Quoting: Victor24
I more meant that it seems like the city is at odds with ownership and the popularity isn't great.
Their GM will build like his dad did in a similarly dire circumstance when he inherited the dumpster fire that was STL.
His team is worse off Arena wise but Fanbase wise STL wasnt much more popular when Armstrong's dad took over and had a hell of a lot less picks/prospects or talent to sell for them.
Just saying everything points to them building via the draft and signing a few key missing pieces and trading for others they can get via Free Agency .
His Dad took Lars Eller and i think Schultz for Jaroslav Halak then Erik Johnson into Kevin Shattenkirk , Taresenkos pick at the draft for David Runblad , Ben Bishop for a 2nd all within the first 12 months in charge. These would be key pieces in winning him GM of the year in 2013 after replacing most of STL's Leadership in their Captain, their Defensive A with him rebuild their core much stronger eventually adding Russel and Bouwmeester
Given he was there running their draft before his Father joined the team after leaving DAL its fair to say he'll likely follow a similar mold because until his Dad joined STL Bill was a STL scout for 6 years. All he's experience stems from his Mentor and Dad who does things a certain way since being fired from DAL for not pushing Youth enough. Since then its been the Draft he's focused on as he leaned on his son in his rebound as GM in his organization that Bill had helped draft.
They literally couldnt have picked a better guy tailor made for this project as before the Armstrongs arrived in STL it was a shi* show of the age's .
Before TML was the longest standing joke with no cup for 50 years + that honor of being the most Seasoned Losers went to STL.
After the Amstrongs they got a cup and enough to rebuild on via Drafting and trades
ARZ will buy some guys but it will be in role's they cant fill themselves or if its Auston Matthews.
Odds are though ARZ goes out and finds itself a clear cut starter like Carter Hart who's value's low but ARZ knows they have the time to invest in rebounding it .
It gives some of Bill Armstrongs picks time to develop like Allen and Binnington did while Halak and Bishop handled things in net the first what , 4 years?