In this video, I contrast the respective approaches taken by the St. Louis Cardinals and the St. Louis Blues and how each organization has handled a so-called retool, reset, or soft-rebuild situation. Blues GM Doug Armstrong didn't hesitate to offload pending free agents -- big-name players, popular players -- to enhance the Blues' future and shorten the franchise's downturn while he went into action to replenish the young-talent supply.

Armstrong didn't hesitate to go get the best coach he could hire once that coach (Jim Montgomery) became available. The Cardinals have preferred to stay with manager Oli Marmol and gave him a two-year contract extension when they didn't have to. Armstrong: aggressive and opportunistic. Mozeliak? Not so much. Not yet, anyway, in the planning for 2025.