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If St Louis picked Jonathan Toews

Created by: Bobcat205
Team: 2020-21 St. Louis Blues
Initial Creation Date: Apr. 15, 2021
Published: Apr. 15, 2021
Salary Cap Mode: Basic
Description
Back by unpopular demand, "What-Ifs With Bobcat".
I'm currently trying to fill a notebook with potential what-if series. Some of the Highlights are:
"What if Columbus took Anze Kopitar instead of Gilbert Brule in 2005?"
"What if Edmonton took Teuvo Teravainen instead of Fail Yakupov?"
and so on.
You can look at the draft class here: https://www.capfriendly.com/forums/thread/441267

In the 2006 draft, the St. Louis Blues selected defenseman Erik Johnson 1st overall. 2 picks later, the Chicago Blackhawks selected Center Jonathan Toews. What if St. Louis was smart and took Toews?
Trades
1.
STL
  1. Toews, Jonathan
Additional Details:
STL takes Toews #1.
CHI
2.
STL
  1. Thompson, Tage
Additional Details:
Ryan O'Reilly doesn't come to St. Louis, due to the Center position being locked down with Tazer on Line 1. as ROR wants out of Buffalo, he likely goes somewhere else.
3.
STL
  1. 2021 4th round pick (ANA)
  2. 2022 5th round pick (TOR)
ANA
  1. Thomas, Robert
  2. Thompson, Tage
Additional Details:
Trade these two away for some draft picks. Cap reasons.
4.
STL
  1. 2021 2nd round pick (SJS)
  2. 2022 3rd round pick (BOS)
Additional Details:
There's gotta be someone who could take Bozak's contract.
5.
STL
  1. 2022 3rd round pick (CGY)
Additional Details:
Trade away Scandella because Gunnarsson is healthy. Scandella has more points, but Gunni has a higher +/-.
6.
STL
    As @Lenny7 pointed out, if Toews was picked #1, thenwe didn't have Johnson to trade for Shattenkirk, who was then traded for a 1st round pick, that was then traded to Philly for Brayden Schenn. The cap situation would be a lot better.
    DraftRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4Round 5Round 6Round 7
    2021
    Logo of the STL
    Logo of the SJS
    Logo of the STL
    Logo of the ANA
    Logo of the STL
    Logo of the STL
    Logo of the DET
    2022
    Logo of the STL
    Logo of the STL
    Logo of the STL
    Logo of the BOS
    Logo of the CGY
    Logo of the STL
    Logo of the STL
    Logo of the TOR
    Logo of the STL
    2023
    Logo of the STL
    Logo of the STL
    Logo of the STL
    Logo of the STL
    Logo of the STL
    Logo of the STL
    Logo of the STL
    ROSTER SIZESALARY CAPCAP HITOVERAGES TooltipBONUSESCAP SPACE
    20$81,500,000$71,231,349$306,349$0$10,268,651
    Left WingCentreRight Wing
    Logo of the St. Louis Blues
    $5,350,000$5,350,000
    LW
    M-NTC
    UFA - 1
    Logo of the Chicago Blackhawks
    $10,500,000$10,500,000
    C
    NMC
    UFA - 3
    Logo of the St. Louis Blues
    $3,750,000$3,750,000
    RW
    NTC
    UFA - 3
    Logo of the St. Louis Blues
    $5,750,000$5,750,000
    LW, RW, C
    NTC
    UFA - 1
    Logo of the St. Louis Blues
    $2,750,000$2,750,000
    RW, C
    UFA - 3
    Logo of the St. Louis Blues
    $4,000,000$4,000,000
    LW
    UFA - 1
    Logo of the St. Louis Blues
    $1,500,000$1,500,000
    LW, RW
    UFA - 1
    Logo of the St. Louis Blues
    $1,475,000$1,475,000
    LW, RW
    UFA - 1
    Logo of the St. Louis Blues
    $4,000,000$4,000,000
    RW, LW
    M-NTC
    UFA - 2
    Logo of the St. Louis Blues
    $1,000,000$1,000,000
    LW
    UFA - 2
    Logo of the St. Louis Blues
    $700,000$700,000
    C, LW
    UFA - 1
    Logo of the St. Louis Blues
    $1,500,000$1,500,000
    LW, RW
    UFA - 2
    Left DefenseRight DefenseGoaltender
    Logo of the St. Louis Blues
    $6,500,000$6,500,000
    RD
    NTC
    UFA - 7
    Logo of the St. Louis Blues
    $5,500,000$5,500,000
    RD
    UFA - 2
    Logo of the St. Louis Blues
    $4,400,000$4,400,000
    G
    UFA - 1
    Logo of the St. Louis Blues
    $6,500,000$6,500,000
    LD
    NTC
    UFA - 7
    Logo of the St. Louis Blues
    $1,375,000$1,375,000
    RD
    UFA - 2
    Logo of the St. Louis Blues
    $750,000$750,000
    G
    UFA - 2
    Logo of the St. Louis Blues
    $1,750,000$1,750,000
    LD
    M-NTC
    UFA - 1
    Logo of the St. Louis Blues
    $1,875,000$1,875,000
    LD/RD
    UFA - 1

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    Apr. 15, 2021 at 10:53 a.m.
    #1
    Lenny7
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    Now that you've opened this wormhole...

    If you had taken Toews: You wouldn't have had EJ to trade for Shatty (Chris Stewart and also Rattie...meh), which means you wouldn't have had Shatty to trade for the 2017 1st (Morgan Frost), which means you never would have had that pick to trade for Schenn.
    Apr. 15, 2021 at 10:53 a.m.
    #2
    Thread Starter
    cautious optimism
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    Quoting: Lenny7
    Now that you've opened this wormhole...

    If you had taken Toews: You wouldn't have had EJ to trade for Shatty (Chris Stewart and also Rattie...meh), which means you wouldn't have had Shatty to trade for the 2017 1st (Morgan Frost), which means you never would have had that pick to trade for Schenn.


    Good point. I'll edit that in.
    Lenny7 liked this.
    Apr. 15, 2021 at 10:55 a.m.
    #3
    Lenny7
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    Quoting: Bobcat205
    Good point. I'll edit that in.


    Got a huge kick out of going back through this. Pretty cool to see what ties players together.
    Apr. 15, 2021 at 11:05 a.m.
    #4
    Lets Go Blues
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    I think about this one a lot, but I don't know if "being smart" is the same thing as "using hindsight". It's always a bit of a risk to take a d-man 1st overall, but EJ had the look of a clear-cut, no. 1 d-man even in his DY (2006 btw, you've got 2008 in desc.). He was very much considered the BPA for 1oa and most scouts had Jordan Staal above Toews for 2 and 3. Clearly their trajectories crossed post-draft, but I don't think it was a mistake to take EJ, it just didn't work out like it should have.

    A big factor in the 'what-if' scenario would also be 'what if Johnson didn't mangle his knee in a golf cart accident?'. He wasn't the same player after that injury - wasn't skating with the confidence he once had, wasn't making good decisions because he didn't trust his legs. And it was at the most crucial time in a defensemen's development - missed his entire sophomore season in the NHL.

    The EJ pick is the most interesting 'what-if' for STL imo, followed by 2007 'what if they took Couture instead of trading back for Eller?' The Blues had so many issues finding centers in the last decade (until ROR fell into their lap), it's crazy to think about what the team could've done with a 1-2 punch of Toews and Couture.
    Lenny7 and Bobcat205 liked this.
    Apr. 15, 2021 at 11:10 a.m.
    #5
    mokumboi
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    Quoting: A_K

    A big factor in the 'what-if' scenario would also be 'what if Johnson didn't mangle his knee in a golf cart accident?'. He wasn't the same player after that injury - wasn't skating with the confidence he once had, wasn't making good decisions because he didn't trust his legs. And it was at the most crucial time in a defensemen's development - missed his entire sophomore season in the NHL.



    This is the part everyone forgets or just neglects. It had nothing to do with a lack of smarts.

    Also, there would be absolutely nothing smart about throwing away RobTom for a garbage drft pick, let alone for "cap reasons". That's just plain loony talk.
    A_K and Lenny7 liked this.
    Apr. 15, 2021 at 11:13 a.m.
    #6
    Lets Go Blues
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    Quoting: Lenny7
    Got a huge kick out of going back through this. Pretty cool to see what ties players together.


    once you break the theoretical glass, it's shattered forever... what if STL took Toews in 2006. Then maybe they take a d-man in 2007, say Ryan McDonagh. Safe to say they would've taken Petro in 2008 considering they did it when they already had EJ in the system. 3 guys in a row - a 1C and 1LD and 1RD - that eventually captained their NHL teams, sounds like a nice leadership group.
    Lenny7 liked this.
    Apr. 15, 2021 at 11:19 a.m.
    #7
    Lenny7
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    Quoting: A_K
    I think about this one a lot, but I don't know if "being smart" is the same thing as "using hindsight". It's always a bit of a risk to take a d-man 1st overall, but EJ had the look of a clear-cut, no. 1 d-man even in his DY (2006 btw, you've got 2008 in desc.). He was very much considered the BPA for 1oa and most scouts had Jordan Staal above Toews for 2 and 3. Clearly their trajectories crossed post-draft, but I don't think it was a mistake to take EJ, it just didn't work out like it should have.

    A big factor in the 'what-if' scenario would also be 'what if Johnson didn't mangle his knee in a golf cart accident?'. He wasn't the same player after that injury - wasn't skating with the confidence he once had, wasn't making good decisions because he didn't trust his legs. And it was at the most crucial time in a defensemen's development - missed his entire sophomore season in the NHL.

    The EJ pick is the most interesting 'what-if' for STL imo, followed by 2007 'what if they took Couture instead of trading back for Eller?' The Blues had so many issues finding centers in the last decade (until ROR fell into their lap), it's crazy to think about what the team could've done with a 1-2 punch of Toews and Couture.


    I wonder how far EJ falls in that draft if STL didn't take him? Does PIT take him instead of Staal? Though they had Letang coming, they had also finished 30/30 in goals against that year. Chicago had Keith, Seabrook and Cam Barker (Highly rated at the time) in the system. If he fell to Washington at 4OA, Backstrom wouldn't be there. Pretty weak draft for Dmen though...next one picked was at 16 OA, so it's not like anyone was desperately trying to move up to grab one.
    Apr. 15, 2021 at 11:22 a.m.
    #8
    Lenny7
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    Quoting: A_K
    once you break the theoretical glass, it's shattered forever... what if STL took Toews in 2006. Then maybe they take a d-man in 2007, say Ryan McDonagh. Safe to say they would've taken Petro in 2008 considering they did it when they already had EJ in the system. 3 guys in a row - a 1C and 1LD and 1RD - that eventually captained their NHL teams, sounds like a nice leadership group.


    100% agree. Definitely an entertaining exercise in revisionist history though. The "What if Brian Burke had never left the Ducks" one makes me laugh on a regular basis, though the "What if Brian Burke had been able to at least hit on 10% of his picks while he was with the Ducks" makes me a bit sad.
    Bobcat205 and A_K liked this.
     
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