Blues Offseason Plans
Posted 2:05 AM ET | Comments 2
Hey all, my first blog post here and I'll be covering the St. Louis Blues. Looking forward to writing blogs and connecting with people on this website!
If the playoffs taught us anything, it's that the Blues are sorely lacking in the offensive department. 10 goals in 6 games is simply unacceptable if we want to make a deep cup run in the future. Yes, I do realize Quick is a phenomenal goalie, but the sheer amount of empty nets that were missed by our forwards was the dagger to the heart. Add to that, the fact that players like McDonald, Perron, and Stewart decided to take a snooze brings the question, is this core good enough to be a cup contender?
My personal opinion? No.
Our forwards are inconsistent. There's no other way to put it. Let's discuss a few forwards whose place in the blue note may be put in question.
We all remember that stretch Chris Stewart had, where he put up 24 points in 18 games and looked like an unstoppable monster. What happened in the next 18 games? He had 8 points. Absolutely frustrating to watch. It still baffles me how such a big, skilled guy can be so soft along the boards. I don't believe Chris Stewart will be wearing the blue note in October. And if he is, it will be on another 1 year deal or "prove it" type of contract. There are two scenarios I see Stewart being involved.
1. He gets dealt at the draft for a first round pick to make up for the one we lost in the Bouwmeester deal. Many scouts have stated that this year's draft is especially deep, and it would be a good opportunity for us to snag a center prospect. I'm sick of seeing Phil McRae as our top rated center prospect, especially since I doubt he will have an NHL career.
2. Stewart will be packaged with other assets for a number 1 center in the offseason.
Andy McDonald was dubbed the nickname "McTurnover" over the course of the regular season and for good reason. Every pass he made I held my breath because I wasn't confident that the pass would reach it's intended target. McDonald quickly went from our most effective top 9 forward, to the most useless. And no, that is not an exaggeration, McDonald was the epitome of useless, and that might even be putting it nicely. I do realize his age may be catching up to him, but his hockey sense should be relatively consistent even in his older years. Every time McDonald was in the offensive zone, he would try and force passes that weren't there which would lead to a turnover going the other way. I don't expect McDonald to be resigned, Schwartz has more than proven that he can be more effective than McTurnover. If Armstrong brings McDonald back, bring out the pitchforks folks.
Before his concussion, David Perron was turning heads all over the league. He has dazzling hands, a quick release, and could snipe any of the 4 corners at will. Upon his recovery, it seemed none of that had changed. Perron put up 42 points in 57 games and was dynamite in the offensive zone. This was the offensive star we were looking for right? Wrong. Perron quickly showed that his lack of discipline led to him taking stupid, unnecessary penalties in the offensive zone that would kill momentum for our team. He also showed that he would much rather try and dangle around 3 defensemen, rather than pass the puck and make a play. Again, a frustrating player to watch and a complete no-show in the playoffs. Personally, I'm not ready to give up on Perron just yet. He's proven in the past that he can lead the charge offensively, and is one of the few players who possesses creativity in the attacking zone. He's on a fair contract, and if there's one trait that sticks out about him, it's his determination to the game of hockey. This guy loves hockey, and here's to hoping he learns from his mistakes and comes to training camp ready to prove he can be a first line player.
Offseason NEED
I didn't pluralize the need because the Blues really only needs one more element to be a cup contender. It's pretty obvious that our team needs a #1 playmaking center who can push Backes down to a second line role, similar to Kesler in Vancouver.
The Blues lack creativity in the offensive zone. Their whole style of attack is just based on throwing pucks on the net and hoping for rebounds. It's dull and it's ineffective, the Blues need someone who can control the play. A few suggestion:
Joe Thornton
The Sharks are now Couture's team, and this might push out Thornton over the summer. The Sharks are filled with centers in Couture, Marleau, and Pavelski, so the loss of Thornton wouldn't hurt them drastically, especially if they receive wingers back, which we just so happen to have an abundance of. Thornton probably isn't the most ideal target considering his age, but he's a player that depends a lot on his vision and playmaking which shouldn't really be affected by age. Thornton is a big guy, which Hitch likes in his centers, and he's a leader as well. I wouldn't mind seeing Thornton dishing saucer passes to Tarasenko all year long. The price for Thornton shouldn't be too steep, as he only has 1 year left on his contract. Salary would need to go back to the Sharks as well, since Thornton comes with a 7m cap hit. Perron/Stewart + Cole/Russell + 2nd would be my offer to acquire Thornton.
Stephen Weiss
Let me start off by saying the I do not want Weiss as our #1 center, but he is still an option in the UFA market. Weiss was having an abysmal center prior to his season ending injury as he only mustered up 4 points in 17 games. However, he's put up 60+ points in 3 of his last 4 seasons on a terrible Florida team, so it raises the question of how well he would do on a playoff team. I don't think Weiss is a first line center, he would just be a less physical Backes, and is that what the Blues really need? I don't think this team needs a 1A/1B type of situation, they need a bonafide #1 center, and Weiss simply isn't that guy. Plus, UFA's have been known to get more money than they probably should, and the Blues shouldn't be overpaying for a player that probably won't even push Backes down to the second line.
Mike Ribeiro
Ribeiro is definitely a player that intrigues me, and if he can be had for a reasonable price than I wouldn't be against acquiring him. First and foremost, Ribeiro is extremely creative. He can dangle and make elusive plays that awes the crowd, however, he comes with some attitude issues. We all remember his whole writhing on the ice in pain incident. Granted, he was young and I do believe Ribeiro has matured, but it's still a slight cause for concern. Ribeiro is a whiz on the power play, and would improve the Blues' PP dramatically. Ribeiro may not be a true #1 center since his defensive game is a bit lacking, but his offensive capabilities are much too attractive to ignore.
Thanks for reading my blog guys! Hopefully I can contribute on a consistent basis, and I look forward to making more blogs in the future.
If the playoffs taught us anything, it's that the Blues are sorely lacking in the offensive department. 10 goals in 6 games is simply unacceptable if we want to make a deep cup run in the future. Yes, I do realize Quick is a phenomenal goalie, but the sheer amount of empty nets that were missed by our forwards was the dagger to the heart. Add to that, the fact that players like McDonald, Perron, and Stewart decided to take a snooze brings the question, is this core good enough to be a cup contender?
My personal opinion? No.
Our forwards are inconsistent. There's no other way to put it. Let's discuss a few forwards whose place in the blue note may be put in question.
We all remember that stretch Chris Stewart had, where he put up 24 points in 18 games and looked like an unstoppable monster. What happened in the next 18 games? He had 8 points. Absolutely frustrating to watch. It still baffles me how such a big, skilled guy can be so soft along the boards. I don't believe Chris Stewart will be wearing the blue note in October. And if he is, it will be on another 1 year deal or "prove it" type of contract. There are two scenarios I see Stewart being involved.
1. He gets dealt at the draft for a first round pick to make up for the one we lost in the Bouwmeester deal. Many scouts have stated that this year's draft is especially deep, and it would be a good opportunity for us to snag a center prospect. I'm sick of seeing Phil McRae as our top rated center prospect, especially since I doubt he will have an NHL career.
2. Stewart will be packaged with other assets for a number 1 center in the offseason.
Andy McDonald was dubbed the nickname "McTurnover" over the course of the regular season and for good reason. Every pass he made I held my breath because I wasn't confident that the pass would reach it's intended target. McDonald quickly went from our most effective top 9 forward, to the most useless. And no, that is not an exaggeration, McDonald was the epitome of useless, and that might even be putting it nicely. I do realize his age may be catching up to him, but his hockey sense should be relatively consistent even in his older years. Every time McDonald was in the offensive zone, he would try and force passes that weren't there which would lead to a turnover going the other way. I don't expect McDonald to be resigned, Schwartz has more than proven that he can be more effective than McTurnover. If Armstrong brings McDonald back, bring out the pitchforks folks.
Before his concussion, David Perron was turning heads all over the league. He has dazzling hands, a quick release, and could snipe any of the 4 corners at will. Upon his recovery, it seemed none of that had changed. Perron put up 42 points in 57 games and was dynamite in the offensive zone. This was the offensive star we were looking for right? Wrong. Perron quickly showed that his lack of discipline led to him taking stupid, unnecessary penalties in the offensive zone that would kill momentum for our team. He also showed that he would much rather try and dangle around 3 defensemen, rather than pass the puck and make a play. Again, a frustrating player to watch and a complete no-show in the playoffs. Personally, I'm not ready to give up on Perron just yet. He's proven in the past that he can lead the charge offensively, and is one of the few players who possesses creativity in the attacking zone. He's on a fair contract, and if there's one trait that sticks out about him, it's his determination to the game of hockey. This guy loves hockey, and here's to hoping he learns from his mistakes and comes to training camp ready to prove he can be a first line player.
Offseason NEED
I didn't pluralize the need because the Blues really only needs one more element to be a cup contender. It's pretty obvious that our team needs a #1 playmaking center who can push Backes down to a second line role, similar to Kesler in Vancouver.
The Blues lack creativity in the offensive zone. Their whole style of attack is just based on throwing pucks on the net and hoping for rebounds. It's dull and it's ineffective, the Blues need someone who can control the play. A few suggestion:
Joe Thornton
The Sharks are now Couture's team, and this might push out Thornton over the summer. The Sharks are filled with centers in Couture, Marleau, and Pavelski, so the loss of Thornton wouldn't hurt them drastically, especially if they receive wingers back, which we just so happen to have an abundance of. Thornton probably isn't the most ideal target considering his age, but he's a player that depends a lot on his vision and playmaking which shouldn't really be affected by age. Thornton is a big guy, which Hitch likes in his centers, and he's a leader as well. I wouldn't mind seeing Thornton dishing saucer passes to Tarasenko all year long. The price for Thornton shouldn't be too steep, as he only has 1 year left on his contract. Salary would need to go back to the Sharks as well, since Thornton comes with a 7m cap hit. Perron/Stewart + Cole/Russell + 2nd would be my offer to acquire Thornton.
Stephen Weiss
Let me start off by saying the I do not want Weiss as our #1 center, but he is still an option in the UFA market. Weiss was having an abysmal center prior to his season ending injury as he only mustered up 4 points in 17 games. However, he's put up 60+ points in 3 of his last 4 seasons on a terrible Florida team, so it raises the question of how well he would do on a playoff team. I don't think Weiss is a first line center, he would just be a less physical Backes, and is that what the Blues really need? I don't think this team needs a 1A/1B type of situation, they need a bonafide #1 center, and Weiss simply isn't that guy. Plus, UFA's have been known to get more money than they probably should, and the Blues shouldn't be overpaying for a player that probably won't even push Backes down to the second line.
Mike Ribeiro
Ribeiro is definitely a player that intrigues me, and if he can be had for a reasonable price than I wouldn't be against acquiring him. First and foremost, Ribeiro is extremely creative. He can dangle and make elusive plays that awes the crowd, however, he comes with some attitude issues. We all remember his whole writhing on the ice in pain incident. Granted, he was young and I do believe Ribeiro has matured, but it's still a slight cause for concern. Ribeiro is a whiz on the power play, and would improve the Blues' PP dramatically. Ribeiro may not be a true #1 center since his defensive game is a bit lacking, but his offensive capabilities are much too attractive to ignore.
Thanks for reading my blog guys! Hopefully I can contribute on a consistent basis, and I look forward to making more blogs in the future.
I am finally glad to hear someone write an article about the St. Louis Blues and not blame the goaltenders. I personally feel that their lack of scoring Is the bigger issue. I am a Sabres fan and personally hope Ryan Miller is traded at the Draft but one of the places I keep hearing is that St. Louis would be a great place for him. I personally Like the work that Brian Elliot has done.
wrote and identical themed article for thehockeywriters and I absolutely agree: this team needs a top play-making center. funny, i also said weiss would be an ideal target...but i would argue he is a top line center