Good points. But like you said Dean can make a move to help the team before the deadline, OR Richards could also be called up and possibly play better OR they could just roll with what they have...since 85% of this team won the Cup last year. My guess is they make a move.

As for the Blues, I did NOT said they have already been "ran into the ground".

They are slowly being ran into the ground. Of course they look great now. They are at the top of the conference (like they were most of the past 3 or 4 years). Most of that is due to what's left of Jarmos draft picks though.

But what happened in the playoffs the past few years with this great team?

What happened to the great trades that was ALL that was needed to put the Blues over the hump with Jarmos great draft picks?

Armstrong traded Erik Johnson (who had been amazing the past couple years) AND the Blues traded a 1stround pick for Chris Stewart an Shattenkirk.

Stewart was a bust after a year or two. So you basically swapped even defensemen AND Armstrong lost you a 1st round pick to Colorado. Team doesn't get better either. Trade FAILED.

Armstrong trades Lars Eller for the goalie that would win the Cup (accoriding to many on here) for Halak. Trade FAILED. And it is why Ben bishop was traded by Armstrong for garbage in return. Because Armstrong incorrectly thought Halak was the man that would win the cup and there was not a need to develop Ben Bishop.

Armstrong trades a 1st round pick for a player that has been known around the league as an enigma. And not only does Armstrojg trade ANOTHER 1st round pick...he gives Bowmesiter crazy amount of money when he proved basically nothing in the NHL. A good prospect that continues to go backwards. Trade FAILED.

Ryan Miller is suppose to win a Cup. Even though Miller was a playoff choke artist and only sniffed past the 2nd round ONLY ONE time in his entire career in buffalo. Armstrong gives up another 1st round pick for Miller. And we know what happens last year. Trade FAILED.

So the 3 big trades Armstrong made since 2011 to help put the Blues over the hump had failed. Dean Lombardis trades did the exact opposite. And won 2 Dtanley Cups in the past 3 years.

Also, Armstrong loses 3 of your last 5 1st round picks for garbage in return. And lost a franchise goalie in Ben Bishop. Not to mention great role players to help make up all 4 lines (which is what you need to win a Cup) in trading Eller, Perron, McClement and others.

Let me know how this is progress?.
- Trust In Jarmo

Sorry, are you deliberately listing moves better than signing Nathan Horton to a 37 million dollar contract, or is your showing Armstrong is a better GM than Jarmo an accident? Even the best move Jarmo made, drafting Tarasenko, was after he thought Schwartz was going to be the better player and drafted him first.

Sorry, are you deliberately listing moves better than signing Nathan Horton to a 37 million dollar contract, or is your showing Armstrong is a better GM than Jarmo an accident? Even the best move Jarmo made, drafting Tarasenko, was after he thought Schwartz was going to be the better player and drafted him first.
- Antilles

Also, lets not forget, lets *not* forget dude, Armstrong actually has his name on the cup already as the assistant GM in Dallas.

First of all, Shattenkirk is much better than EJ. Let me know when EJ's name gets mentioned in the same sentence as Norris. The Bouwmeester trade was a huge win also. Not to mention Gunnarson plus a pick for Polak. That's three major pieces of one of the top D's in the league that will still be in their prime for several more years, or according to you, run into the ground.

But I guess you'd rather have Jarmo building his D around Jack Johnson and James Wisniewski and overpaying pretty much every one of the contracts he's handed out. How's that working out?

You want to attribute all the Blues success to Jarmo, and sure he deserves some credit with his input at the drafts, but really you are comparing two different stages in a teams development as if they are one and the same. What really brought in the top end young players was the rebuild that started a decade ago. Does Jarmo also get the credit for moving guys like Doug weight for high picks? The team moved beyond the rebuilding phase long ago. Now they can afford to move first round picks, one because they are now low round picks and two, they no longer need such a large influx of young talent. And still they have top young prospects in the pool in Fabbri and Lindbohm, no thanks to Jarmo.
- fattyboubatty

Good points.

Jarmo didn't trade Weight and Tkachick. But Pleau knew the team wasn't really good and he had a great draft guy in Jarmo who just put the 2007 Eastern Conference Champions in Ottawa together.

I think the Blues will regret the Bouwmesiter trade down the line. And like I said earlier, I don't think Shattenkirk is superior to EJ. I think they are comparable and you lost a 1st round pick in that trade.

You are right that the Blues are in position to trade 1st round picks because they aren't rebuilding any more. But I don't agree what Armstrong got in retun for those 3 1st round picks.

Also, lets not forget, lets *not* forget dude, Armstrong actually has his name on the cup already as the assistant GM in Dallas.
- fattyboubatty

Who is overpaid Nathan Horton or Paul Stastny?

With Weguin getting hurt and Johnson out with the Avs that's two teams better than LA that are going to struggle now. LA is so lucky. Their schedule only has one stretch of four games in six days and the quality of teams is not what you wuld hope. The whole rest of the season I think I found one other incidence of them oying bac to back games and the second is Edmonton. They have a toughish stretch and then a lot of their games left are in their division which is weak. The have to play all of the teams ahead of them at the end so the last few weeks will make the picture clear.

If the Kings had the luck of oter teams then suddenly Doughty would go down.

Nashville just got stronger

Nashville just got stronger
- Goblues86

like they needed that at all……...

With Weguin getting hurt and Johnson out with the Avs that's two teams better than LA that are going to struggle now. LA is so lucky. Their schedule only has one stretch of four games in six days and the quality of teams is not what you wuld hope. The whole rest of the season I think I found one other incidence of them oying bac to back games and the second is Edmonton. They have a toughish stretch and then a lot of their games left are in their division which is weak. The have to play all of the teams ahead of them at the end so the last few weeks will make the picture clear.

If the Kings had the luck of oter teams then suddenly Doughty would go down.
- BluemanGuruu

let Doughty and Brown go down to injury, wait make that Doughty and Kopitar.

Actually like Kopitar, not a dirty bastard. just a king so i have to hate him

Hell of a shot by Schwartz, Good fight by Reaves, so far a good game. Jackman beat huberdeau back and helped nullify his chance. didn't think he could skate that fast

(frank)ing NHL. Refuses to call penalties on the team that is down by one goal until one of their penalties directly leads to them tying the game. Just pathetic.

GREAT GAME ELLIOT. good to see Lehtera get a goal in the shootout.