How do you punish an NHL player who reports overweight?

bjackets · Post by **bjackets** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:06 pm

If your The Blues you make him the 2nd highest paid player in the NHL. That's how!

What a joke!

bjackets

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:35 pm

I think you kind of got things a little backwards here. Tkachuk already had a contract in place way before he failed his physical. He could have been a cap buyout but the Blues chose not to do that, instead realizing that they will need the 40 goals he will give them. Also next year his salary is cut almost in half and he will be one of the best bargains in the NHL. With a new owner announcement today, kind of ironic that Tkachuk is back and practicing with the team. While this will more than likely be a down year for the Blues, a new owner with deep pockets and a willingness to spend has been reported means only great things next year. The Blues are setup next season well under the cap and there are some great free agents that are going to be available next summer and the Blues will make a huge splash in the free agent market for sure.

bjackets · Post by **bjackets** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:46 pm

You may be right about his contract, I'm not a Blues fan. I just heard this blurb on sports radio about him getting a contract and assumed it was a new one. You know what they say about assuming.

40 goals. I don't know about that one. He's always been a marginal skater at best and I think with this new brand of hockey it could be guys like him that suffer the most so we'll have to see. Another thing that usually happens to guys who report as out of shape as him is injuries. Groin pulls, and being out of shape, etc tend to slow production down at the beginning of the season becuase of lost ice time.

It'll be fun to watch.

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:59 pm

bjackets wrote:You may be right about his contract, I'm not a Blues fan. I just heard this blurb on sports radio about him getting a contract and assumed it was a new one. You know what they say about assuming.

40 goals. I don't know about that one. He's always been a marginal skater at best and I think with this new brand of hockey it could be guys like him that suffer the most so we'll have to see. Another thing that usually happens to guys who report as out of shape as him is injuries. Groin pulls, and being out of shape, etc tend to slow production down at the beginning of the season becuase of lost ice time.

It'll be fun to watch.

In a more open NHL, and his natural ability to park an even bigger ass this season in front of the net....he's got at least 40 goals in him should he stay healthy. He's quite a bit better than a marginal skater too. I don't care if he scores garbage goals either, he can become a modern day Tim Kerr for all I care. He's the Blues best player and if he doesn't score goals this year, then the Blues should be setup nice for the Phil Kessel sweepstakes next year. The cupboard is sort of bare for the Blues, if they struggle this season and somehow land Kessel in the draft next year I would be estatic.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 8:27 pm

In an era full of primadonnas and high egos, managers have to be careful dealing with skillful players. The least thing you need is a guy asking for a trade. At the same time if everyone reported healthy & not Tkachuk, where's the respect towards the game, towards his teammates?
He's gotta to be paid regardless, so I guess I would have put him in the minors for reconditioning until his weight is back to normal.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 9:16 pm

tjung0831 wrote:He's the Blues best player.

Maybe by a whisker over Weight. And you'll grow to love Brewer this year, too.

Common denominator between both: Former Oilers!

Take care,
PK

rubba19 · Post by **rubba19** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 8:50 am

If Wally is the Blues best player this year, this team is destined to finish DEAD LAST in the West.

He better learn to take a drop pass because his fat azz won't make it from goal line to goal line.

Sorry, tjung, but trading Handzus and Nagy for this guy was the downfall of the Blues franchise. They traded away all that speed and skill for him after the playoff disaster thinking that they needed toughness instead of fixing the real problem, which was Roman Turek.

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 9:48 am

rubba19 wrote:If Wally is the Blues best player this year, this team is destined to finish DEAD LAST in the West.

He better learn to take a drop pass because his fat azz won't make it from goal line to goal line.

Sorry, tjung, but trading Handzus and Nagy for this guy was the downfall of the Blues franchise. They traded away all that speed and skill for him after the playoff disaster thinking that they needed toughness instead of fixing the real problem, which was Roman Turek.

That trade didn't help much but while Handzus and Nagy are decent 20 goal guys, Tkachuk will be a HOF'er when all is said and done. He'll have over 500 goals and over 1000pts, add in the fact that he's an american and he'll get in for sure. Any team trying to win a cup makes that trade to get one of the best goal scorers in the league. Guys like Handzus and Nagy will come along again whereas a guy like Tkachuk is much harder to find. The real downfall of the Blues is that they've been highly competetive for the last 25 years. They have the longest streak of any pro team of consecutive years making the playoffs. If they would have been bad some of those years that might have lead to better draft picks. They've also only had like 5 first round picks in the last 15 years or so.

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 9:58 am

pk500 wrote:
tjung0831 wrote:He's the Blues best player.
Maybe by a whisker over Weight. And you'll grow to love Brewer this year, too.

Common denominator between both: Former Oilers!

Take care,
PK

This might be Weight's last chance in St. Louis. If he doesn't produce this season, he'll be traded in March at the deadline. He's referred to as "Dead" Weight here in St. Louis. He hasn't come close to playing like he did in Edmonton and honestly i'm not sure he's happy playing here although he says that he is. He hasn't even hit the 70pt mark in a season in the three years he's been here and he's our #1 center. Hopefully he'll get to showcase his skills in the new NHL. Oh yeah...to top it off he's hurt right now and might miss the first two weeks of the season. By the way Brewer scored in his first preseason game the other night. Jeff Wywoitka looked pretty good as well and has apparently made the team at this point so that's a positive.
I love the Blues but this is going to be a very frustrating season I believe and that makes me glad that i'm an NHL fan and not just a Blues fan. I can't wait to watch the Penguins, Sabres, and Islanders on the dish every week.

rubba19 · Post by **rubba19** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 10:24 am

tjung0831 wrote:
rubba19 wrote:If Wally is the Blues best player this year, this team is destined to finish DEAD LAST in the West.

He better learn to take a drop pass because his fat azz won't make it from goal line to goal line.

Sorry, tjung, but trading Handzus and Nagy for this guy was the downfall of the Blues franchise. They traded away all that speed and skill for him after the playoff disaster thinking that they needed toughness instead of fixing the real problem, which was Roman Turek.
That trade didn't help much but while Handzus and Nagy are decent 20 goal guys, Tkachuk will be a HOF'er when all is said and done. He'll have over 500 goals and over 1000pts, add in the fact that he's an american and he'll get in for sure. Any team trying to win a cup makes that trade to get one of the best goal scorers in the league. Guys like Handzus and Nagy will come along again whereas a guy like Tkachuk is much harder to find. The real downfall of the Blues is that they've been highly competetive for the last 25 years. They have the longest streak of any pro team of consecutive years making the playoffs. If they would have been bad some of those years that might have lead to better draft picks. They've also only had like 5 first round picks in the last 15 years or so.

Tim, in all of my hockey life, I can only think of 4 seasons where the Blues would have what you call special seasons.

81-82 finished #2 overall but lost early in the playoffs
85-86 great 7 game series w/Calgary with Game 6 one for the ages
99-00 #1 overall but lost to the Sharks
01-02 lost to the Avs in conference final

Competive? Yes. Highly competitive? Not really.

In 99-00 they had such a quick counterattacking team and speed, and with Pronger in his prime with that quick outlet pass, they were very dangerous. They has Handzus, Nagy, Conroy, Demitra, Turgeon, Hecht, Bartecko as great young talent, and they let it all go, because they didn't have the patience to let them develop.

I porbably watched over 100 games on TV and they have never been the same scary team since.

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 10:38 am

rubba19 wrote:
tjung0831 wrote:
rubba19 wrote:If Wally is the Blues best player this year, this team is destined to finish DEAD LAST in the West.

He better learn to take a drop pass because his fat azz won't make it from goal line to goal line.

Sorry, tjung, but trading Handzus and Nagy for this guy was the downfall of the Blues franchise. They traded away all that speed and skill for him after the playoff disaster thinking that they needed toughness instead of fixing the real problem, which was Roman Turek.
That trade didn't help much but while Handzus and Nagy are decent 20 goal guys, Tkachuk will be a HOF'er when all is said and done. He'll have over 500 goals and over 1000pts, add in the fact that he's an american and he'll get in for sure. Any team trying to win a cup makes that trade to get one of the best goal scorers in the league. Guys like Handzus and Nagy will come along again whereas a guy like Tkachuk is much harder to find. The real downfall of the Blues is that they've been highly competetive for the last 25 years. They have the longest streak of any pro team of consecutive years making the playoffs. If they would have been bad some of those years that might have lead to better draft picks. They've also only had like 5 first round picks in the last 15 years or so.
Tim, in all of my hockey life, I can only think of 4 seasons where the Blues would have what you call special seasons.

81-82 finished #2 overall but lost early in the playoffs
85-86 great 7 game series w/Calgary with Game 6 one for the ages
99-00 #1 overall but lost to the Sharks
01-02 lost to the Avs in conference final

Competive? Yes. Highly competitive? Not really.

In 99-00 they had such a quick counterattacking team and speed, and with Pronger in his prime with that quick outlet pass, they were very dangerous. They has Handzus, Nagy, Conroy, Demitra, Turgeon, Hecht, Bartecko as great young talent, and they let it all go, because they didn't have the patience to let them develop.

I porbably watched over 100 games on TV and they have never been the same scary team since.

Name me another team that's made the playoffs like 25 straight years? Granted they haven't won a cup but they've been highly competetive in the regular season for some time. As for Conroy and Demitra, both flourished while in St. Louis. Conroy was all but ready to retired until the Canadiens traded him here. He's the one guy I miss more than anybody. Demitra never played well when it counted, Hecht falls in the same line as Nagy and Handzus, there are plenty of players like Hecht to be found. Bartecko...LOL. He's done nothing since leaving St. Louis, and he didn't do much when he was here. You forgot to mention the 90-91 team which is the best Blues team of all time, Stevens, Oates, Hull..now that was the year that a big trade at the deadline killed them. The 80-81 team was the year they finished #2 overall. That was they year Wayne Babych hit the 50 goal mark and then never hit more than 20 in a season after that.
Also don't forget the 3 stanley cup appearances...

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 10:55 am

tjung0831 wrote:That was they year Wayne Babych hit the 50 goal mark and then never hit more than 20 in a season after that.

Hmmmm...steroids?

rubba19 · Post by **rubba19** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 11:00 am

tjung0831 wrote:
Name me another team that's made the playoffs like 25 straight years?

The Blackhawks made the playoffs 28 straight years.
The Bruins had a 29 year run.

It's happened.

Tim, I'm really not bagging on the Blues. They are a solid organization, but decided to push the panic button too quickly.

Say what you want about Hecht and Bartecko, but given the excellent system Q had in place and the talent, they had a shot of years of excellence.

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 11:11 am

rubba19 wrote:
tjung0831 wrote:
Name me another team that's made the playoffs like 25 straight years?
The Blackhawks made the playoffs 28 straight years.
The Bruins had a 29 year run.

It's happened.

Tim, I'm really not bagging on the Blues. They are a solid organization, but decided to push the panic button too quickly.

Say what you want about Hecht and Bartecko, but given the excellent system Q had in place and the talent, they had a shot of years of excellence.

You have to remember they were in a "win now" mode. They didn't want to wait they thought they were close to winning a cup so they made the moves they though would do it....it backfired. The Blame is on Pleau, and Q, and previous ownership. The Blues have let us fans down year after year but most pro sports teams do. I can honestly say that they have broken my heart only one time....the day they traded Doug Gilmour.

rubba19 · Post by **rubba19** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 11:19 am

tjung0831 wrote:
rubba19 wrote:
tjung0831 wrote:
Name me another team that's made the playoffs like 25 straight years?
The Blackhawks made the playoffs 28 straight years.
The Bruins had a 29 year run.

It's happened.

Tim, I'm really not bagging on the Blues. They are a solid organization, but decided to push the panic button too quickly.

Say what you want about Hecht and Bartecko, but given the excellent system Q had in place and the talent, they had a shot of years of excellence.
You have to remember they were in a "win now" mode. They didn't want to wait they thought they were close to winning a cup so they made the moves they though would do it....it backfired. The Blame is on Pleau, and Q, and previous ownership. The Blues have let us fans down year after year but most pro sports teams do. I can honestly say that they have broken my heart only one time....the day they traded Doug Gilmour.

Tim, my wife is a huge Blues fan (hence the watching of 100 games) and she rues the day the Blues traded Shanny. I think she would kick Mike Keenan in the nuts if she saw him.

In fact, my oldest son is named Brendan.

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 11:37 am

rubba19 wrote:
tjung0831 wrote:
rubba19 wrote: The Blackhawks made the playoffs 28 straight years.
The Bruins had a 29 year run.

It's happened.

Tim, I'm really not bagging on the Blues. They are a solid organization, but decided to push the panic button too quickly.

Say what you want about Hecht and Bartecko, but given the excellent system Q had in place and the talent, they had a shot of years of excellence.
You have to remember they were in a "win now" mode. They didn't want to wait they thought they were close to winning a cup so they made the moves they though would do it....it backfired. The Blame is on Pleau, and Q, and previous ownership. The Blues have let us fans down year after year but most pro sports teams do. I can honestly say that they have broken my heart only one time....the day they traded Doug Gilmour.
Tim, my wife is a huge Blues fan (hence the watching of 100 games) and she rues the day the Blues traded Shanny. I think she would kick Mike Keenan in the nuts if she saw him.

In fact, my oldest son is named Brendan.

I think about 1 out of every 20 12-14 year old boys in St. Louis is named Brendan or Brett.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 12:59 pm

tjung0831 wrote:I think you kind of got things a little backwards here. Tkachuk already had a contract in place way before he failed his physical. He could have been a cap buyout but the Blues chose not to do that, instead realizing that they will need the 40 goals he will give them. Also next year his salary is cut almost in half and he will be one of the best bargains in the NHL. With a new owner announcement today, kind of ironic that Tkachuk is back and practicing with the team. While this will more than likely be a down year for the Blues, a new owner with deep pockets and a willingness to spend has been reported means only great things next year. The Blues are setup next season well under the cap and there are some great free agents that are going to be available next summer and the Blues will make a huge splash in the free agent market for sure.

I agree and I'm very excited!!