Chip McCleary: Blues feel low (again) in the Mile High city At least we don't have to go back there again ... this year.

Personally, DP is gone by draft day. Hoped he would be able to translate his skill into helping us out but he just isn't getting it here. Unfortunately, after we get rid of him, he'll go on to lead the league in scoring and/or be on the team we finally face for our first cup and he'll kill us.

Coach Hitch: 4th line from NOW ON is Porter, Cracknell, Reaves. If anybody "needs" to sit, sit DP.

I personally don't understand why Hitch is playing him so much. He hasn't really done much at all lately. And he is still playing a lot each game. He is not really putting up much offense (but nobody is) and he seems to make boneheaded plays pretty regularly.

Perron is at the top of my list for guys to be traded this offseason. I think he has a lot of skills, and a pretty good contract that other teams will like. But I think he has very low hockey sense, and loves to make his moves/hold on to the puck too long. It mostly ends up with nothing to show for it.

I am wondering if we could get a 1st line center from a team that needs to get rid of cap space for someone like Perron and a pick or two/prospects? That is what I would be looking to do this offseason if I were Armstrong.

I personally don't understand why Hitch is playing him so much. He hasn't really done much at all lately. And he is still playing a lot each game. He is not really putting up much offense (but nobody is) and he seems to make boneheaded plays pretty regularly.

Perron is at the top of my list for guys to be traded this offseason. I think he has a lot of skills, and a pretty good contract that other teams will like. But I think he has very low hockey sense, and loves to make his moves/hold on to the puck too long. It mostly ends up with nothing to show for it.

I am wondering if we could get a 1st line center from a team that needs to get rid of cap space for someone like Perron and a pick or two/prospects? That is what I would be looking to do this offseason if I were Armstrong.
- carcus

True 1st line centers do not get traded very often, unless they're long in the tooth with an apprentice waiting to take the reigns. Unless one of those 2 prospects you speak of is a future potential 1C, Perron+ will not likely fetch you a true front line 1C. At least not an NHL ready one.

True 1st line centers do not get traded very often, unless they're long in the tooth with an apprentice waiting to take the reigns. Unless one of those 2 prospects you speak of is a future potential 1C, Perron+ will not likely fetch you a true front line 1C. At least not an NHL ready one.
- Ogilthorpe2

Ok, maybe not a superstar, but a quality center, a playmaker.

I have a feeling there will be a deal or two that may not happen normally for teams needing to get under the cap.

True 1st line centers do not get traded very often, unless they're long in the tooth with an apprentice waiting to take the reigns. Unless one of those 2 prospects you speak of is a future potential 1C, Perron+ will not likely fetch you a true front line 1C.
- Ogilthorpe2

Absolutely agreed ... unless

-- the other GM is Mike O'Connell, and he directly contacts you about trading his 1C and agrees to take a 2nd-line forward, a 3rd/4th line forward, and a 3/4 defenseman, or
-- the other GM is Jay Feaster, and he agrees to take a top-6 forward / shootout specialist, a 3rd line forward, and a backup goalie with potential to maybe be a #1, or
-- the other GM is Darcy Regier and he agrees to take a 2nd-line pest and a 5/6 defenseman, or
-- the other GM is Joe Nieuwendyk and he agrees to trade the 1C he got from Regier for a 2nd and a defenseman with ... (wait for it) ... potential, or
-- the other GM is Jacques Martin and he agrees to take a possibly 1/2 (actually 3/4) defenseman, a possibly 3/4 (actually 5/6) defenseman, and a 2nd-round pick, or
-- the other GM is Glen Sather and he agrees to also ship over a center prospect (who of course has potential) and a defenseman who'll be doing good to stick in the AHL (much less ever play in the NHL) in exchange for a 2nd/3rd line winger, a journeyman 6/7 defenseman, a defenseman who had departed for Russia and looked like would never be back, and a defenseman with lots of potential and real questions about whether he'd ever tap it.

Because the only trade of an arguably #1C post-lockout that fits the criteria you describe is when Mike Richards got dealt to LA for Schenn, Simmonds and a 2nd. More often than not, you're only getting a 1C if you (A) draft him, or (B) sign him in free agency - but in a trade? Perron would be a great starting point toward getting one of those guys, unless you're restricting the discussion to "only the truly elite guys."

Ok, maybe not a superstar, but a quality center, a playmaker.

I have a feeling there will be a deal or two that may not happen normally for teams needing to get under the cap.
- carcus

Trading Perron for picks/prospects and signing a UFA C like Tyler Bozak probably be a better option, although I'm hoping the Hawks beat you to it

Trading Perron for picks/prospects and signing a UFA C like Tyler Bozak probably be a better option, although I'm hoping the Hawks beat you to it
- Ogilthorpe2

At a $64.3 million cap, the Hawks are already sitting at just over $58.5 million. Let's pretend they'll buy out Olesz and Montador, lobbing out $8.35 million for both to just go away (thus saving just about $4 million on the cap based on being in the minors and not counting at full value). That gets you down to just under $54.5 million. Even just filling out the rest of the roster at the league minimum, that's going to be $4.4 million ($550,000 per), unless you're going to carry fewer than 23 guys - but Leddy and Kruger are going to be more expensive than that (probably $2.5 million per for Leddy, around $1.25 million for Kruger). You're also unlikely to get the other 5 positions at only $550K; the goalie alone is probably going to be $1 million, and a replacement for Rozsival (or bringing back Rozsival) is going to be $1.5-2 million.

That's alone pushes up the cap payroll to around $61 million, and I haven't even touched replacing Stalberg, Bickell, or Mayers - only the latter of which you could do at the league minimum. Is Bozak going to take some, "you're a really good team" discount to go to Chicago - especially when other teams will be interested in him and will probably lob out 5/20 type contracts? Or are you going to skimp in those other areas trying to fit him in and run a risk that someone lobs an offer sheet at Leddy to put the Hawks in Cap Hell?

Guess Hitch is bumping DP down to the 4th line.

Feel bad for Cracknell and Reaves. They have been playing really well lately.

Guess Hitch is bumping DP down to the 4th line.

Feel bad for Cracknell and Reaves. They have been playing really well lately.
- Gerk

Reaves hasn't been doing his job at all lately. If he's not going to enforce then playing someone with actual talent is an upgrade.

Reaves hasn't been doing his job at all lately. If he's not going to enforce then playing someone with actual talent is an upgrade.
- BerglundsGrundle

I think you let that line goes as is until Oshie is back. By far they have been the most consistent over the past few games.

I personally don't understand why Hitch is playing him so much. He hasn't really done much at all lately. And he is still playing a lot each game. He is not really putting up much offense (but nobody is) and he seems to make boneheaded plays pretty regularly.

Perron is at the top of my list for guys to be traded this offseason. I think he has a lot of skills, and a pretty good contract that other teams will like. But I think he has very low hockey sense, and loves to make his moves/hold on to the puck too long. It mostly ends up with nothing to show for it.

I am wondering if we could get a 1st line center from a team that needs to get rid of cap space for someone like Perron and a pick or two/prospects? That is what I would be looking to do this offseason if I were Armstrong.
- carcus

Hitch is letting Perron hang himself. "Here, David, take as much rope as you'd like..."

Hitch is letting Perron hang himself. "Here, David, take as much rope as you'd like..."
- eggsegan

Hitch is letting Perron hang himself. "Here, David, take as much rope as you'd like..."
- eggsegan

I would rather him light a real fire under him, or another underperforming forward. Sit them tonight, and have them watch from the pressbox as the Blues celebrate clinching a playoff spot.

I would rather him light a real fire under him, or another underperforming forward. Sit them tonight, and have them watch from the pressbox as the Blues celebrate clinching a playoff spot.
- carcus

Agreed that Perron playing 4th line minutes makes little sense. I'd think that the hope is that he starts 4th and moves his way up... I think your idea has plenty of merit.