maroon. We did need another RW, so its pretty clear Perron was signed for that spot.

I think the third line is the shut down line. Let ROR play in more offensive situations to score. Bozak will match up just fine with just about anyone. Late in games, play ROR on the LW on that line with Bozak and Steen.

If a winger gets hurt, Thomas moves up.

Re: Off-Season Signing & Trades Thread

645
Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote:I think talking lines is a fun part of the off-season, but we all know if they lose opening night the lines will get blown up. :lol:
No doubt. Though I will say that Yeo does far less tinkering with the lines than Hitch did. Last year he was constantly shorthanded so it's hard to blame him for re-arranging the chairs on the Titanic a bit. :D

Re: Off-Season Signing & Trades Thread

648
bradleygt89 wrote:I don't really think Yeo is a defense first coach like Hitch. Until midseason and injuries took a toll, iirc we were all talking about the fun it was to watch the Blues play fast after Yeo took over. But when you got a ton of AHL call-ups and 4th liners on your top two lines, you got to adjust.
I think that was a by-product of the D pinching on every opportunity. I have no idea what happened to that as the season went on but it seemed to stop. My guess would be, if you have nerves about how reliable the goalie is, you're less likely to jump in the offensive play.
Just a Russian propaganda account

Re: Off-Season Signing & Trades Thread

650
UMSLBlues12 wrote:JR said his best guess was this:

Schwartz-Schenn-Perron
Maroon-ROR-Tarasenko
Fabbri-Bozak-Steen
Soshnikov-Thomas-Jaskin/insert whoever makes it here
This is what I'd like to see, at least until February and see where we're at. I love Fabs, but, the dude hasn't played in 2 years really. If we need him to start at 1st or 2nd line minutes, I think we're in trouble. I think this lineup gives everybody a role that they can succeed at. That's what this team needs IMHO, everbody having a role they can successfully play. Playing up is a bonus, I hope it doesn't become something we pin our hopes on.