2014-2015 NHL Offseason/Regular Season Thread

[CaliforniaChief]

Free Agency starts today. I'm probably the worst candidate to keep up an OP with player movement and the like, but figured it would be cool to have a repository for all things NHL leading up to next season.

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Anaheim acquires Kesler from Canucks for Bonino, Sbisa, and picks.

-Dallas acquires Spezza from Montreal for Chiasson, others, and a 2nd round pick.
-Avs acquire Briere for Parenteau and a late pick.
-Predators acquire James Neal for Spaling and Hornqvist.
-Marian Gaborik re-signs with Kings.
-Ryan Miller to Canucks via UFA.
-Paul Stastny to the Blues via UFA.
-Jarome Iginla to the Avs via UFA.
-Dan Boyle to the NYR.
-Brad Richards to the Blackhawks.
-Vanek to the Minnesota Wild.
-Robidas to the Maple Leafs.
-Niskanen to the Caps via UFA.

Feel free to add other moves and I'll do my best to update.

[KC_Lee]

Originally Posted by Pasta Giant Meatball

5 Ls in a row for Nashville

The way the Preds have been playing of late, one and done would not surprise me.

[CaliforniaChief]

Originally Posted by Rams Fan

Ain't worried about the Blackhawks.

It's the Ducks conference and we're just living in it.

I'd worry about the Black Hawks. Those guys know how to win in the playoffs. I think Anaheim is really good, but they've got to learn how to show up in the playoffs. It's just a different beast.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Rams Fan

Ain't worried about the Blackhawks.

It's the Ducks conference and we're just living in it.

I dunno, I assume there's some bias with the Blackhawks there so whatever, but the Ducks remind me a lot of the Pens and even going as far back as the early-mid 2000s Canucks, except their goalie has won a few games for them in the playoffs instead of shitting down their leg..... win a lot of regular season games, but have no idea how to win in the playoffs. They have the talent of course and on paper they some toughness... And maybe I've just caught them on the wrong nights and they'll probably now make it to the WCF, but they just don't do anything for me.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

Hooookay, so the Notes didn't backslide into the playoffs...

Here's the problem - the Blues have gone into the playoffs as the 8 seed and lost in the first round. They've gone into the playoffs as the Presidents Cup winner and lost in the first round. They've gone in ice cold and lost in the first round, white hot and lost in the first round.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, has mattered for the last month. This team is capable of losing from any seed and on any streak. They could play the Hawks/Kings and lose or the Flames/Jets and lose. They'll lose while injured and lose while healthy. Sometimes they'll lose 4 games by 1 goal with half of them in overtime and sometimes they'll get run off the ice and swept.

This is, in my opinion, the single most talented hockey team the Blues have ever had and it's the best team in hockey. But the one thing you can count on is that the St. Louis Goddamn Blues with ****ing lose in the playoffs and it will probably be in the first round.

I'm not even sure love/hate is the relationship I can use to describe these guys anymore. It's mostly just an abused spouse kinda thing. There's no love left here anymore but god dammit, I will be there with my bluenote on just in case they ever actually win anything. I've earned my seat on this wagon and I will not give these mother****ers the satisfaction of jumping off it only to see them win. No, Blues - you will not be rid of me that easily.

The St. Louis Blues: DJLN's Grudge ****.

[Rams Fan]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

This is, in my opinion, the single most talented hockey team the Blues have ever had and it's the best team in hocke.

I was about to argue that the 1999-2000 team was more talented. But I just looked at that roster. It was extremely top heavy with some good supplemental players early in their careers in STL(Handzus, Reasoner, Hecht).

I'd say this roster is definitely more balanced. The top players may not be as good MacInnis, Pronger, Turgeon, and Demitra, but the depth is certainly vastly superior than that roster.

[Rams Fan]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

I dunno, I assume there's some bias with the Blackhawks there so whatever, but the Ducks remind me a lot of the Pens and even going as far back as the early-mid 2000s Canucks, except their goalie has won a few games for them in the playoffs instead of shitting down their leg..... win a lot of regular season games, but have no idea how to win in the playoffs. They have the talent of course and on paper they some toughness... And maybe I've just caught them on the wrong nights and they'll probably now make it to the WCF, but they just don't do anything for me.

It's the fact that Kane's out that doesn't concern me about them right now.

I'd be more worried about facing a physical team(ala Winnipeg) that could wear the Blues down over a series.

The Ducks, I just think they have enough offensive power and physicality to win. Their D is good, too. Boudreau's an amazing coach.

Their top 3 centers include Kesler, Cogliano, and Getzlaf. That's ****ing insane. The Blues can't match that.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Pasta Giant Meatball

Any news on Tarasenko?

Both he and Steen are back tomorrow.

[Rams Fan]

If I were Armstrong, I'd ship Elliott's ass out after the season for a few reasons.

1. He deserves a chance to be the de facto starter. He's performed well enough over 4 years in St. Louis to be an unquestioned starter of a team. However, he's only had a chance once during those 4 years to be the guy. Last year he was robbed by the Miller trade and before that Halak was here.

2. A situation similar to Halak/Elliott could very well happen again, and I don't think that's good for a team in the long run.

3. Lundstrom and Husso will be ready sooner rather than later. Might as well try to get as much value from an expendable asset as possible.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Rams Fan

I was about to argue that the 1999-2000 team was more talented. But I just looked at that roster. It was extremely top heavy with some good supplemental players early in their careers in STL(Handzus, Reasoner, Hecht).

I'd say this roster is definitely more balanced. The top players may not be as good MacInnis, Pronger, Turgeon, and Demitra, but the depth is certainly vastly superior than that roster.

Top to bottom, skill-set for skill-set, this is the most talented team the Blues have ever had. They have 9 legitimate top 9 forwards, which is something no Blues team I can recall can claim. They have a legitimately decent 4th line that can contribute offensively but more critically, is defensively sound while also being physical. They have great speed when needed, great passers as well as great shooters. They have guys that have actual creativity with the puck as well.

The Blues fundamental failings throughout the 90s was that they simply never had any supplemental parts. The peak Hull team was the team that traded an entire 2nd line away for Garth Butcher then promptly lost because their opponent focused on stopping the top line and the bottom 3 couldn't do anything. That's not an option against them now.

And while this D-Corps has played like shit for large swaths of the year, I'm again talking about raw talent. Petro and Shatty are talented enough that they aren't Pronger/Macinnis but they're still two guys that play/played at a Norris level. With Jackman, Bouwmeester, Gunarsson and Michalek backing them, that's an outstanding d-corps when they actually play well. Unfortunately, Bouwmeester has been a festering pile of shit all season and Petro's underperformed so it's hard to really claim the D has been great, but it should be. That's what irritates me, the D is playing as less than its parts and by a fair amount. Watching Bouwmeester freak out and turn the puck over every time its on his stick is driving me goddamn insane.

Between the pipes...well they've never had Roy or Hasek; the bar is pretty much an overrated Curtis Joseph or over the hill Grant Fuhr. Our present duo is as good as anything else we've had in net.

This team is an excellent hockey team. There are no excuses.

But they will lose. Because Chief...I mean, Blues.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Rams Fan

If I were Armstrong, I'd ship Elliott's ass out after the season for a few reasons.

1. He deserves a chance to be the de facto starter. He's performed well enough over 4 years in St. Louis to be an unquestioned starter of a team. However, he's only had a chance once during those 4 years to be the guy. Last year he was robbed by the Miller trade and before that Halak was here.

2. A situation similar to Halak/Elliott could very well happen again, and I don't think that's good for a team in the long run.

3. Lundstrom and Husso will be ready sooner rather than later. Might as well try to get as much value from an expendable asset as possible.

Husso hasn't played a game in North America...slow down. He's 4 years out at best. Lundstrum is a fifth rounder that got strafed in the ECHL and is essentially Binnington's caddy in the AHL.

I'm not sure what you're seeing in the former to suggest he'll be here soon or in the latter to suggest he'll ever be here. If a deal came along for Elliiott that made sense for us, I'd consider it because Binnington is probably ready to backup Allen if need be. That said, you likely couldn't do better than a 2nd rounder for Elliott. The trade value for goalies is surprisingly static and if you're not a guy that's actually won a Cup or a Vezina, you're probably not going to fetch much in trade.

As for the Halak scenario - eh, Elliott's making backup money. The Blues could move Allen past him on the depth chart with no real financial concerns. That wasn't the case when Halak was sporting a $6 million salary.

[Rams Fan]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Husso hasn't played a game in North America...slow down. He's 4 years out at best. Lundstrum is a fifth rounder that got strafed in the ECHL and is essentially Binnington's caddy in the AHL.

I'm not sure what you're seeing in the former to suggest he'll be here soon or in the latter to suggest he'll ever be here. If a deal came along for Elliiott that made sense for us, I'd consider it because Binnington is probably ready to backup Allen if need be. That said, you likely couldn't do better than a 2nd rounder for Elliott. The trade value for goalies is surprisingly static and if you're not a guy that's actually won a Cup or a Vezina, you're probably not going to fetch much in trade.

As for the Halak scenario - eh, Elliott's making backup money. The Blues could move Allen past him on the depth chart with no real financial concerns. That wasn't the case when Halak was sporting a $6 million salary.

I got Lundstrom flipped with Binnington. My bad.

Anyways, you are probably right that I should lower my expectations on Husso since goalies are a crap shoot. But my point is this, Elliott having over the past 2 seasons lose the opportunity to start via trade or another goalie's play really isn't really fair to him. He's exceeded any expectations that the Blues have set for him. It won't shock me if he complains about being handled that way and force Armstrong to do something.

[Chiefs4TheWin]

My Penguins suuuck

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Top to bottom, skill-set for skill-set, this is the most talented team the Blues have ever had. They have 9 legitimate top 9 forwards, which is something no Blues team I can recall can claim. They have a legitimately decent 4th line that can contribute offensively but more critically, is defensively sound while also being physical. They have great speed when needed, great passers as well as great shooters. They have guys that have actual creativity with the puck as well.

The Blues fundamental failings throughout the 90s was that they simply never had any supplemental parts. The peak Hull team was the team that traded an entire 2nd line away for Garth Butcher then promptly lost because their opponent focused on stopping the top line and the bottom 3 couldn't do anything. That's not an option against them now.

And while this D-Corps has played like shit for large swaths of the year, I'm again talking about raw talent. Petro and Shatty are talented enough that they aren't Pronger/Macinnis but they're still two guys that play/played at a Norris level. With Jackman, Bouwmeester, Gunarsson and Michalek backing them, that's an outstanding d-corps when they actually play well. Unfortunately, Bouwmeester has been a festering pile of shit all season and Petro's underperformed so it's hard to really claim the D has been great, but it should be. That's what irritates me, the D is playing as less than its parts and by a fair amount. Watching Bouwmeester freak out and turn the puck over every time its on his stick is driving me goddamn insane.

Between the pipes...well they've never had Roy or Hasek; the bar is pretty much an overrated Curtis Joseph or over the hill Grant Fuhr. Our present duo is as good as anything else we've had in net.

This team is an excellent hockey team. There are no excuses.

But they will lose. Because Chief...I mean, Blues.

I agree the Blues are an excellent hockey overall. I don't think we have the goalies to win it unless Allen really turns it on, which as a young player you never know, which if he does watch out. But we all know they will somehow blow it in a fashion only the Blues can.

[AustinChief]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Between the pipes...well they've never had Roy or Hasek; the bar is pretty much an overrated Curtis Joseph or over the hill Grant Fuhr. Our present duo is as good as anything else we've had in net.

Um... Jacques Plante? Long time back but by far the best the Blues ever had.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

Um... Jacques Plante? Long time back but by far the best the Blues ever had.

Jacque Plante was 40 yrs old. Moreover, he was the Blues goalie for those couple of years where they essentially let the expansion teams play in their own league and then let the winner of that league play the big boys in the Cup finals. He wasn't exactly out there facing the elite every night so it's hard to even take his numbers at face value.

I think Mike Liut is a worthy nominee but Plante was mostly on his last legs and playing weak competition while donning the note.