Quote:
Originally Posted by Rams Fan
So after today I don't know how to feel about the Blues.
On one hand, I'm happy they dodged two bullets in Backes(though I would've loved him to be a lifelong Blue) and Brouwer.
On the other, I feel disappointed that they don't appear to have brought in a top 6 forward and seem to have slightly downgraded offensively without a stud #1 C/replacement for Backes.
Perron is fine as a replacement for Brouwer.
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Yeah, I'm a little confused by the Perron hate.
I don't love the guy; he was never someone I was sorry to see leave. But we got good value for him (our best forward prospect in Barbashev) and he brings speed that I felt was sorely lacking.
Yes, this team needs another top 6 forward to compete. Army can put on a brave face and say that we'll roll with Shattenkirk but if they go into this season with him instead of the forward we need to replace our defections (it ain't Sobotka), we'll be in trouble.
But as you said - sometimes the best deals are the ones you don't make. Brouwer's deal doesn't seem unreasonable, to be honest. But at the same time, the guy was a rich man's Andrew Shaw. He's just another of those guys that will take as many stupid goddamn penalties as he delivers clean hits. Jaskin could be a better player as soon as next year if he takes the step forward we've expected of him for years (and while Jaskin's slow as shit, he's not any slower than Brouwer).
I'm disappointed we didn't get Boedker; loved the speed he could bring. At the same time, there's a good chance he'll shut it down when he gets paid...and he wasn't exactly lighting things up to begin with.
This is the reality of a cap league; make a push and re-load. Those that don't deal with those waves are the guys with legitimate superstars and/or outstanding head coaches. Well we don't have an outstanding head coach and Backes/Oshie/Steen aren't that kind of player either.
The hope is that Tarasenko/Schwartz/Fabbri are (because Yeo isn't an elite coach either).
I wouldn't say the future is bright...but has the future ever been bright for the Blues? We're probably in the same boat we've always been; bit players in some other team's championship video...