Top 5 St. Louis Blues Prospect Defensemen
Last week Jeff Quirin took a look at the Top 5 Forward Prospects. This week he delves in to the world of puck lugging, shot blocking, and who can log 20 minutes a night. Today, its all about defensemen.
Categories: St. Louis Blues Tags: Alex Pietrangelo, Brett Ponich, Cade Fairchild, hockey, Ian Cole, Jonas Junland, Kristoffer Berglund, Mark Cundari, NHL, Notre Dame, OHL, St. Louis Blues, WHL
Top 5 St. Louis Blues Forward Prospects
The Blues are well known around the NHL for having one of the best prospect systems in the post-Lockout era. Their system has been consistently ranked in the Top 10 by Hockey's Future and other blogs and media outlets. One of the few signs of hope for a franchise gutted of depth half a decade ago.
Categories: Central, St. Louis Blues, Western Conference Tags: Brett Sonne, hockey, Jaden Schwartz, Jori Lehtera, KHL, NHL, Phil McRae, prospects, St. Louis Blues, Stefan Della Rovere, Tyler Shattock, Vladimir Tarasenko
Blues Sign Erik Johnson to a Two-Year Deal
NHLHS St. Louis Blues Correspondent Jeff Quirin breaks down the Erik Johnson signing by the Blues earlier today.
There was no doubt that the Blues would sign Erik Johnson. The only questions were for how long and how much? Both were answered today when Johnson agreed to a two-year, $5.2 million contract with the St. Louis Blues.
Categories: St. Louis Blues Tags: Doug Armstrong, Erik Johnson, hockey, NHL, St. Louis Blues
Blues Trade King to Caps for Della Rovere
NHLHS St. Louis Blues Correspondent Jeff Quirin breaks down the trade between the St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals that sent tough guy D.J. King to the Southeast Division.
According to Andy Strickland and Jeremy Rutherford the St. Louis Blues have sent enforcer DJ King to the Washington Capitals. King agreed to a two-year contract extension totaling $1.25 million prior to the trade.
King was the Blues 6th Round pick (190th overall) of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. Since making his NHL debut on October 5th, 2006 King has appeared in 101 games with the St. Louis Blues. In that time frame he has accumulated 4 goals, 9 points and 185 penalty minutes.
Categories: Around the League, By Teams, NHLHS Features, St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals Tags: Barrie Colts, Cam Janssen, DJ King, St. Louis Blues, Stefan Della Rovere, Washington Capitals
Blues Sign David Perron
NHLHS St. Louis Blues Correspondent discuss the new deal for forward David Perron as well as his thoughts on Erik Johnson.
On Wednesday the St. Louis Blues announced that talented forward David Perron had agreed to a two year contract. Per Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post Dispatch the deal breaks down in to $1.8 million in 2010-2011 and $2.5 million in 2011-2012.
This contract could prove to be a steal of a deal for the Blues. Perron is a highly skilled offensive juggernaut in the making. All the tools are there. The stick skills, the vision, the dangling and the burning desire to score. Take a look at what he does to Mark Striet and tell me he doesn’t have “it”. There are few players out there being paid less than $2 million next season who have the ability to post a 25 goal, 50 point campaign. The relative cost to output should allow the Blues some flexibility down the road to add salary to fill deficiencies elsewhere.
Categories: St. Louis Blues Tags: David Perron, DJ King, Erik Johnson, hockey, NHL, St. Louis Blues
St. Louis Blues Free Agency FAQ
NHLHS St. Louis Blues Correspondent Jeff Quirin takes a look at the organization and presents his “free agency FAQ”.
There has been quite a discourse regarding the Blues perceived lack of inactivity on the free agent front. Angry Blues fans from the water cooler to message boards are chiming in that they are not so happy with Doug Armstrong’s alleged inability and unwillingness to bring in “upgrades”. I mean not to harm the feelings of my Blues brethren, but there is also a fan unwillingness to accept the reality of the situation the team is in.
Categories: Around the League, By Teams, NHLHS Features, St. Louis Blues Tags: Alex Pietrangelo, Barret Jackman, David Backes, David Perron, Doug Armstrong, Erik Johnson, Free Agency, hockey, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jaroslav Halak, John Davidson, Mat D'Agostini, NHL, Patrick Marleau, Patrik Berglund, Roman Polak, St. Louis Blues, TJ Hensick, TJ Oshie, Vladimir Sobotka
St. Louis Blues Sign Jaroslav Halak to a Four Year Contract
NHLHS St. Louis Blues Correspondent Laura Astorian breaks down the contract signed by recent acquisition Jaroslav Halak and the blues.
In a signing that surprises no one, the St. Louis Blues signed their most recent goaltender acquisition to a four year, $15 million contract deal that is sure to upset Canadiens fans.
Categories: Central, St. Louis Blues, Western Conference Tags: Ian Schultz, Jaroslav Halak, lars eller, St. Louis Blues
NHLHS Mock Draft: With the Number Fourteen Pick…
NHLHS Mock Draft is our latest feature where we collectively predict the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. The draft is a crapshoot and we will be wrong… …but we thought it would be fun to try.
With the blank overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, the blank select…
Read more…
Categories: 30 Team Series, Around the League, By Teams, Central, NHLHS Features, St. Louis Blues, Western Conference Tags: 2010 NHL Draft, St. Louis Blues
St. Louis Blues Land Jaroslav Halak in Surprise Trade
It’s not even the draft yet, and we have the first big trade of the season. To no one’s surprise, Montreal moved a goaltender. To everyone’s surprise, it was their current goaltender/savior, Jaroslav Halak. To even more people than everyone (and I think that today, yes, that’s possible) the trade partner was the St. Louis Blues.
The Blues were rumored to be working with Chris Mason on a contract extension as a safety net just in case no solid goaltending deals arose at July 1st.
Categories: Central, Eastern Conference, Montreal Canadiens, Northeast, St. Louis Blues, Western Conference Tags: Jaroslav Halak, lars eller, Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues
Norris Trophy Candidate: Roman Polak
NHLHS writer Laura Astorian takes a look at the season Blues defenseman Roman Polak has had and why he could be considered a Norris Trophy candidate.
Roman Polak is neither Italian nor Polish. Discuss.
He might not be either, but this 6’1″ Czech Olympian has emerged as the St. Louis Blues’ top defensive defenseman. With 21 points on the year (4G, 17A), he’s offensively solid, though not a powerhouse. His +7 is second on the team behind the Blues other solid defenseman Mike Weaver and his +9. When you consider that the Blues are near the bottom of the league in GF, a +7 is better than average.
Categories: Around the League, By Teams, Central, NHLHS Features, St. Louis Blues, Western Conference Tags: Norris trophy, Roman Polak, St. Louis Blues
Behind the Mask: Chris Mason
NHLHS writer Laura Astorian takes a look at current St. Louis Blues netminder Chris Mason in our latest edition of The Man Behind the Mask.
Nashville has a certain reputation with starting goaltenders. Solid and impressive first year followed by a middling second with the team, which is promptly followed by the starter becoming the back-up, and the back-up becoming the starter. Dan Ellis and Pekka Rinne come to mind usually the most quickly, because both goalies are still with the Predators (albeit in a 1A/1B tandem). But what of the goaltender that Ellis dethroned?
Chris Mason learned that turnabout is sometimes fair play.
The back-up to Tomas Vokoun starting during the 2003-2004 season, the 122nd overall pick of the 1995 entry draft caught eyes with his .926 SV% and 2.18 GAA in the seventeen games that he played in. After the lock-out, he took over the full position of back-up, with a .913 SV% and 2.54 GAA.
Upon Vokoun’s leaving for the Sunshine State after the 2006-2007 season, Mason stepped up and assumed the role of full time starter. This wasn’t quite a big of jump as one might expect; Mason had played 40 games the prior season, with a .925 SV% and a 2.38 GAA. 2007-2008, though, was not to be as stellar, and left a chance for Ellis to creep up. Mason finished that season with a lackluster .898 SV% and a 2.90 GAA. He was a UFA at the end of the season, and with Dan Ellis and rookie Pekka Rinne coming up through the system, the Predators let him walk.
The St. Louis Blues needed a veteran goaltender to stand behind the injury prone Manny Legace. The previous season’s backup, Hannu Toivonen, had just come off a terrible season and returned to Finland, so there was a perfect spot for Mason. Legace, however, was struggling under the weight of Mason’s similiar-sized contract, and despite it being a UFA season for him, his numbers dropped off terribly and by February he had found himself waived to Peoria.
Mason had overtaken the role of starter once again. He led the Blues down an astounding 25-9-7 path at the end of the 2008-2009 season, ensuring the team had the league’s best post-All Star Game record, and also ensuring that the Blues returned to the playoffs for the first time since before the lockout.
Despite being swept in the first round by the Vancouver Canucks, the Blues felt sold on their goaltending situation, adding back-up Ty Conklin to the team for this season, but still communicating to Mason and the fans that he was the number one.
Despite the Blues missing the playoffs for yet another season after a second half that was solid, Mason still has put up solid numbers for the season. The end of the season marks contract renewal time, as on July 1st he is a free agent, but don’t ask him what his plans are for the future. For right now, Mason just wants the Blues’ opponents to keep on fearing the beard.
Laura Astorian
NHLHS St. Louis Blues Correspondant
lastorian@nhlhotstove.com
@hildymac
Categories: 30 Team Series, Around the League, By Teams, Central, NHLHS Features, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, The Man Behind the Mask, Western Conference Tags: Chris Mason, Hannu Toivonen, Manny Legace, Nashville Predators, Pekka Rinne, St. Louis Blues, Ty Conklin
Looking for a Defenseman?
As we approach the midway point of the 2009-10 season in the National Hockey League, many questions remain unanswered.
Which teams are serious about playoff contention? Who needs a massive upgrade to make the push from a bubble team? Which team should sell off the year and attempt a mini-rebuild?
Those are some thoughts circulating the League as we take a look at the state of all teams around the NHL. Now, when perusing through certain rosters some names that could bring in returns which would benefit a team in need of depth.
Today, we look at the defensemen around the NHL likely to be moved by the March 3rd, 2010 trade deadline. As a side note, be sure to tune into “The Hockey Guys” on deadline day as there will be an all day live event with a live chat room for discussion on all the rumors and news as it breaks in the NHL.
Categories: Atlantic, By Teams, Central, Detroit Red Wings, Eastern Conference, Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, Northeast, Northwest, Ottawa Senators, Southeast, St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, Western Conference Tags: Alexandre Picard, Brett Lebda, Carlo Colaiacovo, Chris Campoli, Darryl Sydor, Drew Doughty, Duncan Keith, Erik Johnson, Jack Johnson, Jean-Michael Liles, Joe Corvo, Kim Johnsson, Marek Zidlicky, Michael Del Zotto, Michal Rozsival, Mike Green, Pavol Demitra, Scott Niedermayer, Shea Weber, Sheldon Souray, Zach Bogosian
What Will Washington Do…
…with all that cap room?
With the loan of Michael Nylander to Grand Rapids of the NHL, the Capitals gained financial flexibility which should allow them to acquire some help in areas they deem necessary. As of this writing, the Caps 24 wins lead the League making the average fan ask: How can they possibly get better?
Corey Masisak of The Washington Times lists five speculative picks that would bolster this team as they prepare for a lengthy playoff campaign. As the team stands there is little need for improvement but one could make a case for another top defender.
As we know from our history watching the playoffs, depth is key. The team’s current construction has featured numerous players shifting up and down the teams forward lines as coach Bruce Boudreau dealt with injuries and juggling in order to find the proper mix. Still Masisak believes the most glaring need is this top defenseman. His solution: Scott Niedermayer.
Niedermayer currently captains the Anaheim Ducks and has lead them, as well as his former team the New Jersey Devils, to the Stanley Cup. In addition, this may be the last year in the NHL for the 36-year-old. Although he only has three goals on the season, he would become a powerful weapon on the Washington powerplay, something dreams are made of. He along with Mike Green would give them two elite puck-moving defensemen which would be incredibly dangerous for this already powerful offense.
Categories: Anaheim Ducks, Atlanta Thrashers, By Teams, Carolina Hurricanes, Central, Eastern Conference, Nashville Predators, Pacific, Southeast, St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, Western Conference Tags: Alexander Sulzer, Anaheim Ducks, Bob Murray, Bruce Boudreau, Cody Franson, Corey Masisak, David Backes, David Perron, Ducks Blog, Eric Stephens, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jordon Leopold, Michael Nylander, OC Register, Patri, Ryan Suter, Scott Niedermayer, Shea Weber, The Washington Times, Tomas Fleischmann
Blues, Blue Jackets Trade & Waiver Roundup
TSN’s Bob MacKenzie reports the news around the waiver wire. The Florida Panthers placed defenseman Ville Koistinen on re-entry waivers. His cap hit is a meager 1.2 million, which if claimed would be split by both the claiming team and the Panthers. In 17 games with Florida the 27-year-old has one goal and three assists. In 103 career games between his team and Nashville the Finn has 8 goals and 24 assists.
As we predicted yesterday, Jeremy Reich and Michael Leighton cleared waivers.
In other news, the Columbus Blue Jackets and St. Louis Blues made a minor move. The Blues get Pascal Pelletier while the Blue Jackets receive Brendan Bell and Tomas Kana.
The largest part of the deal seems to be Bell. The 26-year-old defenseman posted 17 points in 21 games with the Blues AHL affiliate, the Peoria Rivermen. The former Leaf draft pick played 53 games last year with the Ottawa Senators and was recently selected by Hockey Canada to represent his country in the Spengler Cup.
Categories: Atlantic, By Teams, Carolina Hurricanes, Central, Columbus Blue Jackets, Eastern Conference, Florida Panthers, New York Islanders, Southeast, St. Louis Blues, Western Conference Tags: AHL, Alaska Aces, Bob MacKenzie, Brendan Bell, Columbus Blue Jackets, ECHL, Florida Panthers, Jeremy Reich, Michael Leighton, Pascal Pelletier, Peoria Rivermen, Spengler Cup, Tomas Kana, TSN, Ville Koistinen
