StL Blues Season Thread 2023-24

[cardsfantx]

lol nice; I honestly don't even care if they make the playoffs, as they'd get smoked; I just want them to make it so Vegas doesn't

[GeddyWrox]

3 games left for us. 4 games left for Vegas. If (BIG IF) we win out, Vegas has to lose 3 of 4.

Vegas has, in order: MN Wild, CO Avalanche, CHI Blackhawks, ANA Ducks.

Chances are sooooo slim, but not zero yet. Their last two opponents are terrible though. Sigh.

[TheoSqua]

Sucks that the Blues ended up in the worst situation. Missing the playoffs and having mediocre draft position.

I don't necessarily blame Armstrong for making this move - IMO Hockey in St. Louis is very bandwagon heavy. We have our diehards in the city of course, but there aren't enough of them to fill the arena when the team is tanking. The previous rebuild showed how little support the team can get in rough times and I think current ownership is prudent to try to avoid that.

But I worry the team is about to enter another 10 year period of mediocrity similar to the 1980s. There are enough prospects and talent on the roster that it won't bottom out into a top-5 team without intentionally eating cap and blowing things up, but I don't see how they get back to an elite team quickly without some lucky drafts like Dallas has had recently.

I will say the NHL is a much better product when there are multiple 100+ point players and the most elite players are scoring 60+ goals and putting up 150+ points. I love this increase in scoring that we've had lately. Even someone like Robert Thomas is great to see, definitely a cornerstone to build this team around.

[cardsfantx]

What do you know; mark stone is cleared for practice/will return for the playoffs

[GeddyWrox]

What do you know; mark stone is cleared for practice/will return for the playoffs

[JCShutout]

And that just about does it. They played a good Carolina team tough, but came up a little short, and vegas is spanking min late in the third, which I think officially eliminates the blues.

All in all a fun season. Could have been a lot worse. I’ll be excited to watch some kids get more time next year. I wonder if they try to bring back kapanen or blais for a mill or so now that sunny is out.

Just let the kids develop and keep aiming for a 26-27 window to start to open

[GeddyWrox]

Agreed, JC. I doubt we'll see Kap or Blais though. Maybe a few 1 year veterans on prove it deals (a la Acciari a couple years ago). I also think Bolduc is here to stay. Gaudette should get a real shot to make the team too. He was a point per game player in Springfield.

IF Army doesn't unload some contracts, I think we'll see something like this:

Thomas, Kyrou, Neighbors
Schenn, Saad, Buchy
Hayes, Bolduc, Gaudette/FA vet
Walker, Toropchenko, Alexandrov/Dean/FA vet

We really need a #2 center though. And a stud D man (but those are really hard to find).

[JCShutout]

I don’t know if neighbors keeps this up or turns into a stempniak at midnight, but I definitely want to see him get another chance on a scoring line.

I like that there is room for the kids to take a top6 role, but vets there in case the kids need more experience.

Hindsight shows us that signing ror instead of trading for Hayes gets you the second line center we want and need, but ror would just be a stopgap anyways.

I’d only go after a second line center if I could nab him for 2-3 seasons (so a trade or a vet) and didn’t give up kids.

As for a stud d man, I think that’s why you save cap space. Wait for that trade/salary opportunity to present itself for a guy who should be ready to be a 1/2 in 26 or so… if one is even available.

[GeddyWrox]

Lee Stempniak. Woof, there's a blast from the past. LOL

[JCShutout]

Hey, Stemper had a nice career. A lot of years with mid teens goals or that pace. Very solid third liner. 200+ goals in 900+ games. That’s, what, an 18 goal pace? Good solid player.

He just wasn’t what we wanted him to be after that 27 goal season, but a good nhler.