Singing the Blues?

[yave1964]

My take on the 2013-14 St. Louis Blues

Good team. Not really a contender unless the two or three real Western division powerhouses knock each other out and/or run across an extraordinary bad run of luck. Not a bad team though.

And that is who the Blues are and always have been. Even as an expansion team they made it to three consecutive Stanley Cup finals under Scotty Bowman representing the Western conference AKA the six new expansion team. But nobody for a minute believed they were really contenders.

Over the years they drafted Bernie Federko, traded for Adam Oates acquired Shanahan Brett hull and then Wayne himself, but they were always just a nice playoff team, a tough out. Coach too nice> Bring in Keenan!! Oh that didn't work. Second fiddle to the Cardinals in their city, way, way second fiddle.

So now with guys like Backes, Oshie and Stewart up front and Pietrangelo and Shatty on the blue line, and Elliott splitting time in net with Halak what are they? A nice playoff team that you can tip your hat to and say good ob, tough out, congrats on a solid season. Year after year, meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

What would you rather have? A team like say, the Hurricanes who can go deep in the playoffs some years, make the finals a few times and ever stumble their way to a Stanley cup every now and hen, but in the odd years be pedestrian and irrelevant, or would you rather have a consistent always the bridesmaid never the bride always good never great never bad club like the Blues?

Oh, I know post lockout (1) the Blues struggled for a few years post Pronger, but they righted themselves and are back to being what they always will be, a team that make you believe and year after year after decade after nearly half a century continue to get exposed come post season. Guys like Pronger and MacInnis came to town to win a cup. They left empty handed too.

I don't see the team as presently constituted being any different, no better or worse than any other Blues club of the past forty five plus years. Same ol' Same ol.

[goalnut3133]

@yave1964 I know what you mean. There was a time that whenever we played them in the 1st or 2nd round, it was a sure thing that we'd knock them out...yes, even us! But I think they're improving...tho' vs. us is not sayin' much. I've always liked Halak & was sorry to see him leave Montreal. They've also just re-signed RFA Goalie Jake Allen to a 2-yr contract, 2-way in first yr, 1-way in 2nd yr. So will be interesting to see what happens in net there.

[hf101]

It almost seems like this season is a bit of a transition year for the Blues. Their roster will be without McDonald and Perron, both go-too guys "when healthy". I guess Roy replaces some of that loss and I'm expecting another solid year for Tarasenko. However to be a condender they need more upfront. Just not sure who that will be? Defensively I think they are sound. And I still think we will see Halak traded this season as Jake Allen just signed a 2 year deal.