If you could change any Blues related decision in the last decade, but only one, what would it be? It could be a management decision, roster decision, so on.

Keep in mind that decisions made in the past may have a ripple effect on ones made later. For example if you choose to not make a trade in 2008, that may effect if the Blues were able to snag say a Tarasenko or Schwartz in 2010 at #16 and #14.

Also, try to keep it realistic to something the team could've or would've done. I'm sure if possible we all would have traded Oshie to Edmonton in 2013 for their 2015 first rounder

For me, I would have Armstrong go all out for Price back in 2010 as opposed to Halak. If you'll remember, both Halak and Price had expiring contracts in Montreal and the Habs could only afford one. Price was yet to prove he was worth his high draft selection and Halak had shown stretches of dominance in that year's playoffs. It's possible that Armstrong could've twisted an arm or too and added a bit more to the pot than Eller and a mid level prospect, and the Blues could've been backstopped by Carey Price these past seven years.

If not that I go back even earlier to the 2007 draft and have the Blues hold onto their original pick, #9 overall, which was used to select Logan Couture. Just because I still think it would be nice to have a top line center...

What've you guys got?

First thing that came to my mind was something I was desperately hoping for at the time. In the 4th round of the 2011 draft we took Yannick Veilleux with the 102nd overall pick. The Flames took some tiny but super skilled guy named Johnny Gaudreau at 104.

Oates2Hullie450 wrote:If you could change any Blues related decision in the last decade, but only one, what would it be? It could be a management decision, roster decision, so on.

Keep in mind that decisions made in the past may have a ripple effect on ones made later. For example if you choose to not make a trade in 2008, that may effect if the Blues were able to snag say a Tarasenko or Schwartz in 2010 at #16 and #14.

Also, try to keep it realistic to something the team could've or would've done. I'm sure if possible we all would have traded Oshie to Edmonton in 2013 for their 2015 first rounder

For me, I would have Armstrong go all out for Price back in 2010 as opposed to Halak. If you'll remember, both Halak and Price had expiring contracts in Montreal and the Habs could only afford one. Price was yet to prove he was worth his high draft selection and Halak had shown stretches of dominance in that year's playoffs. It's possible that Armstrong could've twisted an arm or too and added a bit more to the pot than Eller and a mid level prospect, and the Blues could've been backstopped by Carey Price these past seven years.

If not that I go back even earlier to the 2007 draft and have the Blues hold onto their original pick, #9 overall, which was used to select Logan Couture. Just because I still think it would be nice to have a top line center...

What've you guys got?

Not adding one of my own, and someone please correct me if I am remembering this wrong, but I believe that the reason we settled for Halak at the time instead of acquiring Price was because the demand for Price was a package that included Perron and we didn't want to give him up.

Dave's a mess wrote:First thing that came to my mind was something I was desperately hoping for at the time. In the 4th round of the 2011 draft we took Yannick Veilleux with the 102nd overall pick. The Flames took some tiny but super skilled guy named Johnny Gaudreau at 104.

this. also, not burning our #1 overall on eric johnson. yes, i know the contract and salary implications of who we should have selected would affect our entire roster, etc., but those are good problems to have.

Everything that I've heard as far as the Halak and Price situation was that Army called asking about Price because the thought was that Montreal was going to keep Halak after his playoff run. He wasn't even calling about Halak from what I've heard.

Drafting Toews instead of Johnson and nothing else even comes close to me.

UMSLBlues12 wrote:Drafting Toews instead of Johnson and nothing else even comes close to me.

meh...I would have rather drafted Kessel

NHLTIM wrote:

UMSLBlues12 wrote:Drafting Toews instead of Johnson and nothing else even comes close to me.

meh...I would have rather drafted Kessel

I think that was your longest signature before the current...although I always enjoyed the DA laughing quotes of "and then he asked for...."

I know you said just the past decade but if we could go back in time and avoid the tampering fiasco it's hard to say how much of an impact that could have had. Seems like the presence of Scott Stevens in our lineup, and all those draft picks we lost, should have made a significant difference in our regular season and playoff fortunes.

More recently, and to a much lesser extent, I wish we would have kept Perron and traded Chris Stewart to the Oil instead. Would have made our roster much better. This is one where I'm not using hindsight as a benefit, it just hit me wrong at the time the trade occurred.

Drafts are a crap shoot, so won't go there; our luck we draft Toews or Kessel and they wind up AHL scrubs

10 years? That I think would have made a difference? While Allen is doing very good now, I still feel that even though the reasoning made sense to keep Elliott over Bishop, that is the one you 'do over' if you can. Bishop would have thrived here I think in our defense system under Hitch, and been a hell of a lot more consistent than Halak or Elliott. And who knows if the injuries happen since facing fewer shots?

That's my do over: keep Bishop, lose Elliott.

UMSLBlues12 wrote:Drafting Toews instead of Johnson and nothing else even comes close to me.

Agreed. Has proven to be a true leader, and a big play performer.

NHLTIM wrote:

UMSLBlues12 wrote:Drafting Toews instead of Johnson and nothing else even comes close to me.

meh...I would have rather drafted Kessel

At least you've stuck to that all these years!

Kessel also (obviously) would've been a better pick. I worry if we would've drafted him though we would have given up on him similar to Boston did.

The ENTIRE 2006 draft

Blues took Johnson, Kana, and Junland when they could have taken Toews, Lucic, and Marchand with those 3 picks.

Trade wise - If they could have gotten Tyler Seguin from Boston.

Also, I guess according the rules the 2006 draft is outside of the rules.

Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote:Also, I guess according the rules the 2006 draft is outside of the rules.

Yeah I think Oates2Hullie quite purposely left this one outside the statute of limitations because it would've made things too easy. Although who's to say how Kessel/Toews/Backstom handle themselves on a golf course?

Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote:The ENTIRE 2006 draft

Blues took Johnson, Kana, and Junland when they could have taken Toews, Lucic, and Marchand with those 3 picks.

Trade wise - If they could have gotten Tyler Seguin from Boston.

I was screaming for Marchand....but they don't listen to me.

Holy shit, I didn't even realize 2006 was over 10 years ago. That seems crazy that that was over 10 years ago.

Also, Jonas Junland. I remember when Billy Pilgrim thought that he was going to be like the greatest defensemen ever because he had a game worn signed Peoria Rivermen jersey from that guy. That is way off topic.

Anyways, so 2007 on...in the 2nd round in 2008, we had two early picks in a row, picking McRae and Allen. Taking Josi (who went 4 picks after McRae) would have helped.

UMSLBlues12 wrote:Holy shit, I didn't even realize 2006 was over 10 years ago. That seems crazy that that was over 10 years ago.

Also, Jonas Junland. I remember when Billy Pilgrim thought that he was going to be like the greatest defensemen ever because he had a game worn signed Peoria Rivermen jersey from that guy. That is way off topic.

Anyways, so 2007 on...in the 2nd round in 2008, we had two early picks in a row, picking McRae and Allen. Taking Josi (who went 4 picks after McRae) would have helped.

In multiple ways because it would've kept him out of Nashville too.

This thread is starting to emotionally hurt.

I was excluding the 2006 draft but, as mentioned, with how much it could've changed where the franchise is today I'll allow it

...

Remember how a healthy Tarasenko only played 1 game in the 2013 playoffs in which we blew a 2-0 lead to the Kings in the first round? That seems regrettable in hindsight.

Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote:

UMSLBlues12 wrote:Holy shit, I didn't even realize 2006 was over 10 years ago. That seems crazy that that was over 10 years ago.

Also, Jonas Junland. I remember when Billy Pilgrim thought that he was going to be like the greatest defensemen ever because he had a game worn signed Peoria Rivermen jersey from that guy. That is way off topic.

Anyways, so 2007 on...in the 2nd round in 2008, we had two early picks in a row, picking McRae and Allen. Taking Josi (who went 4 picks after McRae) would have helped.

In multiple ways because it would've kept him out of Nashville too.

This thread is starting to emotionally hurt.

Indeed it is.

Had we picked Josi...we would have gotten our long term goaltender and #1a and #1b defensemen in the same draft.

Guys we also took in that draft: Lehtera, the guy we traded Sobotka for (Warsofsky), another Berglund (Kristofer), and some guy named Anthony Nigro. Wanna be angry again? The two players picked right after Nigro, in the 6th round, are Jared Spurgeon and Cam Atkinson.

Before anyone jumps out a window after reading this thread, just remember that if fans of other teams are doing this exact same exercise they might be pointing to our 16th overall pick in 2010 and our third round pick in 2012. For the record I mean the second third rounder at 86 overall (Parayko), not the classic Blues terrible third rounder at 67 overall (Mackenzie MacEachern).

Dave's a mess wrote:Before anyone jumps out a window after reading this thread, just remember that if fans of other teams are doing this exact same exercise they might be pointing to our 16th overall pick in 2010 and our third round pick in 2012. For the record I mean the second third rounder at 86 overall (Parayko), not the classic Blues terrible third rounder at 67 overall (Mackenzie MacEachern).

Ranger fans wanted Tarasenko....They took McIlrath

the real question is, do any of those guys become what they are today if they are in our system from the get-go? given our history, i say no. they only become those guys after we trade them and they go on to win multiple Cups.

T.C. wrote:the real question is, do any of those guys become what they are today if they are in our system from the get-go? given our history, i say no. they only become those guys after we trade them and they go on to win multiple Cups.

Then we are screwed forever