I would have rather had Sobotka for one season at $3 million rather than Ott at two years for $400,000 less per season.
- EKolb13

Exactly.

Ott has almost nothing left. All he is is an agitator/goon. Sobotka would have been quality depth. Over $300k that is just stupid. Not to mention other players see the way he was treated, particularly after the $7m for Stastny, and have to question the org's loyalty.

He had some great moments against us so I am glad he is gone.

I would have rather had Sobotka for one season at $3 million rather than Ott at two years for $400,000 less per season.
- EKolb13

Yeah, I probably would have as well. But Armstrong wasn't willing to give a player everything that he wants, especially when he wants more money than he is worth on a 1 year deal so that he can bolt.

In the end, Either Ott or Sobotka is going to play a limited role as we have brought in other players to play offensive roles. So neither of them are worth a lot of money paying to, so I would rather have the guy that is willing to take less.

Since when did this turn into a St. Louis blog?
- powerenforcer

Exactly.

Ott has almost nothing left. All he is is an agitator/goon. Sobotka would have been quality depth. Over $300k that is just stupid. Not to mention other players see the way he was treated, particularly after the $7m for Stastny, and have to question the org's loyalty.

He had some great moments against us so I am glad he is gone.
- tredbrta

Not to mention you didnt want to kick in an extra $300k for the #1 faceoff guy in the league...

but you know, that Jesus Ott, hes worth 2.6 per because, uh... cause he can goon it up too!

Not to mention you didnt want to kick in an extra $300k for the #1 faceoff guy in the league...

but you know, that Jesus Ott, hes worth 2.6 per because, uh... cause he can goon it up too!
- FourFeathers773

Sobotka won 61.9% of faceoffs.

Ott won 59.7% for us.

Not that much of a difference there.

Not when they already had gone up to their max on what they wanted to pay him for a 1 year deal.

There have been a lot of details that have come out about the whole situation. They offered him multi year deals with an AAV at or over $3M depending on the term. He wanted a 1 year deal.

They offered him $2.4 at first if he wanted a 1 year deal and leave in UFA. He said he wanted $3M.

They offered him $2.7, he said no. $3M 1 year deal or trade him. Blues didn't budge anymore, and he signed in Russia.

Sobotka wasn't really negotiating. He wanted out, he got out when the Blues didn't give him exactly what he wanted. There is more to the situation than just a $300k difference.

The last thing a team needs to do is completely cave and give a player everything he wants. The Blues can't afford to just give players everything and anything that they want, especially when they want to leave as soon as possible.
- carcus

Let's agree to disagree. Armstrong and ownership were touting their new cap spending ways the last few years but they are conducting themselves like a budget team - at the expense of a heart and soul player who gave everything to them for several years. I just see it as a bad move.

I wonder if Alex Steen would have signed for the same discount if they had pulled this on Sobotka last year?

The whole thing reminds of $Bill Wirtz and Pulford. They would have pulled the same garbage - let a quality player walk over a pittance and then sign a goon for much less because they liked his "character" as a replacement.

Bad news:

yahoodi, a good dude and frequent poster here passed away over the weekend. RIP.

I would have rather had Sobotka for one season at $3 million rather than Ott at two years for $400,000 less per season.
- EKolb13

For $3mm and $2.6mm, I'd rather have neither, lol. Way too much money for either one given what will be their role on the team.

Bad news:

yahoodi, a good dude and frequent poster here passed away over the weekend. RIP.
- John Jaeckel

Well that's a shame. Condolences to all of you who knew him and his family.

Bad news:

yahoodi, a good dude and frequent poster here passed away over the weekend. RIP.
- John Jaeckel

My condolences to his family and friends, and anyone who was close to him on here.

Let's agree to disagree. Armstrong and ownership were touting their new cap spending ways the last few years but they are conducting themselves like a budget team - at the expense of a heart and soul player who gave everything to them for several years. I just see it as a bad move.

I wonder if Alex Steen would have signed for the same discount if they had pulled this on Sobotka last year?

The whole thing reminds of $Bill Wirtz and Pulford. They would have pulled the same garbage - let a quality player walk over a pittance and then sign a goon for much less because they liked his "character" as a replacement.
- tredbrta

No, they are spending to the cap, and while doing that, they can't just give everyone everything they want or they will be losing guys and depth.

Steen got a very good deal, especially with his injury history. Sobotka wanted to bolt to get an opportunity to play a bigger role as that wasn't going to happen here as he wasn't nearly as good as our top players. He was going to continue to play a 3rd/4th line role. He wanted more and wanted to leave to get an opportunity to do so.

This was not about $300k, it was about him wanting to leave.

For $3mm and $2.6mm, I'd rather have neither, lol. Way too much money for either one given what will be their role on the team.
- stljam

Bad news:

yahoodi, a good dude and frequent poster here passed away over the weekend. RIP.
- John Jaeckel

Sorry to hear.

Sobotka won 61.9% of faceoffs.

Ott won 59.7% for us.

Not that much of a difference there.
- carcus

No offense, sometimes you post like a propaganda officer for the Blues...

There is no longer any comparison between the 2 players on the ice. Sobotka clearly > Ott. The only point I concede is the size/injury concern.

When Hitch is dressing Ott over players like Lehtera/Lindstrom this year you will know how we felt about Zus.

Of course, when Ott concusses Toews or Kane it will pay off for you....

Bad news:

yahoodi, a good dude and frequent poster here passed away over the weekend. RIP.
- John Jaeckel

John, was this serious?

Edit: Adam Fels did pass away. Just saw it on the CI site. This is really terrible. He was a young man. So sorry for Sam and his family.

Adam RIP.

No offense, sometimes you post like a propaganda officer for the Blues...

There is no longer any comparison between the 2 players on the ice. Sobotka clearly > Ott. The only point I concede is the size/injury concern.

When Hitch is dressing Ott over players like Lehtera/Lindstrom this year you will know how we felt about Zus.

Of course, when Ott concusses Toews or Kane it will pay off for you....

- tredbrta

That is one of my biggest fears for the upcoming season as Hitch has history in that area....

Bad news:

yahoodi, a good dude and frequent poster here passed away over the weekend. RIP.
- John Jaeckel

Sorry to hear that- condolences to the family and friends

Bad news:

yahoodi, a good dude and frequent poster here passed away over the weekend. RIP.
- John Jaeckel

He will be missed. RIP

That is one of my biggest fears for the upcoming season as Hitch has history in that area....
- stljam

I feel for you as Q has the same illness.... but I hope Hitch does it all year - particularly the playoffs.

I feel for you as Q has the same illness.... but I hope Hitch does it all year - particularly the playoffs.
- tredbrta

John, was this serious?

Edit: Adam Fels did pass away. Just saw it on the CI site. This is really terrible. He was a young man. So sorry for Sam and his family.

Adam RIP.
- tredbrta

Yeah, I got to know him a bit over the last couple of years. Good guy, smart, kind, funny. I knew his (and Sam's) mom professionally, very nice lady.

Pretty sad news.

Bad news:

yahoodi, a good dude and frequent poster here passed away over the weekend. RIP.
- John Jaeckel

RIP yahoodi.

Bad news:

yahoodi, a good dude and frequent poster here passed away over the weekend. RIP.
- John Jaeckel

Also very sorry for that. RIP yahoodi

An obit for Yahoodi (Adam Fels) here....

http://www.chicagonow.com...-friend-adam-felzzy-fels/

Had some great posts here. Appreciated his insights. Tragic loss.

How is Hayes' situation any different than our other first round picks? Why haven't Teravainen, Hartman, McNeill, and Danault done something to get into the NHL quicker? Hayes is entitled to do whatever he wants, that doesn't make this course of action right.

If I were his Dad I would tell Hayes he needs to view his hockey career as a marathon and not a sprint.
- DarthKane

The difference is he chose the college path and after 4 years this flexibility is available to him. One of the reasons this is available to him is that he wasn't that good earlier in his college days, and didnt sign a pro contract and move to Rockford. The guys you mentioned signed pro contracts and moved into the pro minor leagues earlier, well before this sort of free agency was available to them. For whatever reasons, and however he got here, the fact is he is a "free agent" August 15th. The question is whether it is unfair for him to exercise this right and see if there is a better fit for him to start his professional career.