Blues fan survey results: Your thoughts on Tarasenko, free agency and more

We had nearly 2,500 responses for our Blues 2022 fan survey, and the results were surprising. One was shocking, especially how close it was.

Should the Blues trade Vladimir Tarasenko or keep him?

I don’t want to spoil the answer, so you’ll have to keep reading the 19-question survey below. Thank you to everyone who participated!

After a second-round loss to Colorado, how confident are you with the organization? (1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest)

That’s pretty much what I expected. You can’t blame the fans for not expressing complete confidence in the Blues despite having won only one playoff series in the past three seasons. But 91% of combined responses picked 4 or 5, so an overwhelming number are happy with the direction of the team.

What is your level of trust in GM Doug Armstrong? (1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest)

I find the answer to question #1 and the answers to #2 and #3 interesting. What this tells me is that while not everyone is completely convinced of the current state of affairs, the majority trust Armstrong to take the necessary steps to fix it.

How Blues GM Doug Armstrong built one of the NHL’s deepest attacking groups on a ‘peloton strength’ mentality.https://t.co/HksD8ZU65z #stlblues

— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) January 13, 2022

What is your level of confidence in coach Craig Berube and his team? (1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest)

As with Armstrong above, although there is some Overall, the responses do not indicate any concerns about Bérubé either. Look at how identical the votes were for Armstrong and Berube. Most people see the general manager and the coach the same way.

What was the main reason for the Blues exiting the playoffs?

I like the honesty here, giving credit to Colorado. I can also understand where those of you who voted for the “wounds” are coming from. We’ll never know, but the second-round series could have gone differently with Jordan Binnington and Torey Krug healthy.

Should the Blues keep Vladimir Tarasenko or trade him?

Wow, just wow! The individual votes actually broke down as follows: 1,179 dungeons and 1,178 trades. After the year Tarasenko has had, it’s more than surprising to me. It’s shocking. I realize his value is high, but I thought more of you would still want to hold on to him.

Should the Blues re-sign pending UFA David Perron?

This one tells me that most of you think Perron still has a lot to do. A total of 97% of responses agree that he should be re-signed for at least two years, and the difference in opinion on whether it should be two or three years is likely based on a Affordable AAV.

Ryan O’Reilly has one year left on his contract. Should the Blues re-sign the 31-year-old captain before the season, and if so, for how long?

Many fans want the Blues to extend O’Reilly, and the majority are in favor of him getting a three-year deal. He will be 32 when a new deal kicks in, which would take him to 35. Perhaps thinking that it could slow down, 14.3% want to wait before making this commitment.

What is the Blues’ most pressing need on the ice?

The top-four defenseman is the same pick fans made last summer, but it’s even more decisive this year. Fans aren’t confident with the Blues’ inside options, and they agree that an upgrade there is much more important on the blue line than goalie and fourth line.

If the Blues could acquire a top-four defender, which of these four options do you prefer for the way they do it?

Again, I’m surprised, but after Tarasenko’s previous question, this answer hits the nail on the head. The Blues could bring in a defenseman without losing Perron and they could maybe hang on to Jake Neighbors and Zachary Bolduc. If it’s not Tarasenko, however, parting ways with one of the prospects seems like the next best option.

How confident are you in Jordan Binnington’s return as a starting goaltender after his superb playoff performance? (1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest)

If we had taken that vote before the playoffs, the results would have been very different. But Binnington showed something in the playoffs and brought fans back to his side. Not all of them, but 4 and 5 at 60.5% are much prettier than they could have been.

Should the Blues trade Binnington and re-sign Ville Husso as a starter?

I’m curious if this result is more about fans’ faith in Binnington or the loss of faith in Husso after the playoffs. If Husso had done well in the playoffs — which probably means Binnington wouldn’t have played — we might have seen those numbers reversed.

If Binnington is the starter and Husso leaves via free agency, should the Blues re-sign Charlie Lindgren as a replacement?

Chuckie, that’s it! Considering his cult following in St. Louis after going 5-0 with the Blues this season, I thought there might have been even more votes for him. He started just 29 games in the NHL, leading some fans to want a more experienced option.

Do you think Neighbors will make the Blues’ opening roster?

If I had to guess, Neighbors will be on the Blues’ 2022-23 opening night roster, and depending on the returning forwards, he could be in the top nine. But if he’s not, there’s nothing wrong with starting on the fourth line, since 48.6% voted.

Who is the Blues’ best prospect not currently on the list?

Fans got to see Neighbors last year and didn’t see Bolduc. Additionally, Neighbors returned to junior hockey and led his team to the Western Hockey League championship. Bolduc has 55 goals and 99 points in 65 junior games, but he’s still an unknown at this point.

What should the Blues do with their first-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft (No. 23)?

The majority followed the same line of thinking as NHL teams, taking the best player available. With Neighbors and Bolduc at the top of the prospect list, it makes sense that more of you would pick a defender over a forward. Others agree to trade the choice.

Is the Blues’ Stanley Cup window still open, and if so, for how long?

With the age of the main players, one or two years seems fair. Anything three and older is a little optimistic unless there’s work on the list. It’s so hard to win a Stanley Cup, so the 14.8% who don’t expect to have one in the next five years might also be right.

If Colorado wins the Stanley Cup, does that reassure you of the Blues’ six-game loss in their second-round series against the Avs?

When I asked this question, I thought nothing would change most people’s minds. So I’m a little surprised that 48.1% admitted they would feel better if the Avalanche won. Good for the 51.9%, who don’t care about Avs or whose emotions are unchanged.

Would you rather Armstrong have an active offseason — perhaps including a major move — or keep the roster fairly intact?

I’m old enough to remember when fans wanted a major change every offseason. I see a majority still want an active summer, but it’s quite telling that after a second-round loss to a team that won’t go anywhere next season, 40% are accepting the status quo.

Which of these scenarios do you think is most likely to happen this offseason?

There you go: 55.5% think it will be a status quo summer. Of the potential moves, 24.4% think a deal for Jakob Chychrun is a possibility, and far more than Matthew Tkachuk sleeping in his own bed in St. Louis at the start of the season.

(Photo: Isaiah J. Downing/USA Today)