2017-2018 Blues Discussion Thread Part Three

[simon IC]

Given the amount of hope we are placing in the future and the development of prospects, who here thinks Yeo is the man for that job?

On the other hand, I can't root for the Blues to lose and miss the playoffs, and if they stay in he definitely keeps his job.

!@$#%^ Blues. Didn't like the Yeo hire to start.

I would like to say I was against hiring Yeo, but the truth is I was more pessimistic and hesitant. I thought he deserved a chance. In retrospect I should have gone with my gut. He is not the right man for the job. Unfortunately, we are stuck with him, because it would look unfair for DA to fire him now, as he is on the 1st year of contract and has had a nightmare of injuries to contend with. Despite this, I have absolutely no faith in Mike Yeo whatsoever, even if we make the playoffs. I was one of the 1st on here to call for his dismissal and I stand by it.

 

[TheBluePenguin]

I had a guy at work the other day tell me we have to finish in the bottom ten to keep our pick, I was under the impression that if our lotto ball was picked and that moved us into the top ten we would still keep the pick? I was saying that was our only shot to keep the pick? Whats the ruling on this

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

I had a guy at work the other day tell me we have to finish in the bottom ten to keep our pick, I was under the impression that if our lotto ball was picked and that moved us into the top ten we would still keep the pick? I was saying that was our only shot to keep the pick? Whats the ruling on this

My understanding is if we're in that 11-15 range, the only way we can go up is if we win a 1-3 spot in the lottery. If by some miracle that happens then we would keep it.

 

[Dbrownss]

The only draft # that matters is the final one. If we go into the lotto with pick 11 and win 1-3, Philly gets the 2019 1st+2020 3rd or 4th...whatever it is

 

[A Real Barn Burner]

The 2019 first is my problem with rooting for a tank this year. I'm Hoping next year will be better. A lot of problems this year was not having a first to go after an upgrade like Hoffman. Eventually leading to the stastny trade to get a first. If the prospects are contributing next year in sure there will be even more reluctance to trade one of the big 4.

If JT does sign here, would like to have that first next year to give us the best chance at winning. Even if an 11-15 pick makes the Schenn deal less apealling. Although signing JT to a huge contract makes me sceptical we would be able to resign Pie, and Scheen let alone Tank and Schwartz down the road. What you gain on the swing you lose on the roundabout.

 

[Mike Liut]

There’s just too much talent on this team for a real tank. Top 10 just isn’t happening

 

[David Dennison]

Yeah we are closer to in the playoffs than a top 10 pick (ignoring the lottery). We are 6 points or more up on 11 teams (many of whom are also tanking), and we play 6 of our final 14 against these teams. So we would need two of NYI, CAR, or CHI to pass us. We are two wins against Colorado out of a playoff spot.

 

[Mike Liut]

The Avs and Stars have a brutal remaining schedule

 

[Stealth JD]

if the Blues can get Eddy back to stabilize the defense, the Blues just may have enough juice left to squeak into the playoffs with nothing to lose. (Maybe with a first round match-up with Vegas)

 

[Thallis]

Seed 7. That's what we want. Just gained 2 points on the Stars.

 

[PiggySmalls]

 

[Vladys Gumption]

I want to see Husso start a game. I know we’re fighting for a playoff spot but at some point you need to see what the kid has.

 

[Captain Creampuff]

I want to see Husso start a game. I know we’re fighting for a playoff spot but at some point you need to see what the kid has.

I would too but they will continue to play Jake because we are fighting for a playoff spot and Jake is supposed to be "the guy". Only reason Husso won't get a start is because of his 0 NHL experience. Which isn't fair because Jake Allen is a Backup/AHL caliber goalie at best.

 

[PiggySmalls]

I absolutely want to see Husso get a start. This weekend against the Rangers would be a perfect opportunity. But I say there is a better chance Yeo goes a whole game without rubbing his eyebrows than starting Husso.

 

[Note Worthy]

I wouldn't argue if Husso got a start but we all know he isn't going to. It will be Jake Allen until the end.

 

[Ranksu]

Sad Blues team stats. This season we're at powerplay 30th spot with 15.0%
Last season Blues were 8th spot with 21.3%

We really need to upgrade our powerplay coach.

 

[Robb_K]

Sad Blues team stats. This season we're at powerplay 30th spot with 15.0%
Last season Blues were 8th spot with 21.3%

We really need to upgrade our powerplay coach.

And that is a severe UNDERSTATEMENT. Yeo should be fired for that - alone!

 

[Ranksu]

And that is a severe UNDERSTATEMENT. Yeo should be fired for that - alone!

Wasn't Brad Shaw our powerplay coach? Tho, Columbus is this year 29th spot at powerplay with 15.2%


Is it really coaching problem?

 

[stl76]

Sad Blues team stats. This season we're at powerplay 30th spot with 15.0%
Last season Blues were 8th spot with 21.3%

We really need to upgrade our powerplay coach.

Blues are at 15% on the PP. They have had 220 PP opportunities. 220 x .15= 33 PP goals scored.

League average PP = 19.94%. If the Blues had a league average PP, they would have theoretically scored (220 x .1994) 43.868 PP goals. That's nearly 11 more goals.

If the Blues' PP wasn't a complete embarrassment, we would most likely be in 3rd place in the central with ~89 standings points.

Whoever is in charge of the Blues' PP this year should not be in charge of it next year. Does anyone know for certain, is Mike Yeo running the Blues' PP this year? Ultimately, as head coach, the responsibility is on Mike Yeo. But does anyone know for certain who is running the Blues' PP?

 

[MacDonald4MVP]

Sad Blues team stats. This season we're at powerplay 30th spot with 15.0%
Last season Blues were 8th spot with 21.3%

We really need to upgrade our powerplay coach.

What is Adam Oates up to nowadays?

 

[PiggySmalls]

What is Adam Oates up to nowadays?

Avoiding Yeo like the plague. Just ask Zach Parise

Mike Yeo on being fired: 'I wasn't prepared for what it would feel like'

 

[PiggySmalls]

Wasn't Brad Shaw our powerplay coach? Tho, Columbus is this year 29th spot at powerplay with 15.2%


Is it really coaching problem?

He just maintained status quo with the scheme that Kirk Muller implemented.

 

[Brian39]

I'm all for getting a new PP coach.

With that said, I think most people here underestimated Shatty's loss for our PP. Our PP% was fine after he left last year, but most the goals we scored were against bad teams. We only scored 1 PP goal against playoff teams after the trade deadline last year and we had the worst PP in the playoffs. For all the "he's just a PP specialist" talk about Shatty, I think we all may have overlooked how valuable that can be. I think the PP structure is a bigger issue than the personnel, but Petro/Parayko/Dunn have not been able to execute as well as Shatty did.

I'm not saying that it was a mistake to trade him or that we should have made an absurd offer to keep him. But I do think that losing him is as big an issue for this season's PP as our overall structure.

 

[stl76]

I'm all for getting a new PP coach.

With that said, I think most people here underestimated Shatty's loss for our PP. Our PP% was fine after he left last year, but most the goals we scored were against bad teams. We only scored 1 PP goal against playoff teams after the trade deadline last year and we had the worst PP in the playoffs. For all the "he's just a PP specialist" talk about Shatty, I think we all may have overlooked how valuable that can be. I think the PP structure is a bigger issue than the personnel, but Petro/Parayko/Dunn have not been able to execute as well as Shatty did.

I'm not saying that it was a mistake to trade him or that we should have made an absurd offer to keep him. But I do think that losing him is as big an issue for this season's PP as our overall structure.

Losing Shattenkirk was absolutely 100% a huge loss for our PP. Shatty is a special player with the man advantage, one of the best in the world.

However, here's why I am not willing to cut the Blues much slack based on losing Shatty: I haven't noticed any real changes to our PP in terms of structure/set up or any improvement in our PP as the season has gone on. Perhaps I have missed some changes or am not giving the coaching staff enough credit, that's totally possible. There has been some personnel shuffling (Steen away from then back to the point for instance), but no discernible improvement in our PP% all year.

It's not like we don't have enough talent on this team to put together a solid PP group, I don't buy the idea that our PP personnel are the 30th best in the league (I say this rhetorically, not saying anyone has claimed our PP personnel are the 30th best in the league). Pietrangelo/Parayko/Dunn are not as good as Shattenkirk on the PP, but they are all varying degrees of capable. I note that we have good players in order to point out that at some point the onus is on the coaching staff to figure it out and deploy a PP system that works given our current roster...and they just have not done this IMO. Losing Shatty definitely hurt, but it shouldn't have hurt THIS bad.

 

[Robb_K]

Wasn't Brad Shaw our powerplay coach? Tho, Columbus is this year 29th spot at powerplay with 15.2%


Is it really coaching problem?

I watch ALL The Blues games. It looks to me like a strategy problem, and a problem of having wrong players setting up in the wrong places. BOTH of those errors are controlled by coaches. The only other possibility is that some players are deliberately doing something different from what their coaches are instructing them to do. IF that's what's happening, it is the coach's responsibility to replace those places with players that will fo;;ow the prescribed strategies.