Join columnist Jeff Gordon for his live STL sports chat at 1 p.m. Friday
Bring your Cards, Blues, Mizzou, SLU and MLS questions and comments, and talk to columnist Jeff Gordon in his weekly live chat.
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Very proud of coach P mizzou womens coach putting principals and integrity above winning. When you have players that care so little for their teammates that they do careless things right at the most crucial part of the season they don't deserve to play . One thing I have always respected about Mizzou we might not be a top dog in the SEC, buy Mizzou has great integrity and principles and at the end of the day that has huge carryover value to life. -
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Jim Thomas pressed the issue while on the road with the group, but obviously Doug Armstrong would like to keep the Blues out of the discussion. The team is trying to operate business as usual -- but like we discussed in the Net Front Presence podcast, Russian hockey players are caught in a bad spot.
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All the occasional talk about OR stick paddle got me to thinking? Do you think it's feasible for all players on the PK to have and practice w maximum size and length sticks to help clog the passing lanes and block shots? The rules are 63" and 12.5" on blade length w Paranko at 6'6" allowed to go to 65". Could those players just use that particular stick on the PK and would every little inch possibly help?
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Ultimately the players were feel comfortable with their stick and remain in full control of them. They want to be strong on their stick to not only deny passing and shooting lanes, but to also control and clear the puck.Having rangy defensemen with "long levers" as the coaches say is a plus for the reason you mention. But manufacturing long levers Inspector Gadget-like with longer sticks won't work if the players can't use those sticks to maximum effect.
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Yuri Collins and Phil Pressey have the same challenge with pro basketball: Size. Defending the size and length of NBA point guards is a challenge for players in the 6-foot, 180 range. Attacking bigger defenders at the level is also problematic, because NBA players of all sizes are so athletic.Phil got a taste of the NBA before moving on to an extensive career in Europe. Collins has such a great feel for the offensive game that he could do the same, especially now that he has become more effective as a perimeter shooter.
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The current schedule calls for the Cardinals to come off an extended road trip and play on April 25. I'd like to think that about three weeks of shared financial pain for the owners and players should be enough to get a deal. It's absurd that would take any shared pain to do this, but here we are.
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I've seen reports that the regional sports networks could stop paying at the 25-game mark if there are no games. Hence the speculation that the owners could live with dumping the first month of the season. Some of these regional sports network deals are massive. That could be real money out the door.
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I agree with coach Martin from south Carolina, Counzo is one of the good guys in college sports. And maybe his standards are as such great players don't want to play under that kind of discipline. Mizzou isn't Kansas and get away with breaking rules so my respect for coach Martin is tremendous, and if he isn't retained as coach he will do something that is 100% more important than coaching a game . I wish him well and if I would of had a son and he played for someone like coach Martin it would be a blessing.
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It will be interesting to see if Martin answers a higher calling at some point in his professional life. He loves the competition of basketball but he does NOT love the greasiness of the business. Even this new Name, Image and Likeness stuff -- which is ostensibly above board, replacing the recruiting bag men -- has led to some murky dealings.
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I had forgotten about ol' J.F. He had been off the NHL grid for a bit. Good for him for making it back to the highest level for a bit. The pandemic helped keep several goaltending careers alive.As for Husso, he is going to get a nice raise here or elsewhere. If it's here, that means the Blues will have to cut back elsewhere -- likely up front, where they have some mid-level forwards earning good coin. If Husso leaves, then, yes, the Blues will likely promote Joel Hofer to be a cap-friendly backup.
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Excellent point. Binnington is very aggressive playing the puck. That can lead to some misadventure, but for the most part he helps alleviate pressure on his defensemen. With so much of today's game predicated on applying forechecking pressure and sustaining offensive zone time, having a goaltender who can send the puck the other way is key.
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Dear Mr. Gordon, I would like to offer my sincere apologies for my father. Over the past months he has harassed you, Tom, Jim, Army and Chief, with his insane ideas about the Blues. He has a very bad habit of seeing someone play just a couple of times and think they are the next great thing. Example his thoughts that Perunivich is Bobby Orr. Ville Husso is Patrick Roy or Ken Dryden. He thinks you're keeping Nathan Walker off the Blues roster and that Army has no idea what he's doing and the Chief can't coach. I think this behavior stems from the fact that when he was little they didn't give out participation trophies. Again, my entire family apologies for my father's actions.
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I'm all for the power play moving guys around to become less predictable, but the Perron one-timer is a staple with the man advantage. Sure, it can be predictable, but it's still a big weapon. The Blues also got No. 91 to embrace the one-timer this season, so it's a bit frustrating to see him revert to holding the puck, holding the puck, then then try to thread a needle with a wrist shot into traffic. The power play is all about quick, decisive passes and quick, decisive shots that catch defenders and the goaltender moving.
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Along with the deplorable situation with baseball, we now add the Sinclair/Charter dispute to the table for the aggrieved "Average-Joe" Sports Fan. This greed trend is already losing the next generation of fans, if it already hasn't, and reminds all of us that we have better things to do with our time and money. Your thoughts Jeff?
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This is beyond frustrating. The regional sports networks generally overpaid for the rights to baseball, so to make the deals work they must squeeze the carriers for every possible penny. This has led to standoffs all over the country. Some of the standoffs have gone on for years. While the teams are glad to take the big RSN money, they also risk losing audience. After all, these TV games are critical to pushing ticket sales.
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Jeff, for months in these weekly posts, I’ve predicted the season would not start on time due to stupidity and greed on both sides. But I failed to see the owners willingness to punt April games as further leverage when ticket sales are at its lowest. It looks like the owners will push a 140 game season with a May 1 start. The ploy they will use is to pay the players for April but concede little around minimum salary, luxury tax, and pre-arbitration pool. Do you see it the same way? If it comes down this way, I can promise Mr DeWitt that my entertainment spend will go to summer nights at the Muny and weekends in Lake of the Ozarks.
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As noted early, the owners don't feel as much pain from games lost in April, at least from the TV side. And you make a good point about the dicey weather for game attendance in April. Clearly the owners came to the bargaining table prepared to lose games, based on their pace of negotiating and refusal to budge much on key positions.
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Didn't playing a better team like the Rangers show that Scandella is still an important piece moving forward? Krug was out muscled in front of the net on the one Ranger goal. Paranko going to the box left the PK short handed on the back end w only Mikkola and Bortuzzo really responsible. (Faulk seems just average w his size and reach and is really not a shot blocker and Krug and Walman rarely play). Also Scandella gets more minutes in the D zone especially 3rd period protecting leads. Doesn't this also highlight the teams need for one more bigger stay at home 3rd type defenseman (like Borts and Scandella) as insurance? How can Army find a cheap one to fit in under the cap w/o losing Scandella?
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I've advocated keeping Scandella while adding a stay-at-home defender for the reasons you outlined. The easy answer would be to acquire Zdeno Chara, since he makes a minimum salary. But a lot of contenders would big on Big Z if he decided he wanted to go to a playoff team and the Islanders obliged. If one of the forwards landed on long-term injured reserve, that would clear a spot. Otherwise it will take some sleight of hand with the cap (saved LTIR money, other team keeping money, etc.)
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You know you and Tom Timmerman are basically saying "wait until next year" for the Blues. He even puts Calgary ahead of the Blues not just Colorado. Then Army seems to be content with letting his best goaltender walk away with zero in return. We will never win without elite goaltending. That's something that is a fact in the NHL for years. Army needs to make a serious effort to try and win THIS YEAR. We have 4 good lines and just need to get a hot goalie at the right time. So if you're not resigning Husso either trade him or Binner for a stellar physical defenseman who skates well and pray the goalie you don't trade catches fire. Scandella and the number one pick should be dealt as well. If you try everything you can to win this year fans appreciate that. Army you and TT want to do nothing. Disgraceful once again!
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Say, who let Roy in? Did somebody check his membership card?Anyway, the Blues built a strong team by spending to the salary cap. That has allowed them to build the third-best record in the Western Conference. The price for that was operating without much flexibility, As noted earlier, though, there may be a way to add a defenseman.As for the goaltending, Binnington will get a chance to regain the lead role in the next few weeks now that Husso leveled off. Until there is more clarity in net, trading one of the goaltenders would make much sense. Maybe it will make more sense closer to the deadline.
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I don't think the players deal was bad. They raised the min wage for young players and got bonus pool up to 40. Cbt is only used for big spenders like dodgers and mets. I don't know what else they could of wanted. Seems like they wouldn't settle for 1 out of 3 given the pandemic and stuff
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Had the owners made a real compromise on the competitive balance tax as well as the pre-arbitration bonus pool, that deal likely gets done. And ultimately that is what I believe will happen. Like you say the CBT only impacts a few teams (and therefore a small number of free agents), so settling that shouldn't be this hard. Same goes for the bonus pool, which is small change in the giant scheme of things. The owners brought that issue on themselves by going overboard to exploit high-end young players.
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JG you get to play DA this summer. It is the day of the NHL draft. Do you trade Tarasenko for a 1st round pick and young player(to get salary cap relief) so do you sign a top 4 defense man or an offensive player? Or do you trade Tarasenko for __________________(fill in who you want) another Buchnevich type player younger and ready to make the next step. Which is the best way to go?
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If No. 91 still wants out this summer, I'd honor his request and trade him for future assets and cap relief. Odds are, finding a Tarasenko trade fit for a Top 4 defenseman, one for one, would be difficult.Then the cap space could be used to sign, say, Hampus Lindholm if he hits the market. Or the space and future assets could used to acquire a defenseman with term left, like Adam Larsson of the Kraken.
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Do you know why the various NHL owners would allow this stupid playoff format? I can't imagine Stillman agreeing to play Colorado in the first or second round. It's just not a fair playoff system. How did this come about makes no sense. Teams need to be reseeded when the playoffs start.
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As noted in earlier chats, the NHL went to this format (with the wild card twist) to emphasize divisional rivalries and to cut down on the back-and-forth expense of playoff travel. Some years that creates imbalance, like this year -- when Vegas fell off and the Pacific Division has an easier postseason path.But like they say, if you're going to win the Cup, you will have to knock off great teams along the way, first round, second round, whenever.
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That sounds like a hard day, following elite golfers around a great course down there in Orlando. I see that it is 83 degrees and sunny today. I must admit, I do not watch a ton of golf, so I don't have a favorite. I can see from the leaderboard that you will not be following Kevin Na, who blew up in the first two rounds. He finished last season pretty well, but it's been a bit rocky for him this year.