Blues Keep Weaver, Dump McKee
Jay McKee definitely picked up his play down the stretch last season. His effort helped lead the Blues on their unlikely push toward the playoffs.
For that Blues fans should be appreciative.
But McKee never came close to playing up to his $4-year. $16 million deal. So his buyout Monday clears space as Erik Johnson and Eric Brewer come back from injuries and younger players like Roman Polak, Alex Pietrangelo and Jonas Junland develop.
This move allowed the Blues to keep handy veteran Mike Weaver, who did a surprisingly good job as a fill-in last season.
It was time for change. John Davidson and Co. want to upgrade the puck-moving skills of the Blues defense — and this is addition by subtraction.
McKee was a tough guy and a good shot blocker for this team past season, but he wasn’t great with the puck. Weaver, by comparison, was pretty steady.
Monday’s moves, including the re-signing of power forward Brad Winchester, offered more evidence that the Blues are headed toward a breakout season. Keeping Winchester will allow the Blues to continue playing big in the Western Conference.
Hockey Buzz.com also notes that the Blues could chase 900-year offenseman defenseman Sergei Zubov, who becomes an unrestricted free agent after a distinguished career in Dallas. He missed most of last season with his chronic hip injury, so this would be a dice roll.
Zubov is still alive?….huh. Who knew?
Too bad about Mckee, he did play strong for us when the pressure was on last year. The Blues just erroneously over paid for this guy when they originally signed him…………Sergei Zubov? A Russian Defenseman? I’ll take it. If you can sign him cheap, why not? They save what, 1.3 million letting Mckee go, maybe this is what they use the money for. Brings back memories of our old friend Alexei Kasatonov. I got confidence in Zubov, he’s had a heck of a career, I’d love to see the Blues pick him up. Remember, Lidstrom is just as old or older and he’s still going strong.
Keep weaver , dump Mckee and re- sign walt…..is larry pleau consulting with the ron carron ‘how to get run out of town’ file. Larry should take no credit in the playoff push in ‘09. That push came from the will of certin players against the Strain of a Bad Coach.
Lol Pierre! that is the funnies post I have read in awhile! Thanks for the entertainment dude
however, if you are serious, you must not have watched much of McKee’s career as a Blue. WHEN he was in the lineup he was average. Nothing spectacular and not worth $4mil/year. Wish him the best, but will not shed any tears over his early departure.
and ”Bad Coach”? You mean Andy Murray, the Jack Adams finalist? Never mind, don’t know why I even bothered replying to anything you wrote.