"All reports say he is the best player on the ice for the Riverman"?
What reports are these?
A couple of months ago armstrong went down to watch a couple of peoria games. when he came back up he told jeremy rutherford, the blues beat writer, and he put it in an article he wrote.
Also dave enimen, writer for peoria often mentions mcrae as one of the best on ice consistently
He definitely has some skill with the puck. I haven't seen anything about his ability taking faceoffs. His stats are upside down as a center - lots of goals, not many assists.
He looks like a player, but maybe better as a forward.
Nichol has done most of what has been asked of him, but Im not sure if he comes back next year, especially if Arnott resigns (which he should be). As you said, there is just to much depth at center..
Is McRae any good at faceoffs? I know the AHL doesn't keep track of faceoffs(for whatever reason), but I would think that would be a HUGE factor as to whether or not he starts at center for the Blues. Moving Sobotka to center is always a viable option as he is very good at faceoffs. And McRae could also be slotted in on the left. I don't think Nichol will be back either next season, but I do think Arnott will definitely still be around. I will say...I do think McRae deserves a shot. He's done everything that has been asked of him so far, and for that he should hold some seniority over guys like Schwartz, and even Tarasenko in training camp.
McRae is very good at faceoffs from what I remember. Not sure if anything has changed, but I'm pretty sure that's what he excelled at last season. I haven't paid very much attention to him this season.
I'll put money on the Blues not breaking camp next year with McRae as their third line center.
He has an outside shot of being the 4th line center depending on how several variables fall into place, but he'll probably start in Peoria.
I agree with this, unless he significantly increases his offensive production. He he truly was playing as well as people say in Peoria, we would've seen him in a Blues jersey by now, at least for a game or 2.
I'll put money on the Blues not breaking camp next year with McRae as their third line center.
He has an outside shot of being the 4th line center depending on how several variables fall into place, but he'll probably start in Peoria.
Exactly right, he does have an outside chance of cracking the 4th line out of camp...but even that is pretty doubtful. A more likely scenario is that he serves the same kind of role that Evgeny Grachev has served this season.
I agree with this, unless he significantly increases his offensive production. He he truly was playing as well as people say in Peoria, we would've seen him in a Blues jersey by now, at least for a game or 2.
I completely disagree with this. It isn't a matter of being in a Blues jersey, it is a matter of having too many one way contracts, and while we have had injuries, center isn't an area that has been it until just recently - and even then we have 5 natural centers on the team - Sobokta being included. Guys like Porter have been in and out of the line up and have played well in all areas.
Had McRae been brought up sooner, someone would have been waived. Grachev is a natural wing so getting playing time with the Blues has been a bit easier, but even he has been sent down. (He has played well on the 3rd and 4th lines when given a shot). But Porter can't be sent down w/o clearing waivers - which he wouldn't.
So keeping McRae w/ the Rivermen and playing top line minutes will only help him develop. It is the same thing that has happened with Cole this year. And Polak is another guy who spent 2 seasons in the AHL and that worked out very well.
McRae was lights out at the prospect tourney (one of the top 3 forwards in the Tourney). I don't think he has regressed since then.
I completely disagree with this. It isn't a matter of being in a Blues jersey, it is a matter of having too many one way contracts, and while we have had injuries, center isn't an area that has been it until just recently - and even then we have 5 natural centers on the team - Sobokta being included. Guys like Porter have been in and out of the line up and have played well in all areas.
Had McRae been brought up sooner, someone would have been waived. Grachev is a natural wing so getting playing time with the Blues has been a bit easier, but even he has been sent down. (He has played well on the 3rd and 4th lines when given a shot). But Porter can't be sent down w/o clearing waivers - which he wouldn't.
So keeping McRae w/ the Rivermen and playing top line minutes will only help him develop. It is the same thing that has happened with Cole this year. And Polak is another guy who spent 2 seasons in the AHL and that worked out very well.
McRae was lights out at the prospect tourney (one of the top 3 forwards in the Tourney). I don't think he has regressed since then.
Not sure you completely understood what I meant. Sterling, Cracknell, and Grachev have all played with the big club, and Hensick was recently recalled. He is at least 5th on the emergency/short term call up list. He has 52 points in 95 AHL games, he just isn't very good offensively, which is one of the main reasons he hasn't been recalled, and will most likely not be in the NHL next season. He hasn't necessarily regressed, but he isn't progressing.
When Arnott was hurt, it would've made sense to bring McRae up to play the 3rd line center spot if he truly was playing so well. Could he play the 4th next season, sure, but he isn't ready for top 9 minutes. Besides November when he scored 8 goals, he's been very average offensively. He has a good amount of work to do before he gets to the NHL.
Not sure you completely understood what I meant. Sterling, Cracknell, and Grachev have all played with the big club, and Hensick was recently recalled. I think you aren't looking enough at where those injured players played. They are all wings, except Cracknell and he did score a goal in his 2 games. Last year, McRae played in more then a couple of games with the big club and he looked fine. Not out of place or over his head. He is at least 5th on the emergency/short term call up list Not if you are looking at center. . He has 52 points in 95 AHL games, he just isn't very good offensively, which is one of the main reasons he hasn't been recalled, and will most likely not be in the NHL next season. He hasn't necessarily regressed, but he isn't progressing.
When Arnott was hurt, Sobokta played 3rd line center. it would've made sense to bring McRae up to play the 3rd line center spot if he truly was playing so well. Again, you can't argue with playing Sobokta in that spot. Could he play the 4th next season, sure, but he isn't ready for top 9 minutes. Besides November when he scored 8 goals, he's been very average offensively. He has a good amount of work to do before he gets to the NHL.
We see things very differently. The more I think about it, Arnott wasn't put on IR (atleast I don't believe so). And if he wasn't then you are looking at the 23 man roster issue and if McRae was recalled someone would have had to have been sent down - likely Porter or BJ. Both would have had to clear waivers and more then likely both would have been claimed. Bad asset management.
With the way the roster is constructed, if McRae is our third line center next year, we are in trouble. That means we have some serious injuries. Which is the Blues M.O. so who knows? But where he is at in his game now, and him making a huge jump to a third line center on a great team, are pretty high expectations. I could see him battle for the fourth line center, ease him into the NHL, give him 8-10 minutes of ice an see what happens. His ceiling on this team is a third line center and that's OK, I just don't see him getting there next year.
