No thanks.
- bcallaway

Why?

Because Halak and Hannu Toivonen are better options for the Blues?

Sharks 2.0
- Drij

Sooooo, really talented and well run hockey team that hasn't won a cup yet?

You do realize only one team wins each year right? And evaluating teams based on Stanley Cups is kinda silly right?

Why?

Because Halak and Hannu Toivonen are better options for the Blues?
- Trust In Jarmo

The history behind both trades are well known, no need to rehash that part. (Though that's really all you're ever interested in).


But to answer your question, both guys look like they are rounding into good, solid NHL'ers (which was never in question, by the way) but I wouldn't consider either of them as a bona-fide #1 Center that I would say was an automatic fix to put between 9 and 91.

Soderberg in particular has been a real find for Boston once they were able to convince him to come to North America. He's been fairly impressive. You won't find too many organizations that will wait eight years for a player to decide he wants to be here. The Blues gave him three years, Boston waited another five and it paid off for them. Good on them.

Eller has had a nice playoffs, but that's 11 games. Up until then he's just been a guy.

Blues hire Corsi...glad this happened after the re-signed Elliott and not before. The miller speculation would have been insane.

Blues hire Corsi...glad this happened after the re-signed Elliott and not before. The miller speculation would have been insane.
- stljam

good move esepcailly if you have Allen coming up, young stud goalie like that needs a full time goalie coach to mentor his skill set

The history behind both trades are well known, no need to rehash that part. (Though that's really all you're ever interested in).


But to answer your question, both guys look like they are rounding into good, solid NHL'ers (which was never in question, by the way) but I wouldn't consider either of them as a bona-fide #1 Center that I would say was an automatic fix to put between 9 and 91.

Soderberg in particular has been a real find for Boston once they were able to convince him to come to North America. He's been fairly impressive. You won't find too many organizations that will wait eight years for a player to decide he wants to be here. The Blues gave him three years, Boston waited another five and it paid off for them. Good on them.

Eller has had a nice playoffs, but that's 11 games. Up until then he's just been a guy.
- bcallaway

Yes, their "reasoning" for the trades at the time makes it a logical trade and we should not bring it up again because it's "in the past". Those who don't learn from their mistakes are doomed to repeat them....like the soon to be Stanley Cup Goaltender from Feb 2014 in Ryan Miller.

You have to have four contributing lines in the playoffs to win the Cup.

Eller and Soderberg would have been made a big difference the past year and into the future. As well as Perron to that mix.

Do you need a top line player to go along with them? Sure. But who's to say that 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 1st round picks wouldn't have been that guy? Those picks are all traded off and gone. Or maybe a smarter GM trades off those 1st round picks for a Carter, a Richards. Or maybe a smarter GM signs a Hossa....

It's funny you bring up that example of Soderberg and 8 years to get here. Because patience is the key to developing players in MLB & NHL.

It is something your St Louis Cardinals have learned quite well over many years and it has paid off well. Yet, not so much for your Blues right down the street. Same with Perron and EJ...no patience.

"WIN NOW BLUES!" Even though there is no winning past the 1st or 2nd rounds going on at Scotttrade.

Yes, their "reasoning" for the trades at the time makes it a logical trade and we should not bring it up again because it's "in the past". Those who don't learn from their mistakes are doomed to repeat them....like the soon to be Stanley Cup Goaltender from Feb 2014 in Ryan Miller.

You have to have four contributing lines in the playoffs to win the Cup.

Eller and Soderberg would have been made a big difference the past year and into the future. As well as Perron to that mix.

Do you need a top line player to go along with them? Sure. But who's to say that 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 1st round picks wouldn't have been that guy? Those picks are all traded off and gone. Or maybe a smarter GM trades off those 1st round picks for a Carter, a Richards. Or maybe a smarter GM signs a Hossa....

It's funny you bring up that example of Soderberg and 8 years to get here. Because patience is the key to developing players in MLB & NHL.

It is something your St Louis Cardinals have learned quite well over many years and it has paid off well. Yet, not so much for your Blues right down the street. Same with Perron and EJ...no patience.

"WIN NOW BLUES!" Even though there is no winning past the 1st or 2nd rounds going on at Scotttrade.
- Trust In Jarmo

Win now Blues? Really?

A team that started rebuilding the program in 2006 by my calendar.

Soooooo, if I'm taking your blueprint for success, and I believe I understand where you're coming from......

You draft the players you think are the best fit at the time and you keep every, single, solitary one of them into infinity. You never deal any of them for other pieces. Gotcha. Good call.

Please don't take this the wrong way, I hold you in the highest regards but you're an idiot.

A trolling, bating, blathering, fool of an idiot.

No offense.

Sooooo, really talented and well run hockey team that hasn't won a cup yet?

You do realize only one team wins each year right? And evaluating teams based on Stanley Cups is kinda silly right?
- aschuter82

No, a good hockey team that chokes in the playoffs. The Sens of the 90s or the sharks of the last 10 years. If you don't want to call it choking then they have some other problem behind the scenes.

The blues are not winning until they game a game breaker player. They have lots of good players but they lack that one player that can change a game. Look at the 4 teams still in the playoffs, they all have that player. Is Stastny that player? No he isn't, he he just another good player. IMO they made a big mistake trading for miller when goaltending wasn't their weakness.

No, a good hockey team that chokes in the playoffs. The Sens of the 90s or the sharks of the last 10 years. If you don't want to call it choking then they have some other problem behind the scenes.

The blues are not winning until they game a game breaker player. They have lots of good players but they lack that one player that can change a game. Look at the 4 teams still in the playoffs, they all have that player. Is Stastny that player? No he isn't, he he just another good player. IMO they made a big mistake trading for miller when goaltending wasn't their weakness.
- Drij

If you believe in the concept of choking, go for it. Thats a wonderful narrative that sold newspapers in the past, and generated clicks in the present worlds of journalism.

The reality is the Stanley Cup Playoffs is a small sample size tournament where wacky results happen. Sometimes really good teams get eliminated by other good teams. Sometimes they get eliminated by not so good teams. Sometimes really good teams never win a cup.

That's not choking, that's life.

If you believe in the concept of choking, go for it. Thats a wonderful narrative that sold newspapers in the past, and generated clicks in the present worlds of journalism.

The reality is the Stanley Cup Playoffs is a small sample size tournament where wacky results happen. Sometimes really good teams get eliminated by other good teams. Sometimes they get eliminated by not so good teams. Sometimes really good teams never win a cup.

That's not choking, that's life.
- aschuter82

Theres a reason why they say the stanley cup is the hardest trophy to win in all professional sports.

Theres a reason why they say the stanley cup is the hardest trophy to win in all professional sports.
- DDM-Coga

I always compare it to the Indy 500. This weekend there were about eight cars capable of winning the race, two got taken out by another driver, one had an engine problem, two had pit speed violations and two others finished second and third. The guy who finished second probably had the best car but was passed on the last lap due to physics (drag running in front compared to none in the draft.

Now put that into the nhl when you have injuries, bad matchups, fatigue, inexperience to deal with it makes you realize just how tough it is. If it weren't tough, it'd be the nba. You ask me I wouldn't have any other way. Love the pendulum of the cup.

I always compare it to the Indy 500. This weekend there were about eight cars capable of winning the race, two got taken out by another driver, one had an engine problem, two had pit speed violations and two others finished second and third. The guy who finished second probably had the best car but was passed on the last lap due to physics (drag running in front compared to none in the draft.

Now put that into the nhl when you have injuries, bad matchups, fatigue, inexperience to deal with it makes you realize just how tough it is. If it weren't tough, it'd be the nba. You ask me I wouldn't have any other way. Love the pendulum of the cup.
- martok2309

Baseball and Basketball have proven you can sign and buy your way to championships with a couple good free agencies. Hockey just doesn't work that way. You need the perfect storm of good drafting, signings, trades panning out just to get to the playoffs, then you have to gruel through one of the most intense playoff formats based on the style of physical play and momentum swings. Nothing compares to winning the cup to me, it just never falls exactly like it suppose to on paper. Nothing is given and always taken away so quickly in the playoffs

Baseball and Basketball have proven you can sign and buy your way to championships with a couple good free agencies. Hockey just doesn't work that way. You need the perfect storm of good drafting, signings, trades panning out just to get to the playoffs, then you have to gruel through one of the most intense playoff formats based on the style of physical play and momentum swings. Nothing compares to winning the cup to me, it just never falls exactly like it suppose to on paper. Nothing is given and always taken away so quickly in the playoffs
- DDM-Coga

1. Stanley Cup
2. NCAA march madness
3. NASCAR sprint cup
4. Super Bowl
5. World Series

That's my top five hardest championships to win. The top three are the hardest because it is simply unpredictable. Get through the season, depends on seeding/placement and you have to get at least a little lucky.

Win now Blues? Really?

A team that started rebuilding the program in 2006 by my calendar.

Soooooo, if I'm taking your blueprint for success, and I believe I understand where you're coming from......

You draft the players you think are the best fit at the time and you keep every, single, solitary one of them into infinity. You never deal any of them for other pieces. Gotcha. Good call.

Please don't take this the wrong way, I hold you in the highest regards but you're an idiot.

A trolling, bating, blathering, fool of an idiot.

No offense.
- bcallaway

Your post is as clueless as what you are claiming I am callaway.

Did you even see my last post?? Here, let me say it again..

"Do you need a top line player to go along with them? Sure. But who's to say that 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 1st round picks wouldn't have been that guy? Those picks are all traded off and gone. Or maybe a smarter GM trades off those 1st round picks for a Carter, a Richards. Or maybe a smarter GM signs a Hossa...."

I was saying you don't trade 1st round picks and top prospects to just make a move and try to "win this year". The Blues should have NEVER, EVER traded off top prospects and 1st round picks in Lars Eller, Carl Soderberg, David Perron, Ben Bishop, Erik Johnson and multiple 1st round picks FOR the likes of Hannu Toivonen, Halak, Bowmesiter, Chris Stewart, Ryan Miller, Shattenkirk etc.

I'm surprised I had to spell that out for you callaway. Congrats, you just entered carcus level on here.

Your post is as clueless as what you are claiming I am callaway.

Did you even see my last post?? Here, let me say it again..

"Do you need a top line player to go along with them? Sure. But who's to say that 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 1st round picks wouldn't have been that guy? Those picks are all traded off and gone. Or maybe a smarter GM trades off those 1st round picks for a Carter, a Richards. Or maybe a smarter GM signs a Hossa...."

I was saying you don't trade 1st round picks and top prospects to just make a move and try to "win this year". The Blues should have NEVER, EVER traded off top prospects and 1st round picks in Lars Eller, Carl Soderberg, David Perron, Ben Bishop, Erik Johnson and multiple 1st round picks FOR the likes of Hannu Toivonen, Halak, Bowmesiter, Chris Stewart, Ryan Miller, Shattenkirk etc.

I'm surprised I had to spell that out for you callaway. Congrats, you just entered carcus level on here.


- Trust In Jarmo

I think I found a possible top level center that would work well for the Blues. How about Logan Coture?

Since we're revising and complaining about every move the Blues have ever made, lets call a spade a spade.

Your man-crush lover Jarmo traded down in the draft and allowed San Jose to take Coture so the Blues could draft Eller later on. What an idiot.

And then traded up to take Ian Cole in the first round. Jarmo's a moron.

(This is what you sound like to every other Blues fan, a complete tool.)

I think I found a possible top level center that would work well for the Blues. How about Logan Coture?

Since we're revising and complaining about every move the Blues have ever made, lets call a spade a spade.

Your man-crush lover Jarmo traded down in the draft and allowed San Jose to take Coture so the Blues could draft Eller later on. What an idiot.

And then traded up to take Ian Cole in the first round. Jarmo's a moron.

(This is what you sound like to every other Blues fan, a complete tool.)
- bcallaway

as an outsider of the blues fan base, I like Eller, but hes a good third line center, I dont think you can stretch him out to take top 6 minutes, but is talented enough that he would thrive against 3Line match ups.

What is the chatter from the Blues regarding potential moves. Think any trades are coming or just attack some of the bigger name free agents?

as an outsider of the blues fan base, I like Eller, but hes a good third line center, I dont think you can stretch him out to take top 6 minutes, but is talented enough that he would thrive against 3Line match ups.

What is the chatter from the Blues regarding potential moves. Think any trades are coming or just attack some of the bigger name free agents?
- DDM-Coga

+1. Blues gave up very little in trading Eller.

I think two items are on the agenda for the Blues this summer. Finding a top level center to play between 9 and 91, and we all can guess who their top target is, aside from that there could be a trade for one.

Secondly will be finding some more physical play from the defensive corpse. They've done well in developing a back line that can move the puck, join the play and contribute offensively but for the third year in a row, they were manhandled in playoffs.

That needs to change. I wouldn't be surprised to see a move to change that group around a bit.

+1. Blues gave up very little in trading Eller.

I think two items are on the agenda for the Blues this summer. Finding a top level center to play between 9 and 91, and we all can guess who their top target is, aside from that there could be a trade for one.

Secondly will be finding some more physical play from the defensive corpse. They've done well in developing a back line that can move the puck, join the play and contribute offensively but for the third year in a row, they were manhandled in playoffs.

That needs to change. I wouldn't be surprised to see a move to change that group around a bit.
- bcallaway

I think it was a good trade for both teams looknig back now. You didnt over pay for Halak, got what you needed out of him, and Eller/Cole are not haunting you. Eller is a nice to have but you find those guys deep in the draft and Free Agency all the time. I think the Avs found a late blooming Gem in Mitchell. has turned into a solid 3rd C.

Stazz will sign opening day of free agency if he gets to that point and it wont shock me at all if its with you guys. He wants to win, and its home. He would have the best of both worlds if he leaves the Avs.

Would you guys take a look at Gagner as a trade target? The other C I can think of is Kesler. The Rangers might be a in tough spot too, they have Brassard, Stephan, and Richards as their top 3 C and are up against the cap. I can see them tradining Brassard as he is an RFA.

I think it was a good trade for both teams looknig back now. You didnt over pay for Halak, got what you needed out of him, and Eller/Cole are not haunting you. Eller is a nice to have but you find those guys deep in the draft and Free Agency all the time. I think the Avs found a late blooming Gem in Mitchell. has turned into a solid 3rd C.

Stazz will sign opening day of free agency if he gets to that point and it wont shock me at all if its with you guys. He wants to win, and its home. He would have the best of both worlds if he leaves the Avs.

Would you guys take a look at Gagner as a trade target? The other C I can think of is Kesler. The Rangers might be a in tough spot too, they have Brassard, Stephan, and Richards as their top 3 C and are up against the cap. I can see them tradining Brassard as he is an RFA.
- DDM-Coga

Would love to see Stastny but I'm not convinced St. Louis can land him. Colorado is not going to want to lose him to a division rival and it wouldn't surprise me to see someone come out of the woodwork and throw a lot of money his direction from somewhere else.

Plus, playing in your hometown isn't always what it's cracked up to be. There's a whole new set of problems that crop up you have to be able to handle mentally.

There's been a lot of talk about Jason Spezza. Apparently the Blues were very close to putting a deal through for him leading up to the deadline.

He's probably their plan A1.

joakim lindstrom signed today, anyone know if it's a one-way? seems like a decent pick up

joakim lindstrom signed today, anyone know if it's a one-way? seems like a decent pick up
- Blue Clam

He had a short stint with the Avs a few seasons ago, nothing special. He wasnt producing, his ice time was going down, so he decided to leave the Avs to go back to Europe.

Maybe his game improved since then, but dont expect much

Would love to see Stastny but I'm not convinced St. Louis can land him. Colorado is not going to want to lose him to a division rival and it wouldn't surprise me to see someone come out of the woodwork and throw a lot of money his direction from somewhere else.

Plus, playing in your hometown isn't always what it's cracked up to be. There's a whole new set of problems that crop up you have to be able to handle mentally.

There's been a lot of talk about Jason Spezza. Apparently the Blues were very close to putting a deal through for him leading up to the deadline.

He's probably their plan A1.
- bcallaway

Spezza would be one heck of a pick up, and Blues Sens have history trading. I can see that situation happening. Would you give up Shatty and Berglund if it got you Spezza (conditional he resigns) and a dman like Methot (maybe Cowen)

He had a short stint with the Avs a few seasons ago, nothing special. He wasnt producing, his ice time was going down, so he decided to leave the Avs to go back to Europe.

Maybe his game improved since then, but dont expect much
- DDM-Coga

The stats suggest his game has improved some (two two in regular season and playoff scoring in the league) though how it will translate to the nhl remains to be seen.

To give you a sense, last three years in the SEL - a point a game in 46 playoff games and over a point a game average in the regular season. He earned their version of the conn smythe this year on their way to the championship.

Not a lot of risk in a 1 year 700k, one way deal imho.

He had a short stint with the Avs a few seasons ago, nothing special. He wasnt producing, his ice time was going down, so he decided to leave the Avs to go back to Europe.

Maybe his game improved since then, but dont expect much
- DDM-Coga

i was going to ask why he only stayed 16 games with the avs. he's put up strong numbers in sweden since then. could be an upgrade on morrow. PRV is once again marginalized though.

Spezza would be one heck of a pick up, and Blues Sens have history trading. I can see that situation happening. Would you give up Shatty and Berglund if it got you Spezza (conditional he resigns) and a dman like Methot (maybe Cowen)
- DDM-Coga

That deal seems a bit skewed to the Sens but I think it is in the ballpark but that may be a result of me not being as familiar with Methot and Cowen or other guys like Gryba, Ceci, etc.. I just don't watch a lot of Sens games.