Wellwood Return to NHL Getting Closer?
Even though the Blues have signed Kyle Wellwood to a pro-rated $650,000 contract, GM Doug Armstrong continues his search to find ways to upgrade his roster.
Sources tell me St. Louis along with Toronto, Boston, and San Jose are just a few of the teams exploring all options when it comes to improving their hockey club.
While Ottawa isn’t necessarily shopping their guys, there are a number of quality players who could be had including former first overall pick Chris Phillips whose contract expires at the end of this season.
Wellwood by the way could be on the ice practicing with the Blues as early as Monday. He’s expected to return to St. Louis on Sunday.
This has been somewhat complicated considering there’s no transfer agreement in place between the NHL and the KHL over in Russia. There has been an ongoing grievance for quite some time regarding transfers from the KHL to the NHL.
As we’ve reported on a number of occasions, Wellwood has already been bought out of his KHL contract and the NHL should receive confirmation of this any moment if they haven’t already. News of the Blues placing Wellwood on waivers should come shortly. Assuming he clears, it is certainly possible the Blues have Wellwood in the lineup this Tuesday when they host the Los Angeles Kings.
We do know now that Wellwood is ineligible to participate in AHL games. This is an AHL rule that on the surface appears to be pretty ridiculous. Obviously the AHL is trying to protect their own from losing jobs to European players who come over in mid-season.
Ever since Wellwood came into the league people have questioned his commitment to his conditioning. He really has no excuse not to be in shape as I’m told he was skating twice a day his last 50 days in Russia. A lot of this had to do with him bouncing in and out of the lineup. Word is his coach wanted more size up the middle and apparently Wellwood wasn’t big enough.
Obviously the Blues hope Wellwood can help as he’s been a pretty productive player much of his NHL career. The last two years in Vancouver he actually averaged more minutes in the playoffs than he did during the regular season. He’s a pretty skilled player who should have no problem finding his way onto the Blues power play.
Speaking of the power play, D-man Carlo Colaiacovo is not expected to miss significant time after taking a puck to the face earlier this week in Anaheim. He has returned to St. Louis for evaluation but is expected to be ok.
Congrats to former Peoria Rivermen D-man and St. Louis resident Alex Brooks who has signed a pro contract with Karlskrona over in Sweden. Brooks played some NHL games with New Jersey earlier in his career.
Blues Buzz returns to Johnny Mac’s this Wednesday after a week off.
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and b) he has the potential to do things like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIRqAkqaYUo
Anyway, should Wellwood clear waivers, Andy, you should enjoy having him here; he is the Vancouver's most missed player, a great interview.
Moving Eller for Halak has been good thus far as well as moving Runblad for Tarasenko. The Blues must move a defensemen either Jackman or Brewer and my vote is of course Brewer before the deadline. Even if it's for some picks. There are teams looking for a defensemen of this type, namely San Jose. San Jose has an excess of forwards a number of them struggling this year that I think we could get in return plus a decent pick due to say if you went for Devon Settiguchi, his struggles thus far. Would Ottawa be willing to move Milichak? He'd be of interest to me. Skilled, decent speed and a big body who plays hard. He would balancve out some of our smaller players and help to create space only rather than a WInchester who struggles in so many ways can actually help offensively. Don't let his poor numbers this season distract you to what he brings and what he could accomplish on the right team. Now is when your talent must be evaluated and moves made. The right moves. Is Columbus finally down on some of their more offensive young players?
Every rock must be turned over and if the price is right we should act especially on younger players that still have potential.
We need to start dumping some of these fourth liners and straight up upgrade that level of skill. FOr instance tell me Reaves doesn't have more talent than Crombeen, WInchester, Janssen et al.? Our fourth line is more talented than our third line and sees less ice than them. How does that make sense?
You're down in a game and Crombeen sees over sixteen minutes of ice, granted he scored a goal, but how does that make sense?
There's no reason this team doesn't have the potential to ice four solid lines next season pure and simple if we add the right player.
Hell at this point Kovalev is looking real good as an addition if he comes cheap to least bolster a weak power play. I'd rather see him on the power play at this point than Boyes pure and simple.
You have to love our blue line and the kids we have. Sometime you have to consider putting one of those players up here as a forward for practical purposes. Oystrick, Nikithin and Cundari have dominated at the AHL. All are offensive and I think all would be an upgrade at forward. Now is not the time to let points slip away because we didn't make an attempt. All these GMs are playing poker at this point. Something more has to be done RIGHT NOW. This is not a knee jerk reaction. This is attempt to think outside the box and make something happen. I am a firm believer that a defensemen improves by being exposed to forward position and reminding themselves what a forward is thinking when they find their way back at the blue line. exp. Dustin Byguflin for one.
Our blue line has weaknesses and most of those are from the elder statesmen. Otherwise we won't be giving up four goals a game in losses and giving up two or more goals in the third period with regularity. We can not play Payne's style right now because we can not posses the puck without talent at the forward position. flag this comment
I think we'd have to trade to get him though. I'd even give up one of Perron, Berglund or Oshie to get him right now plus picks and prospects. He's a RFA in the summer, so he doesn't have a lot of leverage. I think we're looking at about $5 - 6 million after the Bobby Ryan deal. (Side note: Arnott is a free agent and he's making $4.5 million?! Jason freaking Arnott is making $4.5 million per year? Are you kidding me? I demand a tryout.) Anyways, I think that's where Parise's raise is factored in. Unless someone pays him 7 million or more, I think NJ matches. flag this comment
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I would LOVE to give NJ Boyes and/or McDonald. I think the Kovulchuk trade is a good template for Parise. A two mid-level prospects, a top4/top6 player, and a first. I don't know if Lou goes for that though, because that seems like you're trading 3 Ford Tauruses for a Lamborghini. Personally, I don't think Parise is moved. That would be like us trading Petro. We'd sell the bolts holding down the seats for scrap if we needed the money to keep him. flag this comment