2019-2020 St. Louis Blues - Defending the Cup - Part 3: The Prelude to Playoff Positioning

[Mike Liut]

Steen on the second line? Wtf? Yeah thats not happening. Steen played on the 4th line all of last seasons playoffs. 3rd line is highest he goes

I couldn’t remember who played 2rw. I definitely don’t want Steen there. I also don’t want Steen on the 4th. I like Blais-Sunny-Barbs there wreaking havoc.

 

[Beauterham]

I’d like to see Thomas centering the 2nd line and move Schenn to RW.

Yeah, I wouldn't mind that too, but this is what I expect Berube to do.

Thomas in the top 6 is fine by me, for example:
Schenn - O'Reilly - Perron
Schwartz - Thomas - Tarasenko

However, personally I wouldn't mind trying out:
Sanford - O'Reilly - Perron
Schwartz - Schenn - Kyrou
Bozak - Thomas - Tarasenko
Blais - Barbashev - Sundqvist

Don't read this as Thomas and Vlad on the third line, but read it as three first lines that are interchangeable depending on the opponent. Ow, and a elite forechecking line. This should be a line matching hell for the opponents.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

My ideal would be:
Schwartz-O’Reilly-Perron
Schenn-Thomas-Tarasenko
Sanford-Bozak-Sundqvist
Blais-Barbashev-Steen

What we’ll likely see:
Schwartz-Schenn-Tarasenko
Sanford-O’Reilly-Perron
Steen-Thomas-Bozak
Barbashev-Sundqvist-Steen

 

[WATTAGE4451]

My ideal would be:
Schwartz-O’Reilly-Perron
Schenn-Thomas-Tarasenko
Sanford-Bozak-Sundqvist
Blais-Barbashev-Steen

What we’ll likely see:
Schwartz-Schenn-Tarasenko
Sanford-O’Reilly-Perron
Steen-Thomas-Bozak
Barbashev-Sundqvist-Steen

I dont think we will play a forward short and double shift steen

 

[simon IC]

It isn't written in stone that Schenn has to play center. He played wing for most of his career before he arrived in St. Louis. We might find that he is actually more effective on the wing. This in turn would allow us to play Thomas at center, where he really should be.

 

[Brockon]

It isn't written in stone that Schenn has to play center. He played wing for most of his career before he arrived in St. Louis. We might find that he is actually more effective on the wing. This in turn would allow us to play Thomas at center, where he really should be.

I'm really hoping to see Thomas get a decent look with a sniper or a finisher in the top 6. I still think Thomas doesn't shoot enough - but that may not be as detracting if he's got someone with a lethal shot on his line to set up.

 

[izzy]

hate to see blais waste away on the 4th line

could be a 50 point winger who lands top 5 in hits IMO

 

[Mike Liut]

hate to see blais waste away on the 4th line

could be a 50 point winger who lands top 5 in hits IMO

You’ve got a good point. He has really good hands and his offense was taking shape. He just keeps getting better and better. I would be perfectly fine if he assumed a permanent 3rd line role.

 

[Mike Liut]

Schwartz-O’Reilly-Schenn
Sanford - Thomas-Tarasenko
Blais -Bozak- Perron
Barbashev-Sunny - Steen

I like this one

 

[simon IC]

I think Blais-Thomas-Tarasenko would be a good line. Vladi seems to thrive when he has a banger on his line.

 

[izzy]

I think Blais-Thomas-Tarasenko would be a good line. Vladi seems to thrive when he has a banger on his line.

i really like that combo, good fit for all 3 on paper

imo no way they dont start with perron, sanford and ror together

 

[simon IC]

i really like that combo, good fit for all 3 on paper

imo no way they dont start with perron, sanford and ror together

Agreed!

• Sanford-ROR-Perron
• Blais-Thomas-Tarasenko
• Schwartz-Bozak-Schenn
• Steen-Barbashev-Sundqvist
• (McEachern, DeLaRose)

 

[izzy]

Agreed!

• Sanford-ROR-Perron
• Blais-Thomas-Tarasenko
• Schwartz-Bozak-Schenn
• Steen-Barbashev-Sundqvist
• (McEachern, DeLaRose)

this is the ideal start

i think the concept when healthy should be 4 constant duos with the 3rd rotating through

perron/ror
thomas/tarasenko
schenn(flex to C when needed)/schwartz
sunny and barby

blais, sanford and kyrou are gonna need to move up and down the lineup a lot

 

[simon IC]

this is the ideal start

i think the concept when healthy should be 4 constant duos with the 3rd rotating through

perron/ror
thomas/tarasenko
schenn(flex to C when needed)/schwartz
sunny and barby

blais, sanford and kyrou are gonna need to move up and down the lineup a lot

Darn, I forgot about Kyrou! Anyway, I agree. Apparently pairs, like you suggested, are the way Berube likes to work anyway. Adding Kyrou gives us too many forwards. Someone might have to leave. I would say it is a choice of Bozak, Blais, or Sanford. Bozak makes the most sense if salary is a factor. (And it will be!)

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

I dont think we will play a forward short and double shift steen

Whoops lol I meant to put Blais-Barbashev-Sundqvist as that 4th line

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

I think Blais-Thomas-Tarasenko would be a good line. Vladi seems to thrive when he has a banger on his line.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

NASCAR races today, without fans. The states that have relaxed restrictions are not experiencing anything untenable and are proceeding to the next steps of relaxing restrictions. Hockey played in hub cities without fans seems pretty realistic in the near future.

I’m warming up to the model described in Burnside’s last article. Basically, 4 hub cities and teams play a round robin schedule. There are either 6 teams or 5 teams per hub. The difference is whether Chicago, Arizona, Montreal and Columbus are included. If they are, Minnesota crosses over to the Pacific and if they aren’t Winnipeg crosses over.

After the round robin, you combine regular season standings and reseed. There are best of 3 play-ins for either the 4/5 or the 3/6 and 4/5 depending which option you take. After that, proceed with the usual best of 7 series. All without fans, played at hubs (no home teams).

As a fan, I’d be totally into watching every game of that. Every game is meaningful, and rusty teams at the top of the standings aren’t penalized.

 

[Mike Liut]

Looks like the season is going to resume. You have to wonder how the players will respond with their play and what kind of shape they’ll be in. Hopefully they are working out, running, stretching etc.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Looks like the season is going to resume. You have to wonder how the players will respond with their play and what kind of shape they’ll be in. Hopefully they are working out, running, stretching etc.

This is probably a good time for Keith Tcachuk to stay retired.

 

[Mike Liut]

This is probably a good time for Keith Tcachuk to stay retired.

Could you imagine what he would look like in this situation? Still one of my favorite Blues of all time.

 

[Spear]

Could you imagine what he would look like in this situation? Still one of my favorite Blues of all time.

You mean doughnuts are NOT proper nutrition?

 

[JoshFromMO]

Agreed!

• Sanford-ROR-Perron
• Blais-Thomas-Tarasenko
• Schwartz-Bozak-Schenn
• Steen-Barbashev-Sundqvist
• (McEachern, DeLaRose)

This might be my favorite lineup so far. The Sasky boys had a really good 3 werk run or so this season. Maybe not the most points, but they constantly generated chances. This also allows for tons of flexibility with so many younger guys sprinkled throughout the lines. Its weird that I'd trust Sunny on the 4the line as much as I'd trust him on the 2nd line. His play has improved remarkably over his time here

 

[simon IC]

Ha! I just found this. It's a few months old and doesn't really say anything we don't already know, but I am a big Jackie Redmond fan. She has her own YouTube channel now! Check it (her ) out :

 

[MissouriMook]

Ha! I just found this. It's a few months old and doesn't really say anything we don't already know, but I am a big Jackie Redmond fan. She has her own YouTube channel now! Check it (her ) out :

I'm a fan, too, and I came *this close* to meeting her at the All Star Weekend after the Skills Competition. I was on the club level near where the media suites are and she came out of a suite (maybe 20 feet away) with Brian Lawton. As luck would have it, Brian came past me and I was able to shake his hand and have a brief conversation with him, but Jackie stayed back talking to a couple of behind-the-scenes media people and then went the opposite way. Very disappointing. Fortunately my wife was there to hold my hand and get me through it.

/stalkeralert

 

[BlueDream]

this is the ideal start

i think the concept when healthy should be 4 constant duos with the 3rd rotating through

perron/ror
thomas/tarasenko
schenn(flex to C when needed)/schwartz
sunny and barby

blais, sanford and kyrou are gonna need to move up and down the lineup a lot

I'd say Thomas/Bozak is more of a pair instead. The other ones are perfect though.

I can't see them playing Blais, Thomas and Tarasenko together. At least not to start since Tarasenko will be rusty. They would be a liability in the defensive zone.

I think they go with what works. Sanford/ROR/Perron, Schwartz/Schenn/Tarasenko, and Barbashev/Sundqvist/Steen are all proven lines. Blais can replace Maroon's role with Tommer and Bozie. Or you could even flip Blais and Sanford to see who does it better.