Author Archive for Jeff Quirin
Bleeding Blue from the IL side of the Mississippi, I've been a Blues fan since I can remember seeing the Blues take on the Oilers at the Arena when I was about 5. All I remember is that Brett Hull scored and I was hooked. Now I cheer on the likes of David Backes and TJ Oshie. It's a great time to be a Blues fan as this team rebuilds itself.
Blues Qualifying Offer Fallout | Report: Oshie Signs One Year Deal (Confirmed)
Qualifying offers were extedned Monday to three of the St. Louis Blues’ potential restricted free agents: TJ Oshie, Ben Bishop and Ryan Reaves. The most noticible name missing from the short list is Matt D’Agostini. Reaction came predictable and quick as the news spread. In a season filled with career best totals for the Habs [...]
Blues Housekeeping Signings | Who Will Sign Next?
In the time leading up to the draft and the opening of free agency St. Louis Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong has been tying the easiest of loose ends. Announcing a contract agreement roughly every third day since Patrik Berglund and Roman Polak extended their stays. Following those two have been defensemen Nikita Nikitin, forwards [...]
Blues Sign Polak, Sobotka Close
The St. Louis Blues announced that they have signed shutdown defenseman Roman Polak. The five year deal is worth a total of $13.75 million ($2.75 million AAV). In terms of yearly salary, the breakdown is $2.2, $2.4, $3.1, $3.1, $3.1. The Czech Republic native was drafted 180th overall (6th Round) in the 2004 NHL Entry [...]
Wheel of Relocation & the St. Louis Blues + Berglund Signs
The hockey world is filled with joy and despair today. True North announced that they have bought the Atlanta Thrashers and will bring “Canada’s Game” home to Winnipeg, Manitoba. Fans in the frozen north are elated to have NHL hockey back after over a decade without. But Thrasher fans are losing their team. Inept ownership [...]
Tarasenko Stays Put & Other St. Louis Blues Prospect News
Without the likes of Dmitry Chesnokov and Alex Seren Rosso the puckhead masses of North America would be far less knowledgeable of NHL castoffs playing in the KHL and Russian prospects. Their insight provides invaluable background and understanding in to the players that may dress in someone’s favorite sweater one day. Sometimes the news is [...]
It’s Official, The St. Louis Blues are for Sale. Now What?
There is always an odd feeling when major inevitable events occur. Relief washes over, ending the anticipatory torment of what was to come. Just to be followed by more doubt and concern as new issues arise. Such conflicting feelings occupying the same space are never welcome, regardless of scope. Whether it’s one person or the [...]
Chara Hit Highlights “Lack of Respect” Culture in the NHL
Tuesday night’s Original 6 battle between the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens made a turn on to scary street for those in attendance. Bruins defenseman and captain Zdeno Chara rode Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty in to the stantion between the benches. The result was disturbing. Flashbacks to young Mikael Tam are understandable. Instead of battling [...]
Trades & Ownership Turmoil Prompt Questions & Concerns in St. Louis
Confused. Frustrated. Apprehensive. All adjectives correctly describing the mood in St. Louis Blues nation. As if the injuries, trades, more injuries and seemingly heartless efforts on the ice weren’t enough for the always emotionally charged fan base to deal with, they woke to another reminder on Saturday morning that the root cause of their pain [...]
Blues Send Brad Boyes to Buffalo
It’s not just bad weather blowing around St. Louis. The trade winds have kicked up once again around 14th and Clark as Doug Armstrong sends another prominent rebuild era fixture packing. Trading right winger Brad Boyes to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a 2nd Round pick in the 2011 draft. The Blues obtained [...]
St. Louis Blues Trade Deadline FAQ
It’s darn near impossible to avoid trade chatter these days. Fans want to know what’s going on and how ripples across the league may effect their team. Hockey gods know they’re never afraid of asking questions. The great proliferation of information just makes it that much easier. For bloggers and MSM members alike, we have [...]
Blues Place Ty Conklin on Waivers | David Perron Recovery FYI
Conklin On Waivers As initially reported by Bob McKenzie of TSN and Kevin Allen of USA Today, the St. Louis Blues have placed backup netminder Ty Conklin on waivers. While the move has yet to be confirmed by the Blues, through the local media or on their website, it’s safe to assume that Conklin’s [...]
The Dollars In & Out of the Blues Blockbuster Trade
The after effects of the blockbuster deal between the St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche have been most obvious on the ice. What about off the ice? Not just in the “human element” way of leaving a home and good friends in a familiar locker room behind for a new experience. What about the financial [...]
Blues & Avalanche Make Blockbuster Deal
Last last night, following the Blues 3-0 dominating performance over the Buffalo Sabres, General Manager Doug Armstrong was busy wheeling and dealing. Talking to the Colorado Avalanche about a old fashioned “hockey trade”. The outcome of said discussions being a blockbuster of a deal. Sending franchise defenseman Erik Johnson, forward Jay McClement and a conditional 1st round pick to the Avalanche for Blues killing forward Chris Stewart, defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk and a conditional 2nd round pick.
Blues Send Brewer to Tampa
Per Bob McKenzie of TSN, St. Louis Blues captain Eric Brewer has waived his NTC in order to allow a trade to the Tampa Bay Lightning. It appears the Blues will receive a 2nd or 3rd Round pick in the 2011 draft in return and also prospect Defenseman Brock Beukeboom. The return has not been [...]
Blues Win, But Reality Is What It Is | Quick Hits & Trade Talk
A win is a win when a win is what you need. Encouraging signs of improvement were present in the St. Louis Blues 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks Monday. Still not enough for the doctor to sign off on upgrading the Blues playoff chances from Serious to Satisfactory condition. Vancouver came in as the [...]
Difficult Decisions Lie Ahead for the Blues
For all intent and purposes the worst case scenario played out for the St. Louis Blues this weekend. Blowing four leads on Friday and lame effort on Saturday yielded just one loser point from the Minnesota Wild. Further pushing the Blues out of the playoff bubble. Instead of practicing a little carpe diem and grabbing [...]
A Season Defining Weekend for the Blues
The most critical weekend of the season kicks off tonight at Scottrade Center. The St. Louis Blues (24-20-8, 56 Points) are playing host to the Minnesota Wild(28-20-5, 61 Points) Friday before heading to hockey god’s country for the second half of the home and home set Saturday. An eight point swing is on the line [...]
Western Conference Q&A with Susan Crosby
About a month ago I posted a Q&A Panel with several bloggers covering various Western Conference teams providing their take on the 15 team bloodbath that the West has become. Susan Crosby was to be a part of said panel, but her answers went above and beyond the call of duty. So instead of drastically [...]
Blues Gameday: One More in Florida
Times are getting tougher and the St. Louis Blues (23-20-8, 54 Points) must rise to the occasion and take down a “never say die” Florida Panthers (23-23-6, 52 Points) outfit fighting for their playoff lives as well. If you thought the game on Sunday had an unusually high sense of urgency for an inter-conference match [...]
Just Sayin: Petro Ahead of EJ? | Backes & Selke | Stamkos Dominant | Conklin Trade Rumor?
For a full recap of the St. Louis Blues 4-3 OT loss Sunday to the Tampa Bay Lightning, please check out BlueNoteZone.com. – Just Sayin’… – It’s time to say Alex Pietrangelo is a more effective hockey player than Erik Johnson, today. Statistically they may not be far off, but the difficult to quantify intangibles [...]
