Also this line, "Then the market -- the interest in our players -- wasn't there."

It should tell you something about your job of roster construction when no one is interested in the guys you rostered. Especially considering some of the names and no names that got moved today.

We've got some bad contracts on this team. The next few years are gonna be rough.

I read that series of quotes as, "nobody wanted our shitty players." Buch obviously a different category.

Dave's a mess wrote: Fri Mar 08, 2024 5:25 pm

I read that series of quotes as, "nobody wanted our shitty players." Buch obviously a different category.

What a dark day in Blues history. Hopefully a massive wake up call to him how depleted this roster is.

The Blues are currently a mediocre team with some young players we're building around, and some “good” players on marginal to bad contracts (I'd actually be OK with Faulk, Parayko, Krug, and even Schenn if they were each making about $750k - $1 mil less). We don't want to trade the former. Other teams don't want to acquire the latter.

We have no big-name pending UFAs that we're afraid of letting walk 'for nothing.'

Buchnevich is far and away our most desirable player when the contracts are also considered, but we also have no 'need' to move him at all, hence why they said from the start that they'd only move him if they were 'blown away' by an offer.

We'll likely be shedding Scandella, Blais, Kapanen, and Vrana in this off-season. That's just over $10 mil off the books right there, and the cap will likely go up as well.

After NEXT season (the Summer of 2025 or 2025-26 season), the NTCs of Schenn, Saad, Faulk, Krug, and Ledddy become '12-15 team lists' giving Armstrong a LOT more freedom in moving any of them.

We're not entirely sure what we've got in younger players so far, but Kessel sure looks like he's NHL-ready, and Neighbors DEFINITELY is. Likewise for Toropchenko.

Perunovich is still a mystery, though. Bolduc is looking better, but has a ways to go. I'm not as down on Kyrou as some are, especially given his ceiling. Over next season we'll know more about Snuggerud, Dean, Dvorsky, and who knows who else.

Hell, at this point, we may even be able to KEEP Buchnevich past next season, too!

Edit: Also worth noting, we have 5 picks in the first three rounds this year and all of our picks (except for a 2025 7th rounder) for the following two years.

RAFritchey wrote: Fri Mar 08, 2024 6:00 pm The Blues are currently a mediocre team with some young players we're building around, and some “good” players on marginal to bad contracts (I'd actually be OK with Faulk, Parayko, Krug, and even Schenn if they were each making about $750k - $1 mil less). We don't want to trade the former. Other teams don't want to acquire the latter.

We have no big-name pending UFAs that we're afraid of letting walk 'for nothing.'

Buchnevich is far and away our most desirable player when the contracts are also considered, but we also have no 'need' to move him at all, hence why they said from the start that they'd only move him if they were 'blown away' by an offer.

We'll likely be shedding Scandella, Blais, Kapanen, and Vrana in this off-season. That's just over $10 mil off the books right there, and the cap will likely go up as well.

After NEXT season (the Summer of 2025 or 2025-26 season), the NTCs of Schenn, Saad, Faulk, Krug, and Ledddy become '12-15 team lists' giving Armstrong a LOT more freedom in moving any of them.

We're not entirely sure what we've got in younger players so far, but Kessel sure looks like he's NHL-ready, and Neighbors DEFINITELY is. Likewise for Toropchenko.

Perunovich is still a mystery, though. Bolduc is looking better, but has a ways to go. I'm not as down on Kyrou as some are, especially given his ceiling. Over next season we'll know more about Snuggerud, Dean, Dvorsky, and who knows who else.

Hell, at this point, we may even be able to KEEP Buchnevich past next season, too!

After two straight postseason misses, I do not expect the Blues to be a cap team next year. No shot Stillman will be ok adding another 10 million or whatever after all the missed revenue. Especially with no guarantee of the playoffs

Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Fri Mar 08, 2024 6:02 pm

RAFritchey wrote: Fri Mar 08, 2024 6:00 pm The Blues are currently a mediocre team with some young players we're building around, and some “good” players on marginal to bad contracts (I'd actually be OK with Faulk, Parayko, Krug, and even Schenn if they were each making about $750k - $1 mil less). We don't want to trade the former. Other teams don't want to acquire the latter.

We have no big-name pending UFAs that we're afraid of letting walk 'for nothing.'

Buchnevich is far and away our most desirable player when the contracts are also considered, but we also have no 'need' to move him at all, hence why they said from the start that they'd only move him if they were 'blown away' by an offer.

We'll likely be shedding Scandella, Blais, Kapanen, and Vrana in this off-season. That's just over $10 mil off the books right there, and the cap will likely go up as well.

After NEXT season (the Summer of 2025 or 2025-26 season), the NTCs of Schenn, Saad, Faulk, Krug, and Ledddy become '12-15 team lists' giving Armstrong a LOT more freedom in moving any of them.

We're not entirely sure what we've got in younger players so far, but Kessel sure looks like he's NHL-ready, and Neighbors DEFINITELY is. Likewise for Toropchenko.

Perunovich is still a mystery, though. Bolduc is looking better, but has a ways to go. I'm not as down on Kyrou as some are, especially given his ceiling. Over next season we'll know more about Snuggerud, Dean, Dvorsky, and who knows who else.

Hell, at this point, we may even be able to KEEP Buchnevich past next season, too!

After two straight postseason misses, I do not expect the Blues to be a cap team next year. No shot Stillman will be ok adding another 10 million or whatever after all the missed revenue. Especially with no guarantee of the playoffs

I actually think we may be BUYERS at the deadline next year (and I'm not the kinda guy who's ever been confused with an optimist), though not in a particularly big way.

As it stands now, our only pending UFA next season will be Buchnevich, who'll surely be looking for a big raise/long term on his next contract. Our only significant pending RFAs will be Toropchenko, Neighbors, and Hofer, all of whom should still be fairly easy to keep.

If we draft even moderately well this Summer, we'll have a pretty well-stocked prospect pipeline (remember how well our prospects played at the World Juniors this year?) and virtually all of our future picks for 2025 and beyond. If we keep some cap room available, too, we'll be able to make some moves, though we surely won't be 'all in' or anything like that.

Also, looking at our numbers this year, there isn't anyone I really expect to do any WORSE next year than they already are this year. MAYBE Binnington, but I kinda think this is the goalie he is when he stays focused, and will improve as the defense improves in front of him.

I really think next year we'll be looking at a solid playoff spot, and then in Summer 2025 and the 2025-26 season we'll be making a few bigger splashes to set up a longer window of serious contention.

Of course, anything could happen, you never know.

If kyrou is still pussy-footing it next season, I hope snuggerud knocks him to the ice in practice a-la bortz/sanford

RAFritchey wrote: Fri Mar 08, 2024 6:35 pm

Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Fri Mar 08, 2024 6:02 pm

RAFritchey wrote: Fri Mar 08, 2024 6:00 pm The Blues are currently a mediocre team with some young players we're building around, and some “good” players on marginal to bad contracts (I'd actually be OK with Faulk, Parayko, Krug, and even Schenn if they were each making about $750k - $1 mil less). We don't want to trade the former. Other teams don't want to acquire the latter.

We have no big-name pending UFAs that we're afraid of letting walk 'for nothing.'

Buchnevich is far and away our most desirable player when the contracts are also considered, but we also have no 'need' to move him at all, hence why they said from the start that they'd only move him if they were 'blown away' by an offer.

We'll likely be shedding Scandella, Blais, Kapanen, and Vrana in this off-season. That's just over $10 mil off the books right there, and the cap will likely go up as well.

After NEXT season (the Summer of 2025 or 2025-26 season), the NTCs of Schenn, Saad, Faulk, Krug, and Ledddy become '12-15 team lists' giving Armstrong a LOT more freedom in moving any of them.

We're not entirely sure what we've got in younger players so far, but Kessel sure looks like he's NHL-ready, and Neighbors DEFINITELY is. Likewise for Toropchenko.

Perunovich is still a mystery, though. Bolduc is looking better, but has a ways to go. I'm not as down on Kyrou as some are, especially given his ceiling. Over next season we'll know more about Snuggerud, Dean, Dvorsky, and who knows who else.

Hell, at this point, we may even be able to KEEP Buchnevich past next season, too!

After two straight postseason misses, I do not expect the Blues to be a cap team next year. No shot Stillman will be ok adding another 10 million or whatever after all the missed revenue. Especially with no guarantee of the playoffs

I actually think we may be BUYERS at the deadline next year (and I'm not the kinda guy who's ever been confused with an optimist), though not in a particularly big way.

As it stands now, our only pending UFA next season will be Buchnevich, who'll surely be looking for a big raise/long term on his next contract. Our only significant pending RFAs will be Toropchenko, Neighbors, and Hofer, all of whom should still be fairly easy to keep.

If we draft even moderately well this Summer, we'll have a pretty well-stocked prospect pipeline (remember how well our prospects played at the World Juniors this year?) and virtually all of our future picks for 2025 and beyond. If we keep some cap room available, too, we'll be able to make some moves, though we surely won't be 'all in' or anything like that.

Also, looking at our numbers this year, there isn't anyone I really expect to do any WORSE next year than they already are this year. MAYBE Binnington, but I kinda think this is the goalie he is when he stays focused, and will improve as the defense improves in front of him.

I really think next year we'll be looking at a solid playoff spot, and then in Summer 2025 and the 2025-26 season we'll be making a few bigger splashes to set up a longer window of serious contention.

Of course, anything could happen, you never know.

I like the optimism but I can very much see guys like Leddy, Krug, Faulk, Schenn, Hayes, Saad all to be worse next year. It’s an age issue at this point. I don’t expect them to suddenly find the fountain of youth. We have no first line or top pairing. There’s no skater on this team you could trade to a legit contender that they’d join the top line. MAYBE Thomas but not in most cases.

Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Fri Mar 08, 2024 8:15 pm

RAFritchey wrote: Fri Mar 08, 2024 6:35 pm

Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Fri Mar 08, 2024 6:02 pm

After two straight postseason misses, I do not expect the Blues to be a cap team next year. No shot Stillman will be ok adding another 10 million or whatever after all the missed revenue. Especially with no guarantee of the playoffs

I actually think we may be BUYERS at the deadline next year (and I'm not the kinda guy who's ever been confused with an optimist), though not in a particularly big way.

As it stands now, our only pending UFA next season will be Buchnevich, who'll surely be looking for a big raise/long term on his next contract. Our only significant pending RFAs will be Toropchenko, Neighbors, and Hofer, all of whom should still be fairly easy to keep.

If we draft even moderately well this Summer, we'll have a pretty well-stocked prospect pipeline (remember how well our prospects played at the World Juniors this year?) and virtually all of our future picks for 2025 and beyond. If we keep some cap room available, too, we'll be able to make some moves, though we surely won't be 'all in' or anything like that.

Also, looking at our numbers this year, there isn't anyone I really expect to do any WORSE next year than they already are this year. MAYBE Binnington, but I kinda think this is the goalie he is when he stays focused, and will improve as the defense improves in front of him.

I really think next year we'll be looking at a solid playoff spot, and then in Summer 2025 and the 2025-26 season we'll be making a few bigger splashes to set up a longer window of serious contention.

Of course, anything could happen, you never know.

I like the optimism but I can very much see guys like Leddy, Krug, Faulk, Schenn, Hayes, Saad all to be worse next year. It’s an age issue at this point. I don’t expect them to suddenly find the fountain of youth. We have no first line or top pairing. There’s no skater on this team you could trade to a legit contender that they’d join the top line. MAYBE Thomas but not in most cases.

Count me on the negative side of the ledger. We are incredibly thin at center now and I don't know if any of our prospects will be able to fill that void.

Our defense is the same. We have no true #1 D-man and the rest is all patchwork.

Our wingers are ok. And our goaltending is set for a good long time.

We are hamstrung by awful contracts which will take years to come off the books. I see about three years of misery coming up.

All that said, the Blues will probably come out and beat the Rangers 5-1

RAFritchey wrote: Fri Mar 08, 2024 6:00 pm We'll likely be shedding Scandella, Blais, Kapanen, and Vrana in this off-season..

How? No one wanted them now, who’s going to want them later?

T.C. wrote: Sat Mar 09, 2024 5:41 am

RAFritchey wrote: Fri Mar 08, 2024 6:00 pm We'll likely be shedding Scandella, Blais, Kapanen, and Vrana in this off-season..

How? No one wanted them now, who’s going to want them later?

Expiring contracts.

Well at the end of the day the mediocre hometown team didn't do anything. They had one really good trade asset, but prices appeared to be really low, so I'm glad they didn't just donate him to Vegas like SJ did. Nobody wanted our UFAs because they stink. C'est la vie. I think it will be a bloody summer for this roster.

I can't get over the idea of teams just laughing when Army told them what players he had to offer them.

Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Sat Mar 09, 2024 11:13 am I can't get over the idea of teams just laughing when Army told them what players he had to offer them.

I doubt anyone was “laughing.” Anyone could see our only pending UFAs were Scandella, Vrana, Blais, and Kapanen, all depth call-ups on a cup-caliber team at best.

Sure, a couple of teams would have liked Parayko... IF the Blues retained 50% of his salary for the rest of his contract AND involved a 3rd team to retain some more so they could have him at $2 mil/year and squeeze him under their cap. Sorry Toronto media.

Or Pavel Buchnevich, who likely would have been at least as expensive as Jake Guentzel. Worth it, IMHO, but still a steep price since we don't 'have' to move him. I'm glad Armstrong kept his stance here.

And someone was floating a rumor that the Jets were going to pick up BOTH Parayko AND Buchnevich? How? They have like 50 cents in cap space left and no picks before the 4th round this year. (edit: They actually have Montreal's 2nd rounder).

Dave's a mess wrote: Sat Mar 09, 2024 7:51 am Well at the end of the day the mediocre hometown team didn't do anything. They had one really good trade asset, but prices appeared to be really low, so I'm glad they didn't just donate him to Vegas like SJ did. Nobody wanted our UFAs because they stink. C'est la vie. I think it will be a bloody summer for this roster.

We'll have to retain salary or dump picks to get rid of them -IF- they ok the trade.

Army really shot himself in the foot pretty good here

RAFritchey wrote: Sat Mar 09, 2024 12:37 pm

Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Sat Mar 09, 2024 11:13 am I can't get over the idea of teams just laughing when Army told them what players he had to offer them.

I doubt anyone was “laughing.” Anyone could see our only pending UFAs were Scandella, Vrana, Blais, and Kapanen, all depth call-ups on a cup-caliber team at best.

Sure, a couple of teams would have liked Parayko... IF the Blues retained 50% of his salary for the rest of his contract AND involved a 3rd team to retain some more so they could have him at $2 mil/year and squeeze him under their cap. Sorry Toronto media.

Or Pavel Buchnevich, who likely would have been at least as expensive as Jake Guentzel. Worth it, IMHO, but still a steep price since we don't 'have' to move him. I'm glad Armstrong kept his stance here.

And someone was floating a rumor that the Jets were going to pick up BOTH Parayko AND Buchnevich? How? They have like 50 cents in cap space left and no picks before the 4th round this year. (edit: They actually have Montreal's 2nd rounder).

They laughed, I bugged Army's phone line.

So Vegas is in the last Wild Card spot. After all their moves you have to think they have a massive target on their back for them to eliminated.

I know it would be my motivation if I was playing them or trying to catch them in the standings.