Last Minute Blues Podcast Ep. 226: Blues Making Moves

Last Minute Blues Podcast Ep. 226: Blues Making Moves

This is the Last Minute Blues podcast with Donnie, Alex, Jeremy, and Jeff Burton. I would just like to start this podcast by saying I cannot wait to talk hockey with these two idiots. I can’t wait. Welcome to the Last Minute Blues podcast. Donnie Fandango, joined in studio by Alex Ferrario from 101 ESPN. And joining us via the uh what the the link
the airlink is how we sound engineer savvy
from uh from Colorado uh on vacation the week of NHL free agency uh Mr. Jeremy Rutherford from the athletic. What’s going on my dude? Real smart.
How you guys doing?
Yeah, we got a uh softball tournament here in Colorado. I think we’re might get out to Red Rocks. Uh Donnie.
Oh, I’m I’m going to tell you something. I I would see a band that I hated at Red Rocks. I love that place.
Flats at Red Rocks. Dude, I would love it. I I would probably dance. It legitimately is the greatest place that I have ever been to see a show. So, all of the people that like say uh that that say it’s the greatest, they’re absolutely completely correct. It’s wonderful. Now, I did almost die like uh that that that like sort of um I wasn’t in the best of shape uh at that particular time and where we parked was very low. So, we had to walk up this high thing to get into the to the and I like the air was very thin and Donnie almost lost it there for a second, but the show was absolutely absolutely magical. J.R., so is this like a true vacation or is this a softball tournament or like combination thereof? Yeah, it’s a good question. I’m still trying to find the answer. It was it was a situation where when the softball team said, “Hey, we’re going on a tournament uh in Colorado and this week and I looked at the calendar and obviously, you know, July 1st is free agency and there’s development camp, but these opportunities don’t come around too often to uh go to Colorado with your family for a big softball tournament. So, I covered free agency here at the hotel yesterday and I’m missing development camp, but I’m going to try to get a couple prospects on the phone today. So, doing some daddy duty, doing some juggling, but trying to make it all work,
dude. That’s awesome. That’s great. And this is the part that I love about JR. Such a a It’s going to sound super cheesy, but family guy. Like, he’s always been this way since I’ve known the guy getting into this business and a guy who can find time to still go do stuff with the family in the middle of free agency. That’s massive.
Absolutely. Now, jokes on you also, J.R., you’re not going to Red Rock because today Doug Armstrong will make another trade and you’ll have to hang back while everyone else goes and enjoys Red Rock.
Let him do it. Somebody else is going to have to cover this one. You guys You guys do the same thing. thing. I mean, Alex, girl dad, you know, does a great job, Donnie. We love telling stories about our kids. But my thing is this, you know, I think this is 20 seasons covering the blues, been at the Post Dispatch since the mid 90s, and you you just understand that when you get to the end of the road, let’s say we retire 6065, yes, you loved your job and you love doing it, but if you missed out on all these important things, then was it really worth it? Like, I’ll never forget uh my son’s first birthday. I was in the press box at Madison Square Garden and what was it? Uh it wasn’t FaceTime before that. Whatever it was. Skype. Yeah, I think I Skyped. Relationship on Skype.
Not like that, Donnie. Disgusting.
Yeah, we know where you’re going with that one.
Yeah. So, we Skyped the family back home in St. Louis to be able to sing, you know, happy birthday to your son for his first birthday. So, it is what it is, but this this week we’re making it work.
Hell yeah. Awesome. priorities and choosing the right ones sometimes can be difficult, but very rewarding when you do. So, guys, we have an absolute ton ton ton of ground to cover uh not only with the Blues, but also over the course of the last couple of days in the NHL. And I think the place to logically start before we get to the free agent signing yesterday is the trade of Zachary Baluk to Montreal uh for the defenseman Logan Mayu. May you.
Now, I’m just going to go on my little little little spiel here that I feel as though
that as a hockey trade, this looks to be a pretty darn good one from Doug Armstrong. You’re going to get a young right-handed defenseman who supposedly has a big shot. And this dude seems like he is a house. 6’3, 210, 215, something like that. Now, unfortunately, you had to had to trade a guy that we all liked in Zack Baluk in which to do it. But guys, I think if you if you want to get something, you got to give something. All right, so that’s first and foremost. The Blues did have seemingly uh excess wingers in which that they could trade. I feel as though, if I can just be very honest with you guys,
that if Logan had not had issues in the past that maybe that this trade isn’t being looked at the way that it is. Yeah. But I think that that him coming with a little bit of baggage on top of people liking Zachary Buluk is just kind of recipe for a lot of grumps.
Yeah. I mean, I kind of felt like the the baggage was secondary to the fact that he hadn’t played more than what was it, seven NHL games.
That as well.
That’s the part that I have seen a lot of people, and I’m sure J.R. You’ve seen this in your comments have been upset about saying you traded a guy who just scored 20 plus goals for a guy that’s played seven games in the NHL. Man, this is going to sound like I’m taking shots at Blues fans and I’m not doing that at all.
We have been spoiled by trades of Doug Armstrong’s past because of trades in the past. hockey trades have meant Yori Later for Braden Shen, Taage Thompson for Ryan O’Reilly, BCH for uh Sammy Blade, who was traded back to the Blues. Like when when people hear hockey trades, they think, “Oh yeah, it’s because Doug Armstrong did highway robbery on the other NHL team.” That’s not how they go down. Doug said it yesterday, and I agree. Hockey trades are meant to hurt a little bit. But hockey trades start by you giving up something you don’t want to give up but you have a lot of to somebody who doesn’t want to give up but they also have a lot of. And that’s just the thing J. I was looking at this over over the evening this past night because you see all of the people that are reacting negatively like you traded this for that. Do you know how many right-handed defensemen that are under the age of 25 are playing in the NHL top four minutes right now? There are five. There are five guys that are under the age of 25 playing top four minutes that are right shot defenseman. The Blues just drafted Yurichek and he’s multiple years away. They were very deficient on their right side. They needed Doug Armstrong told us they wanted to fix their defense. Yes, you had to give up a 20 goal score, maybe more with Zack Book, but man, from everything I’ve read, it sounds like this kid is going to be a top four defensemanesque for the Blues of the future.
Yeah, let me tell you how I think this one’s going to turn out. I’m going to I’m going to look two, three, four years down the road with this response. I’m going to say that Blues fans are watching the highlights. They’re going to see a Zack Bulldog go, did you see that Bulldog goal last night? That was awesome. Oh my gosh, what? He’s really turned into a good player. And the response from Blues fans is going to be, “Yeah, but we got Logan Mayu.” And where would be we be without him? Because he is a great young defenseman and has the potential to be, like you said, Alex, that top four guy, that rare guy under 25 who can come in and play in the NHL. like Doug said, he has a job to lose in in training camp and and so I think that this was probably a hard trade to make in terms of realizing you’re giving up Zack Book, a guy who’s got a ton of skill and plays with an edge. You know, forget about the what 12, 13 goals he scored down the stretch. How about when he’s cross-checking guys at center ice sticking up for his teammates, right? So, so I like Zack Book. I don’t like the thought of losing Zack Bulldook, but this is the price that you have to pay for top four young right shot defenseman, and it sets you up pretty well. Now, granted, you know, Justin Faulk, uh Cam Fowler might even be gone in a couple years. You know, who knows? Colton Prao is probably going to play a while, right? But eventually, he’s going to be gone. At some point, you’re going to be looking at, you know, the Brobergs and uh and the Mayus and and these types of guys that are going to take over. I think it was a good trade. It was a hockey trade. And I think in a couple years both fan bases are going to be really happy.
Well, and real real quick, Donnie, just to add one more. I I think the frustration from this was also people wanted to see Jordan Kyu traded away. Yeah. Like and that was leading up to the trade deadline because remember he was tied Kyu was to Noah Dobson.
And that’s what the trade sounded like it was until Dobson went to Montreal. And then you’re not acquiring another right-handed defenseman that’s out there for Kyu because they’re either untouchable or they’re not to the level that May you could become. And so you go to the next level down. Well, we can’t get Dobson. Where do we go next? We go with our wingers that have a lot to offer. And this guy’s 21 years old. He’s 21 years old, 6’3″, 210 lbs. And talking with a couple of people yesterday that work in Montreal, they said he was going to be on the NHL roster this year. He is too good for the American Hockey League. So that’s what you acquired for a guy that unfortunately for Bulldog was was penned in to being a third line winger for you because he wasn’t getting top six minutes with this roster.
Right. Right. All right. So guys, can you kind of sort of shake out how the defense looks right now with this addition and also can you kind of sort of speak to what it means for Tyler Tucker, what it means for Matt Kessle? uh two guys that I really thought we would see a lot more of this coming up season, but it starts to be a numbers game at some point or the other. So, how do you guys one, how do you see the defense as it is right now? And then how do you see it playing out for those two guys specifically? I think that if you look at the Blues defense right now, it’s going to be Fer and Pico in that top pair. I think right now as it stands, it’s going to be Broberg and Faulk. And then I think the third pair, you try to piece it together. But I think you know what Doug said yesterday is that Mayu is gonna be in there right on that right side. And then is it Tucker on the left? Is it Lety on the left? But we could sit here and talk to her blue in the face about, you know, what that third pair could look like or and even the second pair. And then in two weeks, Doug Armstrong trades Justin Faulk, Nick Ley, somebody. Now, let’s keep in mind, I I I put this in my article. July 1, a big day in terms of, you know, that’s the new year when the contracts kick in, the no trade clauses kick in. And we talked last week, right, that the modified no trade clauses. So now Nick Lety and Justin Faulk, they have modified no trade clauses, not full no trade clauses. So it changes. They could a week ago veto a trade to any team in the league and now it’s a 15 no trade for Justin Faulk and Nick Ley can go to 16 teams. So Doug Armstrong has that to work with now. I think we’ll see some sort of shakeup with the defense between now and opening night.
And that’s where I’m as well. And I know J.R. you listened to Doug Armstrong’s availability yesterday too when he spoke and somebody asked him, you know, you got a lot of defenseman for this roster. And he said, “Yeah, we’re looking through that.” My assumption is you’re going to see one of Lety or Faulk get traded. And
Tucker to me is on this roster next year. And I mean, they made it pretty clear like, “Hey, he’s a third pair defenseman for us. I don’t know if he’s the left or the right side yet, but but he’s on that team next year.
Also remember that Kessle is waivers eligible. So if you put him through waivers, he can be claimed off of waivers, which I don’t know if they want to do that for a depth piece that’s young. JR made a good point yesterday with us on BK and Ferrario that Mayu is waivers exempt, but I don’t think you’re making this trade if Mayu’s on here. So you see what I’m doing, Donnie? It’s like your process of elimination. You start to weave guys out of this one. So to me, it’s going to be Faulk or Lety. One of the two probably gets moved and you wait for the dust to settle in free agency to see who’s available because I I think this also could play into the Blues hand. I don’t know if you guys have noticed, not to get off tangent here, but some of these defenseman are getting paid like four or five years with four 5.5 million. Letty’s got one year left. Faulk’s got two year left at a pretty reasonable four and six and a half mil. This might be something that Doug’s able to fill another void for the Blues in their forward group if they move off of one of their defenseman. It’s just a matter of who needs a defenseman around the NHL. I’ll be h very very I I mean it’s it’s everything being still kind of very fluid. I I I I guess that’s why it makes more sense to just kind of wait see it all shake out as J.R. is saying.
Yeah. Well and and JR we talked about this a couple of weeks ago and Donnie you too. Like the whole thing with this off seasonason was Doug Armstrong saying, “We want to get 5% better.” And and we asked the question yesterday on paper what this team looks like. Are you 5% better? And I think I’ve heard some people say, “No way. You’re you’re actually worse than this because you got rid of depth scoring. Your third line doesn’t look that desirable. You didn’t bring faxa back. And on defense, you have an unknown.” But not to to spin it blues-wise here. I’m replacing Bulldook with a Snugarude who I expect like you to make this trade because you believe Snugaroo is a 20 goal scorer in the NHL. I’m replacing Foxa with the Buches dad. We’ll talk about him in just a bit. And then I’m adding this Logan Mayu who from everybody is talking about his offense plays at the NHL level. He’s got five points in seven NHL games. So it’s not like he’s not shy in that area. And like I look at Mayu and then I look at like a trade that Minnesota did a few years ago where they traded Kevin Fiala for Brock Faber who was playing in college but they said hey this kid’s going to be good. They traded a guy who was a goal scorer but they had a lot of those for a defenseman who now is one of the highly touted defenseman in the NHL. I don’t know. It just for me felt like at least you ticked in the right direction with still potential more moves to come. Yeah. So maybe it’s uh at this point I feel like maybe 1% better, one and a half percent better, but we’re still but we’re still working. All right, so let’s talk about uh Nick Busted. All right, so this is the guy that is essentially and and J.R. I think you referred to this a little bit yesterday. Uh this is the guy that’s essentially kind of coming in and taking the Fox’s spot with Fox’s signing the three-year deal in Dallas. Similar players. Can you kind of tell us what we need to know about this newest blue free agent acquisition yesterday? Yeah, he uh a veteran and been around for a while in terms of comparing him to Foxa. He’s got some more offense than Foxa. You know, the numbers aren’t going to wow anybody, but he can join the rush. He can get in on the forche like Foxa did, but probably a little bit better in in that zone. Uh defensively, not as good as Foxa. Fox’s defensive numbers are a lot better. And then guys, let’s not forget about faceoffs. Fox led the team last year, 57%. Uh Buchad 47. How many times did that fourth line start the game? Start periods. It’s because that, you know, they can win the puck, right? And set the tone. You can’t set the tone unless you have the puck. And so Foxo is key in that. Guys, I’m a little worried about the Blues center position still. And I know we’re talking about maybe 1% better. Um, you are going to get a snugger in there full time. Um, but Bstead, Doug Armstrong said yesterday could play third line center or could play fourth line center. you know, if you have a up the middle of Braden Shen, Buchstead, and Oscar Sunquist, it’s just not the offense that you’re going to need. And so, that’s why I think that there’s still some work to be done with this roster. And I think Alex touched on it. You could have a situation maybe they try to move a defenseman in a package that still brings you some sort of center help. I’m not saying that that center is out there. Uh, but we saw what happened in free agency. Expensive. We saw the Blues try to acquire some players via trade. Those didn’t work out. So, I think like what Alex said, they’re ticking in the right direction. They made a good move yesterday and bringing a young right shot defenseman in and then filling the hole left by Foxa with Buchstead. But even getting Snugroot back, you know, you’re going to get Holloway back too. Uh I still think that third line’s missing some juice and they’re missing some juice in the middle. I I still think Doug Armstrong’s going to have to find another forward. Well, I mean, you look at that even in in yesterday after the the the addition of you said was made the trade, you know, and it was looking at the depth chart and you’re looking at that third and fourth line and you’re going, “H, I want to like this more than I actually do. I like these guys, but you know, I mean, I love Sunny, but we know what Sunny is.” And dude is banged up all the time because he plays like a freaking wrecking ball, you know? So, like, so there’s got to be
there there’s got to be something in there. So, here’s the question, guys. Do you feel as though that this center situation is something that the Blues are able to address before the season starts or is this something that we’re going to maybe be talking talking about through throughout the beginning portion of the season, maybe until the trade deadline when they’re able to do something else?
This isn’t the easiest take for radio or for podcasting because it’s not a hot take, but my answer is maybe. Like I think Jared is right. Yeah. So I mean, you know what, Donnie, we’ll talk in about two months. Two months, guys.
Maybe going to do it.
Yeah. Sorry, I’m not very hot takey today, guys.
That’s awesome.
I just like I I think you can acquire something with those defenseman, but it might require you to add another piece with it. And are they willing to do that? And then is another team willing to give up the centerman? Like I center just aren’t available? Like that’s just the thing.
I’m sorry. I just had a
I saw Donny’s eye. The light bulb went and I’m like, I’m just stopping. Guys, does this give Dabour Dor Dorski a chance to make this roster? I I I Alex, you can answer.
Wait, hold on. Probably not, though, because we’re talking about a third or a fourth liner, and you’re not going to want that guy playing in your third or fourth line, right?
Donnie just answered his own question. Sorry, I didn’t mean from the
I didn’t mean to interrupt.
No, I I just think maybe. No, I’m joking. I think that uh I think everything that we’ve heard from Doug Armstrong, they’re going to be patient with Dorski. Now, if he tears it up in camp and he looks like he can hold down the third line center, you know, then great. That that’s awesome. But I think you probably got to answer that question before you kind of get deep into training camp or the start of the season. And the guys, there’s a name that’s still out there and I know we’ll podcast now and maybe this guy signs before the podcast gets out, but uh Pas Sudter like he could be a really good fit for that middle six and and you know he’s defensively responsible, you know, a little bit offensive upside. Um you know maybe he’s not a big part of the future. The the question is the cost and suit for what Granland just signed for yesterday like 3×7.
Yeah,
that’s the thing. So Granland gets 7 million. You know, is Pastor is he a 5 million $6 million guy now? Uh he could be and if that’s the case and you’re asked to give him four or five years, it might not be worth it. All I’m saying is he would really shore up what the Blues need there in that middle six center.
Can I try and sell you guys a little bit more on Buchad in the center position? Because I actually was the one that was a little bit higher on Buchad. He was the one. He and Christian D’vorak were the two guys that I’m like, you know what, go under the radar guy. See if you can make some type of move here. And D’vorak signed for 5 million or 5.2 and that was way too expensive. But BU’s dad this season for Utah, his numbers aren’t very good. Like you look at it, you’re like, this is what you got. But also remember Utah brought in a lot more of their prospects and they pushed him down to a fourthline role. And when you go to a fourth line, you play to that identity, right? You play the checking, the heavy physical defensive savvy, and that’s just not who Budd is. Two years ago when he was with Arizona, he was used as a third line center and he put up 22 goals and his faceoff numbers were like 49.7%. By no means am I acting as if this guy is going to go out there and put 30 goals up for this Blues team. Frankly, it might be less than 22,
but the goal this off season was to upgrade over who? Oscar Sunquest. Yeah. And to me, Buchad is a better player than Oscar Sunquist. And I love Oscar Sunquist, but for what Sunny is now in terms of making sure his body’s in the best shape possible, third line’s not it. I actually think the fourth line might play a little bit better into Sunquist. Now, the physicality is the part that I’m questioning. Sunquist isn’t good defensively like Foxa. He’s not great on the faceoff dot like Fox was, but we all know Sunquist can play a defensive two-way style of hockey. And if you put Sunquist on a fourth line with Walker and Torupchenko who both are engines, couldn’t that fourth line do a little bit of what Radic Fox was doing on that fourth line? And if Buchad is a guy that can drive offense, the weak spot on that third line in my opinion is more so the wing that you got rid of Buluk on than it is the center spot. Now, would you like to upgrade? Absolutely. I would love somebody in the second line center, Shen in the third, and Buchad on the fourth. But for what it is, I really wonder if Buchag can be an upgrade over Sunquist. Sunquist can play to the same level as Radic Foxa. And now you’re looking for somebody to be that winger that replaced Zack Baldick. I don’t think it’s Texier. I don’t think it’s Joseph. This is my long-winded answer to get to D’vorski. Could D’vorski do on the wing what Robert Thomas did on the wing in 2018 2019? Discuss among yourselves. How’s that for a maybe take, guys?
I’m still try I’m still trying to catch up with Yeah, that was like follow your own adventure and you put don’t put your finger on the one page and you’re like, damn, did I did I go through the door or no?
The only thing that I and and J.R., I didn’t mean it to cut you off, but the only thing that that that I don’t love about what you just said is everything has to go right in that particular situation.
Welcome to pro sports.
You know what I mean? And like I just I I just very much
sort of wonder have a little bit more. Is the reason that Fox is not here is because he got the third year from Dallas as opposed to the Blues just wanting to give him two. Is that
third year? And I wonder J.R. if it was the 2 million versus the 1.75. Yeah, it’s an extra year. It’s a cup contending team. It’s a place he’s familiar with. Lots of things. Y
Yeah. Uh want to ask about Jordan Kyru was obviously for a couple of days there a very uh talked about uh trade asset. Uh JR, you wrote the the piece about it now. He that contract has kicked in. The no movement has kicked in. I I always though wonder when a player’s name has been in the trade, you know, cycle for a few days, what do like what what does Jordan Kyu feel about his place with the Blues now hearing that he had been, you know, involved in these trade rumors for the last couple of days? I would that’s how does that make you feel like a solid poor member of the team? Seriously. Yeah. I think you know, like we said a minute ago, pro it’s pro sports. you got to come to accept it. And and that’s not to say that, you know, he didn’t think, “Wow, you know, they’re really uh putting my name out there.” You know, Doug Armstrong has done this in the past where he’s gone to players and talked to them about the situation sometimes after the fact. But I think that does help that communication, that relationship. You guys probably remember him going to Pavo Buchvich after everything was over last year and said, “Hey, listen. Was your name out there?” “Yeah, did I mention your name?” “Yeah, but I was asking for the motherload.” and maybe he has that same conversation with Jordan Kyu. They’re going to emphasize to him, you know, that he’s a big part of this team and and and he knows it. Uh but I think all players have to realize that, hey, if a team can go out there and hit an absolute home run, this is sports and they’re going to move you. But it didn’t happen with Jordan Kyro and that should show Jordan Kyu how much the Blues value him.
And you think of the the names or the teams that he was associated with. Like Kyru’s name was associated with the Islanders for Dobson. I mean,
no matter how you feel about Dobson, Dobson is a 25-year-old right defenseman that a lot feel he is a top pair guy.
His name was associated with Buffalo when the Purka trade went down. My conspiracy tinfoil theory is it wasn’t just Purka that they were saying, “Look, we want Purka and [ __ ] if we’re pulling this deal off.” So, like, think of the packages that they were asking for for Kyu. And they didn’t come to fruition because the other team didn’t want to do it. But the Blues were saying if we’re going to trade this guy, we’re going to make sure we’re getting significantly better than where we’re at. I just I personally think this is the best case scenario. Now, the no trade is kicked in. Does this mean that the trade is completely off the table for Jordan Kyroo? No, because Doug Armstrong doesn’t care if the no trade clause is attached, hence Tory Crew getting traded and it not working out. If they want to trade him, they’ll try and trade him or find a way to trade him. But now the whole conversation about it can end. Now it’s just Kyu. I have to imagine if you’re Kyrie, you can kind of take a breath of fresh air now, right? To where it’s like, look, everybody and it’s not that the city’s trying, although there are fans that are trying to trade him. It’s the teams or the rumors are coming up with his name attached to it. Now it’s done. I don’t have to worry about it. Now I can go into the season and focus. Frankly, I think now with Jim Montgomery as the head coach, now with the no trade clause kicked in, maybe this is the jumping off point that Kyro needs after a good season last year.
All right. So, I I want to ask this here before we kind of move on to some other NHL things. So, as of right now, if you’re Doug Armstrong and the Blues, you are focused in on a center. Is there anything else that’s that’s kind of percolating that you might be keeping an eye out for, or are you pretty much lasered in to to upgrading that center position on the team?
I I to me to me, J.R., sorry to cut you off. To me, it’s either
center or if I can find a goalcoring winger. It’s kind of why I thought Granland made some sense because I didn’t like the idea of Granland before yesterday and then I was like, you know what, maybe Granland does make sense. You could use him as a center and then you could shift him to the wing. He’s 25 goals. I think both are options. It’s just when you look at the market, there’s like one center and zero wingers that make any sense. So, I personally think that if any more moves are going to go down, unless they sign Sudter, it’s going to be via trade.
Yeah. And I like what Alex said earlier, and it’s not the end of the world if Buchstead is your third line center and Sunquist is fourth. It could be better. Yes, if you could push them down, uh I think it would be better. Uh but I still think they need center help. But I think what Alex said too, uh you got to find a winger. Like I just don’t like the idea going into the season with that third line missing Bulldook and now you’re looking to play a Texier or a
uh
Joseph.
Joseph on that third line. And especially if you got a Buchstead and maybe he’s not contributing offensively, you you in today’s NHL, you have to have a third line that can produce some offense. And I don’t think the Blues have that right now. So to me, that’s priority number one. However you want to shake that out with the center winger situation. Uh and then number two is shaking out that defense. You know, who’s going to be in there? Who’s in the top six? And are they moving anybody? Uh I think those are the two things heading into the season. But listen, hey, you know, we joked around earlier about maybe and and riding the fence. You know, I’ll throw another one at you. Um I think I’m always a firm things happen for a reason person. And like you guys touched on earlier, maybe you don’t sign that big center to a long-term contract and big money and then all of a sudden D’vorski does come in and do well. Or like Alex said, maybe he breaks in on the wing and you don’t have to fill that wing spot that you were thinking about filling. So, you know, the way things happened yesterday with free agency, this is what the Blues have at the moment. Doug’s going to continue to try to see if there’s anything that can improve the team and if not maybe things happen for a reason and D’Vorski fills one of those spots and and the Blues are surprised by what he does early in the season.
All right, so um the way that that that this looks to me, all right, just looking after day one of NHL free agency, it is still the Florida Panthers world and we’re all just living in it.
Amen to that.
I I mean it is so impressive to me to get for them to to resign. you know, you’re talking about you want to have a good third line. Marawn was playing on the third line, but like like it’s just so crazy. So, Florida has locked up uh their their big three and to me, I don’t think with free agency so far, even with what Vegas did, and we’ll talk about that in a second cuz I have some thoughts. Um I I still feel as though this is Florida’s world and league and we’re all just living in it. Do you guys agree, disagree? I I I personally don’t know there’s anybody in the Eastern Conference that can unseat the Florida Panthers
anytime soon, dude.
At least for this coming season because after this season, Babrowski is a free agent and then we all know what happens. If you can’t have a goalender, hence the Edmonton Oilers, you don’t have a lot of success. But maybe they keep Babrowski there. But for now, it’s the same roster. I expect the exact same stuff from Florida. And they still have like a million dollars to work with in their salary cap space. Now, let’s also remember they are paying Brad Marian until he’s 43 years old. So, you know, you got to give to get a little bit and that’s unfortunately what’s going down there. But to keep Bennett to keep Eblad, I don’t I know people are going to complain about the state income tax and although that is some gripe, I think this is more of these guys wanted to stay in a team that knew had a chance to win at least two more Stanley Cups. Absolutely. Would I want to leave for an extra $2 million? If I’m living in Florida with a team that has the best shot to win a Stanley Cup next year, hell no. So, if I’m blad, if I’m Bennett, man, this is so much better than me going to get an extra $3 million in an extra year from the Columbus Blue Jackets or from Winnipeg. Like, no, I’m going to stay in Florida and I’m going to go win another Stanley Cup. So, good on them to do this. I don’t bash them for it.
They did become the villain, though. like they did become they and the Vegas Golden Knights have become what the Golden State Warriors were when Kevin Durant went there, right? And become what the the Kansas City Chiefs are in terms of every season you’re going to be like, “God, I hate that team because they’re just
they’re so good.” Well, one’s good and the other one is just corrupt. And we all know which one I’m talking about here, and that’s Vegas.
By the way, can can Sorry. Go ahead, Jar. I’ll say bye.
Oh, this is what you want to create. This is what teams want to create. It starts with a good locker room. Obviously, you got to have talent. You know, it it lends itself to uh being competitive and then you’re winning games, you’re winning Stanley Cups. Guys want to stay, they take less money. That’s the formula right there.
Yeah. So, really unfortunate news about former Blues captain Alex Petrangelo. Um who is going to, from what I understand, he’s is going to stop.
Yeah. He didn’t call it a retirement, but I mean, if I was reading this correctly, J.R., where it sure sounds like he’s basically stepping away from hockey to see if he can regain his health
and because his everyday life has changed and he said it doesn’t look positive of that coming back. So to me it kind of sounds like what Tory Krug is going through. Not the same injury but it’s hey my everyday life has changed because of the injury I’m dealing with and before I can worry about hockey I need to worry about me. It doesn’t look good of it coming back. God, that’s so Yeah, I think he he probably left the door open just a little bit, you know, just in case something were to change, but I think his mindset at this point is that it’s likely over. And let’s keep in mind, this isn’t just one injury, it’s multiple injuries. Uh it’s it’s not one surgery. It could be multiple surgeries and and major surgeries, too. And then the thing is, if you do come back and you’re trying to play in the NHL a couple more years, how is that going to affect your postlife just in terms of getting around to have a dramatic major surgery, get through it successfully, get your health back, have your home life back, and then go wear and tear more, you know, playing the game. So, at some point, even though you love the game and you want to give back and and play the game, it it’s just can’t be worth it at some point when you look at the family you have and look at the future you have. So, you know, I know it’s been tough for Alex to probably come to grips with all this and and Blues fans u you know, have fond memories of Alex Petrangelo as a blue. He goes to Vegas. Obviously, that stirred some emotions with the fan base, but at the end of the day, you look at the person and his family and what’s best for him, and it looks like this is the direction that Alex is going to go. Man, I just love Pro. I mean, I hated that he was with Vegas, but like that’s a dude that I I just can’t root against, you know?
The cool part is he’ll probably come back to St. Louis, too, whenever it is over because his wife’s from here. So, I would imagine maybe they come and stay here. And he’s uh blue once again.
So, let’s uh talk uh very quickly about Vegas. Uh, who is sit back on this one?
Who is now without question my least favorite team in the league. I I I listen by the day.
It does. It does.
Man, if Dor goes there as an assistant coach. Oh my gosh.
First and foremost, I am so tired of hearing the name Mitch Marner. I’m just happy that it’s over. Okay. first and foremost that also too that’s great fine and dandy that he’s going to this team that is toploaded with Stone and Hurdle and Eel and all of these guys but Florida won because Florida has four freaking lines that they could throw at you that could kick your ass throughout the course of those 60 minutes. I am not convinced even in the slightest even with the addition of Mitch Martner that they have four lines that could compete with a team like the Panthers in a sevengame series. Also, on top of this, I want to see Mitch Marner perform in the playoffs. I want to see him be the guy because to me, it seems like Mitch wants to be the guy, but not really be the guy. He doesn’t want to take all of the responsibility that comes with being one of those dudes. It dude, you’re in your You’re in Toronto. You you are you are upset because people are passionate about that team in that town. You are nuts. Go to Vegas. You won’t be the 1A. You’ll get to have the line off of you a little bit. But that team is not that team is not winning the Stanley Cup. At least not next year. At least not until they get more depth. I hate Vegas. Sorry, Jeremy. I know that uh that was a little bit longer than your your sound bite that you want to put out on social media, but uh
I know it’s going out on social media.
We’ve got a clip that we’ve got to clip.
Don’t worry, it will be later on tonight. It’s probably going to say angry radio host despises Vegas.
Okay, but guys, but for real, like for real with the Marner thing, and if I’m wrong, please tell me that I’m wrong. But but I mean, like, doesn’t it seem like that is like like that is the classic topheavy roster that is not going to be able to make it deep in a playoff? Funny part, the ironic part about all of this is Mitch Mner just went to the Western Conference Toronto Maple Leafs.
Like he went from a team that was topheavy that paid all of their superstars and didn’t have depth to a team that pays their top players and doesn’t have depth.
Like that’s that’s what Vegas is. You’re right. Vegas does not have a third or a fourth line. Their third line consists of Riley Smith and Brandon Sod right now and William Carlson. Um their defense just took a massive blow. Alex Petrangelo was a number one defenseman. Who’s their number one defenseman now? They got Hannneathan Theodore Whitecloud McNab. That is coming from Pro Theodore Hannifan McNab on top of Heagen Whitecloud. They’ve got two guys that aren’t even that aren’t even NHLers. They’re AHL fringe guys. And then they don’t have a goalending tandem. So yeah, I I I look at this and say like I don’t think Vegas got better in terms of their top players producing 100 points. Vegas didn’t get better in my opinion of where they’re at in the standings because one guy falters, the whole thing crumbles. Here was my issue with it. Now, I’m going to go on a little Donnie rant here.
Good. Makes me feel less crazy.
Kelly Kelly Mcrimin yesterday, I don’t know if you guys saw this, but he was taking shots at fans in the National Hockey League for assuming they were going to trade away William Carlson. He’s like, I had to go to Carly and explain to him we would never trade you. Don’t play the martyr and act like you never trade the people that are identities to your team. You basically stabbed Mark Andre. You stabbed Mark Andre Flurry in the back because you wanted to get rid of them. Like all you do is trade pieces that were a part of your team’s identity. So don’t play that card right now. And then and this this isn’t taking a shot at anybody in press conferences because I wasn’t there. So I But J, I could not believe that not one person asked him about the tampering claims with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Oh yeah. about that.
Like I get what his answer is going to be. It’s like we didn’t tamper. But don’t you think you have to ask that question? Yeah, probably. So, and you know, the fact that that Toronto made the trade with him and you knew the tampering charges weren’t going to come because of that, which to me that’s a whole screwy situation in itself. Hey, if we get the player or get something for the rights of Mitch Martyr, we won’t do the tampering. I think it’s I don’t know that the whole
Didn’t Ottawa get a first round pick taken away from them because of the whole Afghan data thing?
Yeah, that was a no trade clause thing that was uh you know just not communicated properly. Uh but yeah, but but yeah, so there’s the whole free agency thing July 1st, you know, deals announced 5 minutes later, but yet they weren’t supposed to talk until noon. You know, they need to go back to the courting period, I think. Yeah. Where you get to talk to the people a week before. But to answer Donny’s question, uh just real quick, no, I agree with you. I I think Vegas can be good if they do kind of upgrade that bottom u that bottom six in the forwards and get some more guys who are suited for the the playoffs. You can’t just live on those top guys. Um but I’ll say this, the one comment from Mner that stuck out to me is when he left Toronto and he says uh you know, hey, sorry we didn’t work it didn’t work out. You know, gave it my best. And I’m not trying to put all the blame on him, but did you like I mean, you’re a top end player who put up a 100 points and just a no-show in the playoffs and not just one year, but multiple years. And again, not to put it all on him, but hey, listen. Yeah, you’re not going to be in as big of a spotlight in Vegas as you were in Toronto. But at some point, you’ve got to produce in the playoffs and be a part of something. Maybe not just all you on you, but contributing and being a part of something. You know, I’ll be interested to see if he can do that in Vegas because he certainly couldn’t do it in Toronto.
All right, one more thing that I want to ask before we get out of here, guys. And and again, this is just me as a Blues fan, and I understand that this is pro this is where it’s supposed to be, but it was jarring for me as a Blues fan to see Vladimir Terasenko get traded from Detroit to Minnesota for essentially a bag of pucks and an order of nachos. Like, it was I I mean, isn’t it future considerations or what that is? And I understand that that’s where Vlatty is. I understand that last year was not a good year for him in Detroit. It’s just very hard for me to reconcile Vlatty when he left as to where he is now.
He’s been on five teams, I believe that is since the Blues traded him,
the Rangers, the Panthers, Ottawa, Detroit, and now Minnesota. He’s been on five teams in what is this four years? Three years.
I mean, you It’s what happens. Four or five agents, too.
Yeah, exactly. Like this is what happens I guess for some goal scorers in the NHL. Like you’ve got it and it can go away quick. Mike Hoffman was this way where was a guy that was viewed as a 30 goal scorer and then it was just gone.
Yeah.
But I I mean I it’s a good move if you’re Minnesota because you might have brought in somebody who could score 20 goals for you and you’ve got the Russian ties to where he played with or he played with Capri off over in the KHL. So like they’re familiar with each other. But yeah, I mean it the the fall is quick for certain guys to where you’re a superstar one day and then the next day you’re getting traded for nothing.
I feel like we’re not very far away from Vlatty going to play a year or two in the KHL before he retires.
I I was wondering if it was going to happen this year.
I mean I mean but that so I wasn’t the only one kind of thinking along those lines. Man, I just still always remember 91. You know what I mean? Like I
1991 number 91. I remember it too. I was one.
Oh, that’s sorry. You got to be a jerk.
I know. You know what? That’s not the way to end a podcast like this. All right, before we end, I want to make sure. Do we cover all the ground? Do we cover all the bases? Is there anything out there that we need to talk about?
I think we got it. Uh, I can call you guys later and tell you how we did in the tournament out here, but I don’t think that’s anything we’ll talk about on the podcast.
Put it in the comment section of our YouTube channel, which do make sure people go do that. Subscribe. Um, get the notifications link because when we drop new episodes, it notifies you on your thing. uh do it on the podcasts as well and uh make sure you comment on there to find out how JR softball tournament was.
But for real, good luck to your kiddo. I hope that they squash him up there, man. For real.
And then go to Red Rock and see if you can run a mile up those stairs, J.R.
I tried to today. Yeah.
All right. Well, we thank you very much for listening to the Last Minute Blues podcast for our dude Jeremy Rutherford who’s on assignment in uh Colorado from the Athletic. We’ve got Alex Ferrario from 101 ESPN, Donnie Fandango from 1057 The Point. As always, thanks for listening and let’s go Blues. The Last Minute Blues podcast. Hear more at 1057thepoint.com.

The St. Louis Blues made moves on Day 1 of NHL free agency. Donny, Alex, and JR break it all down on the Last Minute Blues Podcast. The guys also take a quick tour around the NHL.

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