It seemed almost certain that Alex Pietrangelo would be traded last December when the St. Louis Blues were in the NHL's basement. As we know now, St. Louis opted against a rebuild and, after a turnaround for the ages, Pietrangelo became the first player in franchise history to hoist the Stanley Cup. Since then, most thought he was going to remain a Blue for life.
However, St. Louis traded for blue-liner Justin Faulk on Tuesday, which suddenly makes Pietrangelo's future unclear.
The Blues sent defenseman Joel Edmundson, former first-rounder Dominik Bokk, and a seventh-round pick to the Carolina Hurricanes for Faulk and a fifth-rounder. The Blues then signed Faulk, who was set to hit unrestricted free agency next summer, to a seven-year extension carrying a $6.5-million cap hit.
Meanwhile, Pietrangelo is entering the final year of his deal, which similarly carries a $6.5-million cap hit. The Blues also have Colton Parayko signed for three more years at $5.5 million per season. To further complicate matters, all three are right-handed.
Blues general manager Doug Armstrong actually didn't give up too much for a top-four defenseman like Faulk, but the fit remains curious. Here's how St. Louis' defense projects for this season:
LD
RD
Vince Dunn
Alex Pietrangelo
Jay Bouwmeester
Colton Parayko
Carl Gunnarsson
Justin Faulk
Robert Bortuzzo
For one season, this arrangement is fine; long term, however, it probably isn't. Faulk wasn't brought in to be a third-pairing defenseman for the next eight years.
If Pietrangelo re-signs with the Blues, it would likely require a cap hit of at least $8 million, and that's a conservative estimate.
In this case, the Blues would be allotting over $20 million to the right side of their blue line, leaving limited cash for the left. This is not ideal, especially considering Vince Dunn's entry-level contract expires after the upcoming campaign and versatile forward Brayden Schenn is in the last year of his deal.
It's possible Pietrangelo, Parayko, or Faulk could play on their weak side, but that would fail to maximize their true value as right-handed defensemen, who are a prized commodity in today's game.
Furthermore, consider this: head coach Craig Berube opted to scratch right-handed defenseman Robert Bortuzzo in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final so workhorses Pietrangelo and Parayko could essentially play half the game each, with four left-handers rotating in beside the two.
If Pietrangelo is re-signed, it could open the door for a Parayko trade. If he isn't re-signed, would the Blues consider trading their leader before the deadline? Dealing the captain of the defending Stanley Cup champions would be unheard-of, but it'd be better than letting him walk in free agency for nothing.
It's unclear what the future holds for St. Louis' blue line, but it's possible Armstrong has another move up his sleeve.
Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews is facing a disorderly conduct charge stemming from a May 26 incident in his hometown of Scottsdale, Arizona.
"The Toronto Maple Leafs are aware of the complaint of disturbing the peace against forward Auston Matthews," the club said in a statement. "Auston is cooperating fully with the relevant authorities but neither he nor the Club will comment any further out of respect for the process involved."
A security guard at a condo complex in Scottsdale filed the complaint, stating Matthews and a group of males tried to open her vehicle at 2 a.m as she sat inside doing paperwork, according to a police report obtained by CBC.
The complainant said she exited her car to confront Matthews, who appeared to be intoxicated. She added that Matthews told her he thought it would be funny to see how she would respond.
According to the report, Matthews dropped his pants, bent over, and grabbed his buttocks as he walked away. The complainant said he seemed to keep his underwear on.
The report states a surveillance video captured a male subject walking toward the elevators with his pants around his ankles.
Matthews was not arrested. He has a pretrial conference Wednesday morning but is not required to appear in court.
The 22-year-old is the Leafs' highest-paid player and is widely expected to be named the franchise's next captain.
The Central Division is widely considered to be the best in the NHL, as five of the top 12 teams favored to win the 2019-20 Stanley Cup hail from it.
And it's next up in this series, in which I dive deep into team schedules to identify the best spot to bet against every club this season.
Chicago Blackhawks
Date: Jan. 2, at Vancouver
Congratulations to the Blackhawks, who get to bring in the new year in the fifth- and sixth-most livable cities in the world. After spending Dec. 31 in Calgary, they'll fly to Vancouver for a date with the Canucks. That game is the last in their holiday road trip, and all they'll care about by that point is catching their flight after the showdown. The Blackhawks are 3-11 on the road the last two seasons against Canada's Western Conference teams.
Colorado Avalanche
Date: Oct. 25, at Vegas
If you've been following this series then you already know extensively about the "Vegas Flu." And it's amplified when a team has three full days off before a road game against the Golden Knights. The Avalanche conclude an early six-game road trip in Vegas, after what is sure to be a night or two of fun in Sin City for one of the league's youngest teams. Over the last three seasons, teams are 17-38 (30.9%) in the finale of a six-game road trip. I'd confidently tick that win percentage down even further given the circumstances.
Dallas Stars
Date: April 2, at San Jose
Playing five games in seven nights is tough. Playing five games in seven nights near the end of an 82-game season is brutal. That's the task at hand for the Stars toward the end of the campaign, as they have two back-to-backs in a week, with plenty of travel mixed in. Here's the seven-day forecast: The Stars fly to Chicago, back to Dallas for a game the next night, have a day off, host the Canucks, have another day off, fly to Anaheim, and then play in San Jose the next night. That's a lot of Air Miles to collect in a week. Jim Montgomery better hope his club has a playoff spot locked in by the time it makes the trip to Northern Cali.
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Minnesota Wild
Date: Feb. 1, vs. Boston
The NHL typically does its best to match up teams coming off bye weeks. It takes a few periods to shake the rust off after a nine-day break in the middle of the season. The Wild will be at a significant disadvantage in their first game back from their vacation when they take on a Boston Bruins team that has a game the night before to get back into rhythm. The back-to-back shouldn't hurt the Bruins, either, considering they'll be rested following their own hiatus.
Nashville Predators
Date: Feb. 22, vs. Columbus
The Predators were 0-5 in the second half of last season in the latter contest of a back-to-back. They face a daunting travel schedule in early February that will take them from Nashville to Winnipeg before trips to Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, back home, and St. Louis, all concluding with a stop back in Nashville for a second game against the Blues in as many nights. Later that week, one day after an away contest in Chicago, the Predators return home to host the Columbus Blue Jackets. A second back-to-back in a week - coming off a brutal travel schedule - is as good a spot as any to fade a club.
Fun fact: The Preds play only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays in October. They don't have a single game on any other night.
St. Louis Blues
Date: Jan. 18, at Colorado
Apparently, one of the perks of being the Stanley Cup champions is a favorable schedule the following season. The Blues have the most games in the NHL this season with at least one day of rest before. Do you know what's not great, though? St. Louis has a five-game homestand leading up to its bye week, but before it can officially coast into that mini-vacation, the Blues have to leave home for Colorado for a night. Where will their minds be during a Saturday matinee against the Avalanche, which will be followed by a flight home to enjoy eight days off? Not at the rink, I'm betting.
Winnipeg Jets
Date: Oct. 8, at Pittsburgh
The Jets need all the help they can get early in the season, as they deal with the distraction of unsigned forwards Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor and the uncertain future surrounding defensive leader Dustin Byfuglien. Opening the season with four consecutive road games won't help. Winnipeg will be itching to get home by the time its East Coast trip concludes in Pittsburgh. The Jets have lost all nine of their games in Pittsburgh since relocating to Winnipeg, and they've lost 18 in a row there dating back to their days as the Atlanta Thrashers. The franchise's last win in the Steel City came in December 2006, when Vyacheslav Kozlov and Bobby Holik scored late to clinch the victory. Talk about a throwback.
Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.
Green added Tuesday that Canucks defenseman Oscar Fantenberg was also in concussion protocol. Senators forward Jordan Szwarz was ejected for his role in hitting Fantenberg during the contest.
Boeser stayed in the game, finishing with three assists and five shots on goal.
The 22-year-old winger recently re-signed with the Canucks as a restricted free agent, inking a three-year deal with an average annual value of $5.875 million on Sept. 16.
He produced 26 goals and 56 points in 69 games last season. It was his second campaign with Vancouver, which drafted him 23rd overall in 2015.
Heading into the 2019-20 regular season, theScore's Mike Dickson, Josh Gold-Smith, John Matisz, Sean O'Leary, Matt Teague, and Josh Wegman make their picks for division winners, and the Stanley Cup Final.
Atlantic Division
Scott Audette / Getty Images
Editor
Pick
Dickson
Lightning
Gold-Smith
Lightning
Matisz
Lightning
O'Leary
Lightning
Teague
Lightning
Wegman
Lightning
A sweep at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the opening round of the 2019 playoffs doesn't change the fact that the Tampa Bay Lightning remain the class of the Atlantic. The division's theirs to lose, and we don't think they're losing.
Metropolitan Division
Patrick McDermott / National Hockey League / Getty
Editor
Pick
Dickson
Devils
Gold-Smith
Capitals
Matisz
Capitals
O'Leary
Hurricanes
Teague
Capitals
Wegman
Hurricanes
The Washington Capitals are looking to make it five straight division titles, but we're anticipating some heavy competition for the Metro crown. A Hurricanes division victory would be Carolina's first since 2006, when it played in what was then the Southeast Division.
Central Division
John Russell / National Hockey League / Getty
Editor
Pick
Dickson
Avalanche
Gold-Smith
Predators
Matisz
Stars
O'Leary
Predators
Teague
Predators
Wegman
Predators
The Nashville Predators remain the division favorites, and it's important to note that there's little Central love for the defending Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues.
Pacific Division
Dave Sandford / National Hockey League / Getty
Editor
Pick
Dickson
Sharks
Gold-Smith
Flames
Matisz
Golden Knights
O'Leary
Golden Knights
Teague
Sharks
Wegman
Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights slipped to third in the Pacific after their dream rookie season, but we're bullish on a rebound in 2019-20.
Stanley Cup Final
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Editor
Pick
Dickson
Predators over Capitals
Gold-Smith
Lightning over Predators
Matisz
Lightning over Stars
O'Leary
Golden Knights over Lightning
Teague
Lightning over Predators
Wegman
Lightning over Avalanche
We have Jon Cooper's Lightning headed back to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020 (for the most part), and believe that the club has learned all of its requisite lessons from losing. It's Tampa Bay's time.
