We're going to have to pay more for colored font to help communicate sarcasm.

BTW, lots of rumors right now about a potential deal by the Capitals - and one of Nashville's beat writers says he's not getting straight answers from the Preds FO like he always gets ... so this may get interesting yet.
- Chip McCleary

Nope, it's free.

Remember a few years back when Guerin was pulled off the ice by the Islanders and everyone knew he was getting traded, and it was 3 days later before it was finally announced - and the Isles only got a 5th back?

Yeah, that's what this wait on the Capitals trade feels like. It's going to go through, and we're all going to say, "seriously - that was it?"

Remember a few years back when Guerin was pulled off the ice by the Islanders and everyone knew he was getting traded, and it was 3 days later before it was finally announced - and the Isles only got a 5th back?

Yeah, that's what this wait on the Capitals trade feels like. It's going to go through, and we're all going to say, "seriously - that was it?"
- Chip McCleary

Erat to the Caps.

Yeah, I will say it. Seriously - that was it????

The best analogy I can come up with is this: imagine the Blues have a chance to trade Berglund, Russell, Reaves, and a 6th for Gaborik. Do you do it?
- Chip McCleary

Hell no.

Not interested in trading for a glass winger when we are already shorthanded at center.

Erat to the Caps.

Yeah, I will say it. Seriously - that was it????
- carcus

Its for Filip Forsberg..dont know why thats such a big deal, looks like nash got fleeced...anyone know anything about Forsberg besides the obvious?

Its for Filip Forsberg..dont know why thats such a big deal, looks like nash got fleeced...anyone know anything about Forsberg besides the obvious?
- jpl0219

I am guessing that it had to do with Erat, but that doesn't make much sense. They were speculating that they needed to contact the players involved, but it involved one NHL player who had a NMC, so he would have already agreed to move if the trade happened in time. All of this over an AHL player and a 1st round draft pick from last year playing in Europe?

I am guessing that it had to do with Erat, but that doesn't make much sense. They were speculating that they needed to contact the players involved, but it involved one NHL player who had a NMC, so he would have already agreed to move if the trade happened in time. All of this over an AHL player and a 1st round draft pick from last year playing in Europe?


- carcus

Forsberg was the 11th overall pick in his draft. He projects to be pretty talented...

The Caps are weird to boot.

Hell no.

Not interested in trading for a glass winger when we are already shorthanded at center.
- eggsegan

Forget the depth part of it from our POV (and even the salary aspect given the Bouwmeester trade and the financial constraints the Blues have in spending) - in terms of just looking at the personnel involved, what I put forth would be the (as best as can be made) equivalent trade from the Blues.

Berglund = Brassard = "1st round pick from '06, has skill, could be a dominant player, but still enigmatic after 4-5 years in the league and real concerns that he'll ever unlock that potential"

Reaves = Dorsett = "4th liner, can score a little (Dorsett has a better scoring touch than Reaves), but essentially a glorified enforcer"

Russell = Moore = "5/6 defenseman who can move the puck (Russell has better speed than Moore, but is much smaller), but not going to be in your top-4 unless you have injuries"

I just don't see where any of those pieces screams "definitely better than the guy you're getting back," especially if Gaborik can even play at 30-goal form going forward.

Forget the depth part of it from our POV (and even the salary aspect given the Bouwmeester trade and the financial constraints the Blues have in spending) - in terms of just looking at the personnel involved, what I put forth would be the (as best as can be made) equivalent trade from the Blues.

Berglund = Brassard = "1st round pick from '06, has skill, could be a dominant player, but still enigmatic after 4-5 years in the league and real concerns that he'll ever unlock that potential"

Reaves = Dorsett = "4th liner, can score a little (Dorsett has a better scoring touch than Reaves), but essentially a glorified enforcer"

Russell = Moore = "5/6 defenseman who can move the puck (Russell has better speed than Moore, but is much smaller), but not going to be in your top-4 unless you have injuries"

I just don't see where any of those pieces screams "definitely better than the guy you're getting back," especially if Gaborik can even play at 30-goal form going forward.
- Chip McCleary

The key is that the team is trading multiple pieces for a player that has been unreliable in his career. This is much more about creating buzz with the fans in Columbus, putting butts in seats, than it is about what he's going to provide them on the ice.

It's great to be a point per game player when you're reliable. It's much harder to take $7.5m of money and not be available to your team. Considering that he's now on his third team, I wonder what he provides in leadership.

I don't know if you remember the knock on Demitra when he was in St. Louis. Unreliable, disappears in the playoffs... When looking at Gaborik's numbers, it kinda looks like the same story.

Forget the depth part of it from our POV (and even the salary aspect given the Bouwmeester trade and the financial constraints the Blues have in spending) - in terms of just looking at the personnel involved, what I put forth would be the (as best as can be made) equivalent trade from the Blues.

Berglund = Brassard = "1st round pick from '06, has skill, could be a dominant player, but still enigmatic after 4-5 years in the league and real concerns that he'll ever unlock that potential"

Reaves = Dorsett = "4th liner, can score a little (Dorsett has a better scoring touch than Reaves), but essentially a glorified enforcer"

Russell = Moore = "5/6 defenseman who can move the puck (Russell has better speed than Moore, but is much smaller), but not going to be in your top-4 unless you have injuries"

I just don't see where any of those pieces screams "definitely better than the guy you're getting back," especially if Gaborik can even play at 30-goal form going forward.
- Chip McCleary

Not worth it.

For the Blues proposal that you put out there, it really messes with our C depth, or lack thereof. If it were Perron, I would probably do it if we forgot about the $$ and the fact that he has just one year left and the fact that he has had injury issues.

If it were Perron, yes. Berglund, no.

Not worth it.

For the Blues proposal that you put out there, it really messes with our C depth, or lack thereof. If it were Perron, I would probably do it if we forgot about the $$ and the fact that he has just one year left and the fact that he has had injury issues.

If it were Perron, yes. Berglund, no.
- carcus

Ignore our current roster and look at this from a pure personnel standpoint.

The key is that the team is trading multiple pieces for a player that has been unreliable in his career. This is much more about creating buzz with the fans in Columbus, putting butts in seats, than it is about what he's going to provide them on the ice.

It's great to be a point per game player when you're reliable. It's much harder to take $7.5m of money and not be available to your team. Considering that he's now on his third team, I wonder what he provides in leadership.

I don't know if you remember the knock on Demitra when he was in St. Louis. Unreliable, disappears in the playoffs... When looking at Gaborik's numbers, it kinda looks like the same story.
- eggsegan

Re: reliability - is Berglund any more reliable than Gaborik? Is Russell really that much better than Gaborik when he's inconsistent? Would you really rather have Reaves and the 6th? Add all of them up, and you still don't get to Gaborik's level when everyone's on. This season is an aberration compared to the rest of his career (where he's notched 30 or more 7 times and 40 or more thrice - including 41 last year) - and all reports from New York said he and Torts weren't on the same page. I'm willing to bet you'll see more than 1 goal over the final 12 games (the pace he's been on from the prior 24).

Re: expectations - sure, he's going to put butts in the seats ... but if you think that's the only reason Columbus made that trade today, that's grossly underselling what they expect. They also didn't bring him in to be the captain or even the assistant captain; they've got enough leaders in the locker room already. As long as he's not a negative in the locker room (and no one has ever claimed he is), it's a non-issue.

Re: playoff performance - Demitra had 23-36-59 in 94 games; Gaborik has 18-17-35 in 54. Extrapolate Gaborik's stats, and you get 31-29.5-60.5 ... but most of Demitra's stats came in a period where scoring was higher than we've seen in much of the post-2005 era (save '05-06). Adjust for that, and Gaborik's numbers look better. Throw in the fact that Gaborik was his team's big threat in Minnesota and that he was hurt in the playoffs last year, and 35/54 doesn't look as bad as it appears.

Did I mention that the Kings 1st was reportedly in play for a scorer, and the Jackets still have that as trade bait down the road if necessary? When you advertise that pick, get what you want, and still have that pick in your back pocket for use down the road, ... that's a pretty shrewd job of trading.

You know what? I think I am glad Jarmo is not our GM. I'm looking at that trade and scratching my head more than a bit. That's a lot for a guy over 30 years old, one year at a whopping $7.5 million cap hit who is inconsistent and injury prone.

I know Torts probably affected his production but that is a ton of money and assets o give up. I guess I ask myself would I rather have Brassard or Gaborick on my team and I can't say it's an automatic response. So that tells me giving away a 2009 first rounder is a bit pricey. He's a Dman and can take some time. Dorestt is a solid player. And you get only a sixth round pick in return with Gaborik?? Hmmm.... Time will tell.

Armstrong is one of the better GMs.
- BluemanGuruu

I'm thinking the same thing about Jarmo. Yesterday I heard that he said he'd be willing do deal one of his first rounders. I know they're putting together a decent season but it seems he's trying to move against the current so to speak. Gaborik is a good player but I don't think he's the kind of guy you build a cup contender around.

Ignore our current roster and look at this from a pure personnel standpoint.
- Chip McCleary

From a personnel standpoint, it's a bad deal. Gaborik is way too fragile and not the kind of guy you want for a deep playoff run.

From a team personnel standpoint, it would be beyond retarded. We're thin at center, the last thing you'd want to do is deal one of your few natural centers for another winger.

Ignore our current roster and look at this from a pure personnel standpoint.
- Chip McCleary

Still no.

How muck do I get paid for posting in color. hockeybuzz breakthrough.

I'm thinking the same thing about Jarmo. Yesterday I heard that he said he'd be willing do deal one of his first rounders. I know they're putting together a decent season but it seems he's trying to move against the current so to speak. Gaborik is a good player but I don't think he's the kind of guy you build a cup contender around.
- fattyboubatty

Think about it like this. In JD's first year with the Blues they gave huge money to Jay McKee and Paul Karyia. No surprise in the Gaborik deal. They want to rebuild. Not suck forever and you gotta keep the fans into it. Ya Karyia and McKee were ufa but it's the same strategy all the same.

I kind of thought BJ's would try to get Cole or Perron. Still could at the draft I guess.

Erat to the Caps.

Yeah, I will say it. Seriously - that was it????
- carcus

Heck no. Filip FOrsberg is awesome. That's a good trade for Nashville who is trying to keep a balanced budget carrying Weber for far too much money.

We're going to have to pay more for colored font to help communicate sarcasm.

BTW, lots of rumors right now about a potential deal by the Capitals - and one of Nashville's beat writers says he's not getting straight answers from the Preds FO like he always gets ... so this may get interesting yet.
- Chip McCleary

Yeah. Sorry man I was having too much fun today and I think your draft day article got to me.

As for the Gaborick trade no. Too much money unless the Blues can afford to buy him out which I don't think. That's honesty. Too many injuries. When you see that many groins it's one of two things and one of them is poor conditioning, to include stretching.

Think about it like this. In JD's first year with the Blues they gave huge money to Jay McKee and Paul Karyia. No surprise in the Gaborik deal. They want to rebuild. Not suck forever and you gotta keep the fans into it. Ya Karyia and McKee were ufa but it's the same strategy all the same.

I kind of thought BJ's would try to get Cole or Perron. Still could at the draft I guess.
- gobluenotes

I see what you're saying. It just seems like bad timing, trading a good young centermen for a guy who considering his age and injury history, with a game based on speed, probably only has two or three good years left. Assuming he stays healthy.

I see what you're saying. It just seems like bad timing, trading a good young centermen for a guy who considering his age and injury history, with a game based on speed, probably only has two or three good years left. Assuming he stays healthy.
- fattyboubatty

I see both sides. I wouldn't have done it but I understand why they did.



Blues went from winning the Jennings to having SERIOUS goaltending issues. F-ing amazing. Makes you wonder if we are in tHe market for a veteran goalie at the draft.

Re: reliability - is Berglund any more reliable than Gaborik? Is Russell really that much better than Gaborik when he's inconsistent? Would you really rather have Reaves and the 6th? Add all of them up, and you still don't get to Gaborik's level when everyone's on. This season is an aberration compared to the rest of his career (where he's notched 30 or more 7 times and 40 or more thrice - including 41 last year) - and all reports from New York said he and Torts weren't on the same page. I'm willing to bet you'll see more than 1 goal over the final 12 games (the pace he's been on from the prior 24).

Re: expectations - sure, he's going to put butts in the seats ... but if you think that's the only reason Columbus made that trade today, that's grossly underselling what they expect. They also didn't bring him in to be the captain or even the assistant captain; they've got enough leaders in the locker room already. As long as he's not a negative in the locker room (and no one has ever claimed he is), it's a non-issue.

Re: playoff performance - Demitra had 23-36-59 in 94 games; Gaborik has 18-17-35 in 54. Extrapolate Gaborik's stats, and you get 31-29.5-60.5 ... but most of Demitra's stats came in a period where scoring was higher than we've seen in much of the post-2005 era (save '05-06). Adjust for that, and Gaborik's numbers look better. Throw in the fact that Gaborik was his team's big threat in Minnesota and that he was hurt in the playoffs last year, and 35/54 doesn't look as bad as it appears.

Did I mention that the Kings 1st was reportedly in play for a scorer, and the Jackets still have that as trade bait down the road if necessary? When you advertise that pick, get what you want, and still have that pick in your back pocket for use down the road, ... that's a pretty shrewd job of trading.
- Chip McCleary

Your points are all valid and it would be a steal if you could afford the rest of your team. I don't see how it figures to the $64 million cap next season.

I am still concerned with what will happen in the off season b/c of the Blues ownership playing the poor card since before they bought the team. Alan Bass had a good article mentioning how some teams claim being poor but how they made a lot of money. I know a lot to me isn't the same as others and considering their initial investment I'm sure they want to recoup as much of that wealth as possible.

But to me these teams grow in value as you turn them into a winning brand.

As for wingers though we are solid. None have developed just yet into true snipers. I think at least one will and others will get better. Stewart is becoming a snipe.

I think the Blues are a number one center away and possibly a goaltender. The goaltender part is hard to say as I think any three of the ones can play great.


If you take away the outside noise your trade would be great. But that wasn't the trade. I have been watching COlumbus and Brassard's game has been getting better and better. I had hoped somehow the Blues would snake him away.

Your points are all valid and it would be a steal if you could afford the rest of your team. I don't see how it figures to the $64 million cap next season.

I am still concerned with what will happen in the off season b/c of the Blues ownership playing the poor card since before they bought the team. Alan Bass had a good article mentioning how some teams claim being poor but how they made a lot of money. I know a lot to me isn't the same as others and considering their initial investment I'm sure they want to recoup as much of that wealth as possible.

But to me these teams grow in value as you turn them into a winning brand.

As for wingers though we are solid. None have developed just yet into true snipers. I think at least one will and others will get better. Stewart is becoming a snipe.

I think the Blues are a number one center away and possibly a goaltender. The goaltender part is hard to say as I think any three of the ones can play great.


If you take away the outside noise your trade would be great. But that wasn't the trade. I have been watching COlumbus and Brassard's game has been getting better and better. I had hoped somehow the Blues would snake him away.
- BluemanGuruu

Couldn't agree more.

I'm thinking the same thing about Jarmo. Yesterday I heard that he said he'd be willing do deal one of his first rounders. I know they're putting together a decent season but it seems he's trying to move against the current so to speak. Gaborik is a good player but I don't think he's the kind of guy you build a cup contender around.
- fattyboubatty

No but JD I don't know so much as far as Jarmo believes you need a sniper threat. He showed that when he was with the Blues from some of his quotes.

I don't understand why they moved a center that was getting better.

I see what you're saying. It just seems like bad timing, trading a good young centermen for a guy who considering his age and injury history, with a game based on speed, probably only has two or three good years left. Assuming he stays healthy.
- fattyboubatty

Yeah a good young centerman finally getting closer to his potential and a first round Dman just getting into the league.

Re: reliability - is Berglund any more reliable than Gaborik? Is Russell really that much better than Gaborik when he's inconsistent? Would you really rather have Reaves and the 6th? Add all of them up, and you still don't get to Gaborik's level when everyone's on. This season is an aberration compared to the rest of his career (where he's notched 30 or more 7 times and 40 or more thrice - including 41 last year) - and all reports from New York said he and Torts weren't on the same page. I'm willing to bet you'll see more than 1 goal over the final 12 games (the pace he's been on from the prior 24).

- Chip McCleary

I don't believe, I could be wrong though, that Gaborik's GVT is higher than Berglund's. That is a pretty good indicator as far as stats go to the effectiveness of a player on the game beyond the G/A/Pts. I don't remember watching Gaborik play a game in the defensive side that was impressive.