DrSense
Registered User
- Oct 4, 2017
- 783
- 899
Twenty years is a long time in life, let alone in hockey circles.
And for the first time in twenty years, the HFNHL Blues will miss the post-season, as their league record playoff streak came to a rather quiet, but abrupt end this week.
The question surrounding Blues fans is, does this mark the beginning of a rebuild, or just a brief hiccup as part of another reload?
Franchise apologists point to a late season losing streak that saw the Blues win just 3 of their last 18 games, a losing steak marked by injuries to several of their top players and also coinciding with a distracted management team dealing with the local realities of an impending pandemic. Before that losing spell, the Blues had won 10 games in a row and were firmly entrenched in a battle for their division.
More outspoken critics point to a rather curious move made by the team right after that 10th straight win, which was the day before the trade deadline. The trade that saw franchise defencemen Dustin Byfuglien moved for a 2nd and 3rd round pick.
Trading your best player while you are the hottest team in the league and just before the post-season begins? And for futures?
And thus the franchise’s quandary. The move of Byfuglien was part of the team’s long held belief in asset management. Byfuglien is clearly on the precipice of retirement, and moving him for two solid picks in a good draft made sense on a number of levels. But at the cost of winning a long sought after cup? Something the Blues have failed to do during that spell, despite several President's trophies and a few Stanley Cup final appearances.
Not withstanding management’s clearly failed gamble the team would be able to maintain their momentum, while also landing two picks, where does the team go from here?
There is no clear answer, but it would seem an attempt to return to the post-season next year is more than likely, rather than a full blown rebuild.
It is worth noting, in the one season the Blues did miss the playoffs in 2000, they had a similar losing streak to end their season that saw them drop into the bottom 10 of the league. The team then proceeded to win the lottery, which resulted in the team drafting Dany Healtey 2nd overall which was the beginning a franchise built around a nucleus that also included Joe Thornton, Vincent Lecavalier, Chris Pronger and Zdeno Chara.
Finishing the season 22nd overall with the 9th overall pick before the lottery takes place, Blues management are hoping a lottery win every 20 years is perhaps a reasonable expectation.
Depth Chart for 2020
Parise-Couture-Stone
Duclair-Lindholm-Drouin
Wood-Pageau-Tuch
Wallmark-Turris-Bemstrom
X: Paul, Batherson
Josi-DeAngelo
Cole-Pelech
Butcher-Lagesson
Blackwood/Koskinen
And for the first time in twenty years, the HFNHL Blues will miss the post-season, as their league record playoff streak came to a rather quiet, but abrupt end this week.
The question surrounding Blues fans is, does this mark the beginning of a rebuild, or just a brief hiccup as part of another reload?
Franchise apologists point to a late season losing streak that saw the Blues win just 3 of their last 18 games, a losing steak marked by injuries to several of their top players and also coinciding with a distracted management team dealing with the local realities of an impending pandemic. Before that losing spell, the Blues had won 10 games in a row and were firmly entrenched in a battle for their division.
More outspoken critics point to a rather curious move made by the team right after that 10th straight win, which was the day before the trade deadline. The trade that saw franchise defencemen Dustin Byfuglien moved for a 2nd and 3rd round pick.
Trading your best player while you are the hottest team in the league and just before the post-season begins? And for futures?
And thus the franchise’s quandary. The move of Byfuglien was part of the team’s long held belief in asset management. Byfuglien is clearly on the precipice of retirement, and moving him for two solid picks in a good draft made sense on a number of levels. But at the cost of winning a long sought after cup? Something the Blues have failed to do during that spell, despite several President's trophies and a few Stanley Cup final appearances.
Not withstanding management’s clearly failed gamble the team would be able to maintain their momentum, while also landing two picks, where does the team go from here?
There is no clear answer, but it would seem an attempt to return to the post-season next year is more than likely, rather than a full blown rebuild.
It is worth noting, in the one season the Blues did miss the playoffs in 2000, they had a similar losing streak to end their season that saw them drop into the bottom 10 of the league. The team then proceeded to win the lottery, which resulted in the team drafting Dany Healtey 2nd overall which was the beginning a franchise built around a nucleus that also included Joe Thornton, Vincent Lecavalier, Chris Pronger and Zdeno Chara.
Finishing the season 22nd overall with the 9th overall pick before the lottery takes place, Blues management are hoping a lottery win every 20 years is perhaps a reasonable expectation.
Depth Chart for 2020
Parise-Couture-Stone
Duclair-Lindholm-Drouin
Wood-Pageau-Tuch
Wallmark-Turris-Bemstrom
X: Paul, Batherson
Josi-DeAngelo
Cole-Pelech
Butcher-Lagesson
Blackwood/Koskinen
