Blues Spend Carefully, Add Depth
Blues management still hopes defenseman Eric Brewer will play this season.
But his return from surgical repairs is coming slowly. He has resumed physical activity, but nothing resembling hockey.
He hopes to resume skating at some point during training camp – but, again, that would be a long way from playing hockey.
So the front office covered itself by wooing former Senators defenseman Brendan Bell. He turned down lucrative Russian offers to sign a two-way deal with the Note.
In earlier stints with Toronto and Phoenix, Bell, 26, was an extra defenseman. After scoring six goals and adding 15 assists in 53 Ottawa games last season, Bell believes he is prepared to earn a full-time gig in St. Louis.
With Brewer injured and Jay McKee and Jeff Woywitka playing elsewhere, the Blues’ top four features Erik Johnson, Barret Jackman, Roman Polak and Carlo Colaiacovo. Veteran Mike Weaver will have a good shot to make the team after re-signing and top prospect Alex Pientragelo will also get a long look.
Steve Wagner re-signed to add depth and former Ranger Bryce Lampman also signed a two-way deal.
Rumors linked to Blues to veteran offensive defensemen like Sergei Zubov and Mathieu Schneider, but team president John Davidson is leery of offering big dollars to twilight-year offensive defensemen.
Brewers progress — or lackthere of — could change Davidson’s outlook as training camp becomes nearer.
AROUND THE RINKS: Hockey Buzz suggests the Oilers are done trying to acquire disgruntled Senators winger Dany Heatley. That puts Ottawa on the spot and brings San Jose into play, since the Sharks have been looking to shake things. The Ottawa Sun suggests San Jose offered winger Jonathan Cheechoo, defenseman Christian Erhoff and a first-round selection for Heatley. That is not enough to satisfy Senators GM Bryan Murray . . . The Canadiens are still on the prowl for winger help (Alexander Frolov? Cheechoo?) and might get involved in a three-way deal with San Jose and Ottawa . . . Boston is said to be open to Phil Kessel overtures. Since Kessel will miss time while recovering from shoulder surgery, he has been a back-burner issue . . . The Bruins will miss versatile forward P.J. Axelsson, who returned to Sweden . . . Leafs GM Brian Burke loves size, so that gives oafish Todd Bertuzzi hope of signing a deal in Toronto . . . What will become of Mats Sundin? You don’t hear much about his near-term plans. His performance with the Canucks last season was less that sensational. Getting old is no fun . . . If the Lightning land Alex Tanguay to flank Vincent Lecavalier, how can that team stay under the salary cap without making more moves? A few weeks back, the Toronto Globe and Mail estimated the Lightning’s current 2009-10 payroll at $50.62 million . . . The NHL is concerned that agents are getting NFL-like contract for their players, to get around the salary cap. These deals feature long terms and nominal salaries for the back-end seasons. That lowers the per-year average for cap reasons.
Not familiar with Bell, but the Blues continue to go backwards on the blueline. Weaver, Bell, Wagner, Lampman, all “just a guy” thus far in their careers. With 3 d-men under 2 full seasons of NHL experience (Johnson, Polak, Pietrangelo) and 2 others having history of injuries (Colaiacovo, Brewer), the solution is to buy out one of your more experienced defensemen, Jay McKee on the last year of his deal? That alone makes him attractive trade-bait if you have a surplus on blueline once season starts! Hello! There’s no significant savings by making him go away, in fact you’ve wasted chance to turn him into an asset, just like we did letting Hull walk for nothing. (Perhaps Pleau is calling this shot again, heaven help us.) McKee has played at a far higher level in his career on a team that made the Finals than those guys can ever hope to achieve, and he started to round into form at end of last year once the injury bug left him alone. JD and company making questionable decisions on the blueline lately and hoping their prospects will bail them out, but seems penny-wise and pound-foolish since d-men take longer to assert themselves in NHL. Experience matters on the blueline come playoff-time, period.
I’m not putting a lot of stock in the whole “they’re young” argument. Polak was a rock last year. Johnson will be a top 4 by the start of the season and a top 2 by the end of November because he’s just that good. Cola has freak injury issues. I think that he’ll play 80 games this year and net 30 points. I’m not counting on Brewer. If he makes it back, then that’s a bonus. Jackman can shoulder the veteran load and Weaver was Mighty Mouse down the stretch last year. He’s not flashy, but he’s a solid 5/6 who can be a 3/4 as needed.
Johnson / Polak
Jackman / Petro
Weaver / Cola
Strachan
While that top pairing is young, it’s extremely talented. Polak won’t feel like he has to pinch, but can while knowing that Johnson’s no slouch in his own zone. Jackman against 2nd/3rd lines will be great and can cover for defensive lapses of Petro while Petro can run the point in the o-zone.
Backwards? Adding EJ is going backwards? Huh, he’s our best Dman as of right now.
Mckee was not a tradable asset. He signed with the Penguins for under 1M. No NHL team would take him with that price tag. Most Ottawa fans are upset to see Bell go. Wagner/Lapman are AHL guys right now unless they show up in camp, Wagner was thought to be close to a regular guy before getting hurt. I’m not counting him though. Our top 7 is EJ, Jackman, Colaiacovo, Polak, Weaver with Pietrangelo/Bell/Strachan/Junland/Wagner/Lapman fighting for the 6th and 7th spots. Brewer will be back hopefully by November/December so we get some help out there.
To be foolish is dish out money like we’ve done in the past on Mckee. We get upgrades in EJ and to an extent we’ll have Cola/Petro/Bell adding to the puck moving game which we were horrible in. Anyway you look at it, we’re better this year than last and to say we aren’t is not looking at the whole picture. EJ alone will at least triple the goal output of of the D we had last year, let alone what Cola(only played like half the season) and others can do.