Jason Millen: Armstrong makes some moves, adds value and risk/reward Armstrong makes some moves, adds value and risk/reward

Some good Reaves quotes

Reaves on seeing twitter - "First thing I saw was, 'It sounds like Reaves is going for a first-rounder.' I was like OK, obviously that's a bunch of garbage.'"

"It was a little shocking. The first thing I thought of was all the boys in St. Louis. I truly love everyone of the guys on the team"

There's a lot more to the Schenn trade than I think at first glance. I noticed that gives the Blues a Stastny type player signed cheaper past Statsny's contract. This does two things imo: If Stastny wants to resign his pay will dramatically fall and if they lose them they still have a decent enough center.

Though I wonder for a moment....It seemed to me there was interest in Reaves that was discovered. So if the Blues make that deal and hold onto their pick they could have also grabbed Tolleven and that would have gotten you a great second line to first line in one draft.

However freeing yourself from Lehtera and Reaves while upgrading the center position and saving $700k in cap soace is huge. That automatically increases your team soeed while dropping the age of the roster. It's a bit steep of a price but not bad.

You essentially drop three of your worst play off performers, save money, get faster and more skilled.

As to Reaves being a deterient to other teams from going after the likes of Tarasenko, then why did he never stop other teams? No one usually would answer the bell to him and sometimes when he had a chance to be that guy he almost never went far enough. What he was at his best was a powerful forechecker that could get the team going with some magnificient hits but you saw that against slower teams that we regularly beat.

Too many teams have improved speed and skill throughout their rosters. So even arguing about sucessful teams in the play offs is moot when your team is too slow to win in the regular season. What you are witnessing is a revolution in hockey. I mean the word truest to its meaning. The game evolves and changes and right now you need three solid scoring lines and you are seeing this soread to a fourth line even in order to keep up with the oace as well as finding match up advantages.

I love Steen but now more than ever that resigning kind of hurts.

Some good Reaves quotes

Reaves on seeing twitter - "First thing I saw was, 'It sounds like Reaves is going for a first-rounder.' I was like OK, obviously that's a bunch of garbage.'"

"It was a little shocking. The first thing I thought of was all the boys in St. Louis. I truly love everyone of the guys on the team"
- Jason Millen

He'sa good kid. I hope he continues to work at improving his game. I honestly think he has enough hockey IQ, that if he improved his skating enough he could score a lot of goals using his size. Hell if you out him on Oeguins pp in front of the net he might if he got some luck do that.

So they wanted Pettersson or Rasmussen is my guess. Big, skilled centers.

I wanted Rassmuson bad....

This write up is great. This how naive it is to think Reaves protected anyone including Tarasenk. http://www.hockeybuzz.com...t_id=86001&blogger_id=177

Guru, FYI - Agostino is an UFA and Megan is a RFA.

Paajarvi, Yakupov, Sundqvist, Lindbohm and Parayko are also RFAs.

Guru, FYI - Agostino is an UFA and Megan is a RFA.

Paajarvi, Yakupov, Sundqvist, Lindbohm and Parayko are also RFAs.
- Jason Millen

I believe it would take a 2.5m offer to keep Yakupov's rights. Unless he wants to stay, I wouldn't be surprised to see Blues not offer that and him leave as a UFA.

I believe it would take a 2.5m offer to keep Yakupov's rights. Unless he wants to stay, I wouldn't be surprised to see Blues not offer that and him leave as a UFA.
- Antilles

He's not getting it from anyone. But he'll stick around. You are correct he needs a 2.5 matching.

Jammer I am aware of the contract statuses man. I only forgot about Nail's thing for a moment before the expansion.


The Blues have plenty of money to sign. But I am afraid witout an AHL team Agostino is gone. I hope he gets ice at the NHL, he is an NHL player.

He's not getting it from anyone. But he'll stick around. You are correct he needs a 2.5 matching.

Jammer I am aware of the contract statuses man. I only forgot about Nail's thing for a moment before the expansion.


The Blues have plenty of money to sign. But I am afraid witout an AHL team Agostino is gone. I hope he gets ice at the NHL, he is an NHL player.
- BluemanGuruu

I doubt Yak will be back. In all honesty I think that experiment was over before Christmas. He will have a better chance signing with a lesser team where he can get some ice time.

I wouldn't mind signing Agostino though. With Reaves gone and Upshall probably not coming back, the fourth line will be wide open. Brodziak isn't going to be around much longer either.

I doubt Yak will be back. In all honesty I think that experiment was over before Christmas. He will have a better chance signing with a lesser team where he can get some ice time.

I wouldn't mind signing Agostino though. With Reaves gone and Upshall probably not coming back, the fourth line will be wide open. Brodziak isn't going to be around much longer either.
- fattyboubatty

That's what I was thinking. He's got to be worth more to another team out there, as a gamble, than he is to the Blues.

Yak can be back playing on a fourth line with Sanford and Paajarvi

That line would be dynamite speed wise and could chip in offensively

This assumes we move Brodziak

I like Brodziak but now we have a lot of third and fourth line centers

We cleared up some of the logjam in the bottom 6

I would expect all UFA to be gone unless Yak becomes a UFA and than only he will be back

I doubt Yak will be back. In all honesty I think that experiment was over before Christmas. He will have a better chance signing with a lesser team where he can get some ice time.

I wouldn't mind signing Agostino though. With Reaves gone and Upshall probably not coming back, the fourth line will be wide open. Brodziak isn't going to be around much longer either.
- fattyboubatty

I disgree before he was injured Yeo was using him a lot and really liked his backcheck. Blues would be wise to take another shot.

Armstrong is talking like Sundqvist will be in line up that means fourth line.

Yak can be back playing on a fourth line with Sanford and Paajarvi

That line would be dynamite speed wise and could chip in offensively

This assumes we move Brodziak

I like Brodziak but now we have a lot of third and fourth line centers

We cleared up some of the logjam in the bottom 6

I would expect all UFA to be gone unless Yak becomes a UFA and than only he will be back
- sycsam

Broadziak can be an extra skater or sent down. Not sure, especially with Ott around that Broadziak will so easily be gone. And that's fine.

Broadziak can be an extra skater or sent down. Not sure, especially with Ott around that Broadziak will so easily be gone. And that's fine.
- BluemanGuruu

I think we could see Brodziak traded to a team like NJ for a pick or something like that

I am still in shock that the blues traded Reaves and a second for a first round pick

I don't think this team needs any more help in the top 9 they now have 8 players that can play Center

I think we could see Brodziak traded to a team like NJ for a pick or something like that

I am still in shock that the blues traded Reaves and a second for a first round pick

I don't think this team needs any more help in the top 9 they now have 8 players that can play Center
- sycsam

I was just talking about how many centers theost of getting Schenn. Two firsts? One could have been Tolaven giving you a at least a good second line from one draft.

Looking deeper Schenn isn't always playing center so that is concerning. Certainly an upgrade over Lehtera.

I was just talking about how many centers theost of getting Schenn. Two firsts? One could have been Tolaven giving you a at least a good second line from one draft.

Looking deeper Schenn isn't always playing center so that is concerning. Certainly an upgrade over Lehtera.
- BluemanGuruu

Statsny Scheen Steen Brodziak Sandord Berglund Barbashev Sundqvist Sobotka

All could be in the NHL next year

I expect Sandord Barbashev and Sundqvist to be in Chicago or at least healthy scratches

Schwartz Scheen Tarasenko
Steen Statsny Fabbri
Jaskin Berglund Sobotka
Barbashev Brodziak/Barbashev/Sanford Paajarvi