Actually we need a few of those. I'm not liking Krug very much... I'd rather re-up Dunn and use Krug's $$$ on someone bigger. 55 can go too... too big of a puss for a man with his size...he also has a cannon and no gunpowder. You cant just plug in one guy on this defense and call it a day... more changes are needed. Hamilton is an intriguing UFA, though... There's a lot of money coming off the books, and there aren't many defenders on this team who's jobs should be safe.BillP. wrote: Wed May 26, 2021 7:05 amA lot. Faulk money for sure, maybe a little more. I’d rather get a thumper like Ristolainen (Buffalo) or David Savard. We need a defensive D man who can thump.Turk Sanderson wrote: Wed May 26, 2021 6:42 am What kind of bread would it take to land Dougie Hamilton?
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
402I'm with you on Krug. He wasn't great at the start, but he deserves some of the credit for the PP turnaround. That's what he's here for anyway. The D needs a makeover, but Krug isn't and shouldn't go anywhere.Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Tue May 25, 2021 6:46 pm Don’t give up on Krug yet. They guy didn’t just suddenly forget how to play. New team, no off-season, not a lot of practice time. Let’s give him a full offseason and see what he looks like next year i.e Faulk
The guy we haven't really mentioned is Scandella. Remember how good he looked when he first got here? He looked like an adequate replacement to JayBo after he had to shut it down. Then came the extension. Then came Parayko's injury. Then came a lot of goals against. Either Scandella just coasted by on a healthy Parayko dominating defensively, or....actually I don't have an or, because that's exactly what it looks like happened.
...but whatever, the Blues won the Cup!!!!!
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
403I think he had a good year for him. I just don't like his game in his own end. It's different than the Faulk situation. We knew Faulk could be better. I don't think Krug had a bad season, nor is he going to be any better defensively.Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Tue May 25, 2021 6:46 pm Don’t give up on Krug yet. They guy didn’t just suddenly forget how to play. New team, no off-season, not a lot of practice time. Let’s give him a full offseason and see what he looks like next year i.e Faulk
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
404He went from 49 points to 32 points and 9 goals to 2 so that's where I want to see him improve the most.ratonmono wrote: Wed May 26, 2021 10:03 amI think he had a good year for him. I just don't like his game in his own end. It's different than the Faulk situation. We knew Faulk could be better. I don't think Krug had a bad season, nor is he going to be any better defensively.Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Tue May 25, 2021 6:46 pm Don’t give up on Krug yet. They guy didn’t just suddenly forget how to play. New team, no off-season, not a lot of practice time. Let’s give him a full offseason and see what he looks like next year i.e Faulk
He also went from 73% offensive zone starts to 61%. The Blues probably misused him some this year and deserve some of the blame.
Just a Russian propaganda account
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
405I wonder if some of that usage was out of necessity. At certain points in the year there weren't many other proven NHL-level defensemen in the lineup. It would've been nice to see him score more for sure, but I imagine his shooting percentage will jump back closer to his Boston numbers next season.Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Wed May 26, 2021 11:28 amHe went from 49 points to 32 points and 9 goals to 2 so that's where I want to see him improve the most.ratonmono wrote: Wed May 26, 2021 10:03 amI think he had a good year for him. I just don't like his game in his own end. It's different than the Faulk situation. We knew Faulk could be better. I don't think Krug had a bad season, nor is he going to be any better defensively.Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Tue May 25, 2021 6:46 pm Don’t give up on Krug yet. They guy didn’t just suddenly forget how to play. New team, no off-season, not a lot of practice time. Let’s give him a full offseason and see what he looks like next year i.e Faulk
He also went from 73% offensive zone starts to 61%. The Blues probably misused him some this year and deserve some of the blame.
...but whatever, the Blues won the Cup!!!!!
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
406To me, it's partly the way they play. Both Schenn and Schwartz have taken a physical beating in the middle of the action, both on the forecheck and on defence in their own zone, and in the neutral zone, trying to get the puck. Hoffman, for much of his career, other than this season, trying to fit into Berube's system, has stayed away from much contact, other than the odd hit, away from the scrums for the puck. I think he's got more tread left.Dave's a mess wrote: Wed May 26, 2021 8:11 amNot sure why aging curves would apply to Schenn and Schwartz but not Hoffman, who is a couple years older than both of them.Robb_K wrote: Wed May 26, 2021 2:52 amI want Hoffman back. He still can skate decently, is a good sniper, one of the few goal-scorers The Blues can count on to always be a threat to score, and he MADE The Blues power play go, once they started feeding him the puck. They moved from about The NHL's lowest at 8% to 23% after they started doing that. And, he actually embraced Berube's defensive system, and played decent defensively for most of this season, after a few weeks of picking up the system. With the level and speed of Tarasenko's return to previous form in question, and Schwartz either gone, or likely to continue his decline, and Schenn also starting the age decline, and only Kyrou, but not Thomas, or Kostin breaking out in the goal-scoring area, The Blues can't afford to give up Hoffman's consistent goal-scoring. Even with him, they're going to have to bring in a t least a couple more consistent goal-scorers with young legs, who can also play passable defence, If Hoffman leaves, they'll need to bring in a third. That will be a pretty tough task, especially if they ALL come in the form of high-priced UFAs (not very possible under the cap). IF they trade for a prospect they HOPE will score 20+ goals right away, that's a gamble, compared to keeping Hoffman (as we've seen with Kyrou, and, especially Thomas, and Kostin, likely as well. And, currently, The Blues don't have any other forward prospects anywhere near that stage. THIS recent Blues' Stanley Cup competitive window has closed suddenly and tightly over the last 2 years. They are now relatively old and slow, and must be rejuvenated by faster-skating, more skilled, bigger and stronger young players in all areas (forwards, defencemen, and even gooaltenders), or they'll have a dismal near future. It will be tough to make that changeover by retooling in one or two offseasons,ratonmono wrote: Tue May 25, 2021 1:11 pm
The blues do have some wiggle room with Hoffman, Bozak, Schwartz all coming off the books. I'm not sure any of those three will be back.
However, I agree that it will be a longshot for him to decide to sign with The Blues, because they won't have the cap room to be able to compete with the higher bids from teams who do have a lot of room, and he realises, like we do, that The aging Blues are not likely to have a real shot at competing for The Stanley Cup, whereas, a couple of the higher bidders are likely to have a younger, faster, and more skilled team, whose young players with careers on the rise, are likely to improve in the standings. So, I doubt that Hoffman will stay, unless he waits around for a long time to see players' agents bid up his price, and before he makes his decision, Armstrong somehow has made a few "fleecing trades" like the ROR trade, that make The Blues again, look like a Stanly Cup contender.
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
407It would seem you can put to rest any Perron expansion draft worries.
...but whatever, the Blues won the Cup!!!!!
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
408No respect from this Yahoo!Sports Canada blogger ... Why some NHL coaches don't have a leg to stand on complaining about penalties
... There have been many unfounded complaints, however, and the calls are coming from behind the bench. St. Louis Blues head coach Craig Berube complained about the penalty disparity in his team's first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche, and it frankly displayed a limited understanding of why his team was swept soundly by the Stanley Cup favourite.
"The refereeing, every game, we get one or two calls,” Berube said following a 5-1 loss to the Avalanche in Game 3. "It’s usually late in the third period. They’re getting four, five a game. I mean, (the play of the teams) isn’t that lopsided. I’m not sure why we don't get the calls that we deserve.
"It’s so one-sided, it’s not even funny."
What was one-sided and funny (at least to me, a hockey writer and fan with perverse interest in favourites rolling over their competition!) was the Avalanche's complete domination of puck possession, quality shot creation, shot suppression, or if you don't care about any of that, shot differential and the eye test clearly favouring Colorado's high-octane speed game over St. Louis's modified trap.
During the four-game sweep, the Blues posted a 41.52 Corsi-for percentage, generated 115 unblocked shot attempts against the Avalanche's 162, and created 24 high-danger chances against the Avalanche's 36, according to Natural Stat Trick. Colorado's top line of Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen basically was allowed to create whatever it desired without much resistance, to say nothing of Cale Makar's brilliance throughout the series, with his world-class edge work on full display during Game 1's opening goal.
The Blues simply never had a chance, and you can't complain about the penalty disparity if you never have the puck. ...
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
409When two elbows to the head causing concussions are dealt out and only one is called then there is a problem. Wait until one of that douche blogger Leaf players whose dick he sucks gets laid out and isn't called.JMC-STL wrote: Wed May 26, 2021 7:06 pm No respect from this Yahoo!Sports Canada blogger ... Why some NHL coaches don't have a leg to stand on complaining about penalties
... There have been many unfounded complaints, however, and the calls are coming from behind the bench. St. Louis Blues head coach Craig Berube complained about the penalty disparity in his team's first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche, and it frankly displayed a limited understanding of why his team was swept soundly by the Stanley Cup favourite.
"The refereeing, every game, we get one or two calls,” Berube said following a 5-1 loss to the Avalanche in Game 3. "It’s usually late in the third period. They’re getting four, five a game. I mean, (the play of the teams) isn’t that lopsided. I’m not sure why we don't get the calls that we deserve.
"It’s so one-sided, it’s not even funny."
What was one-sided and funny (at least to me, a hockey writer and fan with perverse interest in favourites rolling over their competition!) was the Avalanche's complete domination of puck possession, quality shot creation, shot suppression, or if you don't care about any of that, shot differential and the eye test clearly favouring Colorado's high-octane speed game over St. Louis's modified trap.
During the four-game sweep, the Blues posted a 41.52 Corsi-for percentage, generated 115 unblocked shot attempts against the Avalanche's 162, and created 24 high-danger chances against the Avalanche's 36, according to Natural Stat Trick. Colorado's top line of Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen basically was allowed to create whatever it desired without much resistance, to say nothing of Cale Makar's brilliance throughout the series, with his world-class edge work on full display during Game 1's opening goal.
The Blues simply never had a chance, and you can't complain about the penalty disparity if you never have the puck. ...
I just can't stand assholes like that.
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
410I'm sure it was, but you also have to set your players up for success. That's the job of a coach so I don't fully blame Krug for some of the perceived struggles. I think too many times he was put in a "shutdown" role versus an offensive role and that's just not who he is.Dave's a mess wrote: Wed May 26, 2021 11:51 amI wonder if some of that usage was out of necessity. At certain points in the year there weren't many other proven NHL-level defensemen in the lineup. It would've been nice to see him score more for sure, but I imagine his shooting percentage will jump back closer to his Boston numbers next season.Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Wed May 26, 2021 11:28 amHe went from 49 points to 32 points and 9 goals to 2 so that's where I want to see him improve the most.ratonmono wrote: Wed May 26, 2021 10:03 am
I think he had a good year for him. I just don't like his game in his own end. It's different than the Faulk situation. We knew Faulk could be better. I don't think Krug had a bad season, nor is he going to be any better defensively.
He also went from 73% offensive zone starts to 61%. The Blues probably misused him some this year and deserve some of the blame.
Just a Russian propaganda account
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
411For a rough year, Krug's numbers were pretty good. If you pay attention, he really springs some forwards loose with some nice passing. And the guy is feisty, passionate and is used to winning. He's fine.
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
412Krug is 30 and has 6 years left @ 6.5 mil/yr ... Dunn is 24 and RFABillP. wrote: Thu May 27, 2021 9:44 am For a rough year, Krug's numbers were pretty good. If you pay attention, he really springs some forwards loose with some nice passing. And the guy is feisty, passionate and is used to winning. He's fine.
I'd much rather spend Krug's 6.5mil elsewhere, and give Dunn a salary bump and watch him grow into that role.
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
413Ageist!Turk Sanderson wrote: Thu May 27, 2021 10:16 amKrug is 30 and has 6 years left @ 6.5 mil/yr ... Dunn is 24 and RFABillP. wrote: Thu May 27, 2021 9:44 am For a rough year, Krug's numbers were pretty good. If you pay attention, he really springs some forwards loose with some nice passing. And the guy is feisty, passionate and is used to winning. He's fine.
I'd much rather spend Krug's 6.5mil elsewhere, and give Dunn a salary bump and watch him grow into that role.
Just a Russian propaganda account
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
414Counterpoint: Krug in a down year like this season is probably Dunn's ceiling. Krug at his peak is far superior to Dunn's ceiling. Isn't that certainty worth some cap space?Turk Sanderson wrote: Thu May 27, 2021 10:16 amKrug is 30 and has 6 years left @ 6.5 mil/yr ... Dunn is 24 and RFABillP. wrote: Thu May 27, 2021 9:44 am For a rough year, Krug's numbers were pretty good. If you pay attention, he really springs some forwards loose with some nice passing. And the guy is feisty, passionate and is used to winning. He's fine.
I'd much rather spend Krug's 6.5mil elsewhere, and give Dunn a salary bump and watch him grow into that role.
(Note: I had a bit written up here about how Dunn sucked this season before his injury. I figured I should actually check the numbers before hitting submit and...turns out he did not suck! I still have no idea how to fix the blueline this summer, haha)
...but whatever, the Blues won the Cup!!!!!
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
415I think that especially with Walman's arrival, Krug becomes expendable. I see Krug and Dunn as pretty much the same guy, only Krug costs a ton more.Dave's a mess wrote: Thu May 27, 2021 11:23 amCounterpoint: Krug in a down year like this season is probably Dunn's ceiling. Krug at his peak is far superior to Dunn's ceiling. Isn't that certainty worth some cap space?Turk Sanderson wrote: Thu May 27, 2021 10:16 amKrug is 30 and has 6 years left @ 6.5 mil/yr ... Dunn is 24 and RFABillP. wrote: Thu May 27, 2021 9:44 am For a rough year, Krug's numbers were pretty good. If you pay attention, he really springs some forwards loose with some nice passing. And the guy is feisty, passionate and is used to winning. He's fine.
I'd much rather spend Krug's 6.5mil elsewhere, and give Dunn a salary bump and watch him grow into that role.
(Note: I had a bit written up here about how Dunn sucked this season before his injury. I figured I should actually check the numbers before hitting submit and...turns out he did not suck! I still have no idea how to fix the blueline this summer, haha)
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
416Be nice if the Blues could get a Cole Caufield with their 17th pick.
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
417I wouldn't mind it but honestly, the prospect pipeline is getting pretty dry, I wouldn't mind just keeping the pick.BillP. wrote: Fri May 28, 2021 12:21 am Be nice if the Blues could get a Cole Caufield with their 17th pick.
Just a Russian propaganda account
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
418That's the silver lining of this season. 17th is the highest they've selected since 2010 in the Schwartz/Tarasenko draft. Of course it just so happens that this bunch of prospects is the least scouted group in modern times due to all of the cancelled junior hockey over the last 2 years. But that creates as much opportunity as it does uncertainty.BillP. wrote: Fri May 28, 2021 12:21 am Be nice if the Blues could get a Cole Caufield with their 17th pick.
...but whatever, the Blues won the Cup!!!!!
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
419Yeah I meant it would be nice if we could draft a guy like him with the 17th pick. Kid seems like a scorer. Be real nice if we could be like the Bruins who got Pasta with the 24th pick. We could only be so lucky.Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Fri May 28, 2021 9:13 amI wouldn't mind it but honestly, the prospect pipeline is getting pretty dry, I wouldn't mind just keeping the pick.BillP. wrote: Fri May 28, 2021 12:21 am Be nice if the Blues could get a Cole Caufield with their 17th pick.
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
420That's a good point. Draft board might be full of surprises once the results start playing out. Boy, if we could just hit a home run. We need it!!Dave's a mess wrote: Fri May 28, 2021 9:33 amThat's the silver lining of this season. 17th is the highest they've selected since 2010 in the Schwartz/Tarasenko draft. Of course it just so happens that this bunch of prospects is the least scouted group in modern times due to all of the cancelled junior hockey over the last 2 years. But that creates as much opportunity as it does uncertainty.BillP. wrote: Fri May 28, 2021 12:21 am Be nice if the Blues could get a Cole Caufield with their 17th pick.
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
421It's also the least played bunch of prospects in modern times, with the OHL idle & the WHL playing just 24 games per team. So that "silver lining" will come with the weakest draft class in memory.Dave's a mess wrote: Fri May 28, 2021 9:33 amThat's the silver lining of this season. 17th is the highest they've selected since 2010 in the Schwartz/Tarasenko draft. Of course it just so happens that this bunch of prospects is the least scouted group in modern times due to all of the cancelled junior hockey over the last 2 years. But that creates as much opportunity as it does uncertainty.BillP. wrote: Fri May 28, 2021 12:21 amBe nice if the Blues could get a Cole Caufield with their 17th pick.
ETA: Maybe Cole Caufield has a sister who can skate & shoot.
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
422Not counting last year since it's far too soon to tell, the last 5 picks at 17 were:BillP. wrote: Fri May 28, 2021 10:08 amThat's a good point. Draft board might be full of surprises once the results start playing out. Boy, if we could just hit a home run. We need it!!Dave's a mess wrote: Fri May 28, 2021 9:33 amThat's the silver lining of this season. 17th is the highest they've selected since 2010 in the Schwartz/Tarasenko draft. Of course it just so happens that this bunch of prospects is the least scouted group in modern times due to all of the cancelled junior hockey over the last 2 years. But that creates as much opportunity as it does uncertainty.BillP. wrote: Fri May 28, 2021 12:21 am Be nice if the Blues could get a Cole Caufield with their 17th pick.
2019 Peyton Krebs
2018 Ty Smith
2017 Timothy Liljegren
2016 Dante Fabbro
2015 Kyle Connor
3/5 of those are already at least in the lineup every night or are tracking to be there at the appropriate pace (Krebs, Smith, Fabbro), Kyle Connor is a star, and Liljegren hasn't been able to crack the Leafs full time. We should be able to get a player at 17 that contributes at the NHL level within the next couple of seasons.
Given the uncertain nature of this year's prospects, I wonder if that means we see more or less trades on the draft floor. Do teams draft boards look much more similar because they've been watching the same guys over and over, or much more different because there's less info from which they can draw conclusions?
...but whatever, the Blues won the Cup!!!!!
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
423Nice post.Dave's a mess wrote: Fri May 28, 2021 10:47 amNot counting last year since it's far too soon to tell, the last 5 picks at 17 were:BillP. wrote: Fri May 28, 2021 10:08 amThat's a good point. Draft board might be full of surprises once the results start playing out. Boy, if we could just hit a home run. We need it!!Dave's a mess wrote: Fri May 28, 2021 9:33 am
That's the silver lining of this season. 17th is the highest they've selected since 2010 in the Schwartz/Tarasenko draft. Of course it just so happens that this bunch of prospects is the least scouted group in modern times due to all of the cancelled junior hockey over the last 2 years. But that creates as much opportunity as it does uncertainty.
2019 Peyton Krebs
2018 Ty Smith
2017 Timothy Liljegren
2016 Dante Fabbro
2015 Kyle Connor
3/5 of those are already at least in the lineup every night or are tracking to be there at the appropriate pace (Krebs, Smith, Fabbro), Kyle Connor is a star, and Liljegren hasn't been able to crack the Leafs full time. We should be able to get a player at 17 that contributes at the NHL level within the next couple of seasons.
Given the uncertain nature of this year's prospects, I wonder if that means we see more or less trades on the draft floor. Do teams draft boards look much more similar because they've been watching the same guys over and over, or much more different because there's less info from which they can draw conclusions?
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
424Doesnt he have a NTC?Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Mon May 10, 2021 2:07 pm Anyone else thinking the Blues will leave Tarasenko unprotected in the expansion draft?
IIRC Players with NTC/NMC's are automatically protected/count as one of the 11 skaters you can protect?
Now now, the Canadian Government has apologized for Bryan Adams on SEVERAL occasions!
Re: 2021 St. Louis Blues Thread
425Only NMC are required to be protected. No trade guys are up for grabs.Ozzies09tc wrote: Fri May 28, 2021 1:36 pmDoesnt he have a NTC?Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Mon May 10, 2021 2:07 pm Anyone else thinking the Blues will leave Tarasenko unprotected in the expansion draft?
IIRC Players with NTC/NMC's are automatically protected/count as one of the 11 skaters you can protect?
Just a Russian propaganda account