Blues Clues: My thoughts on the Blues so far

[yave1964]

So far this season, here are my thoughts on the Blues. Dedicated to Bunnyman.

 

I have only watched three or four Blues games so far this season, I have less interest in the club with the Wings now in the East and the only Blue I have on fantasy is Pietrangelo (Who I always try to get) so they have been a bit under my radar. Watching the highlights every morning, and from what I have read, here is what I got:

 

  Halak and Elliott are an absolutely amazing duo, seemingly ego free, both under paid, one pushes the other, Jake Allen (Who I don't like, I think last year was a fluke- see Cam Talbot) is buried behind these two, the tandem is as good as any goalie in the game. They feed off and compliment each other so well, Hitchcock shows his genius with what he gets out of these two castoffs from other organizations.

 

  I have been considering the start by Alexander Steen to be a fluke but it is becoming a long running fluke. 22 goals in 30 games in his option year. Chaching!!

  David Backes is on the short list of players I would want to start a team with. He plays a team game that is based off sacrifice and winning as a team, he reminds me more and more of Yzerman with his team first concept.

  My favorite Blue is Vladimir Sobotka. Love those third and fourth line grinders who get under the other teams skin and never get the press they deserve. This guy plays the tough minutes against other teams top scoring lines and shuts them down, he is a plus 7 and 15 points in 30 games, has started adding a scoring element to his game.

  Love Derek Roy on your club, he is a power play God, Hitch is using him right. I don't think much of Taresenko, the few times I have watched him he looks lost. Chris Stewart and Patrik Berglund have been maddeningly inconsistent but that is who they are, they will get theirs by the end of the season.

  Pietrangelo is one of my favorites, he is IMHO the most underrated player in hockey today-bar none. So skilled and gracefully quick, he reminds me of a young Lidstrom, never gets the press because he is quiet, unlike a Subban who never shuts up or Suter who signs a 90 million dollar contract. Pietrangelo is just a hockey player.

  Paajarvi for Perron was hideous, just down right bad. Paajarvi has shown absolutely nothing this year.

  A side note, I hate Barrett Jackman with his unibrow and crow magnum forehead. He stole the Rookie of the year from Zetterberg in 2003 and I have never liked him for the past decade and never will.

  So many non star players excelling in their assigned roles. Shatty, Bouwmeester, Oshie all having clearly defined roles and playing well. This kid Schwartz playing over his head. I am telling you Hitch may not be the best coach in the game but he is on the short list.

 

  So there you go Bunny, my take on the Blues. Great organization, still a bit underfinanced but well put together built around their coach. I see them as a dark horse for the Stanley Cup, behind at least the Hawks and Kings, and possibly a few others, but you cannot count them out. A dangerous club, a few years ago they beat you 1-0 or 2-1 every game, boring as watching paint dry. Now they are third in the league in goals and third in the league in goals against with a league leading plus 36 goal differential. Dangerous bunch.

[bunnyman]

Interesting take.

Now I'm a fan of Jackman, but hate Zetterberg; however, I know I would love Zetterberg on my team and would hate Jackman on any other team...

I just have no faith in my boys in Blue due to their poor play against the teams in the West.