Yes! We could. But, I'll bet Hitch rolls all 3 lines with just about the same exact even strength ice time.
Yes, it's a nice lineup probem to have. However, i'm not fan of seeing Schwartz being a Center on the 3rd line. I'd rather see Steen there, with Schwartz on the wing.
Yes, it's a nice lineup probem to have. However, i'm not fan of seeing Schwartz being a Center on the 3rd line. I'd rather see Steen there, with Schwartz on the wing.
Absolutely on with that point. As if transitioning to the NHL isn't hard enough, people want Schwartz to switch from winger to center as well? I realize he has some experience there but I don't think it would be a stretch to say he is most likely far more comfortable on the wing. On the other hand, Steen is now a veteran known for being able to succeed in any situation. Hell, some voter even thought he earned Selke consideration.
Of course, I'd still rather bring in another natural center to fill our open center slot. Steen and McDonald are good plan B options though.
The Schwartz center talk was started by Hitchcock, not by any of us.
I realize that. I still think it would probably be the wrong move. He also included Steen and McDonald in that discussion.
It is the coach's job to be thinking about plan a, b, and c with the pieces he has. I'm sure he's hoping for another natural center to be picked up but that really isn't his job to think about. Well, I'm not absolutely sure but that is what I imagine. Maybe he is secretly looking for an excuse to move McDonald back to center like his days in ANA, I have no clue, haha.
I realize that. I still think it would probably be the wrong move. He also included Steen and McDonald in that discussion.
It is the coach's job to be thinking about plan a, b, and c with the pieces he has. I'm sure he's hoping for another natural center to be picked up but that really isn't his job to think about. Well, I'm not absolutely sure but that is what I imagine. Maybe he is secretly looking for an excuse to move McDonald back to center like his days in ANA, I have no clue, haha.
Right, it will be one of those 3. They wouldn't have signed Schwartz just to put him in Peoria, and that said if he is one of the top 9 forwards then he will stay on the team. Most likely one of those 3 will get a center spot, my money is on Steen, and the other 2 will stay on the left wing.
Yes, it's a nice lineup probem to have. However, i'm not fan of seeing Schwartz being a Center on the 3rd line. I'd rather see Steen there, with Schwartz on the wing.
Schwartz will not play center for the Blues as long as Hitchcock is coaching the team. He might line up to take faceoffs on occasion, but he will play the left wing. Hitchcock does not use a 5' 10, 180-pound center, especially on his third line.
Right now, he's 10th in the top 9 and he has no business on a 4th line. That puts him in Peoria at the moment. Things can certainly change between now and Sept. but if Jaden starts in Peoria, so be it. I would think that he would instantly be recalled and put into the top 9 when one of the current top 9 gets injured. He's an excellent guy to have in reserve.
I'd put Schwartz ahead of D'Agostini, especially since he will burn another year off of his ELC in Peoria anyway.
I agree. I think if we trade a winger it will most likely be D'Agostini. He can possible be a tip 6 somewhere I just don't see it being with us. Really if the Isles lose Parenteau he might be a great fit for them. I think he could put up a good point total with JT as his center. Not sure who we could get back maybe package him to try to get De Hann.
I'd put Schwartz ahead of D'Agostini, especially since he will burn another year off of his ELC in Peoria anyway.
So D'ags in the pressbox is better than Schwartz in Peoria? How do you figure?
A few thoughts/questions trot directed towards anyone in particular:
1. Why are folks instantly putting Schwartz ahead of D'ags? D'ags has a 20 goal season under his belt while Schwartz has 2 goals total. Jaden obviously projects as the better player longterm but is he the better player now? I don't necessarily think so.
2. So what if he starts off in Peoria? It's not like he'd be there the whole season. The only way he'd stay there the whole season is if all of the top-9 stay healthy for all 82 games. Not gonna happen. Schwartz will get his opportunities and assuming he capitalizes on them, he'll eventually earn a permanent spot, possibly at the expense of someone else.
It's still mid-summer though and a ton of things can change between now and camp. As things project right now, I see Schwartz starting in Peoria but that can change in an instant given how fluid rosters are this time of year.
Dags got all those goals and points because he was playing top line minutes because of injuries. He has speed and a pretty good shot, and that is about it.
I personally see him being traded, but regardless I still think Schwartz is the better player as they currently are.
D'Agostini and Sobotka are similar in they are both sparkplugs to put into the top 9 to get something going. Sobotka is defensive and Dags is offensive, but I don't think either should really be in the top 9 full time.
The only reason D'Agostini got a pass for his performance this past season was because Stewart disappointed just a little bit more, but not by much. Dags didn't offer anything for the majority of the season.
Last edited by bleedblue1223: 06-26-2012 at 11:04 PM.
I personally see him being traded, but regardless I still think Schwartz is the better player as they currently are.
I agree. I think if they start Schwartz at the beginning of the season, and roll the first 3 lines with basically equal time if thats the plan, then he will thrive, and put up surprising numbers. I'd trade Dags.
If D'Agostini is not traded (and I think that's a 50/50 bet at best as I think he probably goes), I think he plays over Schwartz and I don't think that is the wrong decision.
The potential of guys like Schwartz/Cole is nice but I'm not automatically putting them in the lineup over guys like Dags/Russell.
If D'Agostini is not traded (and I think that's a 50/50 bet at best as I think he probably goes), I think he plays over Schwartz and I don't think that is the wrong decision.
The potential of guys like Schwartz/Cole is nice but I'm not automatically putting them in the lineup over guys like Dags/Russell.
I agree, Schwartz looked like a guy who needed some time last season. Never really stood out like you want a skilled guy to. But let's face it, McDonald probably won't play 82 games, even if he starts in Peoria he will still see plenty of games in STL.
Also don't disagree with Dags and Russell over Schwartz and Cole, although I think Cole fits better with Petro and Shatty. Schwartz and Dags also bring different elements.
Last edited by Crumblin Erb Brooks: 06-27-2012 at 01:08 AM.
i'm hoping having this summer to train and practice hard, now that he knows what level he has to bring at the NHL level, will help Schwartz a ton. if the lineup stays as is, or if we move someone like D'Agostini out and bring in a true center, i wouldn't be the least bit surprised or upset if Schwartz starts the season in Peoria, but i hope he comes to camp and forces them to include him on the NHL roster.
I'd put Schwartz ahead of D'Agostini, especially since he will burn another year off of his ELC in Peoria anyway.
We might lose ELC time, but what does that matter? It means he has less of a proven record when it comes time to negotiate his extension, so it'll be cheaper then.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bleedblue1223
Dags got all those goals and points because he was playing top line minutes because of injuries. He has speed and a pretty good shot, and that is about it.
D'Agostini might have played on the top line for a while, but he still averaged under 15 minutes a game in 2010/11.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bleedblue1223
I personally see him being traded, but regardless I still think Schwartz is the better player as they currently are.
Offensively? Certainly. All round game? No way can I agree. Schwartz is too easily moved of the puck, and made more than a couple of really poor decisions with it in the defensive zone in the glimpse we got of him. That will get ironed out, only a matter of where we will let it happen.
But he does really need to significantly improve his upper body strength.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bleedblue1223
D'Agostini and Sobotka are similar in they are both sparkplugs to put into the top 9 to get something going. Sobotka is defensive and Dags is offensive, but I don't think either should really be in the top 9 full time.
The only reason D'Agostini got a pass for his performance this past season was because Stewart disappointed just a little bit more, but not by much. Dags didn't offer anything for the majority of the season.
D'Agostini was certainly disappointing last season, but it is insulting to even put him in remotely the same category as Stewart. They aren't in any way comparable.
If there is one thing we learned last year it is that depth is important. If Dag's turns out to be a depth player so be it. Any team that needs scoring should be interested in him.
D'Agostini scored 18 points in his last 17 games during the 2010-2011 season. That means he scored 28 points in his first 65 games, for a pace of 35. He is a one-dimensional player that had one really good hot streak. We are at a point where he is no longer quality enough to play for this team. All he has to his game is his speed and his shot and that is it. The only reason he has a decent shot is because he has a quick release, but it's not like it scores a ton.
All Schwartz has to do is get stronger this summer and he is a better player. Schwartz showed that he can make those great passes that only McDonald and Perron have done on this team.
D'Agostini doesn't play gritty enough and he isn't productive enough offensively to make a case to be on this roster.
If there is one thing we learned last year it is that depth is important. If Dag's turns out to be a depth player so be it. Any team that needs scoring should be interested in him.
I disagree with you about Dags. First of all having speed and a good shot is not a bad thing. To say he has no grit isn't true. He is one of the strongest players on the team and will always battle. He will drop the gloves if need be on rare ocassions. His production did go way up when he got put on the top line, is that bad? He can contribute on the PP if need be and is responsible in his own zone. He is streaky but he is a nice player to have that supplies depth and can provide some scoring when given some ice time.
I disagree with you about Dags. First of all having speed and a good shot is not a bad thing. To say he has no grit isn't true. He is one of the strongest players on the team and will always battle. He will drop the gloves if need be on rare ocassions. His production did go way up when he got put on the top line, is that bad? He can contribute on the PP if need be and is responsible in his own zone. He is streaky but he is a nice player to have that supplies depth and can provide some scoring when given some ice time.
He will NOT always win battles. I've seen him get smacked down and bullied by Franzen on more than one occasion. It was almost as if D'Ags was afraid.
Chicago, I said he will always battle, I didn't say he always wins the battles. Two completely different things. I don't remember the Franzen episode you refer to.
