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

I’m thinking Barry needs to head off into retirement with you… no way should anyone ever want to see Kroenke’s Avs win the division.

by Kerry 4/12/2023 7:40:51 PM
Barry's just a realist. The Avs are pretty good, right? But I think I like the Stars or the Oilers in the West.

by jthomas 4/12/2023 7:41:49 PM
Jim, I'm still waiting on a call from the P-D on the possibility of being hired as a part-time Blues writer. Did management hire Roy Hobbs instead of me?!

by Rusty Sharpe 4/12/2023 7:41:53 PM
You didn't get our message? Sorry about that. When we didn't hear from you, we moved on down our list. As for Roy Hobbs, he made the short list, but that's as far as it got.

by jthomas 4/12/2023 7:43:19 PM
I feel Berube’s job is safe, but I definitely think changes need to be made to his staff. Are there any former players you think would make a good assistant coach? I’ve always thought Backes, Bozak & Steen were smart players & good leaders that would be a good fit.

by Kerry 4/12/2023 7:44:17 PM
I think Backes, Bozak and Steen all would be intriguing candidates. Not sure if any of them, however, are ready to get into coachigng. I also wonder about bringing Springfield head coach Drew Bannister up to the Blues as an assistant. He's done a great job with the Thunderbirds.

by jthomas 4/12/2023 7:47:11 PM
Congrats on the upcoming retirement JT! Been enjoying these Blues chats and stories since you started covering them.

Anyway, I've seen mentioned by some sportswriters that O'Reilly would entertain a return in the off-season. Setting aside any salary cap issues, if he did come back, do you think he'd get the C back? Or do you think that goes to someone like Schenn?

by Timmy Smash 4/12/2023 7:48:37 PM
Yeah, I think you'd have to give O'Reilly the C if he came back. And although it's possible he comes back, I just don't see it happening given O'Reilly's age - he turns 33 next season. And I'm not sure the Blues could afford him. And lastly, how much term? Two years, three years, four?

by jthomas 4/12/2023 7:53:41 PM
Toivanen the player the Blues could have had for free. Has had a good half a year with Seattle. Good players out there for free this year maybe the rebuild goes faster? A lot of cap casualties make good players available. Bjorkdtrand from Columbus was a steal for Seattle.

by Roy Hobbs 4/12/2023 7:54:31 PM
You mean like when the Blues got Kasperi Kapanen off waivers. And got Vrana for next to nothing?

by jthomas 4/12/2023 7:55:34 PM
OK we've gone through all the questions. If you want to join in, now's your chance.

by jthomas 4/12/2023 7:56:05 PM
Are you sure we can't start Greiss tonight and tomorrow to give us a better shot at Bedard or Fantilli?

by MysteryMen 4/12/2023 8:02:52 PM
Ouch! Let's play nice. As you know, Greiss is done for the season due to his injury. And almost certainly his time is over with the Blues. The Blues can finish only in the No. 8 through No. 11 spot for the draft lottery. And if they win tonight, they're locked into No. 11. So it's a real longshot for Bedard or Fantilli.

by jthomas 4/12/2023 8:05:51 PM
Among the random thoughts that occasionally cross the mind -- would the Blues be up for trading the more toolsy Kyrou to Arizona for St. Louisan Keller? I like Keller's all around game better, but I'm sure the Yotes probably do as well. What do you imagine each side would have to add to pull off a Kyrou for Keller trade?

by MysteryMen 4/12/2023 8:06:01 PM
I really like Keller's game. As much as I like Kyrou's offense, I think it is the Blues who'd have to give up more at this stage of Kyrou's career. Although that might change in a year or two. But I really don't think either team wants to part with either player.

by jthomas 4/12/2023 8:08:48 PM
So I assume that if the Blues had gone deep into the playoffs this year that your retirement date would have been pushed out

by Kerry 4/12/2023 8:08:52 PM
For sure. I was hoping for a nice long postseason run. It was a pretty flexible retirement date until that 1-6-2 skid after the O'Reilly trade.

by jthomas 4/12/2023 8:10:09 PM
I would argue there's more value to us in beating Dallas tonight (and tomorrow) in that we might end up with their first round pick so we want them to finish as low in the overall standings as possible.

by Matt L 4/12/2023 8:12:31 PM
You do have a point there.

by jthomas 4/12/2023 8:12:41 PM
Jim, I wish you the best in your retirement. How long do you think it will take you to comfortably settle into retirement after being on the treadmill or 48 years? 48 years is a lot of deadlines!

by Barry - Blues Fan in Orlando 4/12/2023 8:12:56 PM
Barry, someone asked me if a few days ago if I felt trepidation or excitement about pending retirement. I said, I'm probably someone in between the two! I think I'll be fine while the weather's nice in St. Louis - I always find something to do that time of year. But once we get into late October and the weather starts to change and it gets dark earlier - well, I don't know. I might start to get antsy.

by jthomas 4/12/2023 8:15:42 PM
Thank you Matt L for agreeing with me on beating Dallas twice to end the season. Take that Kerry!

by Barry - Blues Fan in Orlando 4/12/2023 8:15:52 PM
We've got a little bit of a debate here.

by jthomas 4/12/2023 8:16:06 PM
How about we lose the last 2 games, then our chances of 1-4 picks is better.. We want one of those guys (game changers). The wins are meaningless.. Players will forget them 3 days after the season ends.. Of 'All' things we need, we need a game changer.. And if not, I sure would like to pick #8 instead of #11... Come of folks!!!

by pugger 4/12/2023 8:16:25 PM
Point. Counterpoint.

by jthomas 4/12/2023 8:16:38 PM
JT,

Congrats on your coming retirement. Those of us seasoned enough to have done the entire ride with you definitely appreciate all of your writing and how it enhanced our lives.

Seems to me the Blues' depth improves dramatically if (a) Army somehow finds a 1B Dman to pair with Parayko, and (b) Army finds a apower forward to ride LW with Thomas and Kyrou, freeing Chief to spread Saad, Schenn, Vrana, Buchnevich and Kapanen through the middle two lines. We've discussed the Dman problem week after week, so I won't ask how we resolve that. But can you project whether a power LW could be procured? Or is there a way we could coax Snuggerud away from another year with the Gophers?

by MysteryMen 4/12/2023 8:17:18 PM
Snuggerud has power forward written all over him, although he's a right winger and and a right-hand shot. He's probably 2, 3 years away and aleady has announced that he's returning to college next season. Maybe we can see him in action at next year's NCAA Regional at Centene.
Someone like Toronto's Michael Bunting who's a left winger might be appealing. He's got sandpaper to his game and is only 27, and he's a pending UFA. He's scored 23 goals this season and 23 last season. But he might be too expensive and Armstrong said at the trade deadline that he wasn't inclined to commit to long-term free-agent contracts.
Then again, maybe Jake Neighbours could fill the bill on left wing.
And one last thing. I think you could make the case that another center might be a bigger need.

by jthomas 4/12/2023 8:25:28 PM
For the playoff teams, isn’t their pick based on when they get eliminated as opposed to where they finished the regular season

by Kerry 4/12/2023 8:28:21 PM
This is from Wikipedia:
The basic order of the picks is determined as follows:[9]
1. The teams that did not qualify for the playoffs the previous season (picks 1–16)
2. The teams that made the playoffs in the previous season but did not win either their division in the regular season or play in the Conference Finals (picks 17–24 up to 28)
3. The teams that won their divisions in the previous season but did not play in the Conference Finals (potentially picks 25–28)
4. The teams that lose in Conference Finals (picks 29 and 30)
5. The team that was the runner-up in the Stanley Cup Finals (pick 31)
6. The team that won the Stanley Cup in the previous season (pick 32)
by jthomas 4/12/2023 8:28:49 PM
If you had to, who would be the one athlete you didn't get to cover that you wish you had?

by The Shoveler 4/12/2023 8:43:32 PM
Bob Gibson.

by jthomas 4/12/2023 8:43:42 PM
Hey Jim,
My off-season predictions, remember you read it here first: Army will move draft picks for a 2nd/3rd line, two-way center with face-off skills. He will sit pat this offseason on the Blues Top 6 D-men; although at this juncture I can only pick five of the six: Parayko, Faulk, Krug, Leddy, Scandella will all be back.

by theMick 4/12/2023 8:44:04 PM
Clip and save.

by jthomas 4/12/2023 8:44:22 PM
Right maybe you can get very good players for free. UFAs and waiver claims to rebuild a team. Kapanen and. Rama cost us nothing but money.

by Roy Hobbs 4/12/2023 8:44:29 PM
I'm sure Armstrong will explore every avenue. I just don't think the timing was right for Tolvanen.

by jthomas 4/12/2023 8:45:51 PM
Jim, just joining the chat. You will be missed online and with the NetFront podcasts. Thank you for the fair, well-balanced and thorough coverage. Good job!! Now, to harken back to your NFL days, seriously, what is your response to the "St. Louis, with the support for the Battlehawks, should be considered the next destination city for an NFL team?" Should STL be interested? Should the NFL be interested?

by D Matt 4/12/2023 8:46:03 PM
The NFL should be interested, but they're probably not interested in doing St. Louis any favors after the lawsuit. And St. Louis should be wary, given its experiences with the NFL.
And thanks for the kind words.

by jthomas 4/12/2023 8:47:40 PM
No question here. Just thanks and appreciation, Jim. As a fellow journalist, I've admired your reporting and writing style, especially in your Blues coverage these last years, your ability to remind us all that sports are supposed to be fun.

by brian 4/12/2023 8:47:49 PM
Thank you very much Brian. Much appreciated. Who do you work for?

by jthomas 4/12/2023 8:48:18 PM
What were your favorite Non-greatest show on turf moments?

by MO 4/12/2023 8:48:20 PM
There's a million of them.
Here's a few, coming out of my head very randomly.
- Team president John Shaw, hopping into a car with Bernie Miklasz and me for dinner late in the 1996 season - I think we were in Atlanta - and asking us if he should fire GM Steve Ortmayer. With Ortmayer sitting in the same car 2 feet away.
- "We will rally around Kurt Warner." - Dick Vermeil after Trent Green's season-ending preseason knee injury.
- Unknown (at the time) Isaac Bruce blocking a punt in Green Bay, then turning around and playing offense on the very next play and catching a touchdown pass in the first-ever game for the St. Louis Rams.
- Ken Norton Jr. punching the gold posts in Busch Stadium after a 49ers TD in a lopsided win over the Rams, and then Dana Stubblefield referring to them as the "Same Old Sorry Ass Rams."
Just a few. . . ..

by jthomas 4/12/2023 8:57:17 PM
Were there any Rams draft picks you thought were going to be busts from the get-go and were correct/incorrect?

Thank you for covering our beloved sports teams here in St. Louis! Happy retirement, Jim.

by Matt 4/12/2023 8:57:22 PM
I had - how shall I phrase it? - a sinking feeling when the Rams drafted Lawrence Phillips No 6 overall in 1996. Eddie George was still on the board.
Oh, and for the person from an earlier question who asked if the Rams would still be in St. Louis if they would've hit on Sam Bradford at No. 1 overall (I liked that pick by the way) - maybe.
But this much is certain. Had Georgia Frontiere not died in 2008, the team wouldn't have left.

by jthomas 4/12/2023 9:00:39 PM
A random thought for a Blues jersey -- Rams colors (80s and 90s), with Rams curl horns on the shoulders, but Blue note on the chest. If it sells, rub that in the NFL's nose ...

by Mr.Furious 4/12/2023 9:01:57 PM
I like your Nathan Walker-like feistiness on this, but I don't think the NFL would care.

by jthomas 4/12/2023 9:02:34 PM
You’re leaving??? Definitely happy for you and congrats! I’ll miss your straightforward yet collegial approach to reporting and chats. I remember when you first started these chats you said you’d come back later at night to answer some more questions. Always appreciated that.

Now that you’re retiring, will we get that tell-all book on the Rams? And will you be able to share some behind-the-scenes secrets about their dysfunctionality?

Also, parade meter for the Blues next year please.

by David 4/12/2023 9:02:59 PM
Oh my gosh, the Parade Meter! Now that's a blast from the past. I'll put it at 42 percent next year, but rising in future years.
I've thought about that Rams book. But I can't decide if the approach would be Tell-All or Tell-Some. I mean, do we really need to know who was sleeping with who?

by jthomas 4/12/2023 9:05:33 PM
Parade Meter question -- any difference with Bedard? Fantilli?

by Mr.Furious 4/12/2023 9:05:35 PM
I haven't really studied the draft yet. And may not since I'm retiring. But there are a lot of people that really like Fantilli and believe he would be a more than fitting "consolation prize" for the team that gets the No. 2 ovreall pick. I'm sure Gordo and Mr. DeFranks will have lots more to say on this in the coming weeks.

by jthomas 4/12/2023 9:07:21 PM
I’m guessing this is the most football questions you’ve gotten in a while haha. At least since the lawsuit was filed?

by David 4/12/2023 9:07:23 PM
Hah! For sure. I'm waiting to get a question on why Martz doesn't run the ball more often!. But I get it, and I appreciate it. And on the hockey front I think we're all kind of waiting to see what the draft and the offseason brings. But I'm also looking forward to seeing what Springfield does in the AHL playoffs and how Bolduc and Dean do in the Quebec League playoffs.

by jthomas 4/12/2023 9:10:13 PM
Surely the P-D can pay for you to take a few days for the draft in Nashville ... as a retirement gift ...

by Mr.Furious 4/12/2023 9:10:15 PM
There are worse places to be than Nashville, not doubt about it. But I'm sure Matthew DeFranks will have us well taken care of in that regard.

by jthomas 4/12/2023 9:10:59 PM
OK, that looks like that's it. Don't know if I'll be back chatting before my last day at the Post, but I kind of feel like it's Matt's turn now.
It's been a blast, it's been a pleasure, and as I mentioned yesterday on Twitter, it's rarely felt like work. Regards. . . .

by jthomas 4/12/2023 9:13:01 PM