Blues Stocking Up On TJs

I like the looks of the +/- , I would hope the he’s close to NHL-ready by this point. the more competition in camp, the better.

I thought LA was hard up for scoring defensemen. Why would they trade this guy to the Blues if he’s any good (unless it’s a precursor to another deal)?

Pagan wrote:

“I thought LA was hard up for scoring defensemen. Why would they trade this guy to the Blues if he’s any good (unless it’s a precursor to another deal)?”

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1. LA is most likely going to draft Drew Doughty, making Fast expendable.

2. Per http://www.nhlscap.com, LA has 32 players signed to contracts already for 2008-09, and eight more RFA’s to get licked up. They only have a few more contracts to be able to give out, and it’s likely the figured that getting a fifth-round pick for a guy they don’t have room for is better than losing him for nothing.

If Junland and Nikitin really are coming over from Europe next year (as I’ve heard whispered), the Peoria defense should theoretically be a nice mixture of youth, experience, grit, flash, defensive prowess and offensive skills — Aaron Mackenzie (to lead the way), one of Woywitka, Pola’k or Wagner (probably Wagner), Fast, Hellstrom, and the two new Euro kids. Plus there’s a possibility that last year’s FA signing Tyson Strachan will be brought back by the Rivermen as well.
 
B.

Oh, and picking up TJ Hensick and TJ Brennan would be just fine by me as well… ;-)

B.

Thanks Mr. Prospects. Do you have stats on where the Blues stand with contract availability and whether they would need to make any such moves to avoid losing guys for nothing?

Again per www.nhlscap.com:

The Blues have 30 playes signed for next year (including Oshie and Eller), and six RFA’s (Backes, Beckford-Tseu, Guenette, McClement, Toiovnen and Woywitka) to be qualified. They also have ten UFA’s, but of that group, I wouldn’t expect more than Yan Stastny and Matt Waljer to be re-signed.

As far as I know, the Blues don’t have any major junior prospects that they need to sign or risk losing their rights. I believe that they do have to sign Swiss goaltending prospect Reto Berra this summer, or lose his rights, but I believe that with Toivonen going to Finland for a year, the Blues will get Berra signed to create a three-way competition in camp between him, Schwarz and Bishop for the top spot in Peoria.

I wouldn’t expect them to qualify Beckford-Tseu, but I expect that they will qualify Toivonen.

B.

Re: Berra. If the Blues do sign him as I expect they will, and he doesn’t beat out Bishop or Schwarz to earn a spot in Peoria, they will probably loan him back to a Swiss club for next year, like they did with Berglund and Junland after signing them last season.

IMO, the most likely scenario in goal for the organ-I-zation this year is:

NHL — Legace, UFA to be determined (Dubielwicz, Conklin, ???).
AHL — Schwarz, Bishop.
ECHL — Beckford-Tseu (if qualified).
Loaned to Europe — Berra, Toivonen.

B.