https://theathletic.com/1517143/2020/01 ... ed-article
Of the players listed, there's only 4 that I think fit what the Blues need. (in order of my personal preference)
I think Kreider probably will cost too much.
Bennett has had a rough go in CGY over the years, even being a healthy scratch recently. He's got way too much talent to play so bad, IMO, including a real mean streak that I think has been missing since Maroon left. At only 23, I think he's a great buy-out candidate. Plus he's signed thru next year, at only $2.55mil/yr, & will be an RFA.
Toffoli has the scoring ability & prob just needs a change of scenery, but he's 27, a UFA ,& making $4.6 mil/ yr already. He'd likely be a rental.
I really like Josh Anderson for the same reasons as Sam Bennett, but he's a right shot RW, so he'd either play his off wing or make someone else move, & I'm a real big fan of disrupting the Blues right side right now, esp if Tarasenko makes it back for the playoffs.
Re: The Athletic 2020 Trade Big Board
3Don't the Blues already have a better version of Sam Bennett in Barbashev? I wouldn't hate acquiring him, but I legit have no idea where he'd fit into this lineup. He certainly wouldn't be one of the top 4 centers.
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Re: The Athletic 2020 Trade Big Board
4Bennett was drafted to be a center, but he's been on LW, and I'd certainly take him on the 2nd line over Sanford. When Blais comes back, I like to see him on 3rd LW over Steen.
Re: The Athletic 2020 Trade Big Board
5I think there's next to zero chance the Blues bench Alex Steen for Sam Bennett.usmcaaron wrote: Wed Jan 08, 2020 10:24 am Bennett was drafted to be a center, but he's been on LW, and I'd certainly take him on the 2nd line over Sanford. When Blais comes back, I like to see him on 3rd LW over Steen.
As for him on the 2nd line, based on what? This boards hate of Sanford? Cool, but is a guy with 6 whole points on the season the upgrade we want as a 2nd line winger? I certainly don't. If that's where you're trying to upgrade, you look for someone else.
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Re: The Athletic 2020 Trade Big Board
6Bennett wouldn’t be for the 2nd line but he would be a great fit on this team. Team guy, plays a mean game that Berube would love. He hasn’t lived up to the lofty expectations placed on him but what’s great about him is that he totally changed his game to be the NHL player that he is and right now he’s really underrated in the role he plays.
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Re: The Athletic 2020 Trade Big Board
7I see the Blues going into the playoffs with the group they have. I have a feeling Tarasenko will come back just a little before the playoffs. They have a ton of forwards now, and will add another when Blais is healthy. I just don't see them parting with assets to add to an already crowded forward group.
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Re: The Athletic 2020 Trade Big Board
8I wouldn't say it's based off "the board's" hate of Sanford. I'd say it's more of my own viewing of both players. I realize he'sDread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Wed Jan 08, 2020 10:30 amI think there's next to zero chance the Blues bench Alex Steen for Sam Bennett.usmcaaron wrote: Wed Jan 08, 2020 10:24 am Bennett was drafted to be a center, but he's been on LW, and I'd certainly take him on the 2nd line over Sanford. When Blais comes back, I like to see him on 3rd LW over Steen.
As for him on the 2nd line, based on what? This boards hate of Sanford? Cool, but is a guy with 6 whole points on the season the upgrade we want as a 2nd line winger? I certainly don't. If that's where you're trying to upgrade, you look for someone else.
Bennett is 2 yrs younger than Sanford.
Bennett is more of a natural scorer. 91 pts in 57 games his draft year. 18g his rookie season. Sanford hasn't scored more than 17 goals AT ANY LEVEL since high school.
Bennett plays with aggression. Sanford plays in-between.
I'm not saying he's going to become a superstar, but he could very well become close to the player expected when he was drafted #4 overall. The talent+aggression alone is worth a shot, & when you factor the POSSIBLE low cost, Sam Bennett is better for the Blues than Zach Sanford.
Re: The Athletic 2020 Trade Big Board
9Agree to disagree then. Sam Bennett isn't a guy I want the Blues to trade for if the aspirations for him are to be a 2nd line scorer.usmcaaron wrote: Wed Jan 08, 2020 10:53 amI wouldn't say it's based off "the board's" hate of Sanford. I'd say it's more of my own viewing of both players. I realize he'sDread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Wed Jan 08, 2020 10:30 amI think there's next to zero chance the Blues bench Alex Steen for Sam Bennett.usmcaaron wrote: Wed Jan 08, 2020 10:24 am Bennett was drafted to be a center, but he's been on LW, and I'd certainly take him on the 2nd line over Sanford. When Blais comes back, I like to see him on 3rd LW over Steen.
As for him on the 2nd line, based on what? This boards hate of Sanford? Cool, but is a guy with 6 whole points on the season the upgrade we want as a 2nd line winger? I certainly don't. If that's where you're trying to upgrade, you look for someone else.
Bennett is 2 yrs younger than Sanford.
Bennett is more of a natural scorer. 91 pts in 57 games his draft year. 18g his rookie season. Sanford hasn't scored more than 17 goals AT ANY LEVEL since high school.
Bennett plays with aggression. Sanford plays in-between.
I'm not saying he's going to become a superstar, but he could very well become close to the player expected when he was drafted #4 overall. The talent+aggression alone is worth a shot, & when you factor the POSSIBLE low cost, Sam Bennett is better for the Blues than Zach Sanford.
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Re: The Athletic 2020 Trade Big Board
10I tend to agree with you here. I just think they are missing some of the piss-&-vinegar attitude that Maroon brought, esp come playoff time.MattyIce wrote: Wed Jan 08, 2020 10:49 am I see the Blues going into the playoffs with the group they have. I have a feeling Tarasenko will come back just a little before the playoffs. They have a ton of forwards now, and will add another when Blais is healthy. I just don't see them parting with assets to add to an already crowded forward group.
Re: The Athletic 2020 Trade Big Board
11I don't expect him to be a 2nd line scorer. I expect he would slide perfectly into 3rd LW, since Blais is nearing return, and would certainly be an upgrade over what Sanford has offered up to this point. That's all.Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Wed Jan 08, 2020 10:55 amAgree to disagree then. Sam Bennett isn't a guy I want the Blues to trade for if the aspirations for him are to be a 2nd line scorer.usmcaaron wrote: Wed Jan 08, 2020 10:53 amI wouldn't say it's based off "the board's" hate of Sanford. I'd say it's more of my own viewing of both players. I realize he'sDread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Wed Jan 08, 2020 10:30 am
I think there's next to zero chance the Blues bench Alex Steen for Sam Bennett.
As for him on the 2nd line, based on what? This boards hate of Sanford? Cool, but is a guy with 6 whole points on the season the upgrade we want as a 2nd line winger? I certainly don't. If that's where you're trying to upgrade, you look for someone else.
Bennett is 2 yrs younger than Sanford.
Bennett is more of a natural scorer. 91 pts in 57 games his draft year. 18g his rookie season. Sanford hasn't scored more than 17 goals AT ANY LEVEL since high school.
Bennett plays with aggression. Sanford plays in-between.
I'm not saying he's going to become a superstar, but he could very well become close to the player expected when he was drafted #4 overall. The talent+aggression alone is worth a shot, & when you factor the POSSIBLE low cost, Sam Bennett is better for the Blues than Zach Sanford.
Re: The Athletic 2020 Trade Big Board
12This team's success over the last 12 months has pretty much killed any hot takes I have about it's roster construction. Yeah they could improve here or there with some secondary scoring. They could also just sit tight and wait for Tarasenko and other to return. Either way it'll get a hearty "yeah, sure, that's fine." from me.
...but whatever, the Blues won the Cup!!!!!