I agree about trading him. The problem is, he's not going to be as much of a power forward the longer he goes into his 30's. If he demands 6.5 for four I'd let him walk. I wouldn't want to go higher than 6 for two years and if he wants more term, drop the salary down in years three and four.
- fattyboubatty

My first thought was Kesler's contract might necessitate putting Backes on the block. But Antilles is right, then you have to replace him with a similiar player if you are serious about a Cup run. Which ownership/management/team is gunning for. To trade him and not improve the Cup chances doesn't seem likely. So, the momentary panic is passed. Try and resign him now; hopefully you can keep it to something similar as proposed. My hope is Backes on the wing would tax him less as he gets into the final years of that contract and maybe the level of play wouldn't drop as much. Fingers crossed.

Hopefully Oshie and Jackman were the lady yeast catalysts and now we've rid ourselves of that unpleasantness.

My first thought was Kesler's contract might necessitate putting Backes on the block. But Antilles is right, then you have to replace him with a similiar player if you are serious about a Cup run. Which ownership/management/team is gunning for. To trade him and not improve the Cup chances doesn't seem likely. So, the momentary panic is passed. Try and resign him now; hopefully you can keep it to something similar as proposed. My hope is Backes on the wing would tax him less as he gets into the final years of that contract and maybe the level of play wouldn't drop as much. Fingers crossed.

Hopefully Oshie and Jackman were the lady yeast catalysts and now we've rid ourselves of that unpleasantness.
- Firebrand

Was this done on purpose, or does auto correct love this phrase?

Was this done on purpose, or does auto correct love this phrase?


- carcus

I'm loving this. New phrase coined here today.

"Barrett Jackman suffers from lady yeast."

"Jay Bouwmeester is day to day with a lower body lady yeast."

I'm loving this. New phrase coined here today.

"Barrett Jackman suffers from lady yeast."

"Jay Bouwmeester is day to day with a lower body lady yeast."
- bcallaway

No wonder this team played a little funky at the end of the year

I'm loving this. New phrase coined here today.

"Barrett Jackman suffers from lady yeast."

"Jay Bouwmeester is day to day with a lower body lady yeast."
- bcallaway

Tell the team to forget my season ticket holder gift and invest in some Massengill.

I'm loving this. New phrase coined here today.

"Barrett Jackman suffers from lady yeast."

"Jay Bouwmeester is day to day with lady yeast's lower body."
- bcallaway

FIXED

Somebody posted a trade rumor on the Senators blog about Backes to Ottawa for Cowen, Hoffman and Pageau. You hearing any rumors of Backes being dealt?

Somebody posted a trade rumor on the Senators blog about Backes to Ottawa for Cowen, Hoffman and Pageau. You hearing any rumors of Backes being dealt?
- maaddmike

All's quiet on the western front.

Somebody posted a trade rumor on the Senators blog about Backes to Ottawa for Cowen, Hoffman and Pageau. You hearing any rumors of Backes being dealt?
- maaddmike

Would be really tough from a cap standpoint, like almost impossible without another move.

Somebody posted a trade rumor on the Senators blog about Backes to Ottawa for Cowen, Hoffman and Pageau. You hearing any rumors of Backes being dealt?
- maaddmike

Was all made up...referenced it to friedman who didn't post it.

Quick preface: Tarasenko's recent interview made me actually have a little optimism in this team. He wants multiple cups, he wants to be a leader, and he sounds like he wants the players to be held accountable.

I've been out of town on a ton of business and haven't been able to frequent the sight as much as I usually do. I'm not sure if this is common knowledge at this point, but a friend of mine was in the Blues' locker room and snapped a photo of the updated lines on the whiteboard. Here's how it looked:

Schwartz-Lehtera-Tarasenko
Steen-Stastny-Brouwer
Berglund-Backes-Jaskin
Ott-Brodziak-Reaves

Hitch has the STL line as the line 1. This brings up an odd scenario about the position of #1 center. I think we all believed that Stastny would center the top line upon his signing before last season started. I don't have to tell you guys that what we saw was an asinine amount of line juggling that resulted in Stastny never getting top line minutes, which I believe gave Blues' fans a skewed perspective of his production

Don't get me wrong, I have high hopes for Lehtera. Though he declined in the second half of the season, it was clear that there is potential in him to be a diamond in the rough, and his presence certainly aided Tarasenko's breakout season. However, why doesn't a player like Stastny have a more defined role? Sure, he might not be a #1C on every team in the league, but there he is a heck of a player-maker, has good vision on the ice, and a pretty high hockey IQ. Doesn't it make sense to give him some semi-elite, speedy, scoring wingers and build the top line around him?

Stastny has a hometown crowd now. With the rapid dissatisfaction of Backes as a leader, is there not a better time to shift some of that leadership to a hometown player? I'm not saying Stastny should be captain, but doesn't it make sense to give him some more responsibility on this team as a #1C, while the team tracks Lehtera's development?

I'm shooting from the hip here, but I believe the Blues have three main issues (besides leadership and accountability):

1) 1st line RW. The team basically needs a top 6 forward with top line potential. A semi-elite, scoring RW who's still growing; who will play for a deal. No idea who this is, but it's not Troy Brouwer.

2) 3rd line conundrum. I believe Backes still has value on this team as a forward, but not a captain. This is the last year of his contract; if he's proving himself, keep him or let him leave at the end of his contract; if he's not proving himself, trade him mid-season or at the deadline. We remember Backes' production as a winger, but the alternative center is Berglund...

The million dollar question (in my mind): What happens to line 3 when Fabbri is ready?

3) 2nd paring Defenseman. Gunnarsson just isn't that guy, but he could be for other teams. CBJ was rumored to be looking for a 2nd paring defenseman and I don't know why we didn't at least here notions of the Blues looking into that. Shattenkirk needs a partner and I'm honestly not 100% sold on any of our defensive prospects.

Thoughts? Criticisms? Firing squad?
- RobShouts

First line Rw? not sure what you meant here as Tarasenko is that guy and then some.

But second line having Brouwer wow? why would they do that?

Somebody posted a trade rumor on the Senators blog about Backes to Ottawa for Cowen, Hoffman and Pageau. You hearing any rumors of Backes being dealt?
- maaddmike

done.

steen/schwartz Iehtera tarasenko
steen/schwartz stastny jaskin
bergIund backes brouwer or backes on the wing with bergy centering and …..
ott brocziak reaves…………



If backes takes a home town deaI for 3 a year, no problem

our problems are on defense. shop gunnar around. shop bouwmeester. Iindbohm can pIay 2nd Iine if need be and butter or whoever makes it out of camp can pIay 3rd.

get away from Ieft righty and put shatty and petro on 1st.

maybe not cause that weakens the 2nd, but you aII know what i am saying.

Bergy on a 3rd Iine is fine. If he can get back to 20 goals, thats 50 goals coming from your 3rd Iine i think.

kind of surprised that Army is being so quite. I wouId think more moves are in order.

watching nhI network and the greatest comebacks in history. 11/29/00 BIues vs Ieafs. khavanov tied it and Hecht scored in ot to win after traiIing the Ieafs 5-0 3 minutes into the 3rd. heII yeah. i remember that game. Too bad it was against Joseph(best goaIie in BIues history in my opinion)

it was ranked near #10 out of 25, not sure which number

Joseph(best goaIie in BIues history in my opinion)
- BluesDroogie

Wow...


Droogie, please get to know your teams history.

Wow...


Droogie, please get to know your teams history.
- Trust In Jarmo

okay Iast 30 years.


Go foIIow coIumbus aIready. get the HEII out of here. no one Iikes you no one cares for your opinion, you are just a nuisance. go ass grab some kings pIayer or better yet go staIk Jarmo. Get the (frank) off the BIues board you damn troII

sorry if i offended any(BIues fans) one. I was just wanted to make sure my message was delivered with cIarity and resonance. That way there was no misunderstanding the intentions.

Wow...


Droogie, please get to know your teams history.
- Trust In Jarmo

PIante, HaII, Joseph, Fuhr, and now EIIiot is breaking the records for us but that is because of the system. EIIiot is good but not great.

just got back from the open house. I am a new 12 game pIan season ticket holder. met PIager and got his autograph, he is a gentIeman. Today is a good day

PIante, HaII, Joseph, Fuhr, and now EIIiot is breaking the records for us but that is because of the system. EIIiot is good but not great.
- BluesDroogie

You can get mad all you want at me. But at least you found the correct answers instead of Curtis Joseph.

You can get mad all you want at me. But at least you found the correct answers instead of Curtis Joseph.
- Trust In Jarmo

never mad, just wish you wouId Ieave. you are a kings and jarmo fan, go to their sites. Ieave us BIues fans alone aIready