SB Nation - Jonas Junland

The Trading Block: Who The Blues Could Move

gallagher — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:30:12 -0000

More photos » by Gerry Broome - AP

The trade of Lee Stempniak signaled to the Blues that it wouldn't be Andy Murray that would be held accountable for their slow start. Who could be this year's Stempniak?

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On Nov. 23 last year the Blues were 8-8-2 and 13th in the Western Conference, dead-last in the Central Division. They'd suffered some odd injuries, including an emergency appendectomy to one of their players. Fans were grumbling about the coaching of Andy Murray and the lack of team scoring (just 55 goals in 18 games to that point).

The next day the team traded Lee Stempniak, considered by most followers of the team to be one of the franchise's youthful building blocks, to Toronto for Alex Steen and Carlo Colaiacovo. The deal was a classic sell-high, buy-low for the Blues, as Stempniak had a bit of a point streak going at the time (he had three goals and 10 assists in 14 games to that point) and had been a 27-goal scorer once before in his short career. Meanwhile, both Colaiacovo and Steen had long since worn out their welcome in the Center Of The Hockey Universe as underperforming former first round picks.

But the trade was more than a "let's get two-for-one" deal for the Blues; this was a direct message to the players that Murray would be staying and if their performance continued to be mediocre, it was they that would be a-going.

The team continued to struggle along through November and December before going 6-4-1 in January and then, of course, going on The Run that ended with the Blues in the sixth seed in the West.

With the exception of waiving Manny Legace on Feb. 6, the Blues made no other roster moves after the Stempniak deal. Considering the similar state of the team today and the recent comments made by team owner David Checketts that the time to move forward is now, if the team doesn't start to climb the standings soon, another move will be made to shake up the roster. For the sake of this argument, we're going to assume that Andy Murray will not be fired and that the team will deal with first quarter doldrums in the same manner that they did last year and trade someone.

But who fits the bill to be traded this year? Last year's trade of Stempniak was unforeseen and shocking to fans, media and presumably, the players. If a trade is to be made this year, it'd likely be designed to shake up the players who remain behind. The problem is identifying a player who is shocking to see leave and sends the message, but not be the type of player that goes on to make you regret his departure.

Similarly, the roster is full of players that fans might want to see traded, but simply cannot be moved for one reason or another.

We'll analyze the current roster to see who is tradeable and who is not, leaving the minor leaguers and prospects out of the discussion as we're not talking about specific packages or team needs at this point. In the end, we'll give our most likely candidates to be moved if the Blues decide to dangle one of their players.

David Backes

#42 / Right Wing / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-3

Weight: 216

Born: May 01, 1984

G A P +/- PIM

2009 - David Backes 4 6 10 1 38

David Backes, RW: The Blues thought highly enough of Backes to match Vancouver's RFA offer to him before last season, agreeing to overpay him to the tune of $2.5 million a year. Backes paid back the Blues in spades last year with his 31-goal effort and his nightly physical domination. He became known as Chuck Norris around these parts and it was justly deserved.

But is he tradeable today? Backes' slow start made him an early candidate for consideration in a shake up trade, but his six points in his last four games has made him an even more potent trading piece. If the Blues were to trade Backes it would definitely shake up the roster and send the message that no one here is untouchable, but giving up on the 25-year-old could end up being seriously short-sighted. The return might be great, but what of the loss? Have we seen the top of Backes' game or is he just getting started?

Patrik Berglund

#21 / Center / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-4

Weight: 187

Born: Jun 02, 1988

G A P +/- PIM

2009 - Patrik Berglund 3 2 5 -4 2

Patrik Berglund, C: The former first rounder from 2006 enjoyed a great rookie season, becoming coveted around the league for his 21 goals and 47 points in 76 games, despite playing in twice as many games as he ever had in a season previously. This season, however, has been the epitome of the sophomore slump for the young TechnoViking. He is on pace for just 11 goals and 18 points. His minus-4 stands out when compared to his solid plus-19 from last year.

Is he tradeable? Certainly. Would it be shocking? Absolutely. Would it be giving up on a talent who has not reached his final height yet? Probably. Depending on the return that could be gotten back, Berglund could find himself the target of a "needs a change of scenery" trade.

Brad Boyes

#22 / Right Wing / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-0

Weight: 195

Born: Apr 17, 1982

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Brad Boyes	6	9	15	-5	2

Brad Boyes, C/RW: In his short NHL career, Boyes has bounced from Toronto to San Jose to Boston to St. Louis. His talent is evident as he has scored 43 and 33 goals over the last two seasons, but his streaky nature and perceived lack of hard work has kept him on the move. He is on pace for 29 goals this year, despite a recent streak of nine points in his last 10 games. At just 27 years old, he is still an NHL commodity and would surely find suitors if he were on the Blues' trade block.

But can the Blues trade a guy who one could argue is the only real sniper on the team? The last person to score 33 goals in the Bluenote was Tkachuk in 2003-04. The last to score 43 was Brett Hull in 1995-96. Yes, Brett Hull. In 1996. He'd likely draw some talent back to the team, but scoring, even if it is streaky, is not a strength from which the Blues have a deep well to deal.

Eric Brewer

#4 / Defenseman / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-3

Weight: 222

Born: Apr 17, 1979

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Eric Brewer	1	2	3	-8	11

Eric Brewer, D: Calm down, boo-birds. Yes, Brewer might find himself atop many fans' Trade Now lists, but the Robot Captain seems to still be respected within the organization. His statistics continue to track along his career normal, in that area around 20-29 points, but his glaring minus-8 will keep the fans letting him know, "Brewer You Suck!"

If he hadn't missed a calendar year of hockey with various knee and back surgeries and if he wasn't currently on the shelf with another 'lower body' injury, Brewer might have some value. But add to those red flags his current contract of $4.5 million for this year and next and it's unlikely Brewer is going anywhere anytime soon.

Carlo Colaiacovo

#28 / Defenseman / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-1

Weight: 200

Born: Jan 27, 1983

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Carlo Colaiacovo	2	7	9	0	17

Carlo Colaiacovo, D: The beneficiary of last year's "change of scenery" trade, Colaiacovo has revived his career in St. Louis. The offensive defenseman, who never put up more than 24 points in an NHL season before, finished last year with 30 and is on pace for even more points this season, his contract year. He remains haunted by the injury bug, though he managed to play a career-high 73 games last season.

If the Blues think he can be re-signed and continue to be productive in a leading role for the team (he is only 26 now), he won't be traded. If they think he'll be squeezed out by upcoming defenders, Colaiacovo could be a prime trading piece.

Ty Conklin

#29 / Goalie / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-0

Weight: 184

Born: Mar 30, 1976

	GP	MIN	W	L	T	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2009 - Ty Conklin	7	386	3	2			15	2.33	204	189	.926	1

Ty Conklin, G: Conklin has only been with the team for this season and played only seven games. he's been solid and (most importantly for a goalie) uncontroversial in the back-up goal. He fills a serious need for the team and he's paid appropraitely for this year and next.

There's no shock value to shake up the roster by trading Conklin and any trade involving him immediately opens a hole that has to be filled.

B.J. Crombeen

#26 / Right Wing / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-2

Weight: 212

Born: Jul 10, 1985

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - B.J. Crombeen	1	3	4	2	63

B.J. Crombeen, RW: The Beej has a very specific role on this team and depending on the night, he either plays it well by hitting and checking and making life a nightmare for the opposition, or he decides he's needed on the ice and puts himself on the ice for a too-many-men penalty. Basically, he's a role player who can chip in some points and allow older fans to boast that they remember when his dad played here.

Trading B.J. wouldn't be much of a blow to the team. Some might say that it sucks, but not too many fans or players would choke on the trade if it were made. There wouldn't be much of a return on a B.J. trade either because most people would see him as a starter, not the main event in any exchange.

Barret Jackman

#5 / Defenseman / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-0

Weight: 203

Born: Mar 05, 1981

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Barret Jackman	0	4	4	5	13

Barret Jackman, D: The World's Angriest Defender (TM), owner of the best You're An Idiot (R) look in the NHL, Jackman is an original Blue, drafted in the first round back in 1999. He has had to re-learn the game as a defensive defenseman after the new rules were implemented after the lockout. Despite his inexplicable role as "the guy we hate when Brewer is out of the lineup", Jackman plays a steady if unspectacular game and while he has seen time on the power play during the less-offesnive days, he clearly doesn't relish the offensive role and is happier defending his own net.

Jackman's trade would definitely shake up the team and the fanbase, though the return would not be terribly flashy due to his unflashy role and large contract ($4.5 million this year and next, $3.5 million in 2011-12).

Cam Janssen

#55 / Right Wing / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-0

Weight: 210

Born: Apr 15, 1984

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Cam Janssen	0	0	0	-1	50

Cam Janssen, RW: It's almost superfluous to put Janssen's position in this description as all it does is designate where he lines up on face-offs. The local boy gone pro, Cam Smash, King of Eureka, spends his entire shift running around the rink looking for someone to run into or to punch. St. Louisans love their home-town products and Janssen is no exception. He plays a specific role and with his better skating and durability than heavyweight fighter D.J. King, Janssen has been useful to the team. Also, did we mention that the fans love him?

While his game has gotten better since he arrived here in February 2008, Janssen could be traded. The return would be low and the biggest shake up it would cause would be down I-55 south of 44, where they still need every body they can get to fill sandbags come spring.

Erik Johnson

#6 / Defenseman / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-4

Weight: 219

Born: Mar 21, 1988

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Erik Johnson	4	14	18	6	16

Erik Johnson, D: Despite missing all of last year to a golf cart jousting incident (allegedly), the Eeeej leads the team in scoring, changes the way teams have to prepare for the Blues' attack, does a mean Napoleon Dynamite impression, isn't afraid to get down with your girlfriend in your car in Al MacInnis' driveway (allegedly) and is likely going to stage some sweet raid on Oshie's condo at some point to get his Elmo hat back.

How do you spell 'franchise'? Not sure, but it definitely has an E and a J in it. This kid isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Paul Kariya

#9 / Left Wing / St. Louis Blues

Height: 5-10

Weight: 180

Born: Oct 16, 1974

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Paul Kariya	6	5	11	4	12

Paul Kariya, LW: We owe Paul Kariya a bit of an apology. earlier this year we said something to the effect of, "The next time Paul Kariya takes a hit to make a play with be the first." Since that time, Kariya, who must have heard our admonishment through cyberspace, has been offering up his tiny, waif-like body to make plays. And, thankyouverymuch, it has resulted in Kariya's point totals rising, with points in each of the last three games.

Kariya is still on pace for a terrible offensive year, but that isn't the only reason that trading Kariya is a tough task. In fact there are 6 million reasons that other teams don't want to deal for Kariya. That hefty price tag, small offensive output and the final months of a contract owed to a notorious mercenary when it comes to free agency (just ask Anaheim, Colorado and Nashville) combine for a perfect storm of "hell no, we don't have interest in Kariya" among the rest of the NHL teams.

Chris Mason

#50 / Goalie / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-0

Weight: 195

Born: Apr 20, 1976

	GP	MIN	W	L	T	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2009 - Chris Mason	19	1129	7	8			43	2.29	557	514	.923	0

Chris Mason, G: Mason is the goalie. He's not winning enough games because he's not getting enough help from the rest of the team. His personal stats are great (eighth in GAA and seventh in save percentage) and that's tough to do on a struggling team.

Trading Mason would happen if only one of two things were happening: 1. Tha Canucks called and said, "How about Luongo for that Mason fella straight up?" or 2. The Blues called a press conference and announced, "Screw this year, we love drafting high."

Jay McClement

#18 / Center / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-1

Weight: 201

Born: Mar 02, 1983

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Jay McClement	4	4	8	0	6

Jay McClement, C: Silent Jay, one of the original members of the Blues' post-lockout Kid Line (along with the traded Stempniak), has developed into a legitimate Selke candidate right before our eyes. His even plus/minus is all the more impressive when considering that he sees most of his minutes against other team's top lines. McClement is also locked up for two years after this season to a reasonable contract ($1.45 million per). Plus, his stock photo looks like he has a skelton's grin, which is awesome.

McClement's trade would shock the locker room more than the fans, especially casual fans who too often overlook his quiet, workmanlike contributions to team success. His contract, work ethic and skill set make him a perfect add for an opposing team. His trade wouldn't bring back the intangibles he adds. It could happen, but it would likely be shortsighted.

Andy McDonald

#10 / Center / St. Louis Blues

Height: 5-11

Weight: 183

Born: Aug 25, 1977

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Andy McDonald	6	8	14	-2	2

Andy McDonald, C: McDonald is struggling offensively this year but everyone has seen what he can do with the puck when he starts running hot. Plus, the Blues just locked him up for another three years after this year at an average of $4.7 million a year.

Trading McDonald would be the Blues saying that they made a mistake with a big contract and are having buyers' remorse. Which would put them on the 'sell low' end of the negotiations, the bad end to be on. The trade wouldn't shock fans or the locker room and the return would be less than impressive.

T.J. Oshie

#74 / Center / St. Louis Blues

Height: 5-11

Weight: 170

Born: Dec 23, 1986

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - T.J. Oshie	4	9	13	1	10

T.J. Oshie, C/W: Oshie only seems like he's in a the throes of a sophomore slump because his rookie season took the city by storm. Young Mister Furnace Face scored the NHL.com goal of the year, blew up Rick Nash so badly (twice) that the fans coined the phrase "Oshied", got voted by someone to be his or her mayor in an actual election and had his name chanted by over 19,000 people on multiple occasions last year. By comparison, a second season where he only tallies 50 points would seem like a let down.

Last year, even suggesting that Oshie be traded would be reason enough to go into Salman Rushdie-like hiding for a writer. This year, it would be like suggesting that Anheuser-Busch is better off being owned by a foreign company like Inbev. It's still fighting words in most places, but in others, well, whatever, they just drink Schlafly anyway. Which isn't to say that Oshie's trade wouldn't shock the team and the fans, beacause it certainly would. The problem is that Oshie can score, but his intangibles are worth at least as much as his points, so the return on him wouldn't match what the team would give up.

David Perron

#57 / Left Wing / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-0

Weight: 180

Born: May 28, 1988

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - David Perron	9	7	16	-1	14

David Perron, LW: Perron leads the team in goals, works his poutine-loving ass off on every shift (doing a great rookie Oshie impression) and has an early nod for selection for this year's NHL.com goal of the year. Despite what has happened between Perron and the coach in the past, he is newly mature and coming into his own. And he's only 21.

Despite the fact that he's coming into a contract year and will certainly be looking for a huge pay increase this summer, the day a competing general manager picks up his phone to learn that the Blues are calling to offer Perron in a trade is that GM's best day ever. David Perron is untradeable at this point, no matter the return (sort of insanity, which can happen in the NHL) because of his ceiling.

Alex Pietrangelo

#27 / Defenseman / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-3

Weight: 206

Born: Jan 18, 1990

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Alex Pietrangelo	1	1	2	-9	6

Alex Pietrangelo, D: There's a rule in hockey that goes something like this: goalies hit their stride and their prime later than any other position. Defensemen hit their stride and their prime earlier than goalies, but still not until later in their careers. Forwards can be thrown into the league earliest at all because creativity, speed and their shot can compensate for other factors.

Pietrangelo isn't playing enough in the NHL for most observers and he's got nothing left to learn in junior, but that hardly makes him prime trade bait. The fourth overall selection from just last year going on the trade block would garner a ton of calls from around the league, but the fact is that the offers would almost always be "you take our busting project for your young defenseman who isn't playing anyway".

Roman Polak

#46 / Defenseman / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-1

Weight: 227

Born: Apr 28, 1986

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Roman Polak	2	4	6	6	22

Roman Polak, D: He's 23, he's locked up for this year and next for a little over a million bucks each, plays solid defense, can contribute offensively and is fast enough to rush the puck and get back to protect his own zone. He's quiet and unheralded and he's the Jay McClement of the defense. Plus, his fake Twitter account is awesome. As is farting in teammate's helmets.

The shock value is high, his replacement is fairly easy considering the Pietrangelo, Junland, Rundblad, Cole pipeline and the return on him would likely be comparable, if not exactly earth-shattering.

Alexander Steen

#20 / Left Wing / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-1

Weight: 205

Born: Mar 01, 1984

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Alexander Steen	1	1	2	-1	6

Alexander Steen, LW: Steen has been a staple on the McClement line almost since his arrival in St. Louis and he has also shown flashes of the offense that caused him to be drafted in the first round by Toronto back in 2002. But unlike his trade-mate Colaiacovo, Steen hasn't exactly made himself a more desired commodity around the NHL. he plays an important role for the team, but his role can be filled by plenty of similar players in Peoria who would love the opportunity.

No one nose what value Steen might have around the NHL, but we smell a boring trade if he's the tip of any deal because he's at the end of his contract and has likely reached his beak.

Darryl Sydor

#44 / Defenseman / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-1

Weight: 211

Born: May 13, 1972

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Darryl Sydor	0	4	4	6	10

Darryl Sydor, D: Sydor's best days are well behind him. He's lucky that he happens to have a skill set that allows him to be paid premium dollars (a cool million for this season) to act as 'mentor' and not really be expected produce much offensively. Sydor's only value in trade would be at the deadline as a depth/veteran presence guy. As for shock value in trading Sydor at this point, it's unlikely there would be much shake up in the locker room after the initial "I couldn't believe he took Pronger's number in the first place" discussion.

Keith Tkachuk

#7 / Center / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-2

Weight: 232

Born: Mar 28, 1972

G A P +/- PIM

2009 - Keith Tkachuk 5 8 13 -3 22

Keith Tkachuk, LW/C: The days of trading Tkachuk for a big return are probably long gone. If the trade deadline were looming, there might be a ~~sucker~~ general manager or two out there who might still fall for the siren song of "big body, proven goal scorer, veteran presence" for their playoff run, but as for a trade today, there won't be many takers around the NHL.

Tkachuk is on a short, NHL-cheap contract and does have a strong locker room presence... which is exactly why the Blues want him and will be unlikely to trade him. It'd shake up the roster, but the return at this point wouldn't be worth the exchange.

Mike Weaver

#43 / Defenseman / St. Louis Blues

Height: 5-9

Weight: 182

Born: May 02, 1978

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Mike Weaver	0	1	1	5	8

Mike Weaver, D: Small but steady, Weaver doesn't get mentioned much because he is a defensive defenseman who does his job effectively. Not being mentioned much is a compliment for defensive defenseman.

As for trade value, Weaver has virtually none. There'd be little shock value to the team due to his journeyman status and zero shock value to the fans (have you ever seen a Weaver 43 jersey worn by a fan?) and the return would be the definition of infinitesimal.

Brad Winchester

#15 / Left Wing / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-5

Weight: 228

Born: Mar 01, 1981

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Brad Winchester	0	2	2	1	24

Brad Winchester, LW: It's hard to believe that a guy who stands 6'5 tall and weighs nearly 230 pounds could ever be described as invisible, but Winchester has done just that and in the process has proven how a guy who is taken 35th overall in the NHL draft (2000) can muster only 200 NHL games and 36 points in the following nine years.

Yeah, this is about trade value and shake up of the roster, neither of which describe Winchester.

***************************************

So where does that leave the Blues if they are looking to make a trade? Here are our best guesses, by category.

Untradeable Due To Value:

These guys aren't going anywhere because they are too important to the team now and/or in the future.

Erik Johnson. If the trade documents came to the NHL offices, even those numbskulls would void it based on sheer stupidity. Wayne Gretzky got traded, sure, but not when he was 21 and the best player on his team.
Chris Mason. What do you need the second you trade Chris Mason? A top-10 ranked starting netminder. Whoops!
Jay McClement. Much like Mason, if you trade McClement, you suddenly need a guy just like McClement.
T.J. Oshie. Oshie's intangibles outweigh anything the team would get for him unless some other GM was eating peyote and then firing up the Blackberry to offer up some ridiculous package for the kid. The P.R. hit alone would making trading the Teej a huge mistake.
David Perron. The kid will be worth three first round draft picks to some RFA-contract-offering idiot this summer, so if the Blues are willing to lose an emerging talent like Frenchie, they should wait until then to do it.

Untradeable Due To Lack Of Value:

These guys aren't going anywhere because the return is too small.

Eric Brewer. The Robot is too broken and expensive to warrant interest from another team.
Paul Kariya. It isn't 1996 anymore. Kariya costs too much, is too close to unrestricted free agency and is producing far too few points to be of any interest to any but the drunkest of general managers.
Andy McDonald. We have no doubt that McDonald will be valuable again one day, but right now he too closely resembles the guy who was easily required for a virtually worthless Doug Weight two seasons ago.

Untradeable Due To Role:

Unless these guys are a problem in the locker room, and there's no reason to think they are, no possible advantage can be gained from trading them.

Ty Conklin. This guy gets traded and has to immediately be replaced by a guy who plays like him, gets paid like him and has the same demeanor as him.
Cam Janssen. Add in the hometown bump you get for having this guy in the lineup, the team would have to get something special to let go of the P.R. advantage Janssen brings. No GM in the league is about to overpay for Janssen.

Could Be Traded For Low Impact:

These guys could get traded, but the return will be small and the shock to the team won't likely be enough to cause significant change.

B.J. Crombeen. Swapping a role player for a mid-to-late pick or another role player isn't going to have the impact the team is looking to get. Plus, why ruin a whole season of blow job jokes if you don't have to?
Alex Steen. The worst thing that can happen to a player is to get injured and then have someone step into your role and make everyone forget you were gone. Steen has played 11 games this year. Seems high, doesn't it?
Darryl Sydor. "Oh no! They traded a 37-year-old depth defenseman they brought in for one year and would have been gone in six months anyway! I guess they are serious; anyone can be traded!"
Mike Weaver. Seriously, how many people really know Mike Weaver is on the team right now anyway? Impact of trading him: all of his immediate family have to update their mailing address for him. As if anyone mails anything anymore.
Brad Winchester: "So we have an offer for 228 pounds worth of hockey pucks. We lose maybe one more fight but we do save about $200 in souvenir costs."

Are You Kidding Me? Seriously. Are You Kidding Me?:

You want shock value? You want some return on your exchange? These are the guys the management and staff are going to argue about trading and the guys who, if traded, would make you call your friends liars when they told you about the trade.

David Backes. Sure, he's struggling. Sure he gets paid a lot for a guy his age. Sure it's been a long time since anyone here has vehemently compared him to Chuck Norris. But general managers in the NHL aren't as easily freaked out by slow starts as fans are. If Backes were made available, the list of teams with nice offers in hand would be long. Trading Backes shakes up the team, nets a good return and lets everyone know that no one is safe. The downside is that he almost certainly becomes a monster and regularly returns to haunt his former team.
Brad Boyes. Most fantasy hockey guys will tell you that the second you trade a great player you immediatley make yourself believe he was never on your team. Boyes can be streaky and frustrating and may always leave you wanting more, but when he's on your team he's a guy that can change a game. Trading him likely brings a nice return, scares the other players into focus and makes all of us go fantasy GM and pretend he never played here, because he's got at least a couple more great scoring seasons ahead of him.
Patrik Berglund. In five years we'll know what we had in Patrik Berglund. He's no Peter Forsberg, but is he going to become the shifty Swedish version of Pavel Datsyuk? Or is he on the fast track to becoming our next Jim Campbell? If he gets traded and blossoms into the slick playmaker with a nasty power play one-timer that we saw in glimpses next year, we'll be tasting our own vomit for the next 10-15 years. If he becomes the next great suburban Mite coach, we'll be applauding his trade like we used to talk about the Christer Olsson for Pavol Demitra deal.
Alex Pietrangelo. Classic giving up too early trade. The kid is 19-years-old and if not for a bout of mono in his draft year could have been drafted before Drew Doughty and Zach Begosian. If he goes away the Blues are counting on Jonas Junland or David Rundblad, both high-risk, power play specialist type of players, to round out their game and fill his spot as they swap him for a slumping scorer of comparable value like Columbus' Nikita Filatov.

On The Block:

These are the guys whose age, reputation, contracts and shake up value to the current roster make them the most likely players to become 'former Blues' should the team decide to go that way.

Carlo Colaiacovo. The guy is young and stepping into his game, but the crunch on the blueline, his contract status and injury history makes him a prime candidate to get dangled out there. His ceiling is probably ahead of him, but he's expendable from a P.R. standpoint, a talent standpoint and in terms of return.
Barret Jackman. This would be even more shocking than the trade of Stempniak last year, but his contract and the depth of the Blues' defensive pipeline makes this a 'head' move more than a 'heart' move. The return would likely be good, too, as Jackman's reputation around the league is excellent.
Roman Polak. How different is Roman Polak today from Dennis Wideman back when he was traded for Brad Boyes? When considering the current and future depth on the blueline, if the Blues could trade Polak today for another streaky sniper do you think they'd do it? Yeah, us too.
Keith Tkachuk. He's the vet with the good story because his family lives here and everyone sees him around town, but he's been rumored to be in the middle of more than one split locker room in his time as a pro. Sending Tkachuk away shocks the Blues' system, forces a younger guy to step up and likely results in a decent return. Short of a no-trade clause we don't know about, it could happen.

******************************

Trade rumors are always a risky proposition and the saying goes that when a team is struggling it's easier to change out one guy (the coach) than a whole team, the Blues have proved in the past that they're willing to change out one player to shake up the others.

Will this year be any different?

Tuesday Links: Who is R.J. Umberger and how did he score three goals edition

averagejoe — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:00:26 -0000

In my mind, the Blues should never lose to the Blue Jackets. Ever.

Blues news

Some dude named R.J. Umberger, whose name I can't hear without thinking of the Pink Panther saying Hamburger thanks to Brad Lee, scored a hat trick. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
The Blues didn't win last night, but they did injure someone. [Associated Press]
Killa Cam Janssen is not a fan of linesman breaking up fights. [Vancouver Sun]
The Blues explain why Jonas Junland, and not Alex Pietrangelo got the call with Carlo Colaiacovo on the shelf. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
Speaking of Pietrangelo, there is a good chance he's going to play in the World Juniors. [CBC]
While the Blues are still not playing like they did last year, they have been playing better since Dave Checketts went off. [Belleville News-Democrat]
Andy Murray is on the hot seat. [Fanhouse]

Hockey news

Lots of action on Monday. [Yahoo! Sports]
Just four games for Tuesday. [Yahoo! Sports]
Ketih Ballard: Moron. Don't hit you own goalie with a baseball swing. [Puck Daddy]
Alex Ovechkin is, yet again, involved in a questionable play. Does he become the new Chris Pronger — the star who still gets disciplined? [Puck Daddy]
The Hockey Commissioners' Association will host the Ice Breaker Tournament in Oct. 2010. [Sports Illustrated]
Long live Jean-Sebatian Giguere. [Anaheim Calling]
A look at the Brian Burke Era after year No. 1. [TSN]

Other links

From NatetheGreat.: Hungry? Here's where you should go eat. [Consumerist]
It's Christmas Flash Games! [FHM]
Finally, Poor College Student comes through with the eBay find of the ~~day~~ month: A Blues Frankenjersey. I remember seeing this in stores. Ghastly. [eBay]

Video

Cam Janssen likes to fight. D.J. King, when he's not hurt likes to fight. What happens when they fight each other?

gametimelinks(at)gmail.com

How The Blues Should Select The Final Two Defensemen

Brad Lee — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:00:25 -0000

As far as we can tell the Blues are down to their pick of four defensemen for two spots on their roster to start the season. There has been some speculation the Blues have made their decision. When they tell the players their fate, they should spice it up. They could even broadcast it.

With that in mind, we now present Andy Murray, the Bachelor Coach looking for the two defensemen that will complete his roster...and his life.

I'd like to give you this rose as a token of my roster spot I have just for you.

Andy Murray: Well men, it's down to you four: Jonas Junland, Alex Pietrangelo, Tyson Strachan and Darryl Sydor. Two of you will be sent away, shut out of my heart until someone gets hurt or pisses me off. And two of you...two of you will get these roses and join me on the roster of the 2009-10 St. Louis Blues.

Now I know we've had some quality time together taking a steam in the sauna, having pizza at the postgame buffet and many other moments where I was either hoarsely yelling at you or patting you on your ass. I've formed a bond with all of you. Each individual has performed well during the immunity challenges, especially after we joined the tribes. Let me run down how I think you men have touched...my hockey team.

Young Jonas, I've told you I enjoy watching with the scouts the tape late at night of those young teens in Sweden do their thing. You remind me of those nights. I've seen your potential. I like your instincts, you have a heavy shot and you could man the point on my power play some day soon. But there's the language barrier. I tell you we're going to skate laps for 7.2 minutes and you look at me like I said "We're going to skate laps for a couple minutes. However long you want, you lovable skamps!" So that communication barrier, it's just too much right now. Try Rosetta Stone. I'm sorry, but the Tribe has spoken, you are the weakest link. Enjoy Peoria. Again.

(Junland drops his head, skates off the ice muttering something about terrible tasting herring in Peoria)

Alex. You were our first round draft pick a year ago. We gave you a chance to make the team last fall with a tryout, but as we both know you were still too young and raw to make the jump. So back to Juniors you went. And now here we are a year later, you're almost not a teenager any more. You're a man, but are you the man to patrol my blue line? I don't think we've seen the extent of your potential with the puck and in your own end. I've liked your skating ability, your vision on the ice and your effort. Alex, I love your effort.

I just don't know. You're young. We're not going to always get along. I listen to CCR, you lisent to Coheed and Cambria. There will be nights I'll hate you. Other nights I'll just want to hold you tight and keep the Todd Bertuzzis of the world away. I think I might come to resent asking this...but Alex Pietrangelo, will you take this rose and continue to rock my world? Will you be my sixth defenseman?

(Young Pietrangelo nods, skates forward and engages in a long, passionate hug with his coach before skating toward the Blues' dressing room.)

Well Darryl and Tyson, you can see I have just one rose left. One of you will join me in the dressing room, the other will hit the road. Tyson, you brute. You're big, you're scruffy, you like to drop the gloves. In our end, you bang with the best of them. You like to play the body hard in the corner making it tough on the other team. They are all the kinds of qualities I'm looking for in a defenseman. But your skills with the puck leave something to be desired. I lived with Jay McKee on my team and he treated the puck like a grenade with the pin pulled. So I can probably look past it, but you would learn new curse word combination because of it.

Darryl, you know I like a veteran presence in the dressing room, on the team plane, in the tight confines on the bench, buying Perron beer at the hotel bar. I like to know I don't have to teach a guy how to shift the defensive assignments around as the puck goes bhind the net and how the defensemen are the key to getting the puck into the offensive zone. But damn, you're an old man. I didn't have any gray hair when you joined the league more than a decade and a half ago. How man freaking teams were in the league when you joined? But I told you the other night in the wirlpool that I wouldn't hold you gray chest hairs against you.

This has been one of the hardest choices I've had to make during my tenure as head coach of the St. Louis Blues. I think I can be happy with either of you...but I will give my final rose to...Darryl. Will you be my seventh defenseman?

(Sydor wipes his eyes, gives Strachan a consolation hug and then skates toward a weepy Murray.)

I'm sorry Tyson. If Weaver sucks, I'll e-mail you a rose in Peoria.

(Murray and Sydor skate toward the dressing room as the arena lights fade to black...leaving the only the sounds of a sobbing Tyson Strachan.)

Blues' Training Camp Roster

gallagher — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 14:00:27 -0000

Camp opens today with some basic on-ice work starting at 11 am at the rink at The Mills. The whole schedule can be viewed at the Blues' site and if past experiences are any indicator, expect all of these open practices to be packed to the rafters. The team has invited 58 players to the camp and that number will likely be culled very quickly as the first pre-season game is Tuesday and the regular season team will be jetting off to Sweden in just a couple weeks.

We'll update this list as players are released, returned to their junior squads or sent to Peoria.

Centers:

Derek Armstrong: Recently signed after six seasons in Los Angeles, the Andy Murray-favorite is playing for an NHL job.

Patrik Berglund: Clearly has a spot on the team, he'll be playing to determine his role on the top two lines and power play unit.

Nicholas Drazenovic: The 22-year-old Blues draft pick is trying to break through the AHL/NHL bubble.

Lars Eller: The former first rounder is hoping to make the NHL team

Jay McClement: Silent Jay has locked down the title of "Franchise Checking Center" and the job is his to lose for the forseeable future.

Andy McDonald: NHLer who has the top line job unless he fails to impress.

Philip McRae: Blues second rounder looking to impress for the future.

Cam Paddock: A 26-year-old AHLer who got a cup of coffee here last year and is looking to make sure his name is considered for call-up if the need arrives.

Brett Sonne: High-profile draftee who is looking to impress.

Yan Stastny: Riding the AHL/NHL bubble, Stastny needs to break out of the pack of similar players on the roster if he wants to get out of Peoria.

Julian Talbot: The 24-year-old AHLer will be trying to turn heads for a possible call-up.

Keith Tkachuk: NHLer who we still can't believe is lining up at center after only 16 years as an NHL left wing.

Number of NHL jobs available at center: Zero (McDonald, Berglund, McClement, Tkachuk). Position changes will be necessary for someone else to make the roster.

Potential to upset the list: Armstrong, a noted Murray favorite. Eller, if not for recently-diagnosed mononucleosis, would have had a shot.

Right Wings:

David Backes: David Backes is all that is man. After his breakout 31-goal campaign, he's playing for top-line consideration.

Brad Boyes: Will we hear again this year that Boyes' goal is to hit the net more rather than trying to pick corners and missing the goal completely? Because that's what we really want to hear. Again.

Adam Cracknell: The 24-year-old free agent signee has bounced around the AHL and ECHL since being drafted in the 9th round by Cal and Gary back in 2004.

B.J. Crombeen: The Beej is playing to determine his role; would have to pass through waivers to go to Peoria.

Cam Janssen: NHLer whose role probably needs to be better defined. Is he competing with DJ King or will they both stay on the roster?

James Livingston: 2008 draftee (3rd round) who has no more junior eligibility and is playing to make the Rivermen.

Aaron Palushaj: 2007 second rounder who has impressed at every turn and is playing to put his name in the mouths of the NHL coaching staff.

Ryan Reaves: 2005 fifth rounder is playing for a job in Peoria.

Tyler Shattock: Fourth rounder from this summer in his first camp with the Blues, he's likely on the ECHL/AHL bubble.

Number of NHL jobs available at right wing: Zero (Backes, Boyes, Crombeen, Janssen). Position changes will be necessary for someone else to make the roster.

Potential to upset the list: Palushaj. Likely a Peoria stud this year, he has excelled at every level since being drafted, including the recent Prospect Tournament in Traverse City.

Left Wings:

Paul Kariya: On the roster.

D.J. King: The question is what roles he and Cam Janssen will be given. Will they fight for one job? Can both make the team?

Mitch Love: Undrafted 25-year-old AHL/ECHL veteran on a tryout with the team.

T.J. Oshie: Just a question of what line the Teej is playing on come opening day. Will he get power play time? Penalty kill?

Anthony Peluso: 2007 sixth rounder playing for the first time on a professional team. Will it be in Alaska or Peoria?

David Perron: NHLer playing to determine his role. Likely to get power play time this year as well.

Chris Porter: The 25-year-old got six games in a Bluenote last year and will be looking to impress for consideration for call-up from the AHL if needed.

Alexander Steen: NHLer who is either a great checking line forward or who still has potential to become a scoring line winger (though that would likely have to be on another team).

Barry Tallackson: Former Golden Gopher with 20 NHL games on his resume, recently-signed Tallackson is likely Peoria-bound.

Brad Winchester: Recently re-signed, a spot on the NHL team his his to lose.

Number of NHL jobs available at left wing: Two less than zero (Kariya, King, Oshie, Perron, Steen, Winchester).

Potential to upset the list: None.

Defense:

Brendan Bell: Recently signed free agent with 101 NHL games played, he'll be playing for one of the available NHL jobs on the blueline.

Eric Brewer: Captain Roboto is not ready to play due to his knee and back surgeries. His absence leaves a a job opening.

Carlo Colaiacovo: An NHL job is his to lose, as is his spot on the power play.

Mark Cundari: Playing for his first professional job, though that's likely either in Peoria or Alaska.

T.J. Fast: 2005 second rounder will likely be back in Peoria this year.

Justin Fletcher: At 26, an AHL mainstay.

Alexander Hellstrom: Dancing the ECHL/AHL line.

Barret Jackman: NHLer who will likely, thankfully, lose his power play time this year.

Erik Johnson: NHLer with something to prove. Let's see him prove it.

Jonas Junland: has an outside shot at an NHL job, but would have to really impress.

Bryce Lampman: Welcome to the AHL, Bryce. At least it's not the KHL like last year, right? Free agent signee, the 27-year-old has 10 NHL games, zero points and a minus-5.

Alex Pietrangelo: Due to his juniors-or-NHL-only situation, he'll get a very long look to make the Blues.

Roman Polak: NHLer who will be battling for time on the power play and penalty kill.

Brett Ponich: Second rounder from this summer who was a big off-the-board pick is on the ECHL/AHL bubble.

Danny Richmond: 2003 second rounder of the Blackhawks, the window is closing on Richmond's NHL dream. A perfect camp will be required to avoid going to Peoria.

Tyson Strachan: Fairly impressive in limited NHL service last year, Strachan has an outside chance at one of the available jobs on the Blues' defensive corps.

Darryl Sydor: Cup-winner (Lightning, Stars) veteran of 17 NHL seasons, Sydor is in camp on a tryout and likely has a good chance at winning a job due to Brewer's injury. Unsigned, however, means he could receive an offer from any other team at any time.

Ryan Turek: 2006 fourth rounder, Turek is on the Alaska/Peoria bubble.

Adrian Veideman: A 26-year-old on a tryout who is so far off the grid that not even TSN's exhaustive list has info on him. At first, we thought the Blues had invited the World's Smartest Man to camp. Which would be cool, except that we'd rather have Rorschach on the roster than that fucking prima donna Ozymandias.

Steve Wagner: Look, we're big fans of Dancin' Stevie Wagner, but he's definitely on the outside looking in on the battle for an open spot on the pro roster. He'll likely be a late cut, sent back to Peoria.

Mike Weaver: The journeyman NHLer is nonetheless, an NHLer. A solid depth defenseman who is remarkably effective on the penalty kill, Monkey Arms is on the Blues roster unless he inexplicably implodes during camp.

Number of NHL jobs available on defense: Two (Colaiacovo, Jackman, Johnson, Polak, Weaver; with Brewer on IR).

Most likely to win the jobs (in order of likelihood): Sydor, Pietrangelo, Bell.

Outside shots: Strachan, Junland, Fast.

Goaltenders:

Jake Allen: The latest goalie in the Blues' system to carry the mantle of "The Future In Net," Allen will have to wait for the future to take the ice in St. Louis.

Ben Bishop: It's all but official that Bishop will be the starter in Peoria, gaining minutes, experience and training under the bleary, semi-watchful eyes of new goaltending consultant Eddie Belfour. A man, not insignificantly, who was probably serenaded by a younger Ben Bishop in a chorus of "Beeeelllllllll-Fooooooouuuuuuur!" chants. Weird.

Ty Conklin: The summer signee de facto backup NHLer. Will he be content to be the designated door-opener or is he going to push for the starter's job? You know, like last year's back-up, Weird Beard Mason, did to last year's starter Manny Legace....

Sebastian Dahm: On a tryout, we hope Dahm does a sweet Sebastian Bach impression. There are jobs available in the organization and this Dane would probably like one of them.

Chris Mason: The Starter. Is he going to be as unreal as he was down the stretch last year or will he start looking over his shoulder with Conklin in the fold?

Hannu Toivonen: Not a typo. When Ears exploded a couple years ago and fled to Europe we all figured that would be the last we'd see of the Finn. But he's back and he's hoping to re-start his NHL career. At just 25 years of age, we suppose it's possible. But we're skeptical. And gunshy.

Number of NHL jobs available in goal: Zero (Mason, Conklin). Bishop will be the starter in peoria and the guy called up if injuries occur.

Potential to upset the list: None. Too much money is invested in the top two guys and too much icetime will be given to Bishop and Allen at their respective levels to change this list.

If you're going to the practices and looking for a more statistical breakdown, print out the official Blues roster of the event.

Some Stuff To Pass The Time

Marcus E Pettersson — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:55:25 -0000

Not much hockey news coming out of St. Louis (or anywhere else, really), so I thought I'd contribute a bit with a some translated stuff. Swedish sports site svenskafans.com recently published short interviews with Blues prospects Jonas Junland and Lars Eller. Both hoping to make the team out of camp. We'll see how they do in just a few weeks. In the meantime, here's something to read for us poor hockey-starved people.

Jonas Junland during his days as a Swedish Elite League player.

First, here's Jonas Junland:

Link to original article (in Swedish).

You have lived in the U.S. for a year now. What kind of city i St. Louis, and how do you spend your time when you're not playing hockey?
--I think St. Louis is a great city, maybe a little too big but there's always something to do. I've also spent a lot of time in Peoria which isn't as fun. When I'm not training I play golf and go shopping, I find it relaxing.

You just bought a Chevrolet Tahoe. What's it like to cruise around in one of those?
--I'm very pleased with my new car. Maybe it's a little too big, but I need it since I have a big dog that needs room. It's a Chihuahua [laughs].

Your first season in the AHL and you got to play in the All Star Game. Compare the AHL to the Swedish Elite League.
--There are some differences, definitely. I think skill-wise that the SEL is better, at least individually. But the tempo is definitely higher in the AHL. Plus, you have to learn the North American style to be a good player over here, and the AHL is perfect for that.

Which other players in Peoria have been impressive and could get call-ups to the Blues?
--There's a whole bunch of players who has a shot at making the Blues, but it's really hard. I think Ben Bishop and Cam Paddock are among those with a good shot.

What are your thoughts on getting a spot on the Blues line-up, and how will you approach playing in Peoria another season?
--I think as little as possible about that, but of course I'll give it everything to get a spot with the Blues. If it's back to Peoria for me, I'll deal with that then.

Eric Brewer is the Blues captain, but often Keith Tkachuk is mentioned as the big leader on the team. How is it, and what is Tkachuk like?
--I don't really know about who's the leader of the team, but Keith is a wonderful hockey player and from what I've heard he takes care of the young guys on the team in a good way.

From what I've heard, you've become quite the baseball fan while living in St. Louis. Albert Pujols is my favourite player. Yours?
--Baseball is a fun sport, I don't know all the rules yet, but Albert is definitely the best.

Lars Eller while playing for Boras HC in the Swedish 2nd league.

Moving on. Here's Lars Eller:

Link to original article (in Swedish).

How was it to be drafted by the Blues and what did you know about the club before that?
--It was great! The Blues were the team that showed most interest in me. I have a hard time picturing a better place to end up, everyone in the organization is great. I didn't really know all that much, to be honest, just that they had had a rough time the previous couple of years, but that they were in the middle of rebuilding the team from within.

How are you preparing for the upcoming camp?
--We are doing four work-out sessions and four on-ice sessions every week. On the ice we're mostly focusing on skating and conditioning. Basically all the players are here, except some who are attending Olympic camps.

How's the shoulder?
--It's getting better. I don't feel anything in the weight room or on the ice. It's almost like getting a completely new shoulder. Now it's about getting it gradually ready for contact. Chances are very good that I'll be able to compete at the camp and play some exhibition games in September.

David Perron had a great camp a few years back and got a spot with the Blues. What do you feel about your chances to grab a spot in the NHL and getting to play the opening games in Stockholm?
--The only thing on my mind is grabbing a spot on the team going over to Sweden. I'm not going to speculate on my chances. I know that for me to get a spot I have to be better than at least one other forward. That all comes down to how well I do in camp.

Who amongst the Danish players, besides yourself, do you think have the brightest future in the NHL?
--If I have to pick one player I have to say Philip Larsen (Dallas prospect, played with Eller in Frolunda and Boras here in Sweden). He's got it all. I also like Peter Regin (played a few games with Ottawa, nothing fancy) alot. He's a very smart player who I think will be an NHL player for many years.

How do you like St. Louis and how do you spend your spare time?
--The more I see of St. Louis the more I like it. It is a little too hot for me during the summer, though. But it's a great sports city. A big city, but mostly people seem very calm and down to earth. Me and my roomie Aaron Palushaj play golf almost every day, and if not I usually spend my time by the pool or going to the movies.

There you go.

Roman Polak Back In Blue

gallagher — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 22:58:51 -0000

More photos » by DARRYL DYCK - AP

Roman Polak will continue to clear the crease for the Blues.

Browse more photos »

No official word from the Blues or TSN yet, but some rumor-minded folks and likely fake Twitter accounts are burning up the internet with news that Roman Polak has been re-signed by the Blues.

EDIT: as averagejoe noted, per Jeremy Rutherford at the Post-Dispatch, it's a done deal.

Polak, 23, and who is neither Roman nor Polish, proved he could play in the NHL last year with a break-out 69-game campaign. He logged major minutes on an injury-decimated blueline and managed to add a goal and 14 assists. While he too often put himself out of position while joining the rush, more often than not he played with the confidence of a veteran. In the playoffs, Polak stepped up his game and was one of the team's better players.

With Polak back in the fold, the blueline corps looks to be shaping up with these six defensemen under contract to play in the NHL this year:

The questions that remain are whether Brewer will indeed be fit to play come September and whether younger players like Alex Pietrangelo, Steve Wagner or Jonas Junland make make enough of a case to play in St. Louis.

Poll

What do you think of the Roman Polak deal?

I like it.

101 votes

I loathe it.

3 votes

Meh. It's fair, I'm just happy he signed.

41 votes

When does the regular season start?

30 votes

175 votes | Poll has closed

What We Know About The St. Louis Blues After The 2009 NHL Draft

Brad Lee — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:00:24 -0000

I trust St. Louis has the Ikea?

Another NHL draft has come and gone for the Blues. Fans have a whole new crop of teenaged boys to daydream and fantasize about. And now we're just two days from the opening of free agency. It's an exciting time. So in this short breather between finding players for the future and signing players for the here and now, it's a good chance to see what we know about the Blues.

Be true to your school of thought.

As the Prospect Department discussed yesterday, by taking a defenseman first overall, team leadership stayed true to their philosophy. They've drafted a defenseman in the first round four years in a row. If a forward and defenseman have similar ratings, always go with the guy who plays on the blue line. They also don't have nationality allegiance. They took two Europeans, two Canadians and two Americans. It mirrors the first round two years ago when they took three players: one European, a Canadian and an American. They don't have any obvious biases against any area which would lead to player stereotypes. It's a good mix and a solid approach, one they've stuck to.

No Chris Pronger reunion this summer.

The Flyers stepping up and overpaying for Pronger possibly does a favor for the Blues. Two first round picks and two roster players (both young and former first-round picks) was simply too much for the on the upswing Blues. Obviously he's a known commodity, a former fan favorite and the type of player with offensive skill that the Blues could use on defense -- at the right price. No wonder Dany Heatley wasn't traded if that's the market for high-priced, cap-killing talent with track records for high performance and a knack for getting traded.

We have no idea what the Blues will do in free agency.

A couple years ago I predicted the Paul Kariya signing two full days before it happened. I don't have the foggiest this year. They obviously need a cheap backup goaltender, so that won't be surprising. They could definitely use an offensive defenseman, but I don't think they have a clear target. You could always see a trade of prospects for a defenseman, but I would think the Blues want to answer a few questions. How's Erik Johnson skating? Can Eric Brewer skate at all? Will Carlo Colaiacovo decide to play another season virtually injury free? They get some positive answers, and a guy like Alex Pietrangelo or Roman Polak or Jonas Junland could be in another organization.

Getting a taste of success, ownership doesn't want a quick fix.

This relates to the first point. After a surprise appearance in the playoffs and a team showing growth and improvement from within, it's easy to think making a splash for one or two veterans could fast forward the process and make the Blues a contender much earlier than anyone expected. The franchise has done it before (Keith Tkachuk deadline deal, I'm looking at you). A division rival did it last year (Brian Campbell and his bags of money don't care if he's not on the No. 1 pairing, in case you were wondering). The Blues saw one conference final and then a return to the middle of the pack. The Hawks also saw the final four of the playoffs...and now have not one but two players making top-flight money in a salary cap league not playing top-flight minutes probably for years to come. In today's NHL (somebody should trademark that phrase), you can't afford to make mistakes like that.

No, this ownership isn't showing the impatience other rich guys have had when it comes to trading youth for experience, throwing dollars at free agents. They're in this thing for the journey as much as the payoff. Anybody ever see Dave Checketts wear short sleeves? I bet he's got a David Perron portrait tattoo on one bicep and T.J. Oshie and Patrik Berglund's numbers on the other. If he has a dog, it has to be named Lars.

When this team was getting blown out and putting teams on the ice with guys like Jesse Boulerice and Eric Weinrich, we kep saying the best was yet to come for the Blues. Here we sit after a season they finished sixth in the conference and have one of the best stables of prospects in the NHL, and we confidently say...the best is yet to come for the Blues.

What Exactly IS A "Blues' Prospect," Anyway... Part One

Tomorrows Blues — Wed, 06 May 2009 18:00:15 -0000

Tomorrow's Blues Online with Brian Weidler

That's the question that we hope to answer in this series of draft reviews and previews, leading up to the NHL Entry Draft on June 26 and 27.

After decades of neglect, both from their own scouts and from the hockey media at large, the Blues' drafting and player development units have come into their own under the supervision of chief scout and all-around draft wizard Jarmo Kekalainen.

Hired from the Ottawa Senators organization after the start of the 2002-03 season, Kekalainen made his name with the Sens by overseeing the drafting and development of NHL-caliber talent like Marian Hossa, Mike Fischer, Martin Havlat, Antoine Vermette, and Jason Spezza. Once hired by St. Louis, it didn't take him long to start putting that stamp of success on the Blues' organization, snagging a pair of NHL'ers in his very first draft with the 'Note.

Of 56 total players drafted in the Jarmo Kekalainen era (six Entry Drafts, 2003-08), eight players have reached the NHL as of the 2008-09 season. Alphabetically, those players are: David Backes, Patrik Berglund, Ben Bishop, Erik Johnson, T.J. Oshie, David Perron, Roman Pola'k, and Lee Stempniak.

8 of 56 equals 14.29% of Kekalainen's draft picks with the Blues have made the NHL as more-or-less full-time players. Additionally, four other Kekalainen draftees -- G Chris Beckford-Tseu and Marek Schwarz, and D Jonas Junland and Alex Pietrangelo -- have played at least one game in the NHL as of the 2008-09 season.

Of those 56 Kekalainen draftees, 12 (21.43%) are no longer with the organization. Most have been traded, but three picks -- D Mike Gauthier (169th overall, 2005), F Jonathan Lehun (189/2003) and F Jonathan Michel Boutin (277/2004) -- are either no longer playing, or are playing at levels below semi-pro.

One of the draftees no longer with the organization -- F Lee Stempniak -- was traded for two players on the Blues' current NHL roster (D Carlo Colaiacovo and F Alexander Steen), and another -- F Michal Birner -- was part of the trade that brought Andy McDonald to St. Louis.

Alphabetically, the draft picks no longer with the organization are: F Juhamatti Aaltonen (284th overall, 2003), G Chris Beckford-Tseu (159/2003), D Shawn Belle (30/2003), Birner (116/2004), F Alexandre Bolduc (127/2003), Boutin, D Zack FitzGerald (88/2003), Gauthier, Lehun, F Carl Söderberg (49/2004), Stempniak, and F Konstanin Zakharov (101/2003).

Additionally, the Blues have drafted five players from Russia in the Kekalainen era. Of those five, only F Nikolai Lemtyugov has played professionally in the organization (96 games with Peoria in 2007-08 and 2008-09), and only Lemtyugov and F Evgeny Skachkov (in 2007) have ever shown up for a Development Camp. The others -- G Konstantin Barulin and D Nikita Nikitin and Andrei Pervyshin -- are longshots at best to ever come to North America, although there have been rumors of both Nikitin and Barulin at least considering attendance at the next Development Camp.

Let's take a closer look at the draft, year to year, and see just where, and with whom, the Blues have had their recent draft success.

The Draft, Season-By-Season:

The 2003 Entry Draft -- Kekalainen's first with the Blues -- has been, by and large, a failure. Only David Backes (chosen 62nd overall) and Stempniak have developed into NHL players, and only Backes and three of the Russians (Barulin, Skachkov and Pervyshin) remain connected with the Blues' organization.

The players chosen in the 2004 Entry Draft have hardly fared any better. D Roman Pola'k (a steal at 180th overall) is the only Blues draftee from that year to have developed into a full-time NHL player, and only Pola'k and Schwarz remain solidly with the organization, though Schwarz' hold on an organizational roster spot is tenuous. The Blues continue to hold the rights to Nikitin, as well as forwards Viktor Alexandrov (83rd overall) and David Fredriksson (211th overall), but of the three, only Fredriksson has attended a Development Camp (2008), and he has little to offer other than excellent size (6'2, 214).

2005 first-round pick (24th overall) T.J. Oshie, and third-rounder (85th overall) Ben Bishop, completed their rookie seasons with the Blues with the traditional handshake at center ice following the first-round sweep by Vancouver. Two other 2005 picks, F Ryan Reaves (156th overall) and Nick Drazenovic (171st overall) skated for Peoria this season, and Lemtyugov (219th overall) started the year in Peoria, and finished it with Severstal Cherepovets of the KHL. Lemtyugov has a contract with Severstal for next season, but he has noted in interviews with Russian media that he thinks he may have left North America too soon, and has hinted that he may be back.

As of the 2006 draft, every player selected remains with the organization. First-round picks D Erik Johnson (1st overall) and F Patrik Berglund (25th overall) have developed into solid NHL players. F Tomas Kana (31st overall) and D Jonas Junland (64th overall) and Alexander Hellström (184th overall) are solid minor-pro contributors, with Junland the most likely of the three to earn an NHL spot in the near future. Swingman Ryan Turek (94th overall) left Michigan State earlier this year amid some controversy, but he has settled in with Alaska (ECHL) and is contributing to their playoff run. G Reto Berra (106th overall) is a yearly attendee at Development Camp, but may find no room in the Blues' North American organization for the furtherance of his career, and college F Andrew Sackrison (124th overall) and Matthew McCollem (154th overall) continue to develop at Minnesota State and Harvard, respectively.

The 2007 Entry Draft may well be the Blues' finest hour at the draft table since 1976, when Bernie Federko, Brian Sutter, and Mike Liut were all added to the fold. F David Perron (26th overall) has already established himself as an NHL regular, and fellow first-rounder F Lars Eller (13th overall) will receive every opportunity in the 2009 Development and Training Camps to do so as well. F Brett Sonne (85th overall) broke out with a 100-point season in Calgary (WHL) in 2008-09, earning him WHL Player of the Year honors; he signed an entry-level contract with the Blues for 2009-10, as did fellow F Aaron Palushaj (44th overall) and Anthony Peluso (160th overall).

Sonne and the top-raked Calgary Hitmen have unexpectedly found themselves in a 0-3 hole against the upstart Kelowna Rockets in the Western League final, while Peluso and the OHL's Brampton Battalion have clawed their way back into the OHL Final series against Windsor with a 4-2 win on Monday night. Palushaj, meanwhile, got a head start in his pro career by leaving Michigan after the Wolverines' NCAA season ended and skating for Peoria on an amateur tryout (ATO) contract.

And the talent pool from 2007 goes deeper still. F Simon Hjalmarsson (39th overall) skated for Sweden in the U-20 World Junior Championships in Ottawa last winter, and still found time to lead his Allsvenskan club (HC Borås) in scoring. D Ian Cole (18th overall) and Cade Fairchild (96th overall), veterans of the US National Team Development Program, continue to hone their skills at two of the nation's top college hockey programs, Notre Dame and Minnesota, respectively.

Finally, the most recent Entry Draft (2008), has further deepened the Blues' talent pool by adding a second potential franchise defenseman in fourth-overall pick Alex Pietrangelo, who started the 2008-09 season in St. Louis before returning to junior in November, and joining the Peoria Rivermen for their playoff push. Pietrangelo was joined in Peoria by Finnish draftee Jori Lehtera (65th overall), who crossed the pond on an ATO contract after his season in Finland came to a close. 70th overall pick James Livingston also spent some time with the Rivermen after his junior season ended, but did not see any game action and was apparently there simply to get a feel for what he has to do yet to earn his way to the pros.

Budding power forward Philip McRae, son of ex-Blue Basil McRae, and goaltender Jake Allen were chosen back-to-back in the second round at 33rd and 34th overall, respectively, and are also major contributors to the excellence of the Blues' stable of young talent. Defenseman David Warsofsky (95th overall) is small at 5'8, 160, but played a huge role as a freshman in Boston University's 2009 NCAA championship, and RW Ian Schultz (87th overall) teams with Sonne in Calgary to provide the Hitmen with toughness and scoring pop up front.

Next time in the online edition of "Tomorrow's Blues," we'll analyze the Blues' draft round by round over the last six seasons, and identify any trends in the selections over the years before offering a more individual look at some players who seem to fit the mold of the "typical" Blues' selection in each round. Until then remember... "if we do not prepare for ourselves the role of the hammer, there will be nothing left but that of the anvil." Auf wiedersehen.

Prospects Scoring, Penalty and Goaltending Stats

Tomorrows Blues — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 04:24:11 -0000

Compiled by Brian Weidler, "Game Time" Prospect Department

======== PROSPECT SCORING AND PENALTY STATISTICS THRU 28 FEB 2009 -- FORWARDS AND DEFENSEMEN ========

Player	Club (League)	Pos	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	PIM	PP	SH	FG	GW	Pt/G	PM/G
BARRIBALL, Jay	U. Minnesota (WCHA)	RW	29	9	20	29	- 3	50	3	0	2	2	1.00	1.72
BERGLUND, Kristofer	Luleå HF (SWE)	D	52	3	22	25	+ 6	36	0	1	0	0	0.48	0.69
COLE, Ian	Notre Dame (CCHA)	D	32	6	16	22	+12	46	3	0	1	2	0.69	1.44
CUNDARI, Mark	Windsor (OHL)	D	54	9	19	28	+24	132	0	1	2	2	0.52	2.44
DRAZENOVIC, Nicholas	Peoria (AHL)	C	58	9	18	27	+ 3	33	3	2	1	1	0.47	0.57
ELLER, Lars	Frölunda HC (SWE)	C	48	12	17	29	+13	28	3	0	6	1	0.60	0.58
ERSTAD, Travis	Wisconsin-Stevens Pt. (NCHA)	C	26	10	7	17	0	56	3	0	1	3	0.65	2.15
FAIRCHILD, Cade	U. Minnesota (WCHA)	D	29	8	21	29	+ 1	46	5	0	2	0	1.00	1.59
FAST, T.J.	Peoria (AHL)	D	33	1	3	4	- 1	8	0	0	0	0	0.12	0.24
	Alaska (ECHL)	D	9	0	1	1	+ 1	6	0	0	0	0	0.11	0.67
FILEWICH, Jonathan	Peoria (AHL)	RW	30	4	7	11	- 7	6	1	0	1	0	0.37	0.20
	Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL)	RW	19	2	2	4	0	6	1	0	0	0	0.21	0.32
	... Total	RW	49	6	9	15	- 7	12	2	0	1	0	0.31	0.24
FREDRIKSSON, David	HV-71 (SWE)	RW	34	3	2	5	- 4	53	0	0	0	0	0.15	1.56
HJALMARSSON, Simon	Borås HC (SWE-2)	RW	40	14	19	33	+ 6	28	2	1	0	3	0.83	0.70
HELLSTRÖM, Alexander	Peoria (AHL)	D	29	0	0	0	- 4	26	0	0	0	0	0.00	0.90
	Alaska (ECHL)	D	9	0	3	3	+ 4	7	0	0	0	0	0.00	0.78
JUNLAND, Jonas	St. Louis (NHL)	D	1	0	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0.00	2.00
	Peoria (AHL)	D	52	10	16	26	- 4	36	5	2	3	0	0.50	0.69
KANA, Tomas	Peoria (AHL)	LW	18	1	06	1	- 5	15	0	0	0	0	0.06	0.83
	Alaska (AHL)	LW	18	4	9	13	+10	40	0	0	0	0	0.72	2.22
LEHTERA, Jori	Tappara Tampere (FIN)	C	57	8	38	46	- 2	34	3	0	0	2	0.81	0.60
LEMTYUGOV, Nikolay	Peoria (AHL)	RW	27	5	14	19	- 2	20	3	0	2	0	0.70	0.74
	Severstal Cherepovets (KHL)	RW	21	7	4	11	0	8	2	0	0	0	0.52	0.38
LIVINGSTON, James	Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)	RW	61	19	17	36	-21	76	8	0	2	0	0.59	1.25
McCOLLEM, Matthew	Harvard Univ. (ECAC)	RW	27	6	8	14	- 5	24	5	0	0	2	0.52	0.89
McRAE, Philip	London (OHL)	C	56	29	31	60	+ 6	52	9	2	5	6	1.07	0.93
NIGRO, Anthony	Guelph (OHL)	C	25	7	11	18	- 1	31	1	0	1	2	0.72	1.24
	Ottawa (OHL)	C	36	21	20	41	+ 7	28	8	1	1	4	1.14	0.78
	... Total	C	61	28	31	59	+ 6	59	9	1	2	6	0.97	0.97
NIKITIN, Nikita	Avangard Omsk (KHL)	D	53	4	12	16	+ 7	28	2	0	0	1	0.30	0.53
NILL, Trevor	Michigan State Univ. (CCHA)	C	32	1	2	3	- 7	6	0	0	0	0	0.09	0.19
PADDOCK, Cam	St. Louis (NHL)	C	16	2	1	3	- 4	0	0	0	0	0	0.19	0.00
	Peoria (AHL)	C	45	4	5	9	- 8	83	0	0	1	0	0.20	1.84
PALUSHAJ, Aaron	Univ. of Michigan (CCHA)	RW	36	10	32	42	+21	24	3	0	2	2	1.17	0.67
PELUSO, Anthony	Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)	RW	36	9	6	15	-13	68	1	2	3	0	0.42	1.89
	Brampton (OHL)	RW	20	6	6	12	+ 4	48	1	0	1	2	0.60	2.40
	... Total	RW	56	15	12	27	- 9	116	2	2	4	2	0.48	2.07
PERVYSHIN, Andrei	Ak Bars Kazan (KHL)	D	54	6	21	27	+27	28	4	0	0	1	0.50	0.52
PIETRANGELO, Alex	St. Louis (NHL)	D	8	0	1	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	0.13	0.25
	Niagara (OHL)	D	31	8	21	29	+ 7	26	2	0	0	3	0.94	0.84
PORTER, Chris	St. Louis (NHL)	LW	6	1	1	2	- 1	0	0	0	0	0	0.33	0.00
	Peoria (AHL)	LW	54	3	7	10	-10	68	0	0	1	0	0.19	1.26
REAVES, Ryan	Peoria (AHL)	RW	38	5	6	11	+ 3	91	0	1	0	0	0.29	2.39
REGIER, Steve	St. Louis (NHL)	LW	8	3	1	4	- 1	4	2	0	0	0	0.50	0.50
	Peoria (AHL)	LW	53	17	22	39	+ 9	47	6	1	1	5	0.74	0.89
SACKRISON, Andrew	Minnesota State Univ. (WCHA)	C	27	1	5	6	- 1	18	1	0	0	1	0.22	0.67
SCHULTZ, Ian	Calgary (WHL)	RW	53	15	24	39	+18	118	4	0	3	0	0.74	2.23
SKACHKOV, Evgeny	Traktor Chelyabinsk (KHL)	LW	54	14	18	32	- 1	56	4	0	0	0	0.59	1.04
SONNE, Brett	Calgary (WHL)	C	57	46	46	92	+36	54	15	1	7	10	1.61	0.95
STASTNY, Yan	St. Louis (NHL)	C	34	3	4	7	-14	20	0	0	0	0	0.21	0.59
	Peoria (OHL)	C	10	2	0	2	- 2	2	0	2	0	0	0.20	0.20
STRACHAN, Tyson	St. Louis (NHL)	D	27	0	3	3	+ 6	39	0	0	0	0	0.11	1.44
	Peoria (AHL)	D	29	2	3	5	- 5	67	0	0	1	2	0.17	2.31
TALBOT, Julian	Peoria (AHL)	C	45	15	15	30	+ 3	31	9	0	4	2	0.67	0.69
WAGNER, Steve	St. Louis (NHL)	D	22	2	2	4	- 5	18	0	0	0	0	0.18	0.82
	Peoria (AHL)	D	34	6	13	19	- 9	29	1	1	1	0	0.56	0.85
WARSOFSKY, David	Boston University (HEA)	D	34	3	14	17	+17	24	1	1	1	0	0.50	0.71
WINCHESTER, Brad	St. Louis (NHL)	LW	44	10	4	14	- 2	73	4	0	0	0	0.32	1.66
	Peoria (AHL)	LW	13	4	2	6	+ 1	46	2	0	1	0	0.46	3.54
WOYWITKA, Jeff	St. Louis (NHL)	D	46	1	13	14	- 1	44	1	0	0	1	0.28	0.96
	Peoria (AHL)	D	7	0	7	7	+ 3	2	0	0	0	0	1.00	0.29

============================ PROSPECT GOALTENDING STATISTICS THRU 28 FEB 2009 ============================

Player	Club (League)	GP	Mins	GA	SA	GAA	Record	SO	Save %	SA/60	G	A	Pt	PM
ALLEN, Jake	Junior de Montreal (QMJHL)	49	2824	134	1607	2.85	26-23-0	3	91.66	34.14	0	0	0	2
BARULIN, Konstantin	CSKA Moscow (KHL)	41	2443	95	1033	2.33	22-13-6	2	90.80	25.37	0	1	1	18
BERRA, Reto	HC Davos (SUI)	6	371	18	177	2.91	2-4-0	0	89.83	28.63	0	0	0	0
	SC Langnau (SUI)	3	180	11	109	3.67	2-1-0	0	89.91	36.33	0	0	0	0
	EV Zug (SUI)	6	370	17	208	2.76	1-5-0	0	91.83	33.73	0	0	0	0
	... Total	15	921	46	494	3.00	5-10-0	0	90.69	32.18	0	0	0	0
BISHOP, Ben	St. Louis (NHL)	5	226	12	109	3.19	1-1-1	*1	88.99	28.94	0	0	0	0
	Peoria (AHL)	32	1858	88	850	2.84	15-16-1	1	89.65	27.45	0	2	2	2
HOLT, Chris	St. Louis (NHL)	1	19	0	3	0.00	0-0-0	0	100.00	9.47	0	0	0	0
	Peoria (AHL)	13	742	21	311	1.70	7-5-0	1	93.25	25.15	0	0	0	2
	Alaska (ECHL)	5	300	9	168	1.80	3-2-0	1	94.64	33.60	0	0	0	0
KARPOWICH, Paul	Clarkson Univ. (ECAC)	25	1421	65	713	2.74	7-13-4	1	90.88	30.11	0	0	0	0
SCHWARZ, Marek	St. Louis (NHL)	2	15	0	5	0.00	0-0-0	*1	100.00	20.00	0	0	0	0
	Peoria (AHL)	10	523	31	235	3.56	4-4-4	0	86.81	26.96	0	0	0	0
	Alaska (ECHL)	5	304	16	166	3.15	2-2-1	1	90.36	32.76	0	0	0	0
	BK Mlada Boleslav (CZE)	10	619	34	395	3.30	3-7-0	1	91.39	38.29	0	0	0	0
TOIVONEN, Hannu	Ilves Tampere (FIN)	50	2833	124	1390	2.67	18-22-9	2	90.94	29.44	0	0	0	0

* Bishop / Schwarz shared a shutout vs. FLA on Oct. 25, 2008

The AHL all-stars: Two Girouxes, Rory and a Brodeur

James Mirtle — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:15:07 -0000

The AHL also announced its all-star teams this week, and they give you a decent idea of who some of the top talent is in the NHL's minor league:

Team Canada

Forwards	Defensemen	Goaltenders
Steve Downie, Nor	x-Johnny Boychuk, Pro	Mike Brodeur, Roch
x-Alexandre Giroux, Her	Kyle Cumiskey, LE	Barry Brust, Hou
x-Claude Giroux, Phi	Cody Franson, Milw	x-Brian Elliott, Bing
Mike Iggulden, Bri	Bryan Helmer, Her ("C")
Jason Krog, Man	x-Derek Joslin, Wor
Corey Locke, Hou	Andrew MacDonald, Bri
Brett MacLean, SA	Brett Palin, QC
Mark Mancari, Por	Danny Syvret, Phi
x-Chris Minard, W-B/Scr
Cal O'Reilly, Milw
Teddy Purcell, Man
Martin St. Pierre, Pro
Mike Santorelli, Milw		x-starters

The tough thing about these all-star games is that, not only do you have to hope no one gets injured, but there's also the problem of call ups to consider. Claude Giroux just torched the AHL in his first pro season with 17 goals in 31 games and is now up with the Flyers, perhaps permanently given their injury woes.

At least they don't have to worry about Captain Helmer missing the game. (Great character guy. Was good to see him get some time in the NHL with the Caps as part of his swan song.)

Three Milwaukee players here, all Nashville picks in the midrounds. Franson's a great example of the depth the Predators have on defence now; he's only 21, big and skilled and would be in the NHL with most franchises. (Not bad for a third rounder.)

Purcell looks like a really good NHLer, someone we'll see play a role with the Kings when they're climbing the standings a year or two from now. He probably misses this game, too.

Boychuk leads AHL defencemen in scoring for the Baby Bruins, and I bet the Avs are kicking themselves for dumping him this summer.

And looking at the goalies, I wonder if the Sens will give Elliott a shot in goal if Gerber and Auld continue to struggle. (And in case you're wondering, Mike Brodeur is a distant cousin of Marty. He started the season in the ECHL and has been very good for Rochester in a dozen games so far.)

Team PlanetUSA

Forwards	Defensemen	Goaltenders
Keith Aucoin, Her	Rory Fitzpatrick, Roch ("C")	Jeff Frazee, Low
x-Chris Bourque, Her	Jonas Junland, Peo	Daniel Larsson, GR
x-Nikita Filatov, Syr	Mattias Karlsson, Bing	x-Cory Schneider, Man
x-Nathan Gerbe, Port	x-Jakub Kindl, Gr. Rapids
Martins Karsums, Pro	Ben Lovejoy, W-B/Scr
Tim Kennedy, Port	Bobby Sanguinetti, Hart
Petri Kontiola, Rock	Jaime Sifers, Tor
Drew Miller, Iowa	x-Yannick Weber, Ham
Joe Motzko, Chicago
Michael Ryan, Albany
Ryan Potulny, Spr
Jeff Taffe, W-B/Scr
Ryan Vesce, Wor		x-starters

Vote for Rory paid off! The plucky defenceman gets the captain's 'C' while playing for his hometown Americans despite having a pretty pedestrian season so far.

Aucoin's another veteran worth pointing out: a 5-foot-9 30-year-old playing for one of the best teams in the league, he leads the AHL in scoring by a mile with 48 points in 34 games despite missing some time while playing three games with the Capitals in the NHL.

Filatov's with Columbus at the moment, so his participation's in doubt.

Karsums is a talented young Latvian who I saw at the world juniors quite a bit when they rolled through B.C. two years ago. He's eighth in league scoring and should see time with the big-league Bruins in the near future.

Weber looks like another good one for the Habs, too, who also have P.K. Subban on the way on the blueline.

Kindl... don't tell me you're suprised the Red Wings have another European stud coming on the blueline.

Speaking of Detroit and potential gems, so much for Jimmy Howard as the goalie of the future: Sweden's Danny Larsson has outplayed him by a mile and makes the team here. He was a late third-round pick in 2006.

I know there are some readers who see a lot more AHL hockey than I do; let me know what you think of the teams and some of the players' play to date.