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What does Miller deal mean to the power in the west?


yave1964

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  Short term the Sabres and Blues deal is probably a win for the Blues.

 

Miller>Halak

Ott>Stewart

 

  I think the Sabres got as much as they possibly could and did very well getting a first and a third. But what did it mean overall to the Western conference?

 

  I like the acquisition of Ott a LOT from the Blues standpoint, he is a pain in the rear, a faceoff specialist, he can kill penalties and does so much right. Unlike Stewart who has lived in Hitchcock's doghouse for the past several years for inconsistent effort Ott comes to play every night.

  Miller has been outstanding for the Sabres this year and will be a nice addition, but the combo of Halak and Elliot have been more than capable for the Western conferences second or third best club. Personally I do not see him being that big of an upgrade. A little but not a lot.

  Overall I think the Hawks are still the team to beat in the West, but the Blues, more with Ott than with Miller are a step closer.

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I asked this question in the shoutbox.  So does this make a the Blues a legit contender coming out of the the Western Coference.  One would think with the big "4" are the Hawks / Blues / Ducks / Sharks in that order. 

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Yes it does.  And I say the Blues will win the Cup.  Steve Ott is not small potatoes either

 

I won't go that far yet.  After one has to deal with the Hawks and that is no easy feat.  I will say this, with no offense to our Penguin posters, the winner of the Cup this year is again coming out of the Western Conference.  The Pens are banged up and MAF still needs a shrink to get him through the playoffs and I think the Western teams are too fast for the Bruins.  No one else in the East even comes close to smelling the cup this year.

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As for the Penguins...  anybody in the east is toast against them but the Bruins.  For some reason, the Bruins seem to have an inside track on our offense and shut it down in a series, regardless if their inability to stop us game by game in the regular season.  As for the Rangers... what a joke.  For some reason Rick has them as a threat to us, even though we swept them last season and again have a leg up on them this season.  

 

As for the West...  I don't understand why the Ducks don't get more respect.  They're first overall, and Hillier is no joke in the net.  They have all the pieces... just need to make it gel.  This trade definitely makes the Blues a tougher challenge.  Personally I think Miller is an upgrade against Halak, and he may be the goaltender to take them the distance.  Ott is a nice pickup, but they lose skill in Stewart (when he shows up).  Ott plays a different role though, clearly.. so we'll see what really happens real soon I'm thinking.  

 

Bunny be careful what you wish for.  I can tell you first hand you don't want to make too many changes to the team when they're rolling well.  As Iginla, Morrow and Murray how it worked out for them here.  

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@Polaris922

Trixie the Bunny here- "Just don't trade Vladdy Tarasenko!!!! Daddy got me that Lego-looking doll of Vladdy. I don't like it like my Angry Bird, but Vladdy is sooooo cool!!!

Oshie's picture hangs in my bed room. He's kinda useless, but he was fun to watch on the Olympic penalty shots show.

I hope Daddy's Blues get the Cup. Daddy will be very disappointed if they don't win."

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for the last few seasons, all the major pubications and "experts" have made the Blues a top contender for the Cup, but this trade might actually make those predictions look real. I'm not going to jump on the bandwagon of we are cup champions in waiting. any hockey fan will tell you there is still alot of games left, and the playoffs, anything can and will happen. I do however feel alittle more comfortable with our lineup than I did friday afternoon. No disrespect to Halak and elliott and everything they have done here, But, most true cup contenders have a true #1 not a 1a and 1B. Halak and Elliott did some incredible things, but, for the first time in more than a decade, the Blues have a true undisputed #1. and not to forget the incredible bump I expect from Ott. this lineup is pretty scare for all of the NHL, and now to add a true leader and a real hard hat player, this blues team just got even more scary. But, this is all on paper, everyone needs step up and do their job and keep playing. If everyone stays healthy and plays 60 mins every game. I think that the Blues are the team to beat.  LGB!!!!!

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I asked this question in the shoutbox.  So does this make a the Blues a legit contender coming out of the the Western Coference.  One would think with the big "4" are the Hawks / Blues / Ducks / Sharks in that order. 

 

On paper, yeah. They were already a good team and just got better. But the Blues are the Flyers of the West, I'll believe they are contenders when I see it. Not saying it won't happen, I just won't buy into it until it happens.

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IMO, Miller's overrated. Outside of one excellent season, he's been pretty pedestrian. Halak has better regular season and playoff numbers than Miller, and the Sabres got a younger, cheaper, and equally talented goalie.

 

With the 3rd fewest goals against per game in the league, I think St. Louis found a solution to a problem they didn't have.

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Short term the Sabres and Blues deal is probably a win for the Blues.

Miller>Halak

Ott>Stewart

I think the Sabres got as much as they possibly could and did very well getting a first and a third. But what did it mean overall to the Western conference?

I like the acquisition of Ott a LOT from the Blues standpoint, he is a pain in the rear, a faceoff specialist, he can kill penalties and does so much right. Unlike Stewart who has lived in Hitchcock's doghouse for the past several years for inconsistent effort Ott comes to play every night.

Miller has been outstanding for the Sabres this year and will be a nice addition, but the combo of Halak and Elliot have been more than capable for the Western conferences second or third best club. Personally I do not see him being that big of an upgrade. A little but not a lot.

Overall I think the Hawks are still the team to beat in the West, but the Blues, more with Ott than with Miller are a step closer.

I think I agree with all that. I really don't view the Elliot/Halak to Miller change as any more than a wash. Ott is at least a work ethic / effort upgrade over Stewart.

I don't think any of it is enough to change anything regarding the balance of power in the west. Just seems like the whole thing is a horizontal move for the Blues.

Since the players involved are basically a wash (yes, the players going to the blues are better than those coming back, just not enough), Buffalo makes out really well in this getting the picks.

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I asked this question in the shoutbox.  So does this make a the Blues a legit contender coming out of the the Western Coference.  One would think with the big "4" are the Hawks / Blues / Ducks / Sharks in that order. 

I don't know, does this improve the Blues THAT much to change their standing in the west? Really, is Miller that big an upgrade from Halak/Elliot?  Halak's career numbers are similar to Millers. Halak was 2.23 GAA and Elliot is 2.08 for the year. What does Miller have to have for it to be considered an improvement.

 

Usually, when I look at the trade deadline, I look what a team needs like scoring, depth or defense.  And then look at a trade to see if they addressed it.  Was goaltending a need for the Blues with team goaltending at about a 2.15 GAA?

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On paper, yeah. They were already a good team and just got better. But the Blues are the Flyers of the West, I'll believe they are contenders when I see it. Not saying it won't happen, I just won't buy into it until it happens.

Exactly this

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Ott is a nice pickup, but they lose skill in Stewart (when he shows up).

 

In the playoff you need your guys to "show up" Steve Ott does this.

 

They play different positions , but the slight skill drop of is more than made up for by Ott's work ethic.  Ott is a total Hitchcock type player, responsible, high compete level.  To me the Note, got better by a lot because there isn't a question about Stewart and his effort/favor with the coach, they got a guy that will kill penalties, draw penalties, play hard in the greasy areas, chip in with some scoring and gives them some sandpaper. There is plenty of skill in that line up already ,( you ever see Tarasenko handle the puck ?)  Ott or a player like him is more of what they needed. I think this makes them very tough to play against. 

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I think the Blues are better.  Ott gives them some meanness as he will try to goat opponents into taking unnecessary penalties. I think Miller will be a more consistent netminder than Halak.  

 

What I also think is significant is the enthusiasm and leadership both Miller and Ott bring to the Blues.  

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Agree with the comments about Ott.  Stewart's skill would be missed if he were more consistent.  But as it stands, the Blues got a tough emotionally charged leader, who sacrifices everything for his squad.  

 

As for Miller... he's on par with Halak with a much weaker team.  I think playing behind the Blues' defense and backchecking, the style of Hitchcock...  I think he's going to excel in St. Louis.  Remember, Miller's numbers were where they were behind a horrible team.  Now, the shot angles, scoring chances, total number of shots, breakaways and two on ones will drop significantly.  Is he a goaltender who needs a lot of action to thrive?  Or will the team GAA take a nose dive and make this the team to beat?  I'll be watching to find out.  

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@Hockey Junkie

It is always mind blowing when a great player gets traded. My first full winter in America and Mike Liut was traded. Then many inexplicable trades. Most of my favourite players on the Blues were traded so that they could have a chance to win a Cup. I remember when Keith Tkachuk was traded in a rental situation to Atlanta literally for a playoff run. Then he re-signed in St. Louis in July!!!

Halak was playing more than Elliot at times, Elliot would get a couple of games in a row. Being that Halak and Miller are in similar places in contracts, it could be that Miller and Halak are late season rentals.

Since Halak and Elliot neither one were worth a spit versus the West Coast, it made sense to make a move in net. 15 years ago, there was a dearth of talented goalies, and the Blues seemed to be a goal tender away from a Cup. There are more talented net minders than in years past, for certain. This year, I am still uncertain that we have the right mix. Oshie needs to be traded for a game breaker, IMO.

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  I can imagine how upset Halak owners are in fantasy hockey....lol. The go to bed and have a top goalie on a top team, wake up and they have a bottom trolling goalie with a horrible defense around him. Even worse, most Halak owners had Elliot handcuffed to him,  as they played a 60/40 split....now Miller will probably hog up most of the remaining games, except maybe the tough back to backs.....so both goalies are basically rendered useless. That would SUCK!!

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