one-way deal flag this comment

I thought Tarasenko was staying home for another year .. I could be wrong flag this comment

Yeah, you're right. Meant '12-'13. flag this comment

Oh, and original comment was somewhat tongue in cheek. flag this comment

Wasn't expecting 5 years either. But I think we got a pretty sweet cap hit for a solid second pairing guy. flag this comment

A little unexpected, but I like this deal and the news about Sobotka as well. Maybe the Blues are starting to move towards locking players up long term now that they are getting closer to getting out of RFA years. It makes sense to me. This is a way to keep salary down, but it is a bit of a gamble to be on the hook for 5 years.

One thing to note. Is this too much for too long of a period for someone who may end up being a 3rd pairing D? Petro and Shattenkirk should be 1 and 2 on the right side. Do you think that they eventually start playing one of these 3 on the left side? flag this comment

I think the Blues are counting on him to contribute top 4 minutes as the main physical presence and shut-down defense. Which is the type of player he was on his way to being before last season.

The Blues have to be convinced that this past season was the abberation. I think it's good signing. That fifth year takes his cap hit down to $2.75M. Which looks a lot better than a four year deal at around $3.5M.

I'm good with it.

Who is the last Blue to get a deal this long? Has to be pre-lockout. flag this comment

Actually you don't have to look any farther than last season when Backes received a 5 year extension.

I can see 5 years being about the longest that the Blues want to go with anyone. Long enough to help bring the cost down, but not so long that there is a really big chance of it being a disaster of a contract for several years like some of the 8+ year contracts in the NHL have. flag this comment

Duh. I forgot about Backes.

*slaps ever-advancing forehead* flag this comment

Thats my thought as well flag this comment

We don't need Richards....we need a proven goal scoring threat. We have enough distributors, we need finishers. Can you imagine if we DID get Richards? The rate of seemingly slam-dunk one-timers that back-fire would go through the roof. We make nice passes as it is, we just can't finish. With Boyes gone...hopefully we'll improve in this department as he won't be the recipient of any "gifts" that he shanks. But, back to Richards....he's a whole heap of money that we don't need to spend. I'd like to see that money used to secure a scoring threat. flag this comment

Would Oshie go for a first rounder? I wonder if the Blues have someone in mind in the first round and would trade him if they could get that one player... flag this comment

I love Oshie, but you have to trade an asset to get an asset. We still need a gamebreaking forward. As much as I like Chris Stewart, he's no Parise, and that's what we need...someone who's dangerous every time they touch the puck. Stewart is another case of Tkachuk and Weight...all-star caliber potentially, but do you think he and Backes and Berglund can bring this team to the promised land? I think there's a serious danger Oshie could pretty much stall right where he's at - solid second liner. I'm not saying we should trade him, but if we can bring in a Parise-caliber talent, we have to do it. I also think the Flyers would be willing to clear some salary on forward so they can sign a goalie. We've had a whole 40 years of energy guys and gritty players, and nothing to show for it. I think Doug Armstrong definitely needs to listen to offers. The only "untouchable" on this team right now is Alex mother f'n Pietrangelo. flag this comment

Eggs, I don't think Oshie would go for a first. I wouldn't just trade him for a pick or a prospect, because I do think he'll be a special player. For the Blues to trade him, we need a serious impact player who can step in right now. flag this comment

Yeah, I think Oshie would have to go for an impact player who's already somewhat established. Probably a guy who is underrated or who's development has been stunted for some reason. That's why I don't really think he'll get traded this summer. He still has a lot of potential so you might as well give him another year and see how he does.

I don't see the blues taking on much salary this summer except for a bargain basement forward like Sobotka was last year, and a backup goalie. flag this comment

I want to be clear there's only one maybe two picks you would trade Oshie for. Always think of things this way, a draft pick is an investment. In Oshie's case we picked him sooner than anybody else would have thought and if he can go for a first or second over all I think it gives you pause.

But that was not what I was advocating. I was saying that say the Blues knew they were going after a giant, i.e. RIchards, or they knew they could pick up a player like Jame Van Riemsdyk or the other Richards or something like that then yes I see them doing this with Oshie.

I was also suggesting that if your the GM given Oshie's off ice issues and add to it his injury reserve time and balancing that with the fact he is an IMPACT player and definitively effects out comes of games and you wonder if that isn't the tip of the ice berg.

I wouldn't worry about Oshie stalling. My concern would be how seriously does this kid take his job now that I'm going to make him a multi-millionaire? I have to say again being an alcoholic and then not drinking is hard stuff for anybody at any age but I suggest that at his age it would harder in certain respects. Most alcoholics or addicts have to hit bottom to make that change. The change must come from the individual. You can go a decent while without problems then even the people who thought you needed help will say just one drink, one drink won't hurt, you've been so good. Well actually it does. But the one drink and control can last for a short period of time before it manifests itself again. I've been there and successful at a young age. I know there are some people with tremendous will power. But I caution making a judgement on a person in less than two years time. Even then you have to keep your guard up.
According to Jeremy Rutherford(the basketball writer who's never played hockey and is a supposed expert on hockey after a couple of years talking with the likes of Pleau and shoot the old Blues guy that was coach for a day but seems not to understand the way the game has changed), he says the Blues believe Oshie has changed. Wow. I don't know all the details but the rumors and video I have seen--wow. I think it's more diplomatic to say you believe a player has changed because one, if you say otherwise his value goes down and two, you don't want to hurt your relationship with a player. So it's really difficult to get a reading on these things other than when you piece together information from different hockey sources you can see what it is that the people with power in hockey are thinking.

I want to say I'm not completely down on Oshie because on the ice he can be an amazing player. But IF he is an alcoholic and I know of three events that suggest that he is and IF those rumors of him drining at the bars all night during the season are true(which I tend to believe because I have heard them in locker rooms across town from loads of youngsters), then you MUST be concerned. The question is can he make it through it all? No one can answer such a question. Then would now or at the end of the year mark his high value mark? What are people offering?

I love Parise but let's be frank, injury reserve. You don't want to have a team rely o heavily on any one player that visits the injury reserve with a frequency. But if you have another great player it's not as bad of thing to do. If I had a vote I definitely speak with Brad Richards. I sell him this city hard put out the big bucks. I go to Philly and say Ville for TJ?

Hell I'd go get Vokuhn and trade Halak to one of the many teams that need goaltending. I do it because I know I have a young talent on the way. Of course you know I'd make a move for Weber. And if I could do this I'd print the banner before I played a game. flag this comment

Nice point . . .

I LOVE this deal! Since day one, Polak has been one of my favorite Blues. Meat & potatoes, lunch pale, hardhat type. Now don't get me wrong, the Blues in recent past--& still present-- seem to have too many of these types--particularly @ forward--but Polak is a gem of this particular skill set. That said, having hi-octane offensive-defensemen in the form of Petro & Shattenkirk allows the Blues the capacity to get a straight up defensive d-man beast. flag this comment

unfortunately, Jax entered the league in the time of Jeff Finley and Sasha Khavanov. He learned from the best as how to NOT clear the puck effectively from his own zone. Too bad he had those clowns to show him the ropes in that department. Besides Jax poor clearing attempt, I had no problems with him this past season. I agree that we need his veteran leadership. I like Jax,...always have, but he does frustrate me as much as the next person. flag this comment

There was his pylon routine twice in one game this spring... flag this comment

"Something big is up. Remember they traded for and signed Halak very early last summer. There are those I talk to who feel they are on the verge of "a move of similar significance." There are several people wondering if Oshie could be the player heading out."

Apparently, we are the sources for Ek's rumors.

Pujols to the Pirates in exchange for Crosby to the Blues. Make it happen, boys. flag this comment

Welcome to the NHL where one star called it, "...a garage league...", Hossa scores a goal magically that never crosses the line, that he kicked at so that a struggling team can't find a way into the post season and the former Cup champs can get in. In Vancouver's defense, the refs seemed blind to obvious can opener moves by Boston that should have been called for hell a blind kid listening to his first hockey game could have made the calls.

Bergeron and Burrows were together for a while. We don't know what was said or how hard Bergy's hands were jammed into Burrow's face. So there's that. Expect that maybe there was more to the story the NHL DID NOT want into the story of the Cup. flag this comment