2013-2014 Blues (Hockey) Season

[MrCrowesGarden]

I think it was Bruce Garrioch who tweeted that Stastny was looking for a 3 or 4 year deal so he could return to Colorado and retire with the Avalanche. It seemed hard to believe, but now it looks like that's the case.

[MrCrowesGarden]

Pierre Lebrun says Blues were planning to go after Spezza once they were sure Stastny was in. Lebrun speculates that we wouldn't have given up what Dallas did.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/3 ... -stars-hit

[JCShutout]

Pierre Lebrun says Blues were planning to go after Spezza once they were sure Stastny was in. Lebrun speculates that we wouldn't have given up what Dallas did.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/3 ... -stars-hit

If that's true, I'll bet the plan was to trade Osh or Berglund, and have Lehtera center the 3rd line. Its a risk putting him on the theoretical 2nd line. But if he doesn't work out there, you can always move Backes back to center.

[Secret Weapon]

Blues sign Ott to a 2 year 5.2 million american dollar deal and Sobotka leaves for the KHL

both of these things make me unhappy

[JCShutout]

Blues sign Ott to a 2 year 5.2 million american dollar deal and Sobotka leaves for the KHL

both of these things make me unhappy

Me too. I was pissed, then I read at LGB that Boat took $4m in the KHL. That's too much for him. I'd pay him 3 and cringe, but not 4. I don't blame him. He will probably play on a scoring line overseas. I love Boat, this is a pretty big loss IMO. In fact, I'd rather he be overpaid with Berglund's salary than Berglund himself, but oh well.

On a completely separate note, the Ott signing is absolutely terrible. its terrible compared to losing Boat. Its terrible in a vacuum. He's horrible in normal and advance stats. Aside from his "grittiness" quotent, there isn't much else there. Terrible signing. We already have tough, untalented players in Reaves and Lapierre. (Maybe those two and Ott make the new Tau line, tough and untalented) There has to have been someone out there way better for the price, or just as terrible for the league minimum. Geez, even Brad Richards went to Chi for $2m and 1 year. Heck, Morrow would have been a better resigning at that salary. He at least had a solid year for a 4th liner.

We have enough to pay Schwartz like $3 or $3.5mill IIRC.

[Secret Weapon]

I would rather have Sobotka than Berglund and Ott combined. Seems like they could have made the money work.

[albertmvpujols]

I would rather have Sobotka than Berglund and Ott combined. Seems like they could have made the money work.

I feel the same way. I know Sobotka is still an RFA for one year, but in a world where Dave Bolland is making $5.5 mil/year Sobotka is easily worth $4 mil/year. Overall the Blues are still better than last year, but this hurts a lot.

[JackofDiamonds]

Terrrrrrrible loss and signing. Ott was miserable last year with us, whether you're using traditional or advanced stats. BOOOOOOOOOOOO.

[cardinalkarp]

Losing Sobotka is bad.....very bad. Ott signing is [expletive].

[JCShutout]

I've come down off the ledge about losing Boat. It sucks, but the reported $4m he was looking for was still way too much. We still upgraded heavily in Stastny + Lehtera + Gunnarson + Lindstrom - Polak - Boat - Morrow. Rattie and Jaskin are still around in case someone gets injured or sucks, and as bad as Ott was, and he was really bad... in a 4th line role, with more time to adapt to the team and style, etc, maybe he will be passable. Boat was also coming off some tough injuries. I just have a good feeling that Lehtera is going to be solid. May not blow us away, but he will be a fine scoring center.

The team is much better on paper, plain and simple.