St Louis Blues Greatest Offseason Thread Ever

[JCShutout]

Easier said than done. If the Blues DON'T match, (and they do have Allen still) and Binner isn't a $6 or $7m goalie, then you might have just slammed shut your window for a decade on a gambit.

I think it far more likely some team tries to steal Fabbri away with an offer sheet than Binner. If someone offered Fabs $2m. I'd hate to lose the talent, but he won't fit on the team for that much.

If Fabbri tanks at $2m on a 1 year deal, the team loses a 3rd rounder, which would probably be worth a gamble on Fabbri anyways, and they move on.

[lukethedrifter]

He’s a Restricted FA. That still comes with serious compensation, no?


Looks like 1st & 3rd at $4mil

[JCShutout]

I'll bet the Blues would match up to the point where the return would be a 1st, 2nd and 3rd. (just over $6m) I don't know how high they would go, but I'd be shocked if they didn't match that high, and I can't see someone offering more than that. As good as Binner was, it was just half a season.

If the Blues don't match $4m, there will be a riot. If the Blues don't match $7m, I think most fans would understand.

[lukethedrifter]

No way anyone offers $7 mil with that small body of work. Is there?

[lukethedrifter]

No way anyone offers $7 mil with that small body of work. Is there?

Maybe they do.

The comparable contracts around the league are easy to find. Anaheim’s John Gibson signed for eight years at an annual cap charge of $6.4 million last summer at the age of 25. Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck was 25 when he signed for a cap hit of $6.167 over six years last summer. Figure something in the ballpark of 6x6 gets this done and gives the Blues the peace of mind of having their goaltender in place into the next decade

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattkalman ... e6c0413c6f

[Freed Roger]

The Blues offseason is shorter, but aside from their RFAs starting negotiations later due to the playoffs, their scouts have been doing the same work they always would have done.

I have faith in VP Brett Hull's ability to multi-task

[JCShutout]

No way anyone offers $7 mil with that small body of work. Is there?

Maybe they do.

The comparable contracts around the league are easy to find. Anaheim’s John Gibson signed for eight years at an annual cap charge of $6.4 million last summer at the age of 25. Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck was 25 when he signed for a cap hit of $6.167 over six years last summer. Figure something in the ballpark of 6x6 gets this done and gives the Blues the peace of mind of having their goaltender in place into the next decade

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattkalman ... e6c0413c6f

Both those guys had a couple of seasons under their belt.

[Freed Roger]

Maroon signing or not may not be the most important off season scenario, but is the most intriquing case, IMO, behind Binnington. . A lotta factors there.

[JCShutout]

Heard some rumblings (a guy on LGB, and mentioned as a possibility on a stltoday article) of buying out Steener. If I'm understanding the formula correctly, a buyout pays a player 2/3 their salary over double the years. (cap hit)

So instead of $5.7m for 2 years, it would be just under $2m for 4 years.

I played around with capfriendly, and it looks like if you can get Binner for around $5.2m, Maroon for 2.3m, Barbie for $2.5m, Sunny for $3m and Eddy for $3.8m, and slight raises for the rest of the RFAs, everyone should fit this year, even if we can't move Allen and don't buyout Steen.

I'd rather do that, flip Allen if possible next year (if we can't this year, do it if you can), and buyout Steen next year to help afford raises for Petro, Schenn and Dunn. (Then we would only have a cap hit of just under $2m for 2 years on Steener's deal instead of 4) One would think the $3.8m savings from the buyout, losing Jaybo's salary, and trading away Allen would allow for our guys to be resigned next year and raises for the kids. The year after that, Bozak is gone (and potentially the buyout penalty if they do it next year instead of this year) just in time for Thomas to get a pay bump, assuming he continues to develop. After that, Perron's salary ends.

Its doable to keep the important pieces together for a nice 2-4 year window if we don't get stupid-sentimental.

So basically I'd choose Steen over Gunnar for this year, given the many young dmen who could play the 6/7 role. (or inexpensive signing)

[JCShutout]

ROR wins Selke and was a distant 2nd in the Lady Byng.
Binner comes in a moderately distant 2nd in the Calder.
Berube and Armstrong don't win their awards. (I haven't found specific voting results)

Good for ROR! Not shocked that Binner was 2nd. Pettersson had a hell of a year.