I was listening to NHL live and heard this bit.

On the surface it looks like a horrible trade to me. Colaiacovo is the best piece but that’s when he’s healthy which has been less than half of the time he’s been in the league.

Steen’s a guy who is at best a third liner and has not lived up to the hype.

This trade is built on a lot of HOPE from the Blues’ side of it.

The only good thing for sure is that Lee will be close to home, as he grew up in West Sennaca, NY about twenty minutes outside of Buffalo and about forty minutes from Toronto.

I for one will miss you Lee. You were one of my favorites. I love greasy players that are condsidered small but play with a big heart.

This trade makes no sense. Is this Armstrong or Pleau? Because it has both of those retards hoofprints all over it.

It’s already up on the Blues’s website as well.

Lee was the first Blue drafted and brought up by the team in a long long time to score twenty or more goals and look like a solid player. I know that’s been changing but damn…I knew this crap would start happening. I just wish for us fans the Blues’s hope in these under-performers proves worthwhile. I’m shocked we couldn’t pick up Carlo for a third rounder or second at worst. Especially at a time when we need scorers. Wow.

There was a time when both Leafs were “untouchable”.
That was in the past though.

Dutchie seemed to have turned a corner of sorts recently.

Can’t say I’m happy about this deal, but I will take a wait and see attitude.
We haven’t developed many of our own fwds and Lee was one of them, so I am sad to see him go.

Ah crap. I really liked Stempniak.

I surely hope it was worth giving him up.

I’ll echo Particle’s statement.

At first it sucks to hear that you’re giving up a guy you’ve loved to root for, but maybe JD and co know something here. I guess we’ll see

Would this trade have happened if Wagner or Weaver weren’t liabilities on the ice? Thirty minutes after the trade, I see it as Stempniak for a less talented version of Stempniak and a decent defenseman when healthy.

I have to agree: I always thought that Stempniak had tremendous potential and could turn into a great player, but I don’t think this is a bad deal. Colaiacovo could be the kind of puck-moving d-man that could really improve this powerplay. Steen will add desperately needed depth to a injured core of forwards, and one aspect of this trade that no one is talking about yet is that BOTH new players should enjoy less pressure from the media here in St.Louis as compared to Toronto.

I am just happy that the ownership of this team is showing their desire to make this club a contender as quickly as possible.

Hey guys,

Leafs fan and blogger here. Cola has shown flashes of being a good number 3 D, throws great hits and has an offensive game. Never developed due to frequent injuries, which Wilson said this wk were a result of lousy conditioning. Steen has displayed good offensive potential in the past, esp as a rookie, but that part of his game has stagnated. He could flourish with some topline ice time or PP time. Has become an excellent defensive forward.

So Stempniak – scrappy? What’s his game? Can he get better, or has he peaked? How’s he looked this season?

I hate to see Dutchie go. He will be missed in section 307.

Not to downplay this, but I hated to see Wideman go a few years back as well; I’m with Brian on the “wait and see” approach to any move that this front office makes, so hopefully it works out for the Blues… and for Stempniak.

It doesn’t look great on the surface, but it’s not exactly Pronger for Brewer and Woywitka, either.

(and Doug Lynch, too!)

Godd Till, when I wrote scrappy (filling in after Gift started the post), I was kind of referring to the undersized but plucky play Stempniak has shown. Remember, St. Louis fucking loves David Eckstein and he’s made of scrappiness. And grit.

Stempniak really clicked with Patrik Berglund and David Perron of late. He’s a shooter first, but not a bad passer. Can play the point or the wing on the power play. Not a physical guy, but gives lots of effort.

His 13-goal season last year was exasperating. The dude had no confidence. You could see his body language on the ice. The guy just didn’t believe he could score another goal at one point.

I honestly don’t know what the ceiling is for him. I’d say a good year would right now would be about 25 goals and 60 points. Note: that was what he was doing two years ago in his first full NHL season.

That’ll teach him to get a GWG.

After looking at Coca Colaiacovo’s injury listings for his career I don’t hold much hope for this kid surviving in a Western Conference that is frequently billed as being much tougher than the East. Hopefully, I’ll be eating my words though.

Oh man, this is bad, but uh “Pass the Dutchie to the Leaf-hand side?”

Thanks Brad. I of course know what scrappy means, I just wanted some details on that aspect. I hope he’s a hard worker, that is priority one with Wilson. I could really see him getting on a roll with Grabovski and Hagman on his line.

BTW, I’m a Tigers fan, so you can imagine how I feel about David Eckstein….

Argh. That’s two of my favorite players traded to the Leafs in a matter of SIX FRIGGIN’ MONTHS! (Jamal Mayers, while not a skilled hockey player, was my personal favorite during his time here)

At least we got two players for Dutchie, though. Wish him the best of luck!

Adam that is the big point and that’s what I mean by hope. Hope that Steen rediscovers himself and hope Cola can suddenly be healthy. That’s a lot of hope.

Stempniak was fucked over last year. McClement and Backes could not finish regularly when Lee set them up and at the start of the season he was kissing the iron or being robbed. Then people also expected him to put up bigger numbers last season than the year before when there was even less talent on the team that year and all the talent there was were traded leaving what some twenty some odd games where Lee was the go to guy on the power play.

Lee never shorted us with effort. I watched him stay after a practice last season and practice his side board to the slot shot and one timers, just shooting, shooting shooting and skating and after about thirty minutes I left and he was still going at it when I left. That’s heart. Then toward the end of last season he was seeing time on the ice with King.

This season he’s back on the first unit PP, getting time killing penalties more and playing stronger all around. He’s time for the team lead in short handed points(lol the lone goal with McDonals netting it).

I think Lee was only getting better. He looked stronger on the puck this season and harder to knock down. He was starting to remind me of Martin St. Louis.

I’m not saying this trade couldn’t work I’m just saying we certainly got the shot hand of the stick relying on a lot if IFs and hope.

Thanks Chris. That makes me feel much better.

If it makes you feel better, I don’t think that the ifs on your side are too far-fetched.

@Dan: Does that mean the Blues are in the middle of a Musical Youth movement?

@ Chris D

Agreed…God, I just hate to see Stempniak go. Two seasons removed from a 25 goal year.

Hey PPP, good to see you in this part of town, slumming it down here where we only get 20 comments in two hours instead of probably 400+.

We might be neighbors soon, so to speak.

How much will people pay me to make Brewer my new “Favorite Blues player”?

Ever since the days when Cliff Ronning was my favorite (weird, but true), I’ve been the kiss of death when it comes to players retaining a 314 area code.

I don’t like this trade, sad to see you go, Lee.

I’m bummed to see him go, but cautiously optimistic about the move. He’s had his dry spells, but I never thought he lacked effort.

Godspeed, Stempie …

Rich I think we can take up a collection and you could then take the next couple of years off.

Speaking of Brewer when will the Blues management GET SMART and trade that bum and tuly make the team better?

I’m smelling a lot of “if” coming off this plan.

Yeah this deal has that smell especially when JD starts talking about Oshie concerning this trade. Oshie!!!!!!!! We already have Oshie JD!!!! Maybe when Oshie gets healthy(another If), he’ll be on the point on the first power play unit? Wow. Usually when you make a trade and pick up good players you don’t talk about the player traded and a player already on your team more than the new player(s) involved.

Godd Till tell your fellow fans he’s not another Jason Blake please. I keep hearing that and that would be a huge diservice to what Lee Stempniak.

Brad – Ha, nice to hear. Once you guys get settled in you’ll get that many comments too. Looking forward to your debut!

I like Lee and all, but he wasn’t setting the world on fire. We’ll see what happens.

What you guys are all saying…..and the hottest Blue to boot.

Gotta wonder if Stempy resented how many times Oshie was mentioned by JD while he was explaining the trade. “We also looked at what we had with our organization now, particularly T.J. Oshie. Lee Stempniak was a quality person and a quality player,” Davidson said. “We have to look at our organization now, and the one player that really jumped up for us was TJ (Oshie). TJ is going to get a lot of time when he comes back from his injury. We’ll see as it marches along here, but (Oshie) certainly as the ability to. And TJ is still pissed at Stempniak for an undisclosed incident at his condo when Lee drank some of the superstars Snapple without permission.”

Damn, I’m gonna miss Lee. I’m still bummed about Jammer, my favorite all time Blue getting traded there this past off season. Now Lee too. All the best to him.
I’m another one of those ’let’s wait and see what happens’

This move makes sense if the orginization is totally convinced this massive influx of talented young forwards (TJ, Bergland, Eller, some of the college kids, maybe next years pick?) is going to happen by next season. Where does that really leave Stempniak in the end? He isnt great in his own end, and other player have certain draws to them: Backes throws the body around (though he needs to score at least 20 to earn that money) Mcclement is our best option on faceoffs and the pk, but Stempniak’s thing was scoring, streakily at that, so he didnt have too far to go with the blues if this wave of foward talent that we’ve been hearing so much about comes through.

If Colaiacovo can stay healthy for long stretches and Steen can provide responsible defensive play and become a viable scoring option on a third line (again if the kids come up as expected in the next year) then down the road this could be a really good deal for the blues.

Any time the Blues can get two players for one, and the two players combined will make less than the one going the other way (albeit not until next year), it’s a good thing.

I, like everyone else, will miss Stempniak, but I’m looking forward to seeing what Alexander Steen can do with a change of scenery, and I’ve always been a fan of Colaiacovo.

Stempniak will probably get a few more points in an average season than Steen, but Steen is a year younger, and if he can match his usual career totals of 15-18 goals and 40-45 points, plus whatever Colaiacovo can chip in from the blueline, that should be A-OK.

B.

Man, I am glad I found this bastion of intelligent discussion about our hockey club. I’m bummed about this decision, but there is some real sky-is-falling shit going down on the official Blues forum. People talking about not being Blues fans anymore due to this trade and the bad luck the Blues have had this year. Crazy mofo’s.

Fuck Detroit.

look guys its a stock split. nothing happened other than the blues got two bodies of questionable top minute quality for one guy.

things to POSSIBLY ponder..

yea JEFF weaver, and winchester cathedral, even when signed were to help a young peoria team out. so the blues NEED bodies this season.

maybe the loff fest for the scrappy and minute eating (due to kerry fraiser being a ref) jay m will get one last offensive role tryout.

Steen is a CENTER. backes is apparently not the man for a center fill in job. which is ok with me.

i’d type more, but it is 5

Dan Says: November 24th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Oh man, this is bad, but uh "Pass the Dutchie to the Leaf-hand side?"

Thread over. Dan wins.

OK. So I was pissed off enough about the lockout that I did not come back until last season (no, not fairweather, but a blue-bleeder since I gained a conscious memory in 1975), so I missed the Stempy miracle season. Having no expectations of him when I returned due to my total blackout of all things hockey for the better part of two years (lockout plus one), I really wasn’t that impressed with his play so far this year and was underwhelmed last year. No bang for the buck in my book. Great players build on prior seasons and make the less talented people on their line play up to their level (Hull-Momesso, anyone?) Stempy went the other direction and played down to his linemates.

From what I have read and heard thus far, the “stock-split” is a great deal, provided at least one of the new guys works out for at least a few years. More cap space in the long run, too, in the event the “Musical Youth” movement works out and we need a key piece or two in the next two-three years.

Don’t worry, sportsfans, Stempy will be back in the St. Louis Metro to sell you an insurance policy within two years after the end of his career.

Note: Thanks to other posters for providing key concepts re-evaluated here — eg “Musical Youth”, “stock split”, and the idea of Stempy hitting the skids because of the weakness of his line

ok two more things

dutchie was the gt december calendar boy, and steen’s father once almost thought abut signing a contract with the blues. just so you know.

It’s not a simple stock split. Steen was playing with Mats Sudin for christ’s sake, who can’t net 15 goals playing with that guy? Seriously though, I’m getting a bit perturbed about this under-valueing Stempniak saying things like he was horrible in our own end and is just a scorer. Last I check he also is a play maker. Last season he was off to a slow start. It happens. Also he did NOT play on the firs unit power play and his ice time was dramatically down. He also is a pretty fucking good penalty killer and shares in the lead of short handed points. He’s played very well on the point for fuck’s sake, the point of all places. He’s greasey and speedy. And he gives you an honest effort every night.

Look no offense to Jay McClement who has been playing solidly of late, but that guy couldn’t hit an empty net the way he’s shooting. Last season I can’t count how many times Lee made a play and neither Backes or McClement could finish it with the goaltender sprawled on the opposite side of net. Then Lee starts showing signs of life when he starts playing on what I still think was the best line combo I have seen yet of him Boyes at center and Perron on the other wing. Then after what a game and a half he gets put on the fourth line with King and has less minutes.

And what Lee did when our top players were Guerin and Weight!!! Then even when those bums and Tkachoke were traded he still was putting the puck in our making plays.

All great players build on every season LMFAO!!!! That’s why there’s that saying sophmore slump huh. On top of that if you watch any Leafs games and were lucky enough to see Cola you’d be excited but at the same time disappointed when you see how many injuries he’s already had. If he can stay healthy it’s a great trade b/c then we can find out what we have in Steen. I’m interested to see what he’ll bring. I’ve heard he’s a two-way player and I’m trying to remember all of the games I saw him in and was thinking way to miss your backcheck. I think he’s had some issues in the minus area and that’s why he was moved back to wing.

I’ve heard Toronto fans describe Steen as having stone hands. I haven’t really seen that.

My complaint I guess boils down to the IF-factor. We trade a reliable player for two IFs and a lot of hope. I’m not saying it can’t happen by no means, I’m just catious. If anything it’s an interesting trade. I’d been happier if we moved some picks for Cola period. Toronto needs picks and would have been happy with them. While we always need picks with or surplus and great drafting as of late I think then you can afford to let go of some picks. Lee would have been the perfect piece in a bogger trade.

Anytime you trade one player and get two for less DOES NOT make it a good trade. That’s almost as bad as the Toronto fan saying that they are trading two first rounder for a fifth. Hell I’d trade two first rounders for a seventh round pick that was #210 overall—Zetterberg.

I know we will see things like this more often. It’s the nature of a salary cap. At the same time we really need a puck moving defenceman and Cola can do that as well as make some impressively rocking hip/open ice checks. Check him out you tube making huge hits.

I really like Cola but I also really liked Stempniak. He was/is going to be a point per game player. His game even rose when the Blues needed it to.

I’m going to keep my fingers crossed and hope all my worring is needless. We’ll see how well we came out in a few month’s time. But if you think Stempy is inconsistent and Steen plays like he has been talking a rising and falling star. And the last IF, if one these players takes it to the next level then in the end I’ll be fine with the trade. It’s just a bit hard to swallow atm.

dutchie was the gt december calendar boy

no, seriously. i don’t know what a gt calendar is but i MUST know who the official blues opening-night calendar december posterboy was….
 
it…. it wasn’t, was it ???

If anybody misses Stempniak, just do what I’m going to do: pretend he has a “lower-body injury” and he’ll be back “any day now”.

Then whenever you think “hey, I wonder how Stempniak’s injury is doing”, just imagine Andy Murray saying something like “it’s not coming along like we thought it would be — we’ll re-evaluate in a week or two”.

Wow. Kicking the dog was an accident, really.

Now we need a one act theater with Jammer welcoming Stemp, introducing him to an old fossil nick named CUJO!!!!

Sorry to see you go Lee. You’re a nice guy even in person. Good Luck.

Thanks Chris, I’m sure glad to hear he’s no Blake. $&#* that guy.

Steen hasn’t gotten tons of time with Sundin, but I, and many other Leafs fans feel that he had chances to to establish himself as a scoring forward. So far this year Stajan ahs blossomed and he hasn’t. Tends to have a great game followed by disappearing for 3 or 4. He struggles in the face off circle/

Cola is a lot of fun, hits, rushes, scores a bit – only when he’s healthy.

What’s the deal with Wozniewski? Sorry about that.

Godd Till, Wozniewski is in Peoria, where he’s been all year, and, honestly, where he belongs. I’ve heard some folks in Peoria rave about him, but he hasn’t impressed me very much in the (admittedly) limited amount of time I’ve had to see him.

I’ve never seen a guy that big be so afraid to use his size.

B.

The dreaded ‘upside’ trade. FTR Toronto 90 minutes from Buffalo, West Seneca is pretty much in Buffalo—-touches the city. Carlo won the best NHL name contest in Buffalo last year (wrg550) narrowly defeating Maxim Afinogenov and Roberto Luongo.

Well that’s a big downer. I didn’t realize that what will be Steen’s first game with us isn’t even going to be televised on a channel I get. Stupid VS.

We needed bodies. Steen… a center right now on a team that doesn’t have many. Cola? Let’s see if he buys into the strength/fitness regimen that Perron did. If he does, it’s a great deal one-up. Who else on this roster would fetch two players without wrecking the rebuild?

Yes, I’m sorry to see him go. No, I don’t think we had any other tradeable assets except Backes, and he has size on a team which is a little small.

love lee if you must he aint on pace to score 20 this year. even soupy campbell managed to hit 20 back to back before falling out of the hockey uuniverse. maybe we just all got the joneses for eric boganicki?!?

look lee is 20+, then nothing, now less than 20, and then we had next year. IF he did anythign next year he would be 3 million, if he didnt he wouldnt be worth cajaneck in a trade. so ok, maybe not a world beater. maybe the blues even are on the short side, but wow. I can’t get my tears flowing over it really

Sweet. Steen and Colaiacovo have to go through immigration and probably won’t be available until the weekend…when they once again won’t be on a channel I get. Stupid SNET.

Well this sucks for the dude I saw last Friday picking up his “STEMPNIAK 12” third jersey……

Trauma the thing is a point per game player is creating offense. He doesn’t have to have lofty goal totals to impress me. On pace crap is fairly wortless. It’s the honest effort, combined with talent and his still being young and starting to cross the line into a better player that impresses me. He’s versatile and getting better. I saw it in him.

Watch he’ll pick up his game as he already has been doing this season. I just feel the Blues gave up on him a little too soon and did not get enough in return but a bunch of IFs.

Did anybody ever hear Pronger would be a great player if he could stay healthy? Wasn’t that one of the big questions concerning Jackman last season?

I’m not hating this trade I’m just not buying into the fluff bull shit and the amount of fans that have been down on Lee and calling him a flash in the pan, especially when there’s a guy named Backes that is going into his second season with expectations and he’s yet to cross the twenty goal mark. Steen has not either. This it’s hard to play in Toronto bull shit has got to stop as well. Guess what? They’re getting paid aren;t they? I don’t think Gilmour had too many troubles, nor Sundin or the many hall of famers that have payed there. You want media issues go to a foreign country and have someone ask you fucked up questions suggestive of how things are done when you don’t make the policy with you life on the line and getting paid in a year what most of these guys make in a day. My point being people have to deal with pressure in many facets of life without it being the ability to play a game and be well compensated for your time and effort.

Chris D, in spite of what JD says, I think that if this team isn’t missing Berglund, MacDonald, TJ, EJ, Kariya… this trade does not happen. Steen and Cola aren’t complete stiffs, and they do have a little bit of potential, which is important for a rebuilding team. No, they may not ever develop beyond what they currently are. If so, you have the option to drop the salaries and cut your losses as more of your youth becomes NHL-ready and you then have the depth to at least withstand a run of injuries.

Again, I’m not happy to see Dutchie go because I think he was finally getting rid of his worst habit: holding onto the puck too long before shooting as losing the lane and/or space. On the other hand, we need bodies (and we need a sixth defenseman.)

Mike Weaver out there against the Ducks’ huge forwards was painful to watch. He got abused.

Goalie guy I understand. I’m tired of the over the years trading somebody from our system and getting little in return and then watching turn into elite players. I know this is going to happen more often period over the years because of the cap. I told this to people back towards the end of the 2006-2007 season, players like Stempniak will be traded. Yet I’m the one dealing with it the worst lol.

I get it Steen has some upside if he gets back on track, buries his chances and something else. Cola has tremendous upside if he stays healthy. When it’s all said and done I just think Stempniak has more value and if he doesn’t yet he would have soon.

We’ve played two games since the injuries started piling up and played against some good teams and they have come away with a win and some insight into some kids who rediscovered their games.

This game does not rely on size. Sure size helps if you can skate and all, but I remember the last time size started becoming an issue and how broing the games started to get when hordes of talentless tall men came into the league grabbing each other’s sweater and all of that.

I’m done with this topic. I comprehend it. I’m closer to against the trade than for it but I don’t feel strongly enoug to condem it. If that’s what it sounds like it’s my man crush for Stempniak.

[IMG]http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l17/Reality_Czech/Other/soapbox.gif[/IMG]

Test post.

im to lazy to read all the comments, do we have nicknames for the two newbies yet?

im not sold on the team with the best player won the trade theory though. maybe you draft on bop philosophies but you GOTTA trade on need. and this trade fills a need. so it can’t suck. it can FAIL to work out, but that is different animal all together.

as foir nick names? obviously cola. but we going to second gen it? pepsi? coke? nesbit’s lime soda? upper 10? mountian dew? vess? not sure. haven’t seen what kinda soda he plays like. maybe canadian dry?

steen? lots o rhymes, but again i suppose we gotta watch him in the note to ffigure out if he is a has-steen, baked bean, mena machine, in bewtween, or what have you…

I found it to be a defensible gamble. If they’re not sold on Lee in their top 6 at that price (although I, too don’t get where JD is saying TJ replaces him), might as well sell him before he makes $3.5 and when a team is actually offering potentially decent assets for him.

What chaps me is that I wonder if this deal happens if they don’t have so much money tied up in overpriced D-men.

Stempniak is featured on July of the Blues calendar (no one else answered this)

while I hate to see Dutchie go, I like the trade. we now have a temporary 2nd line center fill-in until Bergland gets back, and when he does, Steen will be 3rd line center, moving McClemement to the 4th line. this also gives us two good penalty kill centers.
the trade also gives us 3 offensive d-men. Polak on the first pair, Cola on the second and Wagner on the 4th. for fuck sake Murray do not put Brewer on the power play anymore. use Polak and Cola.
now, the main matter we need to address is who to replace Dutchie on the other powerplay point. perhaps Paddock? he’s a good penalty killer so on the PP if the puck gets past him he should easilly trandition to D if neccessary.

ah but he was the game time christmas calendar boy :).

dutchie opening a present in front of his family. Freem jd and the gang

two bus tickets to the great white north!

"pack up everyone "lee shouts out with glee

this trade will go down in HISSSSSSSS torrrrrrrrrrrr REEEEEEEEE

Speaking of calendars and what-not, I haven’t seen it mentioned here (I don’t see so well), but Stempniak was on the Boeing Salute to Veterans “Young Guns” poster they gave out against Montreal. Oshie was right behind him (as was Boyes and Berglund), so maybe that’s what JD meant by TJ replacing him.