Ranking The St. Louis Blues - No. 20

by Brad Lee on Oct 7, 2011 11:02 AM CDT

This is the next in a series of stories ranking the 24 most important players on the 2011-12 St. Louis Blues.

You get what you pay for. And in today's NHL, $600,000 will get you a short forward with a career high of 10 goals that turns 37 during the season. Scott Nichol, we have low expectations.

The man is 5 feet, 8 inches tall. That's half an inch taller than my wife if he's honest about his height on his bio. And if he has to lie to get to that height, he should start wearing taller skates.

Over the course of his career he's played with five teams before arriving in St. Louis as an unrestricted free agent this summer. He spent significant parts of seven seasons in the minor leagues. He's scored more than five goals in a season only three times. He's hit double digits in assists twice. He's not an offensive dynamo.

Nichol has a reputation as a defensive player, penalty killer and faceoff specialist. Last season he won the draw 59.4 percent of the time. He had the highest win percentage on the Sharks, but three other centers had hundreds more faceoffs. Hundreds. But if you go back two seasons, Nichol won 60.6 percent of his faceoffs and saw the second most draws behind only Joe Thornton (a noted asshole). My biggest worry is that 2009-10 may have been his last hurrah. Turning 37 in the NHL is pretty damn rare. And he's damaged goods.

The midget center was limited to 56 regular season games last season because of a shoulder injury. He came back for the Sharks' annual playoff collapse, but he needed surgery in the offseason to repair a torn labrum. He missed the first half of the Blues' preseason games recovering from that surgery.

Ok, I get it. Every team needs role players and Nichol will embrace that role with veteran fervor. He knows he doesn't have much time left in the league. He will provide an experienced voice in the dressing room (along with the two other old guys they signed this summer; we'll get to them). But when you say a guy is a faceoff specialist, I immediately think of Mike Eastwood. That guy hung around two or three seasons after he was actually useful based on just his inability to consistently win faceoffs...the entire justification for having him on the roster. Winning the faceoff is one thing. It's another to do something after the draw - either with the puck or defensively.

And it also scares me when a guy in his late 30s is going to be counted on to be a prime penalty killer. Veteran savvy and experience will only take you so far. Your legs have to do the rest.

What Nichol is in position to provide this team will never be on the score sheet. So ranking him this low is possibly unfair. But come on, the guy is making almost half of what B.J. Crombeen signed for this summer. He's not going to win many games this season on offense or defense. Therefore, the ranking.

Maybe he should have been 24th. That's the second time I've written that in the rankings so far. I'm sure that won't be a problem.

Keeping up on your reading? Better hurry up. Lots more words coming. So many words.

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Comments

I'd put the mediocre back up G at # 20

and Nichol at 18 or 19.

Cap Backes says Nichol is one of the hardest players to play against in the league. That has to count for something.

by forgetyerskatesdream on Oct 7, 2011 11:15 AM CDT reply actions

I mostly disagree with you here.

I’d say he should be higher, but the only guys I could see dropping are N64 and maybe Vodka, but Vodka would be a huge reach.

This blog celebrated Jay McClement and Mike Weaver when they wore the Note for being defensive stoppers. Huge helps on the PK. We really need a guy to step into that role. Nichol wins faceoffs, blocks shots, and hits people. If he can do this without making bonehead out of position plays, he plays a vital role.

PK doesn’t usually win you games, but it can lose you games. And outside of Halak, Nichol might be our most vital PK piece.

Is willing to go to the mattresses with the lot of yous.

by Novacain on Oct 7, 2011 11:15 AM CDT via mobile reply actions

I see what you're saying

But I still question the age and injury factors. If he plays a lot and to his reputation then I will admit he is more valuable.

www.stlouisgametime.com

by Brad Lee on Oct 7, 2011 11:39 AM CDT via iPhone app up reply actions

I get what your saying as well.

And it’s damn hard to say he should be ranked higher, and no way should he be ranked higher than any forwards. Just wanted to present a “best case scenario” as well. And let’s hope he forces you to make that admission, instead of forcing me to say I was too high on him.

Is willing to go to the mattresses with the lot of yous.

by Novacain on Oct 7, 2011 11:55 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions

Special Ability:

Instantly calculating the proper tip for his server at a restaurant, including variables such as tableside manner, frequency/duration of check ins, and beer list memory and retention.

I once shot a man just to see him die...then I got distracted and missed it.

by TheDuke32 on Oct 7, 2011 11:53 AM CDT reply actions

Everytime I think of Scott Nichol

I think of the game where he scored 2 shorties against us while playing for Nashville. Hopefully he can replace that with a better memory at some point this year…

"At least we aren't Cleveland." - every team that's ever sucked that wasn't from Cleveland.

by blunatic on Oct 7, 2011 1:41 PM CDT reply actions

Also of note:

Scott Nichol sucks at fighting.

Fight Club writer for the print edition of St. Louis Game Time . . . I need another beer.
The Throwdown Lowdown Report, only on The Bluenote Zone.
And I can also write things in 140 characters or fewer.

by Donut King on Oct 8, 2011 12:59 PM CDT reply actions