Ranting & Raving: Trade Poppycock & Winning Streaks
Ranting
Without Oshie, Perron and McDonald the Blues are a different team offesnively. Gone is much of the creativity and slick plays in small spaces that lead to most of the scoring chances prior to their respective injuries. Aside from the current winning streak, scoring has been hard to come by for the Note. Fueled by rationale need and irrational desires, fans cry out for help.
“Make a deal…”
“Replace their production…”
“Get anyone…”
“Should have fixed this over the summer…”
The computer chair GM’s tweet, update their status and post all sorts of ideas on message boards to get their point across. “Make a trade”!
The stabilization that the month of December brought should be a blow-horn knocking the cotton out of stuffed ears. The Blues did it on their own, as they must. Do they really need to make a deal for the sake of making a deal?
Is it prudent to ship out the top skating and netminding prospects in the organization when there is no one of similar quality to fill in the void they leave?
The current situation isn’t like dealing Eller for Halak. Deals during the season are not about adding foundation players to the roster. No, New Jersey is not selling off Zach Parise or Travis Zajac for Ian Cole and Jake Allen + picks. The real world that Armstrong, JD and Payne live and work in is not NHL 11. It’s not an ESPN H2H league. It’s not as simple as figuring out the magic formula to make the AI go along with your proposal. They are not only managing for today, but tomorrow and 5 years down the road.
Did Detroit sell Jimmy Howard? No. They let him simmer in the fine developmental league the AHL is and when opportunity came, he was prepared. How prudent would it be for the Blues to deal Jake Allen and have Halak leave as a UFA to some bloated CBA exploiting deal? Then they would be fishing in the same waters as 29 other teams for players. Wouldn’t it be better to hand pick someone from the Blues own pool?
I get it. Frustration sets in and people want action to make up the difference. Deals can’t be made from weakness. That’s how you end up losing a future hall of famer for a second tier defender and AHL level prospects.
Hasn’t Davis Payne proved over the course of a year that he can get the job done with the core the Blues already have?
If a deal comes, it’s going to be a “Sobotka” type deal. That’s all they need.
Will it come from Carolina? I’m not personally putting anything in to the 4th Period report that the Blues had scouts at a recent Canes & Leafs game. Scouts go all over and cover every team. I don’t say “sources tell BNZ” type stuff often, but on this one I checked in to it. The sides have talked before and the Canes have had scouts in Peoria, but nothing has come of it. It could be foundation laying for later, but it’s also scouts doing their job.
This Canes/Blues trade rumor nonsense is Twitter born and raised speculation. Bottom line, don’t get too excited. It’s fun to talk and that’s all this is. Talk. If not, I’ll happily eat crow (assuming it’s a good trade that’s made).
Raving
What fun it has been watching a new winning streak take form. Some games have been rough, see Nashville and Phoenix, but the points have come in all the same.
A tired old cliche’, but it’s amzing how “things” even out in hockey. Well, even out for those willing to put the work in and the Blues have.
For those self-loathing Blues fans questioning David Backes impact on this team, he has been the best player in December and they went 8-4-2. The same can be said for Alex Steen. Two hard working guys who lead by example and leave everything on the ice. Those are the type of guys who get everyone else juiced up and willing to take the punishment to win games.
Think its rubbing off on Patrik Berglund? He’s not plowing people down like Inglorious does at times. However, he is finishing his checks and using his body to protect the puck and create offensive pressure. Scott Mellanby deserves credit for Bergie’s play, but I’d be willing to bet #s 42 and 20 are helping out as well.
How can you be a St. Louis sports fan and not love Vladimir Sobotka. I don’t think its possible. The little guy is full of you know what and vinegar. Get under your skin like Geoff Courtnall, pester like Tyson Nash and has some skill to go with his grinder abilities. Has been on e of the better additions to the roster by management in years. In terms of give to get.
The penalty kill is near perfect, stopping 12 of 13 man advantages. That’s part of the Blues persona that needed to get going again and has been. Think Oshie isn’t missed there?
Amazing what a healthy set of six defenseman can do isn’t it?
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