I saw that one day myself. I was wondering where Roy had disappeared to. Booth, wasn't he on the Panthers for a while. I know nothing of him
- BluesDroogie

Looked like he had a lot of potential early on with Florida, 31 goals in 08-09, followed by a couple concussions in 09-10. Hard to say how much that affected his development. Generally struggled to be effective or stay healthy between FLA, VAN and his final season with TML in 14-15. Unfortunately it looks like he's having trouble staying healthy in the K as well.

Oh my......$10.5 over 3 years for Sobotka?

Oh my......$10.5 over 3 years for Sobotka?


- carcus

It's not a bad deal. Especially if it allows them to jettison Lehtera this summer but even if not, we're going to lose a fairly decent forward to Vegas.

Sobotka will fit in well with this lineup. He can control the puck and play with speed. They could use his physicality too.

It's not a bad deal. Especially if it allows them to jettison Lehtera this summer but even if not, we're going to lose a fairly decent forward to Vegas.

Sobotka will fit in well with this lineup. He can control the puck and play with speed. They could use his physicality too.
- fattyboubatty

its a terrible deal with what we have already locked up for center icemen

7 For Stats
4.7 For Lehtera
3.75 for Berg
2 For Brodziak

I guess on these numbers from memory so if they are a bit off sorry

Ridiculous money for a guy that hasn't played in the NHL for 3 years

This shows me that one of Lehtera JayBouw or even Sobotka might be moved this offseason if not 2 of 3

Vegas may want Sobotka and I honestly cant see the blues protecting him

Not bad. Now they can go ahead and move Lehtera in the summer.
- fattyboubatty

Exactly now they can expose him too if need be in the draft. Sobotka is an upgrade over him for way less money.

its a terrible deal with what we have already locked up for center icemen

7 For Stats
4.7 For Lehtera
3.75 for Berg
2 For Brodziak

I guess on these numbers from memory so if they are a bit off sorry

Ridiculous money for a guy that hasn't played in the NHL for 3 years

This shows me that one of Lehtera JayBouw or even Sobotka might be moved this offseason if not 2 of 3

Vegas may want Sobotka and I honestly cant see the blues protecting him
- sycsam

Why would you sign a guy to a 3 year contract and not protect him? If they wanted to do that they would have just let him play the one game and playoffs be a UFA this summer or signed him after the expansion draft. He is here to stay.

Why would you sign a guy to a 3 year contract and not protect him? If they wanted to do that they would have just let him play the one game and playoffs be a UFA this summer or signed him after the expansion draft. He is here to stay.
- cuethenoise

why would they waste a protected spot on a guy that scores less than 9 goals a season

$3.5 million is outrageous for him

why would they waste a protected spot on a guy that scores less than 9 goals a season

$3.5 million is outrageous for him
- sycsam

Seems reasonable to me. I'd say he is about the level of a Patrick Berglund (who is having a crazy good season) and that is less than he is making. The guy wins faceoffs which is extremely important. Was almost a .5 point/game player The last 2 years with us and was damn good in the KHL in a top 6 role. Plus he kills penalties and can slide in anywhere in the lineup. He is worth it and makes Lehtera tradeable for a pick or prospect this summer.

So you save 1.2 million cap space. Seems good to me.

Why would you sign a guy to a 3 year contract and not protect him? If they wanted to do that they would have just let him play the one game and playoffs be a UFA this summer or signed him after the expansion draft. He is here to stay.
- cuethenoise

i gotta think this makes him eligible to be left unprotected for the expansion draft, banking on him being taken since he's versatile.

I also gotta think they also knew Lehetera's contract would not make him attractive to an expansion team and this is a contingency move. If he's taken, fine. If Lehtera's taken - then Soboka's deal is not bad.

You also have to factor in Vegas taking player A and dealing him elsewhere for compensation B.

If this is a straight up contract extension, i'm not really all that thrilled with it.

i gotta think this makes him eligible to be left unprotected for the expansion draft, banking on him being taken since he's versatile.

I also gotta think they also knew Lehetera's contract would not make him attractive to an expansion team and this is a contingency move. If he's taken, fine. If Lehtera's taken - then Soboka's deal is not bad.

You also have to factor in Vegas taking player A and dealing him elsewhere for compensation B.

If this is a straight up contract extension, i'm not really all that thrilled with it.
- bcallaway

They will expose or trade Lehtera since Sobotka is the better deal / player IMHO.

Sobotka coming back absolutely makes Lehtera dispensable. Or Army played it right and got Sobotka to sign the extension to up his trade value. It's possible that no one would take his 1 year deal with his, NOW, history of contract disputes. Maybe teams were scared to deal with him. Now he is locked up for 3 years. Maybe now we can trade him and get a better return and we are stuck with Lehtera for just 1 more season.

They will expose or trade Lehtera since Sobotka is the better deal / player IMHO.
- cuethenoise

Who do you think would trade for Lehtera?

He is an ok 3C but not at 4.7 million

Sobotka is not an excetpionaly better player than a Barbashev or Sanford

not sure why people love Sobotka so much

is he useful yes is he 3.5 million dollars useful not a chance

Who do you think would trade for Lehtera?

He is an ok 3C but not at 4.7 million

Sobotka is not an excetpionaly better player than a Barbashev or Sanford

not sure why people love Sobotka so much

is he useful yes is he 3.5 million dollars useful not a chance
- sycsam

A team that needs a C and needs to reach the floor might trade for him. Or we retain a million of his contract and get a 3rd or something for him.

Most people said Berglund wasn't 3.5 million useful either and look at him

A team that needs a C and needs to reach the floor might trade for him. Or we retain a million of his contract and get a 3rd or something for him.
- cuethenoise

you might get that but will Army trade Lehtera or will the blues be up against the cap yet again with no room to move

Sobotka is not an exceptionally better player than a Barbashev or Sanford

not sure why people love Sobotka so much
- sycsam

He's a very good face off man, great penalty killer, throws his body around like he weighs 275 Lbs.

i don't know why you wouldn't want a guy like that if he wants to be here and plays his role and not think of himself as a top 6 forward.

Lets see what he does before we criticize him. He's been lighting it up in the KHL and we haven't seen him play in the NHL for 3 years. If he sucks then by all means say this was a dumb move.

Plus with Statsny out for a while it was needed.

He's a very good face off man, great penalty killer, throws his body around like he weighs 275 Lbs.

i don't know why you wouldn't want a guy like that if he wants to be here and plays his role and not think of himself as a top 6 forward.
- bcallaway

Yes this

Lets see what he does before we criticize him. He's been lighting it up in the KHL and we haven't seen him play in the NHL for 3 years. If he sucks then by all means say this was a dumb move.
- cuethenoise

Quite a stretch to say he has been lighting it up in the KHL. He was producing at about half the rate of Alexander Radulov, a 50 point guy in the NHL; and three-quarters the rate of Jori Lehtera over there. If the conversion rate holds true, he is a 20-30 point guy in the NHL. I'm not against him; but 3.5m is a lot to pay for that.

Blues have more than $71 million dollars commited to next year without Yakupov Paajarvi or Parayko

Someone has to go

Blues have more than $71 million dollars commited to next year without Yakupov Paajarvi or Parayko

Someone has to go
- sycsam

Lehtera

Quite a stretch to say he has been lighting it up in the KHL. He was producing at about half the rate of Alexander Radulov, a 50 point guy in the NHL; and three-quarters the rate of Jori Lehtera over there. If the conversion rate holds true, he is a 20-30 point guy in the NHL. I'm not against him; but 3.5m is a lot to pay for that.
- Antilles

Sobotka:
GP 156 G 41 A 75 PTS 116 PTS / GP .743

Lehtera:
GP 209 G 55 A 109 PTS 164 PTS / GP .784

Tarasenko:
GP 225 G 76 A 72 PTS 148 PTS / GP .658

Tarasenko was still developing so those numbers are a bit low but it is not bad. I guess not lighting it up good, but not bad. I'd say he is at least a lehtera producer that plays a 200 foot game.

It has to be a move to backfill Lehtera's position. I hope to god he gets gone with the expansion draft. Either way, thats alot of money for Sobotka.

i gotta think this makes him eligible to be left unprotected for the expansion draft, banking on him being taken since he's versatile.

I also gotta think they also knew Lehetera's contract would not make him attractive to an expansion team and this is a contingency move. If he's taken, fine. If Lehtera's taken - then Soboka's deal is not bad.

You also have to factor in Vegas taking player A and dealing him elsewhere for compensation B.

If this is a straight up contract extension, i'm not really all that thrilled with it.
- bcallaway

He was eligible to be taken before signing this deal.

He may be more interesting to Vegas (or less), depending on how they feel about the contract.

Seems like a big over-payment to me. So I would think it is less likely that he would be taken.

He almost got Berglund money. Berglund can score goals, Sobotka can't. Too much money.

I was thinking we would probably lose Gunnarson to expansion.

You never know what might have been discussed between DA and GM, this contract may have been made for Vegas to leave our D alone or because Lehtera is or isn't going to LV. It doesn't look like Vegas is going to find many guys signed for more than a year, so his 3 year contract might be fairly attractive, especially if he shows he can play when he gets in this year.

I would rather take a chance on Sobo than stick with Lehtera, but if Vegas takes him, we're just back to where we were 2 days ago. I'd still be hoping Lehtera doesn't finish his contract in St Louis.

Sanford could use a little more muscle but I don't think I'd send him down. Might have to when Stastny comes back though.

I think the fourth line could use a bit of a shake up. If Sobotka comes back I'd sit one of those guys.
- fattyboubatty

For a long time the fourth liner I did not care for was Broadziak. But his game stepped up. If you get Sobotka back you can sit Lehtera or send him down.

Yes Sandford needs more muscle. He also needs more playing time. There's no way Mags or Barbs can take that bullet and we saw clear improvement from Yaks.