Blues Draft Review

Well...in some ways it went as I expected. The Blues wound up taking one of the highly touted defensemen (and quite clearly the best one available at #4), and, as I had thought they might, the Blues took a goaltender with a second round pick. In neither case did the Blues get the player I would have preferred (I would have liked Bogosian over Pietrangelo, and Pickard over Allen), but I like the approach.

The Blues had three third round picks which they used on forwards, which makes a lot of sense for a franchise that is so set on the blueline. If one or more of them turn into useful pros, then the Blues will have something.

The one thing missing is that one winger with real goal scoring upside. Maybe this is something the Blues feel they can address in free agency (I doubt), or via the trade route (possibly.) A part of me was pained to see someone in our division pick up Filatov. If he pans out we may have a pain in the ass in Columbus for years to come.

Still, on balance the Blues did well. Picking up Mason from Nashville also fills a hole at backup goalie, which will be helpful. I was sort of sad to see long time Blues forward Jamal Mayers go in a trade...but we do have a surplus of 3rd line forwards. Jamal bled Blue, but we needed to go in a different direction.

Filatov

Based upon my continued reading leading up to this NHL Entry Draft, I have to make a slight alteration in the GASL Draft Board for the Blues. I listed the probability of Nikita Filatov being around at #4 as 90%, but the more I read from him, the more it becomes clear that he really wants to play in the NHL. If NHL teams are sold on that, then the only issue that comes up with him is if he will ever fill out his skinny six foot frame to survive the rigors of North American hockey. Most scouts believe he will.

Given this, I will have to revise my estimate. This will also alter chance that a couple of other players on the GASL board would still be around.

The Changes:

#2) Zach Bogosian, RD: Was 15%. Now, make that 25%.
#3) Nikita Filatov, LW: Was 90%. Now, 50%.
#5) Alex Pietrangelo, RD: Was 90%. Now, 100%.
#6) Colin Wilson, C: Was 98%. Now, 100%.
#7) Drew Doughty, RD: Was 85%. Now 90%.

If the Blues don't decide to trade the pick, I increasingly get the feeling Doughty will get selected. This is reinforced by the rumors I hear that the Blues have been talking up Luke Schenn. That has the feel of trying to discourage teams in the Top Ten from attempting to trade up to #3.

Blues Draft Preview

Alright, this is not much of a preview because, lets face it, I've no idea what the draft board for the Blues looks like. After all, do I look Finnish to you?

That being said, I see no reason why GASL shouldn't have a draft board of their own. Here is how I think the Blues draft board should set up from #1 to #10.

#1) Steven Stamkos, C - Unfortunately, the kid probably already has a Florida drivers licence. 0.00% chance he will be around at #4.

#2) Zach Bogosian, RD - Probably the best upside of the defensive prospects. Probably won't be around at #4. I'd say maybe a 15% chance he's still around.

#3) Nikita Filatov, LW - I'm betting this high potential forward is still around, but I doubt the Blues would take a chance on a Russian player however talented they are. 90% chance he's around at #4.

#4) Mikkel Boedker, LW - Oh, he will be there at #4, but will the Blues value another potential number 3 or 4 defenseman over offensive depth? 100% chance he will be around.

#5) Alex Pietrangelo, RD - The next best defenseman. 90% chance he's still around.

#6) Colin Wilson, C - I know the Blues don't really need another young center, but he's still aways from making the jump. He's got good size. 98% chance he's still around.

#7) Drew Doughty, RD - Ho hum. Another defensman some people like. (And the player the pessimist in me believes the Blues will actually draft.) 85% chance he's around at #4.

#8) Cody Hodgson, C - Two way center the Blues could draft and use as trade bait? 100% chance he will be around at #4.

#9) Joshua Bailey, C - Now, I'm just putting in guys because I don't want the guy I've listed at #10. Bailey is also more of a two way player. 100% Bailey is around at #4.

#10) Luke Schenn, RD - If the Blues select this player, who sounds like the next coming of Murray Baron, with the #4 pick, I will run screaming from the room. 100% chance he's still around at #4. If he falls to the Blues in the second round I will celebrate...but not at number four of the first.

I'll add, since there are no big name goaltending prospects around this year, the Blues would have a chance to get the best of this bunch with a later pick. As we went through goalies in this organization rather quickly this year, it might not be a bad idea to grab another with some potential. Thomas McCollum, Chris Carrozzi, Chet Pickard, or Dustin Tokarski (love the name) could be such an option.

An Eternal Question

What do you do with a #4 draft pick?

Oh, you could go for the tried and true methods: A) Pick someone you declare the "best player available," or B) Pick a player who "fills a need for us at the position," or C) Pick a player you believe will sign for near the league minimum (I'm looking at you Cozma).

However, the Blues will have the opportunity to go off the board when the NHL Entry Draft rolls around. The Blues could attempt to corner the market...the Danish hockey player market that is. I'm suggesting the Blues take this guy:

It didn't take Mikkel Boedker long to adjust to the North American game.

Boedker, an 18-year-old from Denmark, traveled across the Atlantic Ocean in the fall to suit up for the Kitchener Rangers in the Ontario Hockey League.

The trip was a huge success for both Boedker and the Rangers.

Boedker has developed into one of the top prospects for the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and his coach thinks he is one of the players most ready to step into the NHL next season.

"He's been outstanding," said Peter DeBoer, the Rangers' coach and general manager. "He's proven that he's a top-10 NHL pick. He might be as ready to step right into the NHL as any other forward in the world other than (Steven) Stamkos."

DeBoer admitted he wasn't sure what to expect when Boedker arrived. DeBoer was building a team that would challenge for the Memorial Cup and didn't have time for projects. But Boedker put those fears to rest by becoming an impact player for his team almost immediately.

"You never know how players are going to adjust when they come from different countries and different systems, but this kid is pretty special," said DeBoer, whose Rangers are playing host for May's Memorial Cup. "He's a big, strong kid. He doesn't play a typical European game."

The Blues already have a Dane in place with the signing of Lars Eller. Why not give the kid a playmate from the home country? We don't really need another top 5 defensive prospect (not really). We do have trouble finding the back of the net, and Boedker does look like one of the better non-Stamkos options available this time around.

So, I'm making it official. GASL requests...no goddam it...GASL demands the Blues select Mikkel Boedker.

Or not...we could totally go another way.

Balls Just Like Pucks For Blues...

...they still can't buy a lucky bounce. Here is what the Live Blog of the NHL Draft Lottery (no really...they had a live blog for that) looked like over at St. Louis Game Time:

And here we go.

Picking fifth: Islanders. That means Blues still alive for the top.

Picking fourth: ….the Blues. Fuck.

Well that was anti-climatic.

Tell me about it. So it is no teen phenom like Stamkos for the Blues....again. Of course I don't know why this should surprise me. After all, this is a team that most notable talent of the last 30 years was acquired as an overweight underachiever. Don't get me wrong. I love Hullie (although he is STILL in the goddam crease), but I'm ready for him to be eclipsed in the Blues pantheon.

So, what does the number four pick in this years draft mean for St. Louis? If they are picking purely on talent, and they stick to their aversion for everything Russian, it should mean a blue chip prospect...a blue chip defensive prospect. For a team that had heaps of trouble scoring this season it isn't an ideal situation, and there will be plenty of gripes from the fans whatever the Blues do. If they play it safe fans will scream about the lack of help at forward. If they take a flyer on a not-so-highly-rated forward fans will bitch about the Blues "reaching." It's a classic lose-lose situation.

If you are a Blues fan you are already familiar with those.

Commercial Considerations

As I was watching the end of the Blues game last night, wondering if I should enjoy the victory (which is preferable: a meaningless two points or a better chance in the lottery?), one of the Blues ubiquitous “Bluenote” code commercials came on. You know the ones—the commercials where members of the team talk about “good being the enemy of great,” and saying the code means doing “whatever it takes.” When the season started, we didn’t know that “it” included having one of the worst power plays in the league. We also didn’t realize until later that while “good” might be the enemy of “great,” it is still damn close friends with “mediocre.”

Why were these commercials still running at this point in the year? What could they be generating for the team: increased revenue and greater ticket sales, or increased sarcasm and reduced credibility?

It seems the big three sports teams in St. Louis put all of their advertising eggs into one single campaign, and stick with it regardless of a team’s actual play. That’s why the Rams were still telling fans that “you gotta believe” when the team was 0-8. Gotta believe in what? That the team could go 0-16? That the Linehan hire was a disaster?

Here’s a humble suggestion: why not have a back-up campaign, just in case the season goes south? One of the Rams’ commercials featured Isaac Bruce claiming, “I believe.” A few games in, that commercial seemed like a cruel joke. How easy would it have been to shoot a second version, with the Rev. Ike saying, “I believe . . . in the Lord above. Our offensive line, however, gives me considerable pause.” The Blues could have shot alternative versions of their commercials featuring Keith Tkachuck saying, “The Bluenote code . . . is more a loose set of guiding principles, with loose being the key word here. In fact, I’m pretty sure codes are forbidden under the current collective bargaining agreement.”

I hope the Cardinals are listening. Right now, their slogan—“Play like a Cardinal”—means playing with much better than expected starting pitching and inspired play by outfielder Rick Ankiel. I hope it stays that way. If in a few months, however, playing like a Cardinal means playing 15 games below .500, we here at Get a Sporting Life humbly offer our services as ad copy writers. Example: “When we said play like a Cardinal, we didn’t say which Cardinal.” (Quick, somebody see if Steve Lake is available to shoot a commercial.)

And I Miss the Old Barn, too

During their road trip, the St. Louis Blues visited "the Professor" Ron Caron this week. Somehow, in the midst of the reminiscing and story-telling, the former Blues GM managed to trade Brad Boyes to the Vancouver Canucks for an aging, second line defenseman. More surprisingly, he also signed winger Brendan Shanahan to a multi-year offer sheet.

Current Blues GM president John Davidson seemed blindsided by the series of events. "I don't know what happened," Davidson gasped in exasperation. "One minute Caron was pointing to a signed photograph of Garth Butcher, and while I was distracted, we lost our best scorer."

In an announcement the next day, National Hockey League officials immediately pronounced Caron's action to be in violation of league policies "like tampering, or something," and awarded the Blues' first round pick in the 2009-2019 drafts to the New Jersey Devils. When the New York Rangers objected that, in fact, Brendan Shanahan played for them, the Rangers were awarded a game-worn Vitali Prokhorov jersey as compensation. Rangers GM Glen Sather pronounced the compensation to be, " all in all, pretty sweet."

Some Things Just Can't Be Taught

I saw this comment over at St. Louis GT talking about new Blue Cam Janssen:

On The Roll Home on 1380 today, they had John Davidson on talking to Bernie and Randy. J.D. said it shouldn’t be a surprise No. 55 hasn’t played much. He’s missed the entire year with injury, didn’t get much time in the American League and is on a new team with new coaches and a new system. He said over the summer they’re going to work on his skill with the puck. Said he has some raw skill that could be developed.

He had me all the way up until the last point.

That seems to be the way with hockey; either you got it or you don't. I can remember a few years ago watching a Blues scrimmage match during training camp. There was one player who just seemed to always be in good offensive positions; the puck was constantly finding its way to his stick; and if there was a opening in the slot he was filling it quickly. (ed. -That's quite possibly the filthiest thing I've ever written.)

That player? Reed Low. I don't think he recording a single point that day, although he must have had a dozen scoring chances. Whatever "it" is, Low didn't have it.

I think I'd have better luck teaching my hamster to fetch the morning paper than the Blues would trying to turn Can Janssen into anything resembling an offensive player.

Whimpering To The Finish Line(s)

You know...one would think if you support enough sports teams there would be a shotgun effect so that at any given time one of them would be playing decently. You might think that, but you'd be wrong.

Let us look at the state of things for yours truly:

The Blues: This team's inability to score is downright embarrassing. The sad truth is it is not possible to excel in this league without a number one center, and the Blues have been without one for the better part of a decade. (Even when Dougie Weight was younger he was more of a good #2 than a real #1.) So we are left with the sorry display of a team that doesn't have anything to play for anymore. Combine that with a monster nine game road trip, which we are already 0-2 on, and it is gonna be a very difficult month of March.

The Billikens: Remember when I said something about how the Bills were starting to get the hang of the Majerus system? Well scratch that, I must've been drunk. SLU is getting drilled, absolutely drilled, by terrible teams. Yesterday Duquesne, sporting a 2-13 record in A10 play, beat the Bills by 27. Luckily, the conference tourney will be able to put this team out of my misery.

Notts County: Yesterday was a huge game for the Magpies in their quest to not get relegated out of League Two. They had Barnet at home and, by all accounts, they were damn lucky to draw 0-0 with them. Notts has a quick turnaround, playing Lincoln on Tuesday at Meadow Lane. You've gotta get something from that, as they then go away to Peterborough (where the Pies will get hammered if current form says anything) and then get tough games at home against Rochdale then away to Shrewsbury two days later. It is getting late and there seems to be little confidence in the side. (It didn't help matters that bottom of the table Wrexham managed a 2-0 away win this week.)

Hell, and I haven't even mentioned the self-immolation that is an average Braden Looper spring training start.

And we're celebrating this . . . why?

Usually, my unreasoned rants against the Post-Dispatch come after I read the St. Louis paper of record. But, apparently, my dislike for the paper is so zen, that I’m denouncing articles before they’re even printed. A week ago, I complained bitterly in these pages about the atmosphere at the Feb. 17 Blues game. Well, at least now I know who to blame:

The Blues' in-game entertainment owes much of its new look to Mark Tamar, the team's first vice president of entertainment and event marketing. They lured Tamar from Washington, D.C., where the NHL honored the Capitals last year
for best fan experience.

A puff piece is a puff piece is a puff piece, but a film major bringing in a Blue bear named “Louie” has put fans back into the seats? If so, shame on the fans. (Although, even I recognize the naked appeal of the Seinfeld look-alike and “kiss” cams).

I’ve got no problem with the team paying attention to the “fan experience,” but I sincerely hope that attendance is up because of the product on the ice, not the nonsense in the stands.

Trade: Backman To Rangers For Draft Pick

The shocking thing is it's a fourth round pick. I never thought we would get so much for someone willing to take his salary. Thank God for New York professional sports franchise spending disease.

Our depth chart at D looks like the following:

Brewer
Jackman
McKee
Johnson
Walker
Wagner
Woywitka
Polak
Dupont

That should be enough to play out the string this season.

Trade: Salvador For Bag Of Pucks

Almost true.

St. Louis Blues President John Davidson announced today the club has acquired forward Cam Janssen from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for defenseman Bryce Salvador.

“We feel that Cam’s style of play will bring energy and grit to our lineup and being from St. Louis, feel that he will be an instant fan favorite here,” said Davidson. “Our depth at defense enabled us to make this move. We admire and respect Bryce as a player for what he did on and off the ice in St. Louis and thank Bryce and his wife April for their contributions as members of our family.”

Janssen, 23, was born in St. Louis and played for the St. Louis Sting (NAHL) in 2000-01. He was the first St. Louisan to play in the Ontario Hockey League when he played for Windsor in 2000-01. He was New Jersey’s 4th round choice (117th overall) in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. The 6-0, 210-pound winger played in 47 games during his rookie season (2005-06) in the NHL and followed that up with 48 games played in 2006-07.

This is a salary dump pure and simple, and one that had to happen with the extension signed by Jackman.

Janssen is a local guy who probably is used to the food at Scottrade Center. If he isn't he will be soon with the amount of time he will be sitting in the press box. He might also discover that Peoria is lovely this time of year (or not...how would I know?)

Blues Resign Jackman

This comes as a bit of a surprise, as it certainly looked like he would have been a big chip to possibly move at the trade deadline, but the Blues have signed Barret Jackman for 4 years, $14.4 million. St. Louis Game Time has some details:

ST. LOUIS – St. Louis Blues President John Davidson announced today that defenseman Barret Jackman has agreed to a contract extension with the club. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Barret has been a staple on the blueline for the Blues since his rookie season,” said Davidson. “He logs plenty of minutes per game and will continue to be a key part of our team as we move forward.”

“I have said all along that I wanted to remain in St. Louis,” said Jackman. “The Blues drafted me, I met my wife here and I want to raise a family here. I’m excited about the direction of this franchise and love playing in front of Blues fans.”

You've gotta love the commitment to the Blues shown by Jacks. And certainly you can see the brain trust has put a high premium on what is still a relatively young player at 26.

What this means for the trade market is anyone guess. This might signal the end of Bryce Salvador's time with the Note, and maybe Jay McKee is suddenly the key piece of trade bait.

It looks like the trades have started to roll. (Just heard a rumor that Rob Blake is heading to Colorado...for what I've no idea.) So, hopefully the Blues can get something done.

Alright Jacks...good on ya. Now help get us into the playoffs soon.

When Understatement Is NOT Called For

What was Gordo thinking?

Questions to ponder while waiting for the Blues to revive their offense:

• Do the Missouri Tigers have enough to make a late push?


• Who could have guessed that Illinois and Michigan would be a combined 8-22 in Big Ten play this season?


• Will Tiger Woods ever lose again?

I'm sorry, but if I'm pondering the revival of the Blues offense, I'll need more than three questions to fill up that time.

Foreshadowing

I don't care if you read editors notes or not, you are going to get a little foreshadowing. I got this in my email the other day:

I saw the Blues trounce the Columbus Blue Jackets yesterday. This is the team struggling for a playoff spot? They played with speed, power, intelligence, and an indefinable zest for life. The passing was crisp, with defensemen looking to get the play quickly up ice all night. The power play generated a number of quality chances. There were a few boneheaded plays, such as the shorthanded goal. (Although, I was at the game, and I still have no idea where that Blue Jacket came from. Was he standing by the Blues' blue line the whole PowerPlay? It was like he appeared there via some tear in the space-time continuum. So, given that the Blues defense (I'm guessing) lack a working knowledge of theoretical physics, I'm gonna give 'em a pass on that one. Especially since they were unaffected, and simply continued to dominate as they had for most of the game. There were, however, a couple of very disturbing things:

1. Free Tacos. If one thing is true about St. Louis hockey fans, they love free or/and cheap tacos. Sure enough, shortly after the Blues fourth goal, the chant went up around the arena, "We want tacos." Indeed, the crowd was egged on by the video screen over center ice, and the video ring around the arena, flashing pictures of a symbolic taco, interspersed with the chant itself. After the fifth goal was buried, taco euphoria gripped the crowd. I myself imagined an after-work trip to the Taco Bell, where the sight of 12 cars in the drive-up line would not even be enough to dampen the notion of the 12 tacos I would be scoring for under 3 bucks. My reverie was short-lived, as the PA announcer soon came on to say that fans could bring their ticket stub for today's game TO THE SCOTTRADE CENTER between the hours of 11-2 PM Monday, and exchange the ticket for 1 (one) free taco. Meaning, I could drive downtown (estimated gas, $2.00), pay to park ($2.00 if using the nearest lot, 25 cents if I can score a meter in the middle of the day) to get a free taco (that will have cost me $2.25 at the low end) that I could eat in the car while speeding back to work before my lunch hour ends. Isn't the idea of a "promotion" to promote your product? The only thing this promoted was the idea that the new Blues management is a few tacos short of a combination plate. So, Taco Bell, the main sponsor of past cheap-taco promotions dropped out. Understandable, it was probably costing them a fortune. So, then, drop the promotion! Don't insult your fans' intelligence by pretending the promotion still exists, but in reality arranging the rules so that the only people who could realistically take advantage of it would be the employees at the ScottTrade ticket windows (who, as employees of the Blues, are probably forbidden from doing so). ("Ah, reverend, you opted for our no-claim policy, which explicitly states no claim you make will ever be paid. Which, if you never make a claim, is a very good deal. But you had to go and make a claim and, well, there we are."). Like a marshmallow, such a promotion is pointless.

2. Hocky mascots. An oxymoron on its face, right? Right. Only, the Blues disagree, as evidenced by the giant, light blue bear wandering the seats at the arena. Sigh. I long for the days when the term "hockey mascot" elicited only visions of Nelson Emerson (Look, he threw the puck in the net with his hand! How cute is that!). Now, I'm burdened with the vision of a fat blue bear in a black suit, black tie, black hat and dark sunglasses. Why a bear? I have no idea. Hockey fans dig the big, furry mammal? Why a suit? I'm glad you asked. That would be because the team is called the Blues, and the bear is dressed like, that's right, one of the Blues Brothers. Sigh, again. Does no one over there remember that The Blues Brothers are inextricably linked to Chicago? That's where the movie was set. That's where creators Akroyd and Belushi honed their skills in 2nd city. A giant furry bear in a dark suit and dark glasses would undoubtedly be a Blackhawks fan, I don't care what color he is. Why are we associating ourselves with the city of our most hated rival?

To sum up: Free tacos for $2.25 each. And a mascot cast off from Chicago. Here come the Blues!

A Pre-Spring Check-Up

Here is how I see my sporting life shaping up at the moment:

Blues: Well, now I don't know what to think. A truly dreadful run of games is quickly followed by a run of six games getting at lest a point (4-0-2). The power play, which has been absent all season, goes on a 6 for 13 binge, and the Blues win back to back games by 5-1 scorelines. Hell, even Matt Walker gets into the scoring column.

So, the Blues sit in 10th place, three points out of a playoff spot with games in hand over almost everyone in front of them. That's not a great position to be in, especially since the Blues have a lot of road games in front of them including a beast of a road trip in March...but they have a shot. Is it enough of a shot to be active buyers at the trade deadline? I haven't the foggiest. My instinct is to be patient, and only make a move on your own terms. This team is not set up for any lengthy playoff run anyway...so why panic buy?

Cards: Well, now I don't know what to think. I was committed in my heart to a .500 season with uneven pitching and anemic outfield play, but the bug of spring training optimism has bitten me again. Juan Gonzalez shows up to camp and immediately looks pretty good...and I start thinking of a lineup with Juan Gone instead of Preston Wilson. Hmm..that sounds pretty good. Yes, our entire pitching staff seems to be rehabbing from injury, we have an entirely new left side of the infield to take stock of, Adam Kennedy is still slotted in at second, Pujols elbow has everyone spooked, and a solid portion of Cardinals nation seems to think Jeff Weaver would improve our starting rotation.

However, all I can think about is how nice it is NOT to be counting on Brian Barton to supply an offensive lift.

There is also this other part of me that thinks if we can stay around .500 until the All-Star break and we start to get pitchers back...

Somebody stop me.

Billikens: OK, here I know what to think. The transition to Majerus has been about what I expected. The Bills have a couple of nice pieces, but there simply is no depth of talent in the squad. Luckily, in this years version of the Atlantic 10, talent isn't really all that necessary. So a 18 or 19 wins season looks doable, and the Bills can take their shot in the A-10 tourney. Really, they have as good a chance as anyone to take the thing, so the NCAA's are not out of the question. They certainly have been playing better of late, although it is difficult to imagine how much worse a team could play than the one that only managed 20 points against a truly bad GW team.

Given where they were starting from, I'm pleased. Hopefully, recruiting will be improved.

DC United: I think I know what to expect here as well. There have been drastic changes to the roster, and injuries are cropping up already during pre-season training. Also, I have no idea what to expect from the goaltending. I think it is safe to assume, with all the new aquisitions who are expected to play key roles, that United will need some time to really round into form. Play in the CONCACAF Champions Cup might actually be a benefit in getting the team up to speed, although how much we will learn to a two-leg matchup with Jamaican side Harbour View FC is debatable. Still, it is better to kick the ball in anger than not.

All that being said, I expect DC to be a .500 team going into August. What happens after August will be the interesting thing. If the signings work out as expected and the goal keeping is good, there might be some good soccer to watch.

Missouri Tigers: It will be interesting to see how the Tigers fare in the preseason rankings this summer. I'll guess they will be between 10-15 nationally. It looks like recruiting went pretty well, and Mizzou is keeping lots more in-state talent at home which bodes well for the future. I'd count myself as "wildly optimistic."

Why Must The NHL Always Try To Screw The Blues?

Ever since the Blues had the audacity to make a perfectly legitimate free agent bid for Brendan Shanahan the powers that be in the NHL have had it in for the organization. A Blues GM couldn't burp without the league taking away a first round draft pick and giving it to New Jersey as punishment.

Well that sort of shit coninues. Bid for curb on 'rentals' is angering Davidson

NHL general managers began two days of meetings Monday in Naples, Fla., and one topic on the agenda was "rental" players. With the league's trading deadline of Feb. 26 approaching, some teams will trade for players to bolster their playoff chances and then lose them to free agency in July.

What some GMs are apparently upset about is the idea of a team trading a player at the deadline and then re-signing that player the following summer, as the Blues have done twice in the last two years with Doug Weight and Keith Tkachuk.

The Blues traded Weight to Carolina in February 2006 and re-signed him in July 2006. They dealt Tkachuk to Atlanta last February, and then after requiring his negotiating rights, re-signed him last July.

Some are calling the legislation to curb this practice the "Weight rule" or the "Tkachuk rule." Reports say they want the NHL to ban players from re-signing with their former team for at least one year.

The subject continues to infuriate Blues President John Davidson, who repeated Monday that the team "never broke a rule." There are, in fact, no rules prohibiting players from re-signing with their former team.

"My question would be, 'You're going to let the player go to 29 other teams and not the 30th?'" Davidson said. "The player has the right to go wherever he wants to go. If he wants to go back (to his former team), that's fine. If he wants to go to another team, that's fine. Change the (collective-bargaining agreement). It's an asinine discussion."

Davidson is right. It is asinine but also typical of the NHL, which is the prototype of an "old boys club" if ever there was one. The Blues make a couple of good deals, one of which helped Carolina win a Stanley Cup btw, and the next thing you know they want to change the rules so the Blues cannot do it again. What a joke.

Are The Blues Buyers Or Sellers?

From early on this season it seemed safe to assume that the Blues were going to be buyers when the trade deadline began to loom. The surplus of defensemen offered, so the thought went, the chance to move on a goal scoring forward. However, that would be contingent upon the Blues being within legitimate striking distance of the playoffs.

So that's the question: Are the Blues in the playoff race. I think the answer is "yes" but only barely.

Team GP Pts
1. * Detroit 51 78
2. * San Jose 49 61
3. * Minnesota 50 59
4. Dallas 53 61
5. Anaheim 53 60
6. Calgary 50 58
7. Vancouver 50 57
8. Colorado 50 56
9. Columbus 51 56
10. Nashville 50 55
11. Phoenix 49 54
12. St. Louis 48 51
13. Edmonton 52 51
14. Chicago 50 50
15. Los Angeles 51 42

So at the All-Star break the Blues are five points out of 8th with (as happens every year for some unknown reason) games in hand. Unfortunately, the West is really bunched up this year with only LA being well and truly out of contention, so there is not a lot of wiggle room. In fact, if the Blues don't narrow the gap and get to at least 10th place in the next five or six games they are probably too late. Those games will be; #1 at Toronto, #2 vs. Anaheim, #3 vs. Colorado, #4 vs. Tampa, #5 at Dallas, and #6 vs. Minnesota. Yes, those are four games at home to two on the road, but it is not an easy stretch. True, Toronto and Tampa are Eastern Conference bottom feeeders, but the games against Anaheim and Colorado, and Dallas and Minnesota are on back to back days. Realistically the Blues will need to win four of these and pick up a point in a fifth game to climb over two teams in the standings.

It's a stretch.

The trade deadline is on Feb. 26th, but the Blues should decide earlier to buy or sell, and I think the answer they have to reach is to be sellers. The only other option I see open to them is to make a move now over the All Star break with another team desperate to get into playoff contention. If the Blues can pick up some scoring punch it would give them a fighting chance. But it is hard to see who that trading partner would be. It could have been Washington, but with Nylander going down for the season I don't see them thinking they have the depth to move a forward. The Rangers don't have anyone we'd want (sorry Shanny.) The Islanders have the same scoring problems we have, and Boston probably wouldn't be too keen on another defenseman for a forward swap with the Blues. I don't blame them a bit.

In the West the options are fewer. Only Colorado seems to have extra forwards to move, assuming Ryan Smyth is on pace to return by the end of February. Andrew Burnette could be useful.

That's about it and it will never happen.

That being the case I'd say the Blues have a 5-10% chance of making the playoffs this season.

Comings And (Possible) Goings

Blues and DC United tidbits.

First from the Note:

Inconsistency has dotted his play all season and now St. Louis Blues defenseman Christian Backman is the subject of trade rumors as the Feb. 26 deadline approaches according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. It is believe the Blues will try to move a defenseman before the trade deadline.

Backman has one more year left on his contract for $3.4 million ($2.3 million salary cap hit).

“Who knows what they’re going to do?” Backman said. “I try not to think about it. I hope and still feel that they still believe in me.”

Backman is a big kid who plays small; an "offensive" defenseman who doesn't score goals or pick up many assists; an "offensive" player who is deemed a liability on the power play; and a player who isn't cheap.

He's a quadruple threat.

The only question is what kind of dead wood would we have to take in return? Also, we were supposed to trade from our excess defensive corp to get some scoring punch and dealing Backman makes that a little less likely to happen.

Oh well...last year the Blues got Boyes for Wideman so anything is possible.

On the United front we get this:

D.C. United acquired Argentine forward Franco Niell on a one-year loan from Argentinos Junior on Tuesday.

Neill, 24, is expected to join United for the start of preseason training next week and will be officially added to the roster once he receives his work visa and international transfer certificate.

Niell has spent his entire professional career with Argentinos Junior, scoring 10 goals in 60 games since his debut during the 2004-05 season.

I couldn't be more underwhelmed.

A quote from United's Dave Kasper requires me to borrow the baseball cliche translation project for a moment:

"We're getting a player who we believe has all the qualities to be successful on our team," general manager Dave Kasper said. "Franco is an energetic, hard working forward who will be a good compliment to our team."

Translation: "You've heard of Plan A and Plan B? Well, welcome to Plan Z."

This Is Not A Defense Of Eric Brewer's Play

For all the bitching from Blues fans about the howlingly bad play from Brewer the last three weeks or so (here is a good example), you might have figured that his was the worst blueline performance.

You'd be wrong. By every measure Barret Jackman's play has been terrible.


Jackman:
GP G A Pts +/- PIM PP SHG GWG S SPct.
30-0-3-3-(-13)- -29 -0-- 0-- 0--- 32 -0.00

Brewer:
GP G A Pts +/- PIM PP SHG GWG S SPct.
25 -1- 6- 7 -(-5)- 27-- 0--0 ---0-- 36- 2.78

Yet, for some reason, Jackman mostly gets a pass from Blues fans. I don't get it. Brewer's upside is so much greater than our other defensemen (with the exception of Johnson), that it makes no sense to attempt to run him out of town. Brewer was terrific the last 30+ games of last season, and he didn't start badly this one either. True, he has been an outright liability out there for awhile, and I certainly hope he gets some confidence back and quickly.

But, to my mind, it is Jackman that has been the biggest disappointment. He isn't taking the penalties he used to, but he is downright passive out there. A passive Barret Jackman is a completely ineffective Barret Jackman. There is no way he looks like a top four defenseman.

It's time he heard about it from Blues fans as well.