Um how is Tyler Johnson worth our top 2 D prospects, Sobotka, AND a 1st

I totally forgot that Sobotka had multiple MVP’s. Schmaltz is 24 and only played a handful of NHL games. I’m sure he will surpass Parayko and Pietrangelo this next season. The 3rd pairing (if he manages to get there) is obviously one of the biggest organizational needs. Walman is a decent LHD prospect. Nobody that watched him this past preseason was left feeling excited about his play. I’m willing to give him a pass this past year in the AHL because our affiliate was a cluster. Now that the Blues have their own AHL team he needs to make major strides next year. I almost forgot about the 29th overall pick that every team covets. Bill Armstrong has really done a great job in the draft (in all seriousness). It’s not like whoever he would take at 29 is going to be an immediate impact.

Now onto Johnson. The main reason TB would move him is because his NTC kicks in this summer. They will need the cap space going forward to sign Kucherov and others. He’s a center and a right handed shot. The Blues are in dire need of both.

If this was the asking price Doug Armstrong deserves a raise.

I forgot. Tyler Johnson is on a 5 million dollar contract. Walman and Schmaltz are both NHL ready. Plus a 1st round pick. Sobotka fine. The first is what I mean. 2nd and 4th is what he is worth.

5 million for a 2nd liner to play top line minutes. That seems about the smartest coaching ever. Now let’s get onto something that won’t waste my time. Hoffman, Draisaitl, O’Reilly, or oh I remember what’s his name again. I can’t get it off the top of my head. Oh damn FA signings Tavores is that it??? No no um Joe Tocores wait no that’s not it. Oh I remember that darn John Tavares.

Tavares is highly unlikely to move now. Schmaltz won't play this year - and has pretty much lost all value. Walman still has a ton of potential, and getting rid of sobotka's contract would be fantastic. In reality you're moving Walman + 1st for Tyler Johnson. Who is high quality player without moving any of our big 4. This would then let us move Tage Thompson + 2nd rounder or something for Hoffman if we wanted to.

I think it's fine.

Ok you aren’t getting. So we have Bouwmeester, Gunnarsson, and Bortuzzo all probably leaving in the next few years. Schmaltz is a good third pairing with Walman. Just for the the fact that they play on the same line in AHL. Johnson is a 2nd liner at best. I am not giving up Jared McIsaac or whoever else who might be a Robert Thomas steal again for a 2nd line center. Sobotka that’s fine. ITS A OVERPAY for a SECOND LINE CENTER.

If I go for top line we should go for Draisaitl, Hoffman, and others rather than putting another 2C at 1C

To get Draisaitl would cost Parayko and Kyrou minimum.



I mean I do get it. Schmaltz won't play this year, and Bouw/Gunn will be gone either this year or after this year. Schmaltz hasn't shown he's more than an AHLer at this point. He'd be fine for a sweetner in a deal for someone, but besides that I haven't seen enough from him (in the AHL) to prove he can play in the NHL and he's 25.

The 29th pick and the middle of the second round has historically produced similar value, so it's not like that pick is hugely impactful. We can move someone just like Schmaltz for a 2nd rounder or include him in a deal for another top 6 impact player.

I think you're overreacting big time here.

I compare Tyler Johnson's value to that of Brayden Schenn. Both have similar numbers. PHI got 2 first round picks and Jori. Lets be honest though, one of those firsts was to take that terrible contract from the Blues, so arguably the price for a good second line center is roughly 1 first round pick. Let's say without Jori in the deal, PHI would have gotten 1 first and a 3rd. I would still consider that a good value. I think the above trade is stretching a little bit, but isn't out of the realm of possibilities. Remove one of Schmaltz or Walman and add a lower tier prospect and I would consider that trade perfect from the Blues perspective. TB will likely not want the cap hit of Sobotka because the reason they are moving TJ is for cap reasons.