Halak was a good goalie for the Blues. His contract made him expendable. He has his ups and downs because he is a head case as with many goalies. He lets goals get to him too much. he is a very capable goalie that requires a lot of shots against to stay active. with the blues he regularly faced 20 shots or less and he needed more. with goalies its more mental than anything else.
- BluesDroogie

Well our defense should make him happy lol

Well our defense should make him happy lol
- Isles_since_6

In Halaks defense the Blues were shopping Elliot all year long and found no takers. For 2 seasons the Blues were after Miller. Allen already was guaranteed an NHL spot as the 2nd year contract was a 1 way. it was either Halak or Elliot that was getting moved last season. With payroll it made more sense moving Halak as he has his name as a goalie, no one was sure what they would get with Elliot.

In Halaks defense the Blues were shopping Elliot all year long and found no takers. For 2 seasons the Blues were after Miller. Allen already was guaranteed an NHL spot as the 2nd year contract was a 1 way. it was either Halak or Elliot that was getting moved last season. With payroll it made more sense moving Halak as he has his name as a goalie, no one was sure what they would get with Elliot.
- BluesDroogie

Honestly after nabby and poulin/nilsson, even if Halak has an average year it's a massive improvement for us. Our defense was middle of the road in shots against last year even with Amac and missing visnovsky and carkner/martinek playing so much. If Halak plays below his career save % it'll still be a very noticeable difference for us. We blew so many leads because our goaltending was horrid.

Dallas has moved up with the addition of Spezza. Benn and Seguin are great players. they should easily make the playoffs. Colorado signing Iginla makes no impact due to the loss of Stastny. Colorado will be in there. Wild signing Vanek? are they still going to overplay Suter? Will Harding be able to play? If Harding is healthy enough to play and continues to play as well as he was then the Wild can cause some havoc. what 2 straight years having the best record before January 1st. Lets see if they can do it for a full season, not just half. The kings will be fine as they are stacked and a healthy gaborik can only make them better. the west will be a dogfight all year long.
- BluesDroogie

Are you disagreeing with me? I can't really tell, but it has been a coons age since all 8 WC playoff teams repeated the next year.

damn I cant believe I forgot about Linden.
- BluesDroogie

Linden was Ok.

Are you disagreeing with me? I can't really tell, but it has been a coons age since all 8 WC playoff teams repeated the next year.
- Jeropotato

not really sure myself, I can see the teams repeat but its just going to be a dogfight all season long. Calgary and edm will not be involved neither will the jets so that leave 3 teams, Nashville, coyotes and Vancouver. I think the same teams next season make the playoffs. maybe Nashville will. A healthy Rinne makes them that much better.

not really sure myself, I can see the teams repeat but its just going to be a dogfight all season long. Calgary and edm will not be involved neither will the jets so that leave 3 teams, Nashville, coyotes and Vancouver. I think the same teams next season make the playoffs. maybe Nashville will. A healthy Rinne makes them that much better.
- BluesDroogie

Nashville is terrible.Better than last year but not by much. I know it sounds like a homer comment, but I think Vancouver, Nashville and Edmonton finish 9th,10th and 11th, with the Arizona, Calgary and the Peg battling for a playoff spot.

Nashville is terrible.Better than last year but not by much. I know it sounds like a homer comment, but I think Vancouver, Nashville and Edmonton finish 9th,10th and 11th, with the Arizona, Calgary and the Peg battling for a playoff spot.
- Jeropotato

the jets just have too many questions, goalie and trading kane. I think turmoil makes them slip. with the 3 you mentioned placing 9-11 how can the others be battling for a playoff spot, they would have to round out 12-14

the jets just have too many questions, goalie and trading kane. I think turmoil makes them slip. with the 3 you mentioned placing 9-11 how can the others be battling for a playoff spot, they would have to round out 12-14
- BluesDroogie

My bad, I meant Lottery pick (I'm an Oilers fan, the Lotto has pretty much been our playoff's for half a decade).

My bad, I meant Lottery pick (I'm an Oilers fan, the Lotto has pretty much been our playoff's for half a decade).
- Jeropotato

you kept stealing our cup in those playoffs

you kept stealing our cup in those playoffs
- Isles_since_6

aahhh an older fan. wish I was into hockey when I was 3. got into hockey in 87 or so. one of my dads employees was the equipment manager for the Blues. He got me into hockey and I have never looked back.

My bad, I meant Lottery pick (I'm an Oilers fan, the Lotto has pretty much been our playoff's for half a decade).
- Jeropotato

if Edmonton would trade someone besides Paajarvi and get some defense I think they would be able to slip into the playoffs as your offense is good. Is Perron being a good teammate in the locker room? He was detrimental to ours and a salary dump. You guys stole him. Paajarvi will not even be a factor this season barring injuries.

Seeing as Kulemin was bad in every one of those stats last year I'd say that's an easy bet.
- djamon

No.
You're wrong.
Do your homework


Leo komarov....,,

if Edmonton would trade someone besides Paajarvi and get some defense I think they would be able to slip into the playoffs as your offense is good. Is Perron being a good teammate in the locker room? He was detrimental to ours and a salary dump. You guys stole him. Paajarvi will not even be a factor this season barring injuries.
- BluesDroogie

Nikkittin should help a little bit. I expect larger role in edm than he did with Columbus. with that being said it does not instill confidence that the guy(jarmo) who drafted him and traded for him when he left the Blues let him walk this last off season. I liked Nikittin but he could not do any better than a 6-8 d role for the Blues.

aahhh an older fan. wish I was into hockey when I was 3. got into hockey in 87 or so. one of my dads employees was the equipment manager for the Blues. He got me into hockey and I have never looked back.
- BluesDroogie

Jeez buddy, read a few posts back, you seem a bit lost . Were talking about the lottery.

if Edmonton would trade someone besides Paajarvi and get some defense I think they would be able to slip into the playoffs as your offense is good. Is Perron being a good teammate in the locker room? He was detrimental to ours and a salary dump. You guys stole him. Paajarvi will not even be a factor this season barring injuries.
- BluesDroogie

Sure...if someone wants to offer up a legit # 1 D-Man I would move Yak or Eberle. As it stands right now, if the best we're being offered is Coburn, Leddy or Edler than I guess we sit back with our now solid if unspectacular D and wait for Nurse to develop. We don't need anymore 2nd pair D-men....we have about 5 of them now.

Nikkittin should help a little bit. I expect larger role in edm than he did with Columbus. with that being said it does not instill confidence that the guy(jarmo) who drafted him and traded for him when he left the Blues let him walk this last off season. I liked Nikittin but he could not do any better than a 6-8 d role for the Blues.
- BluesDroogie

Hard to say, I don't know his work well enough. As it stands right now it looks like we will be starting the season with Fayne, Petry, Schultz, Marincin, Nikitin and Ference, with Aulie in reserve and Klefbom as 1st AHL call up.

At least this year we have 6 NHL players to start on D as opposed to 3 or 4 last year.

Ok. I'm looking at it as he is overpaid. Which is fine if the team that overpaid him has a good chance of winning a Stanley cup in the next two years. As for Vancouver they didn't need him. He's getting pretty old. He won't be on the team after his 3 year deal is done. And if he is he won't be that good. Vancouver needs to look to the future. Get young players and develop.

To me this Miller signing just numbs Vancouver up to a 7th-10th place spot in the west for the next two years giving them a not so great draft pick or a mediocre playoff spot. I would of rolled with Lack and Marstrom and if they sucked the team would get a good draft pick and if they were good then hey you got a playoff spot and a great young goalie carrying you in the look forward to. Just my opinion on it IDC if you don't agree with me.
- JVR_42_PK81

agreed.

if Edmonton would trade someone besides Paajarvi and get some defense I think they would be able to slip into the playoffs as your offense is good. Is Perron being a good teammate in the locker room? He was detrimental to ours and a salary dump. You guys stole him. Paajarvi will not even be a factor this season barring injuries.
- BluesDroogie

Like who?

Trading hall for us would be like u trading pietrangelo.
Trading nuge would be retarded for reasons that are plain.

So it always comes back to ebs or yaks. Yaks had a rough sophomore season. His value wouldnt be worth it.
Not only that, but what if we traded eberle and it wasnt just a soph slump for yaks? We totally gutted our rw strength.

Perron might be a decent candidate. But agaim, he plays a style that is sorely lacking on our squad. Grit, feisty, all with talent. We need more of his kind, not less.

I think its a misconception with the oilers of what we have/need.
We get a bonafide stud on the backend, sure we'll make a move. But we arent better through a trade for multiple plugs or secondary guys.

We have plenty of cap space, the deal doesn't hurt us in the slightest. I'd take our forwards and goaltending over the Leafs, our defense isn't good but we have 5-6 players who may turn this into a strength as early as later this year. We're a bubble team that's a legit top 4 defenseman away from being a playoff team. Cup contender? Nope, but our greatest weakness last year was goaltending and that's a strength this year.
- Isles_since_6

Oh come on. Our young goalie posted a .923 save % while facing the most shots in the entire NHL. Our backup has a .914 career save % under Wilson and Carlye and has led the team to the playoffs.

Oh come on. Our young goalie posted a .923 save % while facing the most shots in the entire NHL. Our backup has a .914 career save % under Wilson and Carlye and has led the team to the playoffs.
- RogerRoeper

yeah...I like the Islanders to make the playoff's this year, but they do not have a goaltending edge over the Leafs.

Like who?

Trading hall for us would be like u trading pietrangelo.
Trading nuge would be retarded for reasons that are plain.

So it always comes back to ebs or yaks. Yaks had a rough sophomore season. His value wouldnt be worth it.
Not only that, but what if we traded eberle and it wasnt just a soph slump for yaks? We totally gutted our rw strength.

Perron might be a decent candidate. But agaim, he plays a style that is sorely lacking on our squad. Grit, feisty, all with talent. We need more of his kind, not less.

I think its a misconception with the oilers of what we have/need.
We get a bonafide stud on the backend, sure we'll make a move. But we arent better through a trade for multiple plugs or secondary guys.
- hugefemale dog77

not sure of who as I am not familiar with the defense on the oilers. that area is lacking though. who is in net? trading hall or nugent would be a mistake. perron also. maybe some picks for a big grizzled vet on d, yet again not sure who is available. it seems the only things the oilers lack is a netminder and strong d. you have buttloads of talent up front.

not sure of who as I am not familiar with the defense on the oilers. that area is lacking though. who is in net? trading hall or nugent would be a mistake. perron also. maybe some picks for a big grizzled vet on d, yet again not sure who is available. it seems the only things the oilers lack is a netminder and strong d. you have buttloads of talent up front.
- BluesDroogie

Well we going with a tandem of Scrivens and Fasth in net, and we just added Fayne and Nikitin in the offseason. We have every reason to believe that Nurse will eventually be our #1 in a few years with Marincin and Klefbom projected to be solid top 4 D-men and already with a bit of NHL experience....seriously if there is a "big Grizzled vet" that can play on the top pair we could trade I'm sure Eberle or Yak would be on a plane there tomorrow....but who's available?

Oh come on. Our young goalie posted a .923 save % while facing the most shots in the entire NHL. Our backup has a .914 career save % under Wilson and Carlye and has led the team to the playoffs.
- RogerRoeper

you guys were ripping reimer for allowing bad goals at bad times in the last two months of the season and wanting him gone. Bernier was good, but I was high on Halak before we traded for his rights and signed him. I will acknowledge I'm not entirely impartial here though.

What a tool. If a team like the Wings signed Grabovski and Kulemin for the same exact term and money, you'd probably be calling it another coup for Ken Holland. These two contracts are exactly in line with the kind salaries just about every other UFA throughout the league gets but because its the damned if they do, damned if they don't Isles, you feel the need to chime in with your two stupid cents and get another laugh out of Yashin and DiPietro, each about as relevant to the Isles right now as Mark Messier and Todd Bertuzzi are to the Nucks.