Live Chats

Join Blues beat writer Jim Thomas for his live chat at 1 p.m. Wednesday

Get your questions ready and join in at 1 p.m. Wednesday for our weekly Blues chat.

3rd & 7 37yd

JT - Wow, who doesn't like the idea of M Tkachuk as a Blue? Very enticing. But then to think of the price and possibility of losing him to FA in just, what, 2 years? Ouch. I suddenly fell like Mozeliak. Is he really worth the "equivalent" of 4 no. 1 draft picks, given his limited contract control?

by Joe 7/20/2022 8:49:24 PM
I don't think the Blues make the deal without an extension in place.

by jthomas 7/20/2022 8:49:42 PM
JT, that was a different "Todd" who gives people like myself who join the chat each week a bad name

by Todd 7/20/2022 8:50:04 PM
No problem. I rarely look at the names of each poster. Although I now now your are Todd. And not THAT Todd.

by jthomas 7/20/2022 8:50:51 PM
There are some Herschel Walker-esque trade proposals being thown out here today! Yikes!

by Jim 7/20/2022 8:51:00 PM
Something about the hot stove league - hockey or otherwise - that make people crazy.

by jthomas 7/20/2022 8:51:30 PM
Kyrou is what he is. He will be a frustrating player for some team for years to come. Dude is Charmin soft. Including him in a deal for MT is killing two birds with one stone.

by Dick 7/20/2022 8:51:56 PM
Kyrou has improved markedly in each of the past two years. So how can you say he is what he is? What makes you think he won't have further improvement down the road. As an example, what was David Perron like when he was 3 years into the league compared to what he is now?

by jthomas 7/20/2022 8:53:31 PM
Can you elaborate on how the salary arbitration process the Flames have started ? Understand that it keeps other teams from making any offers but till when? Its not binding is it? Does it just buy the Flames more time to work out a trade?

by stella blues 7/20/2022 8:53:45 PM
Well, I believe once an arbitration decision is reached, the player has to take it or leave it. The hearings are scheduled from July 27-August 11 this year.

by jthomas 7/20/2022 8:57:43 PM
The average age of NHL teams was published this week and the Blues were around number 5, one of the oldest teams. With 31 year old Vladimir likely taking one last skate w the Blues and possible ROR as well, the top end will be pruned a bit, however that doesn’t look like a good sign to fight other teams and Father Time. Are we nearing a make or break year for the Blues before the window closes at least for a short period. I don’t think you can count on rookies to have a meaningful impact for a couple of seasons.

by Sctdog 7/20/2022 8:58:03 PM
Keep in mind, Greiss is 36, so he raises the average age as well. But yeah, it certainly looks like the window may be starting to close some on the Blues, particularly when you consider the team's cap situation for 2023-24. The only thing that might change this is if players like Thomas and Kyrou continue to grow and youngsters like Neighbours and Bolduc steup up over the next couple of years.

by jthomas 7/20/2022 9:00:14 PM
Typically this time of year we start to hear of possible rule changes for next season. Are you aware of any plan changes? I would like to see something done regarding teams keeping a player on LTIR to fit under the cap before the playoffs. To me that is cheating the system.

by Jerry 7/20/2022 9:00:31 PM
I haven't heard anthing about potential rule changes. But yeah it would be nice if the postseason loophole on LTIR could be changned somehow.

by jthomas 7/20/2022 9:01:29 PM
Trading Parayko makes zero sense as it opens a HUGE hole on our right side.

by Jiffy Jeff 7/20/2022 9:01:37 PM
Again, I think the Blues front office and coaching staff think very highly of Parayko.

by jthomas 7/20/2022 9:02:02 PM
But I am Todd. I tune in every week too. I should have used the sarcasm font. Sorry.

by Todd 7/20/2022 9:02:16 PM
No problem, Tood. I should have used the sarcasm font too.

by jthomas 7/20/2022 9:03:00 PM
JT, do you think if the Blues were to make a trade with Calgary, Perunovich and Neighbors have to be part of the deal?

by Todd 7/20/2022 9:03:03 PM
No

by jthomas 7/20/2022 9:03:11 PM
A lot of people want to trade Barbashev while the value is high but I can't help but think the Blues have to hold onto him until at very least they have a better idea of what ROR is going to want.. Thoughts?

by Jiffy Jeff 7/20/2022 9:03:13 PM
I don't necessarily think Barbashev and O'Reilly are linked as you suggest. But yeah, I think the Barbashev trade stuff is largely the result of the fact that he's coming off a career year - you know, they old sell-high theory - and the fact that he's a UFA after next season.

by jthomas 7/20/2022 9:05:09 PM
JT, just curious, Jakob Chychrun was a name that a lot of people around the NHL talked about before the trading deadline as well as before the draft. I haven't heard his name brought up anywhere. I thought Arizona was looking to possibly move him?

by Todd 7/20/2022 9:05:15 PM
Coyotes GM Bill Arsmtrong has said on a couple of occasions this offseason that he wasn't necessarily looking to trae Chychrun and was looking forward to having him on the team. Whether that was smokescreen or not, I dond't know. But yeah, that talk certainly has died down lately.

by jthomas 7/20/2022 9:07:12 PM
I say trade the world for MT if you can sign him for something reasonable. In the old days it was hard to get talent and you had to be careful not to trade it away, but now it’s all about fitting a team in under the cap and having some top players. Need talent but have cap space? Just get it. See: debrincat and pacioretty.

by 0xcharlie 7/20/2022 9:07:30 PM
I see what you're saying. The cap space obviously is an issue.

by jthomas 7/20/2022 9:08:05 PM
OK that's it for today. I had to race through the final dozen questions or so to get everybody in. I'm heading to Friendly's in South County to sit in with Bernie starting at 4:30 p.m. on 590, the Fan. Stop by and say high if you're in the neighborhood. Until next time. . . .

by jthomas 7/20/2022 9:09:56 PM