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A lot of people deserve credit for where the Blues are, starting with Jarmo and John Davidson. Still though, I doubt a GM without personal ties to Hitch would have hired him, especially with his reputation of being a bad coach for younger players.
Armstrong made some silly moves when he was here but he was at times bold and made moves with a plan in mind. The Ribeiro trade itself almost makes up for any bad trades he made. I didn't always agree with Armstrong's choices, especially toward the end, but I think he's a smart guy and he put in his dues in St. Louis. The "GM-in-waiting" thing worked out pretty well for him and the organization.
Hiring the should-be Jack Adams winner definitely goes a long way toward making him look really smart.
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