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Armstrong is Blues' Mr. Fix It when it comes to problems |
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Some general managers are known as aggressive traders. Others earn a reputation for their drafting acumen. St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong has earned his stripes through his crisis management expertise.
Early in the 2018-19 season, Armstrong didn’t like how the Blues were playing. He fired Mike Yeo and brought in Craig Berube because Armstrong believed his players would respond to Berube’s tough love approach
The fact the Blues won the first Stanley Cup in the franchise’s history proved Armstrong knows how to react when the situation turns bad.
When it became clear this offseason that Alex Pietrangelo was leaving the Blues through free agency, Armstrong became proactive by signing Torey Krug who was the No. 2 defenseman in the marketplace behind Pietrangelo.
Now, Armstrong has helped ease the pain of Vladimir Tarasenko’s injury by bringing Mike Hoffman. Officially, he’s on PTO agreement, but it’s clear to everyone that Hoffman will be signing with the Blues before the season starts. The Athletic reported it will be a one-year deal for between $3.5 million and $4.5 million. You can pencil him in for 25 goals. He’s consistent as a scorer.
The PTO gives Hoffman an opportunity to practice and bond with his new teammates while Armstrong rearranges his finances to make Hoffman work under the cap. With the addition of Krug and Hoffman, the Blues are a serious Stanley Cup contender.
Armstrong is one of eight active GMs who has won a Cup as a GM. Yet when there’s a discussion of the league’s best GMs, his name doesn’t always enter the conversation. He should be near the top of the list with the likes of Lou Lamoriello, Rutherford and Holland.
The Hoffman deal could end up one of the best value signings of the offseason. Here are some of the recent moves I’ve liked:
* Chicago GM Stan Bowman signed Carl Soderberg for one year at $1 million. It’s a bargain price for a dependable third line center with 15- to 18-goal scoring ability. Who else in the NHL is going to do that much for $1 million.
* Tampa Bay GM Julien BriseBois has made enough moves to get his team cap compliant. Nikita Kucherov’s long-term injury played a major role in this, but all that matters is that BriseBois has done enough to give his team a shot at two consecutive Stanley Cup championships.
* Ottawa GM Pierre Dorion acquired Derek Stepan to improve his center depth, and picked up Cedric Paquette and Braydon Coburn in the deal with Tampa Bay. Dorion has had an exceptional offseason. Paquette is an excellent penalty killer and Coburn adds defensive depth. The Senators won’t qualify for the playoffs, but they are far more competitive and are headed in the right direction.
* Montreal GM Marc Bergevin signed Corey Perry, making the Canadiens even harder to play against. Respected two-way forward Michael Frolik’s signing makes Montreal stronger. The Habs are unquestionably better this season.
* Nashville GM David Poile signed Erik Haula at one-season for $1.75 million: The Predators may get more value out of this deal than signing Mikael Granlund for one season at $3.75 million. Haula’s contributions have been appreciated everywhere he has played.
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