Apr 26, 2015; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota Wild forward Matt Cooke (24) exchanges words with Saint Louis Blues defenseman Barret Jackman (5) as each of them are given a penalty during the second period in game six of the first round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY Sports
It has been a moderately busy offseason for the St. Louis Blues. Not as busy as some might have thought (thank goodness), but busy nonetheless.
After another early playoff exit, change was on the horizon in St. Louis, the main focus being on “addition by subtraction.” By that I mean the focus was more on clearing out the unnecessary roster pieces to make space for bigger contributions from key players.
Let’s take a look at what the Blues did to improve their chances at ultimate victory and hand them a grade for everything, step by step.
Next: Should They Stay Or Should They Go?
Trimming The Fat
The offseason began with letting a handful of players go via free agency.
Barret Jackman, Olli Jokinen, Zbynek Michalek, Chris Porter, and Marcel Goc all began their search for new homes July 1.
Live Feed class=inline-text id=inline-text-3How Crazy Would Signing Phil Kessel be for the Nashville Predators? /
Jackman, a long-time Blues defenseman and fan favorite, was the biggest shock but he represented the need for change. Outside of Jay Bouwmeester the defense core is mostly young, fast, and full of offensive upside. Robert Bortuzzo and Carl Gunnarsson fit nicely into the Blues system, and their combined salaries equal about what Jackman made on his own. Gunnarsson is the stay at home partner that allows Shattenkirk to dazzle in the offensive zone, and Bortuzzo is a younger depth defenseman with sizable potential. This made it much easier to let go of Jackman.
Not that these players departing were necessarily bad players. Goc and Porter are both serviceable grinders, Jokinen has seen better days but still has scoring skill, and Michalek just can’t seem to stay away from the Coyotes for long. The Blues just need to go in a different direction, and these players weren’t the right pieces to solve the Stanley Cup puzzle.
St. Louis Blues. MOVING ON. A. Armstrong cut the expendable pieces, didn’t commit to any players the team didn’t need, kept space open for upcoming contract extensions for key players..
Next: Bench Boss Change Up?
Hitch Returns
The next big move was signing Ken Hitchcock to a one year deal, giving him one more shot at bringing the cup home to St. Louis.
Blues GM Doug Armstrong, much to the surprise of most NHL fans, decided not to fire his team’s coach. While most teams in this position tend to point the finger at the bench boss before the players, Armstrong and Hitch thought shaking up the core would do more to improve the team’s chances in the post season.
Armstrong and Hitchcock have a close, and sometimes strange relationship.
“I don’t want to say it’s like a marriage but it’s like a marriage.” – GM Doug Armstrong
Hitchcock has had playoff success before, but since has coached three NHL teams with no such luck in the postseason. Is Hitchcock’s system just not enough to win in the west? That remains to be seen, but those of us having doubts know they are warranted. The one year contract extension still doesn’t mean Hitch is safe, Armstrong could be keeping him on a short leash, ready to cut him loose at the first sign of struggle.
Letting go of a coach with an almost identical career record as Mike Babcock, in the year he was the most sought after free agent coach, would have seemed foolish. Hitchcock has a lot to prove, unfortunately it may take the entire year to find out if this was the right decision.
C. The term of the contract puts a lot of pressure on the coach, but maybe that’s just what he’s needed to motivate his troops when it counts the most. Given what the other options for coaches were on the market this was probably the safest move.. Head Coach. . ONE MORE SHOT
Next: How Shaken Up Is The Core?
End Of An Era
When the trade winds started blowing, following the conversations about shaking up the core, many worried about who would be packing their bags. In the end it was TJ Oshie, as he was sent to Washington in a trade. Taking Oshie out of the lineup allows more breathing space and flexibility for the top six.
This will affect Paul Stastny the most directly as he will no doubt be centering one of the top two lines. The only thing that kept him out of the top six last year was the Blues overwhelming depth up front. Those concerned about his production compared to his cap hit last year will feel a lot better about him this season. We will likely see a big year from Stastny, no matter who his line mates end up being.
In the trade the Blues received Troy Brouwer, while he isn’t TJ Oshie he solidifies the strength of the bottom six. Brouwer will bring a hard-nosed work ethic and veteran presence to a team that needs it more than they need Oshie’s streaky offensive contribution. His most valuable attribute will no doubt be his playoff experience, and it’s always a plus to have “rings in the room.”
Brouwer will quickly become a fan favorite in St. Louis, as he was in Washington, by his style of play and dedication to winning.
This trade will end up being a home-run for both teams, and was the best possible way of shaking up the core.. . . THE TRADE. A+
Next: Contracts Galore
Priorities
The most important news for the Blues was concerning the contracts for three key players in the teams bright future. Vladimir Tarasenko, Jori Lehtera, and Jake Allen were all signed to multi-year deals, letting Blues fans breathe easy for the foreseeable future.
Live Feed class=inline-text id=inline-text-2Ave’s Faves: Offseason Edition /
Tarasenko, locked up for eight years, is the explosive offensive power house that the Blues have lacked for a long time. He has the ability to take control of a game on his own, and did so many times this past season, and is one of the most exciting hockey players to watch. Tarasenko is the key asset of the “STL” line that emerged as a dominant force this year.
Jori Lehtera signs a more modest three year deal, and is another member of the STL line. Lehtera had a great start to the season but cooled off by the end of it, which should prove to be of little concern. Lehtera is the play-making center, with a very high ceiling, that will continue to spark the Tarasenko magic.
Jake Allen, the hopeful future of the Blues goal-tending, signs a two year extension. This will be a big year for Allen, after starting all six playoff games, as he attempts to fully take the starter position away from Brian Elliot. He has seemed shaky at times but has been groomed as the goalie of the future for some time, Elliot’s inconsistencies lend a hand to that as well.
The term for each of these three contracts are perfect, not over-committing to anywhere there is even a little bit of doubt.
Piece of mind for these three players, their teammates, Armstrong, and Blues nation alike, the future is bright indeed.. . . LOCK EM' UP. A+
Next: Last But Not Least
Adding Depth
The Blues only briefly dipped their toes into the free agency pool, signing only one starting roster player. Kyle Brodziak signs a one year deal on the cheap, likely playing on the fourth line, furthering the Blues bottom six depth.
Brodziak will prove to be an upgrade on Marcel Goc, playing with Steve Ott and Ryan Reaves. He’s more likely to step up and be the unlikely hero of a couple playoff games, something the Blues fourth line hasn’t had in a while.
This is the kind of player addition that won’t look to have a huge impact at first glance, but down the stretch will pay big dividends. All Stanley Cup winning teams have games won on the stick of players like Brodziak. It’s also nice to get someone on the roster with some familiarity with the Minnesota Wild playbook as we will be seeing them plenty.
With an annual cap hit under one million dollars, if Brodziak ends up not working out, it’s not a huge loss. He is a bit older than the average Blues forward, but injuries have not been a recent concern for the ten year veteran. There may have been some more enticing options on the free agent market, but unlikely they were willing to take the salary and term Brodziak was.
B. Although it is a bit of a minor gamble, Brodziak seems to be a safe bet.. . . KYLE BRODZIAK
Next: Report Card
Final Grade
Armstrong and company had a tough job to do in addressing the teams needs and living up to what they said following the Blues’ playoff exit. They shook up the core and swapped out some depth pieces for upgrades, but did they do enough?
Most of what the Blues needed to add to the team was already on the roster. By moving some players out, this gives much greater breathing room for top performers to shine brighter. Addition by subtraction was the key, while also locking up the necessary future assets for the time being.
St. Louis last season was burdened by a wealth of riches, and will now be much more balanced since trimming the fat. There are still uncertainties among various bearers of the note, but overall Blues fans should feel as confident in their team as they did last year.
A-. Almost perfect, the lines look sharp retooled, but there is still a sense of doubt in Ken Hitchcock.. . . BLUES OFFSEASON
