Headlines

  • New Jersey Devils Fire John Hynes
  • Devils Listening To Trade Offers For Taylor Hall
  • Bill Peters No Longer Head Coach Of Calgary Flames
  • Boston Bruins Extend Charlie Coyle, Chris Wagner
  • Toronto Maple Leafs Fire Mike Babcock
  • Predators Sign Austin Watson To A Three-Year Extension
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • MLB Trade Rumors
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors

Pro Hockey Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • Atlantic
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Central
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Dallas Stars
      • Minnesota Wild
      • Nashville Predators
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • Metropolitan
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Pacific
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Partners
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Tyler Wotherspoon

2018-19 Season Primer: St. Louis Blues

September 9, 2018 at 2:59 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 1 Comment

With the NHL season now just a month away, it’s time to look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come. Today, we focus on the St. Louis Blues.

Last Season: 44-32-6 record (94 points), fifth in the Central Division (failed to reach the playoffs)

Remaining Cap Space: $284,845 per CapFriendly

Key Additions: F Ryan O’Reilly (trade, Buffalo Sabres); F Tyler Bozak (free agent, Toronto Maple Leafs); F David Perron (free agent, Vegas Golden Knights); F Patrick Maroon (free agent, New Jersey Devils); G Chad Johnson (free agent, Buffalo Sabres); F Brian Flynn (free agent, Dallas Stars); D Tyler Wotherspoon (free agent, Calgary Flames); F Jordan Nolan (free agent, Buffalo Sabres)

Key Departures: F Kyle Brodziak (free agent, Edmonton Oilers); G Carter Hutton (free agent, Buffalo Sabres); F Patrik Berglund (trade, Buffalo Sabres); F Vladimir Sobotka (trade, Buffalo Sabres); F Tage Thompson (trade, Buffalo Sabres); F Wade Megan (free agent, Detroit Red Wings); F Beau Bennett (free agent, Dinamo Minsk (KHL)); Petteri Lindbohm (free agent, Laussane (Swiss League))

[Related: Blues Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Player To Watch: G Jake Allen — The team has upgraded its offense, already had a solid defense and has several of their top prospects banging on its door, hoping to get into their rotation this year. What they didn’t do much with is their goaltending. Allen, once considered the franchise goalie, has now struggled for more than a full season, but with three years at $4.35MM per season still on the books, he’s not going anywhere this year.

The 28-year-old netminder struggled down the stretch during the 2016-17 season, but his consistency got even worse last year when he posted a .906 save percentage and a 2.75 GAA in 59 games. The team was forced to use Hutton on many occasions to replace the struggling goaltender. In hopes of redeeming his job, Allen has said that he has changed some of his training methods this summer and hopes to come into camp and prove that he is the starting goaltender.

The team had better hope that he can, because the team lost Hutton to the Buffalo Sabres in the offseason and replaced him with Johnson, who struggled in a one-year stint in Buffalo, albeit behind an atrocious defense. The team does have prospect Ville Husso waiting in the AHL, but many believe he still needs at least one year of seasoning there before he can challenge Allen for his job.

Key Storyline: The offense has been thoroughly upgraded in the last few months and it will be up to the team to find a way to gel and make it work. One key story will be whether they can get the breakout performance that everyone in the NHL has been waiting for from Vladimir Tarasenko. The winger posted three impressive seasons coming into last year, including a 37, 40, 39-goal seasons. However, while the 26-year-old still had a solid season last year, his 33 goals was a disappointment for a player who many felt was closer to a 40-goal scorer than a 30-point scorer.

One possibility to Tarasenko’s season could come down to the addition of O’Reilly. Adding a top-line center will be critical and if the two can co-exist, then you might see the development of a superstar as Tarasenko and Paul Stastny had limited chemistry together. There is also a likelihood that Maroon, who played together with Connor McDavid in Edmonton for a while, could add his physicality to that first line and give Tarasenko an even better chance to have a big season.

Overall Outlook: Looking at the massive changes to the team, especially at the forward position means the team expects to win now. The franchise has put a lot of expectations on head coach Mike Yeo and the team as they are expected to not just make the playoffs, but compete for the Central Division title. That’s a tough chore for any Central Division team if you assume that the Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets will likely assume the first two spots in the division. That leaves just two playoffs spots for the rest of the division that includes the Minnesota Wild, who have been to the playoffs for six straight years, an improving Dallas Stars team, a young impressive Colorado Avalanche franchise and the Chicago Blackhawks who are trying to prove that their run isn’t over just yet. If the team fails to impress early on, that could put Yeo on the hot seat.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Beau Bennett| Buffalo Sabres| Calgary Flames| Carter Hutton| Chad Johnson| Chicago Blackhawks| Colorado Avalanche| Connor McDavid| Dallas Stars| David Perron| Detroit Red Wings| Edmonton Oilers| Jake Allen| Jordan Nolan| Kyle Brodziak| Mike Yeo| Minnesota Wild| Nashville Predators| New Jersey Devils| NHL| Patrick Maroon| Patrik Berglund| Paul Stastny| Prospects| Season Previews 2018-19| St. Louis Blues| Toronto Maple Leafs| Tyler Wotherspoon| Vegas Golden Knights| Ville Husso| Vladimir Sobotka| Vladimir Tarasenko| Wade Megan| Winnipeg Jets

1 comment

St. Louis Blues AddTyler Wotherspoon, Brian Flynn

July 1, 2018 at 2:10 pm CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

The St. Louis Blues are getting some extra help in their own zone. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that the team has signed defenseman Tyler Wotherspoon to a one-year, two-way contract. Wotherspoon is set to make $700K at the NHL level, with $400K guaranteed. The team has also signed forward Brian Flynn according to Bob McKenzie of TSN, inking a one-year two-way deal worth $650K in the NHL.

St. Louis Blues| Tyler Wotherspoon

0 comments

Tyler Wotherspoon Signs With Calgary Flames

September 5, 2017 at 1:12 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Calgary Flames have locked up one of their two remaining restricted free agents, inking Tyler Wotherspoon to a one-year, two-way contract worth $650K at the NHL level. The team now has just Sam Bennett left to sign, with the latest report indicating that there is still quite a gap between the two sides.

Wotherspoon played just four games for the Flames last season has yet to reach his second-round draft potential, but remains an interesting young option for the team. In 30 career NHL games he has just five points, but has proven himself a capable two-way player in the AHL. The 24-year old defenseman gives the Flames some nice depth behind a defense corps that should be among the best in the NHL.

There is still a chance that Wotherspoon cracks the roster out of camp, but at this point it seems more likely that Brett Kulak and Matt Bartkowski will fight for the final spot next to Michael Stone, sending Wotherspoon back to Stockton this year. Should he falter at the AHL level the Flames have several prospects ready to jump over him on the depth chart, making this a very important year for the young defender.

Calgary Flames| Tyler Wotherspoon

0 comments
    Top Stories

    New Jersey Devils Fire John Hynes

    Devils Listening To Trade Offers For Taylor Hall

    Bill Peters No Longer Head Coach Of Calgary Flames

    Boston Bruins Extend Charlie Coyle, Chris Wagner

    Toronto Maple Leafs Fire Mike Babcock

    Predators Sign Austin Watson To A Three-Year Extension

    Nashville Predators Extend Roman Josi

    Detroit Red Wings Acquire Brendan Perlini

    Vladimir Tarasenko To Undergo Shoulder Surgery

    Anaheim Ducks Acquire Erik Gudbranson

    Recent

    Sizing Up The Backup Goalie Trade Market

    Injury Updates: Sutter, Daley, Johnson, Myers

    What Your Team Is Thankful For: Columbus Blue Jackets

    USA Hockey Announces Preliminary WJC Roster

    Submit Your Questions For The #PHRMailbag

    Snapshots: Three Stars, Lemieux, Makar

    Boston Bruins Waive Steven Kampfer

    Joe Veleno To Play For Team Canada

    Madison Bowey Placed On Waivers

    Travis Konecny Out Indefinitely With Concussion

    Rumors By Team

    Rumors By Team

    • Avalanche Rumors
    • Blackhawks Rumors
    • Blue Jackets Rumors
    • Blues Rumors
    • Bruins Rumors
    • Canadiens Rumors
    • Canucks Rumors
    • Capitals Rumors
    • Coyotes Rumors
    • Devils Rumors
    • Ducks Rumors
    • Flames Rumors
    • Flyers Rumors
    • Golden Knights Rumors
    • Hurricanes Rumors
    • Islanders Rumors
    • Jets Rumors
    • Kings Rumors
    • Lightning Rumors
    • Maple Leafs Rumors
    • Oilers Rumors
    • Panthers Rumors
    • Penguins Rumors
    • Predators Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Red Wings Rumors
    • Sabres Rumors
    • Senators Rumors
    • Sharks Rumors
    • Stars Rumors
    • Wild Rumors

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives

    PHR Info

    • About
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

    scroll to top
    Close

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version