Ugh

I still don’t understand why AM doesn’t have any trust in Ears. Next time we have back-to-back games, please play the Finn in one of them!

Speaking of yesterday’s “Game Time,” I want to take exception with something that Jeff Fahrenkrog wrote in the “Top Ten Worst Blues Trades of All Time” piece…

Jeff, if you’re blaming Pleau for trading Pronger, you’re completely missing the boat. We all know that you can’t stand Larry Pleau, but you ought to know damn well by now that Pleau’s hand was forced by Basket-Bill Laurie and Dick “Cheney” Thomas.

Every GM in the league knew that Pleau was being forced to move Pronger; that being the case, he’s lucky that he got as much as Brewer and Woywitka back for him.

There’s plenty that you can point the finger at Pleau for, if you absolutely must. Trading Pronger isn’t one of those things, however.

Marcus: AM doesn’t have any trust in Ears because AM doesn’t, as a rule, trust any player that doesn’t have significant NHL experience already. He reminds me a great deal of Mike Keenan in that aspect of his coaching style.

Myself, I think that the Blues ought to swap Jackman and change to the Canadiens for Ryder and Huet, and send Ears down to Peoria and ride him there until he drops. Schwarz’ development seems to have stalled, and there’s a reason why Beckford-Tseu wasn’t offered a new contract. And Ears has been positively dominant in the little time he’s spent in the AHL this year. Let him go there, play every night, and get his confidence back, because it’s shot to Hell right now.

AM should know and trust Huet from his time in LA, and Huet should be more than able to take some of the load off of Manny, because it seems evident to me than Manny is getting worn down.

B.

Jeez… it’s raining like the hammers of Hell out here in Historic Macoupin County. What strange weather we’re having; six inches of snow on the ground, and a thunderstorm.

B.

One last comment on AM, then I’ll stop.

When was the last time he DIDN’T start the Mayers line?

Hey, Andy, I don’t want to try to tell you how to do your job or nothin’ like that… but maybe if you sent the scorers out to start the game every once in a while, the Blues might actually be able to get an early lead instead of having to play catch-up all the time because Mayers, God love ‘im, couldn’t hit the broad side of a brontosaurus from ten feet out…

B.

Jackman and change for Huet and Ryder ??? In what universe does that happen? Have the Boston execs relocated to Montreal?
No way would a deal like that work. You might as well offer a trade of Backman for Kovalchuck.

I don’t see what the big deal is about the starting line. They play what, the first minute? Unless there’s been a string of goals in the first minute of play that I’m unaware of, I don’t think starting the Mayers line is forcing us to play “catch-up”.

GTPD: As far as the starting line goes, I think it’s the match-up. The other team sends out their scoring line, AM wants the checking line out there against them. As home coach, he gets last change.

Now we know why Boston gave up on Ears; when he has no confidence, he sucks. It’s early in his career to decide that he’s a no-confidence head case (see Turek, Roman), and I think another season in the AHL wouldn’t hurt. As for Schwarz, he’s still only 21 (20?) He needs more work on technique and rebound control, and it’s all a matter of development-will he, won’t he?

Many goalies don’t hit their peak until late 20’s. Young, hot goaltenders need to do it for at least 5 years running before you can consider them a great goalie. This team needs to develop a goaltender from within.

As far as Jackman and change for Huet and Ryder, only if that “change” is some combination of: select 1) from Erik Johnson, David Perron, TJ Oshie; and select 2) from Mayers, McClement, Backman, Salvador, Backes, Stempniak.

Most NHL GM’s aren’t as dumb as the NHL ‘08 computer GM. They don’t offer ridiculous trades, nor do they accept them.

Guys, I’m not concerned so much that the Blues are falling behind on the scoreboard early. What bugs me about starting the checking line all the time is that by doing so, the Blues essentially concede to the opposition that they (the opposition) will get to set the pace of the game offensively.

That’s what I mean by “playing catch-up.”

If the opposition is going to start their best players all the time, the Blues should do the same every once in a while. Let our skill go against their skill, and give our skill guys a chance to get out quickly and set the tone for a change.

IMO, Murray spends too much time overanalyzing “matchups.” I’m not saying that isn’t important, or that it shouldn’t be done, but every once in a while, I’d just like to see our best six on the ice against their best six, and let nature take it’s course.

As for the Huet/Ryder proposal, Huet is the key to it as far as I’m concerned. I only proposed Ryder as well because the Canadiens are supposed to be anxious to send him packing, and because the Blues MIGHT be able to get some scoring out of him. I’d be just as happy if Ryder didn’t come anywhere near the Blues except on the tri-annual game with the Habs (thanks for that, BTW, Mr. Bettman).

Asking for Huet might be pushing it a little, but I thought of Huet because he’s a veteran that Murray would already know from their time together in LA, and because Murray would probably have some trust in him, where he clearly has none in Toivonen.

Manny is playing WAY too much, and if the Blues don’t get a backup on the bench that Murray isn’t afraid to trot out there, Manny’s gonna be worn down to a nub by the end of the season with all these back-to-back games and weeks with four games.

I’d be willing to go as high as Jackman, a second-round pick, and a prospect (no Berglund, Oshie or Lemtyugov) for Huet if the Habs would move him. If not, I’d see what the Blues would have to give up in order to get a guy like Marc Denis in here; a veteran that Murray would be more likely to trust.

As I said, send Ears down to Peoria and let him get his confidence back there. The Hyphenator can go back to Alaska, and someone needs to give Schwarz a swift kick in the ass. I know, he’s 21 and goalies take longer to reach their potential, but Schwarz is so inconsistent right now, it’s maddening.

B.

Agreed with the Schwarz kick in the ass. If getting scorched in your two big-league stints doesn’t make you want to get better, I don’t know what will. I don’t think that the Habs are that anxious to deal Huet; they’re going to wait until the bidding goes up. Although Price (?) has been impressive, he’s still a young goaltender. Perhaps they’re hoping Boston will get desperate to make a move, or Toronto will be in “Do Something!” mode. They could use a real #1.

many (most?!?) so-so home teams start the checking line. they generally want the checking line vs top line match-up from start to end. he does not start the checking line on the road. if murray didnt line match all gamr or if he routinuely went top line on top line, i’d think the checking line starting the game was an issue.

as for ms: he is unsigned, and the last contract he did sign was an nhl contract, you think the blues should/would/could continue to pay him 1 million per to play in peoria?!?

Childhood Trauma wrote:

“as for ms: he is unsigned, and the last contract he did sign was an nhl contract, you think the blues should/would/could continue to pay him 1 million per to play in peoria?!?”

==

If by “ms,” you mean Schwarz, then he is NOT “unsigned.” He’s under contract for two more years at $984K per.

http://www.nhlscap.com/salarynumbers/stlouis.htm

That contract is only slightly above the going rate for the other first-round draft picks on the Blues’ payroll — Johnson, Perron, Berglund — and isn’t outrageous by any means for a goalie drafted in the first round.

I’m disappointed with Schwarz’ development so far, yes… but until I hear that his coach, and the two front-office guys who know what it takes to be NHL goaltenders (JD and Wamsley) are ALSO disappointed with his development, I’ll defer to their judgement.

I’m impatient for Schwarz — or Toivonen, or Bishop, or Berra — to break out of the pack and establish himself as THE “Goalie Of The Future” here. JD, Wamsley, and Dave Baseggio don’t share that impatience, however, which I guess is at least part of the reason why they have jobs in pro hockey you and I don’t (yet).

;-)

B.

it is on target yea, but most of them are on two way contracts, and the blues could have backout of all perron’s payment by sending him to juniors.

that contract had to have been extended, i know at one time the blues were only on the hook for two years at a million per.

and “slightly” above? maybe, as i said, even most 1st rounders who are not ready for the nhl get two way contracts, but even granting THAT. that the blues inticed ms to play north american hockey with an extremely healthy carrot, you take 50 guys (the blues nhl roster and the true prospects in other leagues) and “slightly” overpay them, and you get crap

yep this off season they re-upped ms, so i guess the question of wether you would do it stands, the blues answered it even after watching ms start going ot ahl away games on “the short bus”