Sobotka will not play for the Blues. He wanted top 6 before going to the KHL. That spot is definitely filled. He might decide to come back then have his rights traded. Also depends on if Hitch comes back. I don't think he wanted to play for Hitch again. Hitch leaves Sobotka MIGHT want to stay but how will the guys in the locker room feel about him? We can't afford him anyway. That money is already being used. He left his contract came off the books. what is it 2.7. We don't have that unless some big contracts are traded cough cough Bouwmeester cough cough Shattenkirk.

Shatty has shown me at this point we can and should trade him. What could we get in return is the big question.

Edmundson will learn. Petro and Parayko should be the top 2 right d men entering next season. The left side there is a void to fill. Gunnar i guess is decent 2nd line. Who can log top minutes on the left side. Edmundson looked alright for the short stint at the end of the season but was exposed in the playoffs and i think he fits better on the 2nd or 3rd.

With the unlikely hood of resigning both Backes or Brouwer or possibly either of them that frees up some money. backes 4.75 brouwer 3.75.

Berglund i say keep unless there is a better option. He is almost cost friendly at 3.7. Fills in good on the 3rd line and can win face-offs.

Not sure if Brouwer or Backes has earned a raise but they will probably be seeking money and term at their ages. Their playoff stats did not hurt their cause.

Jaskin made the Czech team.

True but Thornton and co. made it a lot harder on our goalies than the Blues ever made it on Jones. Allen may have lost us game 5 but I don't think Jones is any better at stopping pucks than Elliott.
- fattyboubatty

While Thorton has hands his utter lack of speed even for a low level beer league game should have made taking the body easy. But for some reason he was able to protect the puck and no one really took the body on him consistently. When a solid check was delivered he coughed the puck up.

Too much playing with sticks. Stick work has its place and time, but a good body check separates player from puck. They gave him time and sapce often backing in.

In the first period he got a break away. He had a large head start and barely held out. But both dmen follow him, no back check and wide open goal scorer.

That has got to be addressed.

The more I think about a trade with Edmonton, the more I think it should be Shattenkirk for a LHD with top pairing potential. Like Shatty for Nurse. Works for Edmonton too, leaves them all their forward trading chips to get Hamonic, suddenly they have a legit top 4. Blues resign one of Backes or Brouwer.

Schwartz/Lehtera/Tarasenko
Steen/Statsny/Fabbri
Berglund/?/Backes or Brouwer
Upshall/Brodziak/Reaves

Then let Sobotka, Jaskin, Barbarshev & PRV fight for that third line spot (and spelling Reaves).

Nurse/Petro
JBo/Parayko
Gunnar/Edmundson
Bortuzzo

Pretty much everyone on the left can get moved around based on matchups and how well Nurse plays next year.
- Antilles

Hammonic has rescinded his trade request. He is not going anywhere.

The more I think about a trade with Edmonton, the more I think it should be Shattenkirk for a LHD with top pairing potential. Like Shatty for Nurse. Works for Edmonton too, leaves them all their forward trading chips to get Hamonic, suddenly they have a legit top 4. Blues resign one of Backes or Brouwer.
- Antilles

I'd love Nurse, but the package would have to be LARGE (not just Shatty). Honestly, I'd imagine that the Blues would look for cost certainty and stay at home skill for the second d pairing, allowing whomever to play next to Petro/ Parayko.

The next two years are going to see a lot of new contracts, so making sure to keep track of the cap will be important.

I'm not sure who that is at the moment, but I think they'd be looking for lefty shot with a good first pass who will stay at home. Not a ton of offense needed...

I'd love Nurse, but the package would have to be LARGE (not just Shatty). Honestly, I'd imagine that the Blues would look for cost certainty and stay at home skill for the second d pairing, allowing whomever to play next to Petro/ Parayko.

The next two years are going to see a lot of new contracts, so making sure to keep track of the cap will be important.

I'm not sure who that is at the moment, but I think they'd be looking for lefty shot with a good first pass who will stay at home. Not a ton of offense needed...
- eggsegan

There are numerous exciting LD prospects coming up in the Blues system in the next year or so and a couple of dark horses that could be as exciting as Parayko. So I would not worry about that aspect.

There are guys rising with season like Jaskin and MPS.

I suggest moving not only Shattenkirk but Lehtera as well to Edmonton. It mght also cost a first but yu could see the fourth round pick and mabe perhaps Yakupov.

That fourth round pick would pick up what the Blues are really lacking in their younger, evolving core and that is a top of the line two-way center. Imagine that with a big addition of speed and scoring ability and now we are looking ever more dangerous.

What's going on with Tarasenko?

Now he leaves without speaking to the media. Strange.

What's going on with Tarasenko?

Now he leaves without speaking to the media. Strange.
- carcus

we all know he is not comfortable speaking with the media. maybe he is just focused on his kid?? better get his head out of his ass. love the player but he failed to show up when we needed him most.

What's going on with Tarasenko?

Now he leaves without speaking to the media. Strange.
- carcus

It just continues to feed the narrative that there is a rift between him and the coaching staff, or questions about his fitness and / or maturity.

My respect for Robbi Fabbri grew exponentially this post season and I began to lose some respect watching the way Tarasenko behaved.

They didn't lose this series because of Tarasenko, but his disappearance gave them no shot of winning.

It just continues to feed the narrative that there is a rift between him and the coaching staff, or questions about his fitness and / or maturity.

My respect for Robbi Fabbri grew exponentially this post season and I began to lose some respect watching the way Tarasenko behaved.

They didn't lose this series because of Tarasenko, but his disappearance gave them no shot of winning.
- bcallaway

I have to agree.

I wonder could he fetch a top three pick? You could replce his offense if he could.

Because while he says some good things and does some things he continues to display some issues.

He used to have an around game when he first came up.

Of course Vlasic proved to do well against top scorers so there is that. But he often looked tired and lazy in his own zone.

He looked like he was a play off monster. What we know is he is a first round monster.

we all know he is not comfortable speaking with the media. maybe he is just focused on his kid?? better get his head out of his ass. love the player but he failed to show up when we needed him most.
- BluesDroogie

I doubt it man.

Could maybe right a wrong and bring Bishop back.

Could maybe right a wrong and bring Bishop back.
- BluemanGuruu

If you can't bring Backes back, what do you guys think about making a run at Andrew Ladd? Similar numbers to Backes but might be a little bit cheaper.

If you can't bring Backes back, what do you guys think about making a run at Andrew Ladd? Similar numbers to Backes but might be a little bit cheaper.
- blues31

This team needs more speed.

This team needs more speed.
- eggsegan

Word. You don't need a whole team full of speed demons but we have a lot of guys who fit the same mold speed wise. Berglund, Backes, Brouwer, Stastny, Steen, and Lehtera do not have the quickest feet. The latter three are good two way guys who can slow the game down and still make plays but I think at least one or two of the former three need to go.

I like Brouwer, and if they can get him signed to a good deal I'm all for it but I also have to think that his performance in the playoffs exceeded what you can realistically expect from him going forward. I'd be leery of paying him too much money in the future based on what he did over the last five weeks.

With Fabbri in the mix, you know you have the talent to make up two pretty good scoring lines. Therefore I think they have a little more flexibility now to make some moves and bring in some younger, speedier guys to make up the third and fourth lines. With Sobotka returning, it would give this team a much different look.

While Thorton has hands his utter lack of speed even for a low level beer league game should have made taking the body easy. But for some reason he was able to protect the puck and no one really took the body on him consistently. When a solid check was delivered he coughed the puck up.

Too much playing with sticks. Stick work has its place and time, but a good body check separates player from puck. They gave him time and sapce often backing in.

In the first period he got a break away. He had a large head start and barely held out. But both dmen follow him, no back check and wide open goal scorer.

That has got to be addressed.
- BluemanGuruu

I agree about Thornton, I think they could have made life a lot harder on him, and the rest of the Sharks as well for that matter. I really think the veteran guys were just wore down after so many tough games in a row and some of the younger guys were not quite ready to take on many extra minutes.

Hopefully the lesson learned was, close out a team when you have the chance. If they had taken the Hawks in 5, they would have had 7 days off before the Stars. Should have closed out the Stars earlier too.

Hitch back on yet another 1 year deal

To the people asking if we could trade Tarasenko this offseason I say to you



Berglund and Schwartz go before Vlad

Come on he had one bad playoff series and he didn't talk to the media after cleaning out his locker?

Who cares, when he does talk it is always about winning the Cup.

Good Grief guys

I presume no one is aghast that Hitchcock is coming back for another year......seemed expected unless he himself was not wanting to return.

I presume no one is aghast that Hitchcock is coming back for another year......seemed expected unless he himself was not wanting to return.
- bcallaway

Yes, expected.

Was thinking he would be back as long as he still wanted to coach.