Feel like the kid deserves a thread. Been playing really well lately and his speed is making an impact.

Good for him not on not running back to Sweden, sticking it out and becoming a better playing in the AHL. I'm not sure if he'll be on the Blues next year, but I'd bet he'll be on an NHL roster.

UMSLBlues12 wrote:Feel like the kid deserves a thread. Been playing really well lately and his speed is making an impact.

Good for him not on not running back to Sweden, sticking it out and becoming a better playing in the AHL. I'm not sure if he'll be on the Blues next year, but I'd bet he'll be on an NHL roster.

Yep, he's been a very good team player, and everything I've 'heard' is that he took the AHL demotion in stride and as a challenge to get better. His last 10 games have been very good.

bradleygt89 wrote:

UMSLBlues12 wrote:Feel like the kid deserves a thread. Been playing really well lately and his speed is making an impact.

Good for him not on not running back to Sweden, sticking it out and becoming a better playing in the AHL. I'm not sure if he'll be on the Blues next year, but I'd bet he'll be on an NHL roster.

Yep, he's been a very good team player, and everything I've 'heard' is that he took the AHL demotion in stride and as a challenge to get better. His last 10 games have been very good.

His speed is helping Tarasenko become an even better player, so to speak. Not that he was bad before , but he's been on a tear with Magnus as his line-mate.

Happy for the 10 game stretch, but Paajarvi is fools gold. I would like to see Fabbri on that line and see what he would do.

Not only is his speed supplying a badly needed factor to this lineup, but he's now playing with real grit and determination.
I thought he was finished, but he has not only proven me wrong, he's made me a fan.
You gotta admire a guy who refuses to quit, and pays the price to succeed.

I was a little disappointed he got squeezed out of the lineup after camp because I thought he'd earned a spot. Having said that he looks better now than I'd thought. I certainly wonder what happens when Berglund and Schwartz come back, but Magnus is certainly making a case to stay put.

SickMittsRomKnee wrote:Happy for the 10 game stretch, but Paajarvi is fools gold. I would like to see Fabbri on that line and see what he would do.

I'm on the fence with him too. He'll have to have a big season to convince me that he isn't easily replaced.

I am liking what I am seeing no matter what line he is on.

I'm liking puhjarvee alot this year.

Guy i work with is even praising his play, and he "hates fagnus gayaarvi"

He's another one that, whether the Blues keep him or not, having a good season and coming through in the playoffs can do nothing but help his value in a BIG way (and I mean bigger than with most players!).

He's shown flashes of great potential multiple times in the past. He was a top-10 draft pick. He had 15 goals and 34 points in 80 games his rookie year (not too shabby). After his 'sophomore slump,' he was pacing about those same numbers again in his 3rd season (9 goals and 16 points in 42 games). He's fast, got decent size (6'3" and 208#), is playing a better all-around game, and is only 24.

Even if he doesn't fit into the Blues' long-term plans (I don't really think he does, myself), having a great playoff performance will do WONDERS for his next contract, wherever that is.

IMHO, he's got the tools, and he should be SUPER motivated. That's a good combo!

Ozzies09tc wrote:Guy i work with is even praising his play, and he "hates fagnus gayaarvi"

haha

I have been very Anti-Paajarvi. But I'll say this... He deserves some credit for figuring out that he needs to change his game if he wants to play in the NHL. He had a top-six skill set with bottom-six ability. When you have that, you either learn to play a more complete game or you go back to Europe. He seems to be adapting, and I didn't think he had it in him. Hate him skating on the top line though.

Move Fabbri up to the top line to center Tarasenko and Paajarvi.

Nobody saw this coming with Paajarvi, he's been excellent this year even though he hasn't racked up a ton of points. Initially I was excited when we got him in the Perron deal, and I didn't think he was given much of chance to succeed when he got here and last year too, playing mostly 4th line and then would get a shift or two in the top 6 or 9 and then be right back to the 4th line. Then at some point last year he just looked like a total bust and I pretty much gave up on him, and most of us did. So I'm really glad to see Paajarvi turn it around this year. He would be a great talent we can sign for cheap for his next contract.

How do you guys think Magnus will fit on this team long term when Bergy and Schwartz get back? If he keeps playing like he does I'd have to imagine the Blues find some way to keep him up here.

shpongle falls wrote:How do you guys think Magnus will fit on this team long term when Bergy and Schwartz get back? If he keeps playing like he does I'd have to imagine the Blues find some way to keep him up here.

A lot will depend on how Fabbri and Jaskin do. Fabbri seems to be getting better and better as well, but is still getting very 'protected' ice time. Jaskin needs to step up, but he's still only 22 and it's the first year he (so far) hasn't spent significant time in Chicago.

How quickly Schwartz gets back up to full speed will also be a factor. They may want to go extra-easy with him, especially if the Blues are still one of the top-5 teams in the NHL at that time. I'd rather have him brought along slowly and be in tip-top shape for the playoffs, even if we end up a slightly lower seed.

Berglund is a minor factor at this point. He's an OK 3rd liner, but his ice time and usage over the last few seasons seem to show that the coaching staff really doesn't have much confidence in him any more. I think they'd rather have Brouwer as a regular 3rd line winger, jumping up to a top-6 role from time to time, and drop Berglund to the 4th line most nights.

Assuming the top three centers are Stastny, Backes and Lehtera, I'd think the top 6 wingers would be Tarasenko, Steen, Schwartz, Fabbri, Brouwer and Paajarvi, with Jaskin fighting for a place.

RAFritchey wrote: Berglund is a minor factor at this point. He's an OK 3rd liner, but his ice time and usage over the last few seasons seem to show that the coaching staff really doesn't have much confidence in him any more. I think they'd rather have Brouwer as a regular 3rd line winger, jumping up to a top-6 role from time to time, and drop Berglund to the 4th line most nights.

Not to divert from the Paajarvi thread, but I'm not sure you can so easily use his TOI to make the determination that the coaching staff "really doesn't have confidence in him anymore."

His ATOI for his career is 15:51. Last season he was below that with 14:35, but the 2 seasons before that both were above - 16:10 and 16:50. Although it is true that his TOI has lessened each season under Hitch, I think Tarasenko and Schwartz growing and gaining more ice time has as much to do with that than anything else. He has transitioned from a scoring-line role to more of a shutdown role as his career has progressed, but Berglund has been a top-9 player his entire career here.

can we create a kickstarter for someone to whack berglund?

HockeyFan85 wrote:

RAFritchey wrote: Berglund is a minor factor at this point. He's an OK 3rd liner, but his ice time and usage over the last few seasons seem to show that the coaching staff really doesn't have much confidence in him any more. I think they'd rather have Brouwer as a regular 3rd line winger, jumping up to a top-6 role from time to time, and drop Berglund to the 4th line most nights.

Not to divert from the Paajarvi thread, but I'm not sure you can so easily use his TOI to make the determination that the coaching staff "really doesn't have confidence in him anymore."

His ATOI for his career is 15:51. Last season he was below that with 14:35, but the 2 seasons before that both were above - 16:10 and 16:50. Although it is true that his TOI has lessened each season under Hitch, I think Tarasenko and Schwartz growing and gaining more ice time has as much to do with that than anything else. He has transitioned from a scoring-line role to more of a shutdown role as his career has progressed, but Berglund has been a top-9 player his entire career here.

How Much Does Losing Patrik Berglund Hurt the Blues?

This is some of what I was basing my comments on, some analysis of how much the Blues would miss Berglund. I don't think it's just that he's getting less ice-time, but he's getting much less critical ice-time over the course of several seasons now. I don't think he's 'bad' at all, but I don't think he's top-9 on the Blues any more, not with Fabbri, Paajarvi and possibly Jaskin developing, and Brouwer being fairly steady all-around. He'll have to come back REALLY strong to jump back ahead of those guys.

Paajarvi is starting to put it all together. I'm glad he is because the Blues really need some speed in this line up. Is it just me or do Swedes take longer to adjust to the NHL? Zetterberg comes to mind. I think he was about 25-26 years old when he had his big breakout.

(Disclaimer: I'm not saying MPS is on the same level as Zetterberg. Just relating the late blooming)

i think berglund has been getting the perfect amount of ice time.