yave1964 Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 PRESEASON OUTLOOK: A solid season last year ended with a thud, Ryan Miller came over from Buffalo to be the final piece and was rotten, the Blues were quickly dispatched by the Hawks and they determined to not allow it to happen this year. FINAL RECORD: 51-24-7 109 points tied for best record in the West HIGH POINT OF THE YEAR: Winning the division meant that they would not face the Hawks in first round which was a goal. After a bit of a sluggish start the team beginning on October 25th against the Hawks went on a tear, winning seven in a row and ten of eleven and never looking back. LOW POINT OF THE YEAR: Obviously another first round knockout, this time by the wildcard winning Minnesota Wild. During the regular season, Elliot was out in December and Marty Brodeur was painful to watch, as the Blues from December 20th til January 2nd lost six of seven before Marty went to the pressbox and Elliott went back between the pipes. WHAT WENT RIGHT: Vladimir Taresenko (37-36-73) established himself as a superstar, alongside linemates Jaden Schwartz (28-35-63) and Jori Lehtera who came over from the KHL. Alex Steen proved that the previous season was not a fluke. David Backes was tremendous. On the back end, Kevin Shattenkirk was a tremendous force before being injured and Alex Pietrangelo was not quite as good as the previous year but still solid. Dmitrij Jaskin showed breakaway speed and some nifty moves in limited ice time. Allen and Elliott put up solid numbers. WHAT WENT WRONG: Brodeur was a failed experiment that ended quickly. Berglund continues to erode quickly, failing to live up to his early promise. The deadline trades for Michalek, Bortuzzo, and Jokinen did nothing for the team, all were non factors. Steve Ott is at the absolute end of his career. Paul Stastny did not live up to his big contract. And Allen got every start over Elliott in the series against the Wild, first Elliott lost the playoff nod to veteran Miller and now to the kid Allen, here is a player who simply has to move on, his coach has proven to have zero confidence in him. STRANGE STAT OF THE YEAR: Actually years. Over the past two years the Blues have had 109 or more points both years and did not make it out of the first round, the first team ever to have that type of record back to back years and lose in the quarterfinal both times. UFAs:Chris ButlerJackmanJokinenMichalek UPCOMING PROSPECTS FOR 2015-16Jaskin, remember the name, he is going to score 25-30 this coming year after limited ice time this past year.Beyond that not much for the next year or so. Petteri Lindbohm may take a job vacated by Jackman or Michalek as a stay at home d-man. Frankly the Blues cupboards are pretty bare of NHL ready players. OFFSEASON QUESTION MARKS: Now what?? Three straight first round knockouts, where do the Blues go now? Is Hitchcock gone? Elliott? Pietrangelo? Do you stay the course, the team has tremendous talent or do you make a big move to change the culture? Do you hand the reins to Allen or add a veteran goalie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 I just want to say awesome titles to your team reviews yave. This one and Buffalos are my faves so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brelic Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Talented underachievers. A lot like San Jose. It's strange, isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Personally, I think the Blues were the biggest disappointment of this season. I had them as my preseason pick to win the west, and I never really had any reason to change my mind throughout the regular season. We keep hearing in recent years that they've added the last piece they need and that this is the year they make on run. On paper, that has always appeared to be so, but as you point out in the original post, they keep falling flat on their faces in the playoffs. In one respect, I almost feel like last season's first round exit has to be forgiven. That was a series that really looked like it could have been a conference final. But as it keeps happening, I have to ask, what will it take to get them over the hump? I don't know the answer to that. Maybe Hitch needs to go to shake things up. Maybe the Blues should chase Babcock. But then again, is it reasonable to expect that a coaching change is all it will take to take them from first round losers to Cup champions? I see a lot more questions than answers for St. Louis heading into next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 @ScottM The Blues may have to part with prospects/picks/veteran talent in order to shore up the goaltending. Allen is a good young tender, but didn't perform up to par in the playoffs....ditto for Elliott. Seems like something has to be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxpin Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 I have said this before: if you are picking St. Louis you are picking fool's gold. There are some franchises destined to blow up their own success. And the penultimate example of this is the St. Louis Blues. They need to get rid of Ott. He is a loser and has Sabres stench all over him. They need to change their goalies. You can keep Allen under the pretense he's still young, but I'm suspicious of him. Elliot is not a big time goalie. He's a regular season pretender. Hitch has no confidence in him for good reason. He completely stumbled down the stretch and Hitch had no choice. They should have stuck with Halak. They've screwed up two seasons with that idiotic trade for Miller and Ott. I move Hitch out if I'm the Blues. I actually think this is the GM's fault, but he's going nowhere. Neither is the franchise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 @ruxpin Geez, agree with that whole post. " Elliot is not a big time goalie. He's a regular season pretender. Hitch has no confidence in him for good reason. He completely stumbled down the stretch and Hitch had no choice. They should have stuck with Halak. They've screwed up two seasons with that idiotic trade for Miller and Ott. " I especially agree with that statement. Who knows what this franchise would be, or how far they would have went had they just stayed away from God....aka Miller. Had they stuck with Halak, they would have been much better off. I don't think the Islanders would have even got to a Game #7 against the Caps had it not been for the heroic efforts of Halak. For huge chunks of the deciding game #7, Halak worked some serious magic. Inevitably the offense would fail, but Halak did what he is supposed to....hold them close till the Blues offense clicks in....that never transpired. You know, when the Blues got Stasney as a UFA from the Ave's....I thought it would push them over the top, but they needed more help than just him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxpin Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 when the Blues got Stasney as a UFA from the Ave's....I thought it would push them over the top, but they needed more help than just him. I agree with everything. But they need Stastny AND divine intervention. Or voodoo magic. Or a potion of some kind. Look, this is the franchise that made Gretzky look pedestrian, particularly in the playoffs. If you can't do well in the playoffs with Wayne Gretzky, there is something significantly wrong with you. And they wasted Hull and Oates and some fairly decent teams (they were so dumb they didn't bother to tell Hull to just stick his foot in the crease. Works like a charm!). This runs deeper than Armstrong or Hitch. If you don't believe in karma, this is the time to strongly reconsider. No matter who is in charge. No matter who is on the team. They are bound and determined to get in their own way and blow it. I will continue to bet against them every single year. It's easy money (I won $200 on the Wild in the first round. I almost felt like I was stealing it). And I'll continue until proven otherwise. It's going to be awhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxpin Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 The Blues remind me a little of the Habs. On paper, they remind me of the Habs in reverse. The Habs are all goaltending and little offense. The Blues have lousy goaltending and pretty good skaters. In theory, you stick Price on the Blues or put the Blues' skaters on the Habs and you win a Cup (I would recommend the second plan. Anything/anyone IN St. Louis is bound to lose. Someone from the front office would walk into the locker room at the start of the Finals and shoot 11 of them in the leg with a 9 mm). But where I think they are similar is that neither team has that "it" factor. Both have an incredibly strong and hungry fan base. Neither team translates that strength or hunger to the ice. The Blues, in particular, and Habs both lack playoff sandpaper (the Pens are similar in this, IMO). People immediately say "Ott" when I say this, but Ott does not qualify. Being a douche doesn't really translate into playoff leadership or veteran sandpaper (think Geurin. Think Toews. Think Krejci . Think Getzlaf.). Steve Downie, for example, has "douche" sandpaper, but it's not the playoff "Get on my back and follow me. Hey, punk, get out of the way" that the Blues and Habs both lack and which will ultimately cause failure for both teams. Ott is the Blues' Steve Downie. Neither is a winner. Both are losers. So, I'd like to say that if you stuck Price on the Blues they'd win. The knee jerk is "hell yeah!" But I think both teams are ice capades with nets in the playoffs and, even with Price, the Blues, as currently constituted, would ultimately fail. But they'd have a better shot playing in Montreal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 I will continue to bet against them every single year. It's easy money (I won $200 on the Wild in the first round. I almost felt like I was stealing it). And I'll continue until proven otherwise. It's going to be awhile. That's not even counting the fact that junkie likes them, that alone makes the Blues a guaranteed source of money until he jumps off the wagon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 @ruxpin The Blues, in particular, and Habs both lack playoff sandpaper ( I agree with the Blues missing some grit...but the Habs, they are knee deep in players with gusto. You have Brendan Gallagher, Brandon Prust, Dale Weise, De La Rose, Subban, Manny Malholtra, Devante Smith-Pelle.....in fact the Habs have more tough grit guys than the usual collection of soft Euro's.....they have done a really nice job of adding toughness, drafting it, UFA signings, trades....you can tell they have made a real effort to bulk up and take no bull crap from anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxpin Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 @ruxpin I agree with the Blues missing some grit...but the Habs, they are knee deep in players with gusto. You have Brendan Gallagher, Brandon Prust, Dale Weise, De La Rose, Subban, Manny Malholtra, Devante Smith-Pelle.....in fact the Habs have more tough grit guys than the usual collection of soft Euro's.....they have done a really nice job of adding toughness, drafting it, UFA signings, trades....you can tell they have made a real effort to bulk up and take no bull crap from anyone. I would point you to the following as my answer to this regarding the Habs Steve Downie, for example, has "douche" sandpaper, but it's not the playoff "Get on my back and follow me. Hey, punk, get out of the way" that the Blues and Habs both lack and which will ultimately cause failure for both teams. Being a douche doesn't really translate into playoff leadership or veteran sandpaper. I'm personally not sure whether they are veteran playoff leadership sandpaper or douche sandpaper. Ultimately, the Habs will fail. It may be simply not enough offensive talent for the Habs rather than the not enough spinal column for the Blues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Elliot is not a big time goalie. He's a regular season pretender. Don't I know it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stlbluesfan4ever Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 I do agree with most of the sentiments on here, I think the biggest problem is the losing culture, I'm not saying we need to blow everything up, but the core needs a tweaking. We need fresh blood to bring a more optimistic positive hope to the dressing room. However, I think some of that could answered in house, with prospects like Edmundson, lindbohm, the D looks to have some promising new blood. then with forward help in Jaskin and Barbashev and Fabbri returning from their junior teams and look very good to make NHL starts next season. they could be some of a few different prospects ready to stand in and perform. Finally, even though I'm not big on Elliott long term, and I think Allen needs one more season to fully be ready for the Number 1 job. But, i don't see the Note making a move for another keeper since Elliott is signed two more seasons and we have Binnington becoming a strong third goalie canidate, and Husso and Lundstrom in the Blues far long term plans. there is a ton of good prospects all around to bring a new light to this dimming story next season. But the note do need to add a stronger leadership on the ice to keep spirits high. But, I think this team is really at a crossroads with some of their stars and they need to pull the trigger to bring some fresh blood and new attitude to town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagerMeister Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 @yave1964, I appreciate the time you put into making all of these. All of them have been great reviews!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 I will echo Jager's sentiments.....very nice work with the season re-caps! Very accurate and very informative!! Thanks again Yave, we are lucky to have you, bro!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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