Live Chats

Blues chat with Jeff Gordon

Bring your questions about the Blues and the NHL, and talk to Post-Dispatch hockey columnist Jeff Gordon in a live chat starting at 1 p.m. Friday.

3rd & 7 37yd

OK, we'll open up shop for a bit.

by Jeff Gordon 4/27/2018 5:41:58 PM
Who's your pick to win it all? I've got Bruins over Preds

by ts 4/27/2018 6:04:11 PM
I was liking the Bruins until they struggled to get rid of the Maple Leafs. And how about the Penguins? They keep finding ways. I like the Predators to get there, but this will be some series against the Jets. But right now, given what we've seen so far, I like the Preds.

by Jeff Gordon 4/27/2018 6:05:43 PM
Jeff - What would be a reasonable expectation for a return if Elliott alone was traded?

by McGarrett 4/27/2018 6:05:47 PM
Elliott? The Flyers might get a middling draft pick.

by Jeff Gordon 4/27/2018 6:06:05 PM
Do you think the Blues are more likely to trade Winnipeg's first round pick or pick a player with it?

by Super_Stubbs 4/27/2018 6:06:07 PM
Armstrong tried to package it in a trade at the deadline and he will try to do the same this summer. This team has plenty of prospects coming. What Doug wants to do is add at least one impact forward.

by Jeff Gordon 4/27/2018 6:06:54 PM
Is Fabbri rehabbing in St. Louis?

by bluesXwinXtheXcup 4/27/2018 6:06:58 PM
No, Toronto, with the Blues paying attention to his regimen.

by Jeff Gordon 4/27/2018 6:07:12 PM
Who wins the Cup (can't pick Pittsburgh)?

by bluesXwinXtheXcup 4/27/2018 6:07:17 PM
Again, right now I like the Preds. The learned a lot from last year's run at the Cup. But it funny how quickly things can change in the NHL playoffs with injuries and such. I believe the NHL has the most unpredictable postseason as a result, despite Pittsburgh's back-to-back. The Penguins walked the tightrope last season.
And how about Vegas? Team of destiny? Keep waiting for the carriage to turn into a pumpkin and it just isn't happening.

by Jeff Gordon 4/27/2018 6:09:23 PM
What does Jeff Gordon do with our goalie situation?

by bluesXwinXtheXcup 4/27/2018 6:09:25 PM
As I've written again and again, keep Allen, re-sign Hutton and give Husso 55 to 60 games at San Antonio -- with a chance to fill in for injuries here. Right the NHL goaltender market is a mess. In a year, that position could look a lot different here and elsewhere.

by Jeff Gordon 4/27/2018 6:10:48 PM
I'm a big Tarasenko fan. I am not so sure he has had the supporting cast needed. Which is too bad for the man in his prime. What are the chances we can find an Oats to his Hull?

by NoQuarter 4/27/2018 6:10:54 PM
Columbus better find the money to lock in Artemi Panarin well in advance of free agency. Because that is No. 91's guy.

by Jeff Gordon 4/27/2018 6:11:30 PM
Prediction for who gets #1 draft pick this weekend?

by Ken Morris 4/27/2018 6:11:36 PM
Spin the NHL lottery roulette wheel. It would be hilarious if Edmonton got the top pick once again. Ottawa could really use it, but that would reward a bad owner. I'll pull for Buffalo. The owner there spend money and that franchise is overdue for a huge breakout.

by Jeff Gordon 4/27/2018 6:13:04 PM
Too soon to get excited about what Thomas did in the OHL?

by Graham C 4/27/2018 6:18:58 PM
No, Thomas is a legit prospect. I believe his talent floor is third-line center, but he clearly projects as a No. 2 center. Great ice vision and a tenacious playing style. He plays well at both ends of the end, takes care of the details and has that ability to make others better.

by Jeff Gordon 4/27/2018 6:21:01 PM
Would you move Parayko for a top 6 forward?

by Tommy H 4/27/2018 6:21:03 PM
It would have to be for a scoring line center with significant term left on his contract. I'm a big Parayko fan. Folks have to remember that many defensemen take several years to meet their full potential. And at worst Parayko is a solid Top 4 defenseman capable of playing big minutes in all scenarios.

by Jeff Gordon 4/27/2018 6:22:55 PM
You may pull for Buffalo, but I think most folks on the chat will be pulling for the Blues' 1.5% chance to come in. Just sayin'...

by Gordo missed the boat 4/27/2018 6:22:56 PM
Talk about winning at roulette . . . that would be something. Adding an elite puck-moving D-man through this draft would position the Blues to do something huge, like move Parayko for a high-end center.

by Jeff Gordon 4/27/2018 6:24:06 PM
I'm a fairly new hockey fan. It strikes me that the Blues are much slower than a lot of the playoff teams. Is that an unfair observation?

by Bill 4/27/2018 6:26:05 PM
I'd say insufficient skill was a bigger issue that overall speed this season. And when the team is disjointed, failing to build rushes with a series of accurate passes, then it plays slower than it is. Stastny wasn't fast here, obviously, but he is very effective with speedy wingers as he is showing in Winnipeg. Sobotka is quick, but not especially fast. Schwartz was flying until he got hurt; when he returned, he was a step off his old pace. When Tarasenko gets frustrated, as he often was this season, he can lose a step. Brodziak isn't a great skater, but he became one of the more effective centers on this team.
When healthy the Blues had better-than-average mobility on D. Pietrangelo, Parayko and Dunn skate well and Gunnarsson is not bad.
I will say this: Vegas got the league's attention by rolling four lines with speed while forgetting the traditional model of two scoring lines, a checking line and an "energy" line. The league is getting faster all the time and the Golden Knights did more than their part to drive that. Thomas and Kyrou can skate, so they should help this team pick up its pace.

by Jeff Gordon 4/27/2018 6:33:59 PM
Why did the Blues never give Cliff Ronning a chance to play a big role when he was here? The guy managed 55 points as a 4th liner. Sure enough, he became a 70-80 point scorer in Vancouver. He could have been an 80-point scorer here. Brian Sutter is an imbecile. It’s no wonder this franchise has never won anything. Too many poor decisions like this over the years.

by Jim 4/27/2018 6:34:19 PM
Yeah, there was no Sutter love for Cliffy. The little guy had to go to Europe at one point to escape the minors. As it turned out, he was far more than just a power-play guy. He became a pesky five-on-five player and enjoyed a long career as a result. And in today's NHL, he'd be hero.

by Jeff Gordon 4/27/2018 6:35:29 PM
Whatever happened to Jay Bariball (Guerin trade) and Brock Beukeboom (Brewer trade)? When the Blues acquired them you would’ve thought they were destined for stardom. That was according to media reports.

by Puck Nut 4/27/2018 6:40:17 PM
Brock Beukeboom was never going to be a star. He just wasn't good enough athletically. With no NHL opportunities in hand after the OHL, he played four years of Canadian university hockey, then ended up in the ECHL. Jay Barriball flashed some promise as a pint-sized agitator, but he just couldn't stay healthy in the AHL after his days at the University of Minnesota.

by Jeff Gordon 4/27/2018 6:40:22 PM
So Philly is now answering questions on Lehtera's contract and saying they're not likely to buy him out. They paid a lot for those draft picks in Philly.

by MNBluesFan 4/27/2018 6:40:53 PM
Only an idiot would bring back Lehtera for another season at those dollars. He was useless in Philadelphia this season, which surprised nobody here.

by Jeff Gordon 4/27/2018 6:41:31 PM
Who would you like to see the Blues to acquire this offseason?

by Bluesfan 4/27/2018 6:41:40 PM
If the Edmonton Oilers aren't going to trade Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, then perhaps Buffalo would move Ryan O'Reilly as it tries to finally get over the hump. That's the sort of center the Blues need to take the next step.

by Jeff Gordon 4/27/2018 6:42:44 PM
I get the value of the D-man from the #1 pick, and trading Parayko to get the Nuge. But could the Blues end up with the #2 or 3 pick, and end up putting Brady Tkachuk on a line with Thomas and Kyrou? Wouldn't that be close to creating a new Shanny/Oates/Hull line?

by Adamantine Man 4/27/2018 6:43:11 PM
We keep getting Brady Tkachuk questions. But it take a miracle for the Blues to get into position to draft him. It would be a great story if they did, but . . .

by Jeff Gordon 4/27/2018 6:43:51 PM
You mentioned Panarin's contract coming up. What kind of odds would you put on him wanting to join Tarasenko here? Pipe dream odds?

by MNBluesFan 4/27/2018 6:44:01 PM
Tarasenko advocated for him before the Blackhawks got him. If Artemi ever got to free agency, the Blues would have a real shot. But Columbus has to dig deep to keep him. That team is strong on the blue line and in goal, but Panarin is the best thing they have going up front. They simply must keep him.

by Jeff Gordon 4/27/2018 6:45:32 PM
I do get that it would be a miracle to get to draft Tkachuk, and that it would be a great story. The greater question, though, is -- do you agree that he would fit great on a line with Thomas and Kyrou?

by Adamantine Man 4/27/2018 6:47:45 PM
That seems like it would be a good fit. But I need to see more from Kyrou to see what he can do on the wing. Thomas seems like the kind of center who can play with anybody and Tkachuk is a highly skilled player.

by Jeff Gordon 4/27/2018 6:48:18 PM
If the Blues struggle to start 18-19, do you think Berube gets the nod to take over? I'm not trying to be negative, just wondering if he's Army's backup plan.

by MNBluesFan 4/27/2018 6:48:39 PM
That's always possible, although in his role as assistant coach Berube has every opportunity to inspire this team to better things. If this team flops badly next season, the smart play may be to look outside for a totally fresh start.

by Jeff Gordon 4/27/2018 6:49:53 PM
If Vegas wins cup. In your opinion is that good or bad for the NHL?

by BillP. 4/27/2018 6:49:59 PM
There is no negative in that. Vegas is playing a fast, entertaining game. That team create a great home-ice atmosphere. All teams can learn from their success. It's not like what they are doing will set the league back in any way.

by Jeff Gordon 4/27/2018 6:50:43 PM

Live Chats

Blues chat with Jeff Gordon

Bring your questions about the Blues and the NHL, and talk to Post-Dispatch hockey columnist Jeff Gordon in a live chat starting at 1 p.m. Friday.

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