All about St. Louis's Blues

[stenbaro]

Ott is a ratt?

 

I think so....I dont care for him..he plays on the cheap side....One step above Kaleta...You can have both of them...

[etiennep99]

Off topic, but this just shows that Buffalo's tanking plan is the way to go. You gotta have

those Kanes and Toews kind of guys. St. Louis didn't have those elite game breakers.

[darksabre]

What other options does St. Louis have outside of Miller? Aren't they kinda stuck?

[LGR4GM]

What other options does St. Louis have outside of Miller? Aren't they kinda stuck?

They could turn it over to Jake Allen. I personally would have let Halak play out this playoffs and made Allen the starter next year. At this point they will maybe give Miller a 4yr 24mil deal and then have him mentor Allen. Outside of that yea they are screwed.

 

So you are the St Louis Blues. What do you do tomorrow after back to back years of getting eliminated in a similar fashion?

[darksabre]

 

They could turn it over to Jake Allen. I personally would have let Halak play out this playoffs and made Allen the starter next year. At this point they will maybe give Miller a 4yr 24mil deal and then have him mentor Allen. Outside of that yea they are screwed.

 

So you are the St Louis Blues. What do you do tomorrow after back to back years of getting eliminated in a similar fashion?

 

Fire Hitch for starters.

[Jsixspd]

ESPN hasn't updated Miller's stats for this 6 game post-season, but I calculated it

 

Overall, a 3.17 GAA and a 0.897 SVG%. That would put him solidly in the bottom half of goalies who've played in the playoffs this year. That's also a distinct drop from his previous post-season average of 2.52 GAA and 0.918 SVG%. in his 4 post-seasons with Buffalo. Whether it's statistically meaningful with only 6 games this season for a data source- I'm not sure.

[Hoss]

Hitchcock and McClellan's stint on their current teams reminds me a lot of Marty for the Chargers. Always at the top going into the playoff but never able to take that next step.

[Ross Rhea]

What other options does St. Louis have outside of Miller? Aren't they kinda stuck?

 

I have a feeling they don't sign him. I also have a feeling some heads are going to roll after this latest debacle from the Blues.

[Derrico]

Blues are obviously a good team but if they don't resign miller and go with their rookie could that give us an outside shot at the blues struggling a bit and a slim chance they even miss the playoffs?

[WildCard]

If I'm the Blues I go into UFA with scoring talent on my mind, I'd take a good look at Moulson and Vanek if I were them

[Weave]

I think this goes to show that you don't bring in a key player at the deadline who needs to change his style of play to fit in. Halak had St. Louis style down, and was very effective. Why would they bring in a goalie who would have to change the style of play he's used for the better part of a decade in order to fit?

[Rasmus_]

They could still theoretically sign him. We'll see, but I believe they might just turn the page and go with Allen full time next year and get an experienced net minder next season like Tim Thomas.

[darksabre]

I think this goes to show that you don't bring in a key player at the deadline who needs to change his style of play to fit in. Halak had St. Louis style down, and was very effective. Why would they bring in a goalie who would have to change the style of play he's used for the better part of a decade in order to fit?

 

I argued this very point and everyone said I was being silly. You don't want to upset chemistry with your goalie and the team. It's not just some plug and play position.

[JJFIVEOH]

What other options does St. Louis have outside of Miller? Aren't they kinda stuck?

 

They could re-sign Halak.

 

I think this goes to show that you don't bring in a key player at the deadline who needs to change his style of play to fit in. Halak had St. Louis style down, and was very effective. Why would they bring in a goalie who would have to change the style of play he's used for the better part of a decade in order to fit?

 

I thought it was an incredibly stupid trade to make before the deadline. You have a team that was contending for the President's trophy, a goaltending duo that was well above average and one of the best defensive teams in the league. You DON'T go and change the chemistry in that situation. You DON'T mess with key elements of your team. Maybe you bring in a couple of guys to deepen your 2nd and 3rd lines, maybe. Now you've gotten rid of draft pick, a 25 goal/year forward and a prospect for a couple of rental players and you lose first round because your team went into a tailspin the last 10 games. (I know there were injuries, everybody had injuries). Armstrong should be fired for that deal. Let's face it, between the Islanders and Blues, Regier/Murray schooled both of those teams.

[Weave]

They could re-sign Halak.

 

 

 

I thought it was an incredibly stupid trade to make before the deadline. You have a team that was contending for the President's trophy, a goaltending duo that was well above average and one of the best defensive teams in the league. You DON'T go and change the chemistry in that situation. You DON'T mess with key elements of your team. Maybe you bring in a couple of guys to deepen your 2nd and 3rd lines, maybe. Now you've gotten rid of draft pick, a 25 goal/year forward and a prospect for a couple of rental players and you lose first round because your team went into a tailspin the last 10 games. (I know there were injuries, everybody had injuries). Armstrong should be fired for that deal. Let's face it, between the Islanders and Blues, Regier/Murray schooled both of those teams.

 

I think the upgrade makes sense *IF* the goalie fits in your system. It's pretty clear that Miller didn't and Hitch expected Miller to adapt. You can't do that in what little is left of the season. Not when you've been playing that style your entire career.

[JJFIVEOH]

I think the upgrade makes sense *IF* the goalie fits in your system. It's pretty clear that Miller didn't and Hitch expected Miller to adapt. You can't do that in what little is left of the season. Not when you've been playing that style your entire career.

 

That too.

[Iron Crotch]

I think this goes to show that you don't bring in a key player at the deadline who needs to change his style of play to fit in. Halak had St. Louis style down, and was very effective. Why would they bring in a goalie who would have to change the style of play he's used for the better part of a decade in order to fit?

 

Yeah, I thought it odd that the Blues tried to modify his game (sit further back in the crease, etc.) to fit Hitch's system. Obviously it didn't work. I still think Miller might sign there in the off-season. I'm not sure either party has a better option.

[X. Benedict]

I think the upgrade makes sense *IF* the goalie fits in your system. It's pretty clear that Miller didn't and Hitch expected Miller to adapt. You can't do that in what little is left of the season. Not when you've been playing that style your entire career.

 

I really think the top 6 is what failed in St. Louis. 2 for 29 on the PowerPlay in the series for 6.9%.

They couldn't punish Chicago for bad penalties.

 

That and you can't give a team like Chicago clean breakaways. They cash them in.

 

Hitch really lost a game of patience to Chicago. Mistakes cost them bit in this series.

[LastPommerFan]

As pissed as Halak was after the deal, I don't see him entertaining the thought of going back to the Blues. Hopefully this collapse detonates a disaster of a season next year, and we get a bonus lottery ticket!

[X. Benedict]

As pissed as Halak was after the deal, I don't see him entertaining the thought of going back to the Blues. Hopefully this collapse detonates a disaster of a season next year, and we get a bonus lottery ticket!

 

I don't think Halak was the answer for St. Louis.

[JJFIVEOH]

Halak has had some pretty substantial numbers throughout his career. Not just with the Blues. With the kind of numbers him and Elliot put up, I'm not really sure how much more they were expecting out of Miller.

[beerme1]

As pissed as Halak was after the deal, I don't see him entertaining the thought of going back to the Blues. Hopefully this collapse detonates a disaster of a season next year, and we get a bonus lottery ticket!

 

That would be an epic fall.

[Hoss]

The two teams in this series make sense, to me, as possible landing spots for Miller. Dallas and Anaheim. Anaheim especially. If they get bounced by Dallas in the first round then I could see them signing Miller to start, Anderson or Gibson as the backup and letting Hiller walk.

 

If I were to mix potential mutual interest and appropriate fits for Miller, I would order them like this (if they all offered the same deal):

 

1. Anaheim

2. St. Louis

3. Minnesota

4. Dallas

5. Washington

6. Pittsburgh (they go higher if Columbus comes back and takes the series)

7. New York Islanders

 

 

I think those teams will at least show some interest. I think a Canadian team or two will talk to him, but I doubt he considers them.

Edited April 28, 2014 by Tankalicious

[JJFIVEOH]

Weird

 

http://blues.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=90880

[WildCard]

The two teams in this series make sense, to me, as possible landing spots for Miller. Dallas and Anaheim. Anaheim especially. If they get bounced by Dallas in the first round then I could see them signing Miller to start, Anderson or Gibson as the backup and letting Hiller walk.

 

If I were to mix potential mutual interest and appropriate fits for Miller, I would order them like this (if they all offered the same deal):

 

1. Anaheim

2. St. Louis

3. Minnesota

4. Dallas

5. Washington

6. Pittsburgh (they go higher if Columbus comes back and takes the series)

7. New York Islanders

 

 

I think those teams will at least show some interest. I think a Canadian team or two will talk to him, but I doubt he considers them.

Interesting choice in Minnesota and Dallas; not that it's wrong, the opposite actually, but I just didn't think of them.

 

I could definitely see a Minnesota fit, but I'm not sure Minnesota would pursue him if they are indeed in pursuit of Vanek, too much $$ for them to sign them both I'd imagine. Plus, their rookie goalie is playing pretty well considering he's gone up against Colorado. If they don't want Vanek, or it doesn't work out, I could see Miller there.

 

The Dallas match is what really interests me. I don't know enough about Ruff's and Miller's relationship to know if he'd be interested in being reunited, but that would be one hell of a story line. But again, Lehtonen is playing very well against the Ducks, so I'm not sure Nill would be interested in signing an old goalie to a younger roster, or at least one that's just beginning it's rise. I guess it all depends on how confident Nill is in Lehtonen.

 

In the end, I say Pitt or Anaheim, with Pitt winning. Anaheim would have to move a few pieces to bring Miller in, and I think Pitt's done with Fleury if he continues like he has in these playoffs so far.

 

 

 

 

Imagine Miller in a Pitt uniform :blink:

 

Actually I'll switch to Anaheim on second thought, Pitt will just go with the easier solution in canning Bylsma rather than blaming the no.1 overall pick in Fleury.

Edited April 28, 2014 by WildCard