DA must make a bold move this summer. We have the cap space, and assets. The salary cap could be as high as 82 mil per some reports.

There are several passengers on this team that need to go.

I feel like the room needs a new face, a guy with a lot of passion, the emotion that Backes and Oshie took with them.

The Blues have a good core of players. Lots of good players right in the prime of their careers. I don't care if its a trade or FA. I don't care if we lose picks and some shiny prospects. I don't care who DA targets. I just want this team upgraded, and in a big way.

39hurricane wrote:DA must make a bold move this summer. ...

OK, how about joining Lou Lamoriello in New York?

JMC-STL wrote:

39hurricane wrote:DA must make a bold move this summer. ...

OK, how about joining Lou Lamoriello in New York?

Yeah but that's not going to happen so...

What if the bold move is to put those shiny prospects in a position to succeed in the top 9?

Scwartz/Schenn/Thompson
Fabbri/Thomas/Tarasenko
Kyrou/Berglund/Kostin

That'd be bold, yes?

bradleygt89 wrote:What if the bold move is to put those shiny prospects in a position to succeed in the top 9?

Scwartz/Schenn/Thompson
Fabbri/Thomas/Tarasenko
Kyrou/Berglund/Kostin

That'd be bold, yes?

1) Thompson is not a top-line player.
2) Counting on Fabbri to be one of your top 6 is a bad idea.
3) Even if Fabbri bounces back, there will be other injuries throughout the year. (Schwartz is particularly susceptible.)
3) Mike Yeo is still there.
4) They'd be lucky to turn one player with zero NHL games into a major contributor - Three of them? No way.
5) They need some turnover to wash away the losing culture of this team. This set-up basically sucks 4 young talented players into the mire.

In response to the original post in this thread, DA does not make bold moves. I would change the title to "TS needs to make a bold move!"

We’ll see soon enough. If he’s going to make a big splash this summer it can’t just be with free agents. He’s going to have to make some trades, and most GMs want to get that work done at or before the draft so the know what holes they’ve opened up and what needs they must fill on July 1.

I think there is no question that Army is going to make at least one big trade this week. Will he make more than one big move? Will he wait until the draft starts or try to get his work done early? We will find out soon enough.

IMO, there's no doubt Armstrong will make a big move. If he doesn't, even I'll be shocked.

Though him resigning Stastny or Perron does worry me because that kind of move is right up his alley. If he does that then I'm officially off good behavior

But I do think Doug's pride is a little bit on the line so I expect him to hit a home run deal. My beef with him is that once he'll make that deal he'll call it a day. I want him to round out the roster with the proper pieces and put some edge back into this team. Him not doing this is what worries me. The big deal I expect, but doing the other little things we need done is what I fear he won't do.

The thing that will make this offseason so difficult for DA is deciding how talented some of the current roster players are vs what’s available. Fabbri, Sanford, Jaskin, Barby, Thompson - what are they? Are they top 6 players? Or are they even worthy of a roster spot? Brodz, Uppy, Hutton - it’s easy to just let these guys go but all 3 played above and beyond what you expected last year.
I guess what I am saying is that it is tough to evaluate needs when you don’t even know what you have. In my eyes, the Blues have 2 options:

1) Tavares and upgrade the goaltending position

2) 2 top 6 forwards and upgrade the goaltending position.

If trading a defenseman is necessary to get a top 6 forward, then obviously that position would then need to be addressed as well. Then clean up this vague group of 3rd liners.

Would signing Kovalchuk qualify as "a bold move" by Armstrong? After all, Doug told P-D's Jim Thomas that Ilya "could be Jaromir Jagr."

JMC-STL wrote:Would signing Kovalchuk qualify as "a bold move" by Armstrong? After all, Doug told P-D's Jim Thomas that Ilya "could be Jaromir Jagr."

Please no.

insideout wrote:

JMC-STL wrote:Would signing Kovalchuk qualify as "a bold move" by Armstrong? After all, Doug told P-D's Jim Thomas that Ilya "could be Jaromir Jagr."

Please no.

He also said he may not re-adjust to the NHL very well and 'hit the wall':

"Armstrong said while Kovalchuk’s age is a risk, there’s no way to know what type of player he will be until he returns to the NHL.

“He’s 35 years old, there’s risk involved with players of that age,” Armstrong said. “But he could be Jaromir Jagr. He could start slowing down at 41. Or he could come back and hit the wall. You never know.

“But there’s certainly intrigue there because he’s been such a dominant player internationally and he was a helluva player when he left (the NHL).”

I for one am excited for this week. I know this forum seems to be trending towards having more Armstrong haters than supporters, but I don't doubt for a moment his ability and willingness to make a bold move. Don't get me wrong, he deserves criticism for how last year went, but I still think he's done a good job overall. The toughest part of building a team is getting it over the top. Is he up for it? Who knows, but I think the roster looks a lot better 2 weeks from now than it does today.

bradleygt89 wrote:

insideout wrote:

JMC-STL wrote:Would signing Kovalchuk qualify as "a bold move" by Armstrong? After all, Doug told P-D's Jim Thomas that Ilya "could be Jaromir Jagr."

Please no.

He also said he may not re-adjust to the NHL very well and 'hit the wall':

"Armstrong said while Kovalchuk’s age is a risk, there’s no way to know what type of player he will be until he returns to the NHL.

“He’s 35 years old, there’s risk involved with players of that age,” Armstrong said. “But he could be Jaromir Jagr. He could start slowing down at 41. Or he could come back and hit the wall. You never know.

“But there’s certainly intrigue there because he’s been such a dominant player internationally and he was a helluva player when he left (the NHL).”

since when does context matter when discussing quotable soundbites these days?!?

T.C. wrote:

bradleygt89 wrote:

insideout wrote:
Please no.

He also said he may not re-adjust to the NHL very well and 'hit the wall':

"Armstrong said while Kovalchuk’s age is a risk, there’s no way to know what type of player he will be until he returns to the NHL.

“He’s 35 years old, there’s risk involved with players of that age,” Armstrong said. “But he could be Jaromir Jagr. He could start slowing down at 41. Or he could come back and hit the wall. You never know.

“But there’s certainly intrigue there because he’s been such a dominant player internationally and he was a helluva player when he left (the NHL).”

since when does context matter when discussing quotable soundbites these days?!?

I'd take him just to work the power-play

Would you rather have Kovalchuk or Hoffman at this point? Put me on team Kovalchuk. Questions about how much he has left in the tank are absolutely valid, but I've heard nothing but good things about him as a teammate. I think there's less chance of disaster with him. All of his potential shortcomings are on the ice as far as I know.

All of his potential shortcomings are on the ice as far as I know.
I'm not too sure this sounds so good to me, just saying.

Dave's a mess wrote:Would you rather have Kovalchuk or Hoffman at this point?

Translation: "Would you rather be kicked in the shin or punched in the gut?"

Less cynical translation: "Who would make the better whipping boy for the forum next year?"

Kidding aside, I'd probably go Kovalchuk, for the reasons you stated, but I also think Kovalchuk would cost more in sum total of assets (technically, NJ still holds his rights) and contract salary/term. Also, after Sobotka's drop off in play after spending several years in the KHL, I'm not sure Kovalchuk wouldn't have dropped off similarly.

Honestly, I really hope we don't get either of them, unless at a SERIOUS bargain, and I wouldn't expect either to be much more than a one-dimensional, middle-6 (20-25 goal) scorer at this point.

BlueinNy wrote:All of his potential shortcomings are on the ice as far as I know.
I'm not too sure this sounds so good to me, just saying.

Definitely meant as a backhanded compliment, haha.

I hope the bold move would be getting rid of the trash on the team and mostly going with what we got.

Doesn't mean we can't make some changes but I don't want to swing for the fences on an aging Russian.

RAFritchey wrote:

Dave's a mess wrote:Would you rather have Kovalchuk or Hoffman at this point?

Translation: "Would you rather be kicked in the shin or punched in the gut?"

Less cynical translation: "Who would make the better whipping boy for the forum next year?"

Kidding aside, I'd probably go Kovalchuk, for the reasons you stated, but I also think Kovalchuk would cost more in sum total of assets (technically, NJ still holds his rights) and contract salary/term. Also, after Sobotka's drop off in play after spending several years in the KHL, I'm not sure Kovalchuk wouldn't have dropped off similarly.

Honestly, I really hope we don't get either of them, unless at a SERIOUS bargain, and I wouldn't expect either to be much more than a one-dimensional, middle-6 (20-25 goal) scorer at this point.

If the Blues' only options for improvement are Kovalchuck and Hoffman, then fuck it all. As for Kovalchuck, whether a team should invest a lot of money in a young, gifted goalscorer who happens to be a dickhead with a bad attitude is debatable. Whether they should sign said dickhead at age 35 is not. Also, they need to be investing heavily at the center position, not wing.

I think of it this way: Kovalchuk/Hoffman wouldn't be replacing a Steen, Berglund, or even Sobotka, they'd be bumping Fabbri or Kyrou.

RAFritchey wrote:I think of it this way: Kovalchuk/Hoffman wouldn't be replacing a Steen, Berglund, or even Sobotka, they'd be bumping Fabbri or Kyrou.

See. That's unacceptable but what would end up happening.

only way adding either one makes any sense is that it would be addition by subtraction of someone else. otherwise, i'd rather do nothing.

Getting a gut feeling it's Skinner we get. Barbashev + Winnipeg's first and Schmaltz going the other way. I also think that Sobotka is gone for scraps (I hope anyway).

Schwartz Schenn Kyrou
Skinner Thomas Tarasenko
Steen Berglund Fabbri/Thompson/Sanford
Jaskin Brodziak Soshnikov/Thorburn/Sanford

This is my best guess at the moment as how things will shake out come camp, and actually I wouldn't be mad at that lineup at all. Maybe a Foley or Stevens surprises at camp?

T.C. wrote:only way adding either one makes any sense is that it would be addition by subtraction of someone else. otherwise, i'd rather do nothing.

Yup