So, what now?

[Pokecheque]

Wonder if there's a legit concern among Armstrong and his staff that Pietrangelo walks this summer.

[E.L.]

Wonder if there's a legit concern among Armstrong and his staff that Pietrangelo walks this summer.

I think JayBo's career ending is what precipitated this move, but I think the Faulk trade was insurance for Pietrangelo leaving.

[Pokecheque]

I think JayBo's career ending is what precipitated this move, but I think the Faulk trade was insurance for Pietrangelo leaving.

Yeah, I think you're right. I would love it if AP left because Faulk is a terrible fallback plan.

[E.L.]

Happy for Jacob De La Rose, who got a one year, one way contract for next season. Hard working player.

Tarasenko's career is very much in jeopardy, so anything they do this offseason will be under that prism.

[E.L.]

Starting to look like Pietrangelo might test his luck on the open market. Leafs, Kings, Golden Knights all skulking around and clearing space for him. Pretty shocked at how this is going down, especially since Tarasenko is likely LTIR.

[E.L.]

Alex Steen retires due to a back injury. Solid player for a long time.

[E.L.]

Hoffman signs a tryout, meaning no money yet but he's there. It's because they need Tarasenko to go on LTIR first to get under the cap, so Hoffman and Dunn will have to wait before getting their contracts.

Good add.

[Chris18]

Saad signed for 5/$22.5M.

Look for Tarasenko to be moved shortly.

[Pokecheque]

Saad signed for 5/$22.5M.

Look for Tarasenko to be moved shortly.

Well, took about a year-and-a-half from this post but it finally happened.

The dismantling of the 2019 champs begins (really though they've had a ton of turnover from that team already). I'll give Army credit, the man is not shy about pulling the plug. He ain't a great GM by any means, but he is decisive when he isn't seeing the results he wants. No way does Ryan O'Reilly finish the season in a Blues uniform.

An abject lesson for aspiring front office types--don't fill important positions by committee. Losing Pietrangelo and trying to replace him with a very expensive combination of Parayko/Faulk/Krug/Leddy has proven to be a total disaster, and not one they can walk away from very easily.

As for the trade, Army got what he could for an aging Tarasenko, so he made out okay, I don't understand at all why he was so set on getting Sammy Blais back. For all the tough guy narrative that follows him around, he sure spends a lot of time injured.

[E.L.]

I assume Blais was to even out the cap/contracts. Just a coincidence he used to play in STL.

I agree about the Pietrangelo to Krug/Faulk mess. Alex was a special player, and that need to fill his spot overrode common sense.

Luckily for St Loo, Thomas, Kyrou and Buchnevich look pretty good so more a retool than rebuild.

What's gonna happen with Binner? Put up with his antics because goalies are hard to find?

[Chris18]

Binnington gets 2 games for going after Hartmann after Hartmann accidentally bumped him after Binnington let in his 5th goal of the game.

Anyone else think Binnington is acting like Lehner did before he got help? I see a lot of people calling him the same names Lehner was called. If he needs help for something, I hope he gets it.

If he's just an asshole, I hope he gets a face full of fist.

[Pokecheque]

Well, good point, I suppose there are some parallels, but I've always at least found Lehner likeable. Binnington just doesn't seem like a good guy at all.

That suspension proves once again that DOPS is nothing more than the league's on-ice litigation arm. They never hand out suspensions until it's perceived by the brass that what's being done is hurting the game's image. They finally got tired of Binnington's shit, but violent hits/cross checks/slashes...meh. I mean, how many times did Raffi Torres nearly kill a guy before the league finally just said "Okay dude, you're done."

That said, I had no issue whatsoever watching that idiot melt down and make an ass out of himself on national television once again, even though it was the Wylde benefitting. I also have no issue with him finally getting punished, just still feels so arbitrary and random.

[Chris18]

Well, good point, I suppose there are some parallels, but I've always at least found Lehner likeable. Binnington just doesn't seem like a good guy at all.

That suspension proves once again that DOPS is nothing more than the league's on-ice litigation arm. They never hand out suspensions until it's perceived by the brass that what's being done is hurting the game's image. They finally got tired of Binnington's shit, but violent hits/cross checks/slashes...meh. I mean, how many times did Raffi Torres nearly kill a guy before the league finally just said "Okay dude, you're done."

That said, I had no issue whatsoever watching that idiot melt down and make an ass out of himself on national television once again, even though it was the Wylde benefitting. I also have no issue with him finally getting punished, just still feels so arbitrary and random.

When my mother sees enough of the story that she brings hockey up to me, the NHL HAS to take action. That should be one of the metrics they use to decide suspensions. "Chris, has your mother mentioned this particular cup check? Shit. Okay. Charlie! Chris' mom brought it up after only 12 hours. Give the idiot 4 games minimum." That would make more sense than the NHL Wheel of Random Justice. And yes, that largely has to do with the game's image. My mother only hears about hockey when a situation has gotten way out of hand.

And I agree, Binnington has always seemed like a smarmy fuck knuckle. Not at all likeable.

[harmfuljays]

Apparently Torey Krug was the Blue not willing to waive his NTC to facilitate the Hayes trade from PHI.

Torey just never fit with the Blues and he's also 32....geez...a minus -26 last year.....yikes!

Call Chicago!

[harmfuljays]

This one gets done even without Krug....Kevin Hayes for a late round 6 pick.

[Pokecheque]

This one gets done even without Krug....Kevin Hayes for a late round 6 pick.

And in order to dump his contract, they send him along with a second rounder to Pittsburgh.

That trade certainly didn't work out for them.

[E.L.]

Blues are doing a reset on the fly, and they might add some reinforcements in Broberg and Holloway, who they offer sheeted from Edmo.

I think they’ll get em. Clever use of the Krug LTIR hit.