2013-14 NHL Season

Was watching Bob McKenzie last night and the Ryan Miller-to-St. Louis speculation came up.

My big question is how the Blues fit Miller in the cap, assuming they are eventually able to even sign him. Didn't St. Louis recently sign Petro, Steen and Stewart to significant extensions? And I don't recall specifics of the Boumeester contract but it was big, big, bucks. The new St. Louis ownership has never struck me as having the deepest pockets in the NHL.

I guess Halak and his nearly $4 million salary (another UFA) would go to the Sabres, plus another vet and draft picks.

 

Yeah, was talking to someone about potential destinations for Miller via trade. Most of the logical teams seem to be in the Eastern Conference. I wonder if St. Louis feels they have to upgrade in goal to make a serious Stanley Cup run?

 

Liut, it's simple, the NHL salary cap is expected to jump to $71.1 million next season up from $64.3 million this year. So you take away Halak's $3.75 million and add say $7-8 million for Miller, and your payroll only jumps $3-4 million, still leaving you with $3-4 million of extra cap space to eat. Plus the Blues I believe are currently about $1.5 mil under the cap/ They have spent royally on the backend, but don't have anyone making more than $4.5 mil up front. Kind of the opposite of a lot of teams who have spent their dollars on forwards while trying to piecemeal it together on the blue line.

 

That's the big question speculated about over and over. But I cannot recall reading anywhere proof that Doug Armstrong has lost confidence in his goaltending. Personally, I think a healthy Halak (a big if, granted) is a heck of a goalie.

It's probably all going to be moot, anyway, once the playoffs take course. Chicago's better. And if St. Louis were to advance to play any of those Cali teams, the Blues would be forechecked straight into the offseason.

 

Thanks for the info. I suppose St. Louis could also not re-sign Elliott, who is making about 2-mil. Say you trade for Miller and are able to sign him longterm, Jake Allen becomes the backup. IMHO, that's an upgrade on Halak-Elliott.

 

Personally, I don't think Halak gets the credit he deserves, I'm not sure Miller is a $4 million upgrade over him. I know others will disagree, but that's just my opinion. He's done well on some bad rebuilding teams in St. Louis and has done nothing to hurt them now that they are a top team, he and Allen are a terrific tandem there. If I were them I'd be trying to add a difference maker up front, like a Vanek and try to re-sign him instead. It has been proven a number of times you can the Cup without an elite goaltender, you just have to be pretty good everywhere else, and St. Louis is.

And while Miller is seemingly back to top form this year, It has been a few seasons since has been able to maintain that form for an entire year. He's also on the wrong side of 30 while Halak is 28.

Also, the $4 million they have wrapped up in Derek Roy comes off the books this season as he becomes a UFA. Don't see them ponying up that dough for him again.

 

These are excellent points. I will confess to perhaps having my opinion on Miller clouded by how well he's played with a bad team this year. Good thing I'm not anybody's GM.

 

The speculation I've seen is that any trade that puts Miller in St. Louis - whether it's a two-teamer or three-teamer - would have both Halak and Stewart leaving the Blues.

I still don't see it, because as has been said, it seems to be a very local, shallow-pocketed ownership group and attendance hasn't been impressive in the least this season. Especially for a team that is the best in franchise history to this point in the regular season.

FWIW, the Post-Dispatch beat writer has been asked several times in online chats and on Twitter who he thinks the goalies will be next season, with both Halak and Elliott in contract years. He's been consistent in saying he believes Jake Allen will be the backup, with the No. 1 goalie someone who is not in the organization right now.

Hitchcock seems willing to give either Halak or Elliott the top job and let them run with it, but I'm sure Halak's injury problems are always in the back of his mind, and both of them seem to go slip into a funk at any given time without warning.

 

Man, that's the truth.

 

There are a couple of problems in trading Miller, one is his expiring contract and what will have to be given up to get him. Two is he has a limited NTC. Three, the market for his services. He's a goalie you get if you think you are that major piece away from being a contender. Most of the teams that are already contenders like St. Louis, are not in trouble in net. So you have to look to the bubble teams with goaltending issues.

Winnipeg is certainly on that list, but would he go there? Dallas is also in the same grouping. Washington needs him in the worst way, but are they too far out of contention to make it worthwhile? I never count out Toronto and their willingness to swing for the fences and their goaltending of late has been anything but stable. I think Minnesota is an interesting case, even just as a rental, between Backstrom's injuries and inconsistencies and the big unknown hanging over Harding, who should be their starter. Even Carolina I could see making a push with Cam Ward a big question mark and a UFA as well, maybe they deal him and acquire Ward. They certainly cannot be thinking they'll ride Khudobin?

 

Of those you mentioned, Beef, Dallas intrigues me the most. Nill is smart and savvy and the Stars have a quality coach. Dallas is better this year than I thought it would be and look to be a team with a good future.

Wonder if Leonsis is antsy enough to order McPhee to make it happen?

 

I don't think St. Louis is that far away from elite status. They don't have a monster scorer up front --- Steen's good year not withstanding. Defense is solid and the goaltending seems to be more than competent. Most of the contenders seem to already have a pretty good goalie in place.

Kari Lehtonen has played very well for Dallas and Dallas is a young team, so Miller doesn't seem to fit there.

I wonder how Philadelphia and Washington feel about their current goaltenders.