Blues Discussion Thread 2018-2019 - Part II

[MissouriMook]

For those who follow such things, the Blues website has updated their roster to reflect Blais having switched from 64 to 9 and Thomas having switched from 36 to 18. I was actually expecting these two moves, but expected Thomas to take 9 and Blais to take 18.

 

[taylord22]

For those who follow such things, the Blues website has updated their roster to reflect Blais having switched from 64 to 9 and Thomas having switched from 36 to 18. I was actually expecting these two moves, but expected Thomas to take 9 and Blais to take 18.

Surprised Kyrou hasn't changed his number. Maybe he's just waiting for Butler to get out of the way...?

...speaking of Butler, is it really less of a risk icing an AHL/NHL Tweener with poor vision/size (questionable skills), over a rookie who is physically gifted and may be too aggressive/take some chances (Mikkola)? Seems like a wash with the tie breaker going to potential...

 

[BlueDream]

For those who follow such things, the Blues website has updated their roster to reflect Blais having switched from 64 to 9 and Thomas having switched from 36 to 18. I was actually expecting these two moves, but expected Thomas to take 9 and Blais to take 18.

Interesting. You rarely see a guy switch his number the day before the season it seems like. But I guess I understand why.

Good numbers.

 

[MissouriMook]

Looks like former Blue Chris Stewart is retiring rather than continue his career overseas. Always liked Stewie but he left a lot of potential on the table. Too bad he could never quite get it figured out.

https://hfboards.mandatory.com/threads/chris-stewart-retires.2551131/#post-150185227

 

[bleedblue1223]

For those who follow such things, the Blues website has updated their roster to reflect Blais having switched from 64 to 9 and Thomas having switched from 36 to 18. I was actually expecting these two moves, but expected Thomas to take 9 and Blais to take 18.

Thomas' preferred number is 27, so seems like he's kind of superstitious about it. 36 and 18 are both kind of variations of 27.

 

[MissouriMook]

Thomas' preferred number is 27, so seems like he's kind of superstitious about it. 36 and 18 are both kind of variations of 27.

That's why I thought he would end up with 9, though I was also rooting for that for the Gilmour-related symmetry. Still, Gilmour started his career wearing 18, so I'll just have to be satisfied with that.

 

[PiggySmalls]

Well if Blues actually win a cup while under Petro’s captainship. Thomas or anyone else for that matter will never see another Blue in #27. First Blues captain that hoists a cup == automatically retired ##. Now if AP bolts in a couple years. Then have at it Rob.

 

[blueper]

Thorburn is already waived and won't sit in the press box. He will report to San Antonio (or retire). We are carrying too many injured defenseman to keep any forward but Fabbri in the press box.

Line 1: Maroon - RoR - Tarasenko
Line 2: Schwartz - Schenn - Perron
Line 3: Steen - Bozak - Kyrou
Line 4: Blias Thomas Barbashev
Press box: Fabbri
IR/LTIR : Sunqvist, Foley, Soshnikov

Pair 1: Bouwmeester - Petro
Pair 2: Dunn Parayko
Pair 3: Jerabek Schmaltz
Suspended: Bortuzzo
IR/LTIR: Gunnarsson, Edumundson

Goal: Allen, Johnson

This is assuming Walman, Mikkola and Sanfiord all get sent down. They have not yet, but as they are not eligible for waivers, they don't need to be until 5pm. We don't have the cap for any of them unless somebody goes on LTIR.

Edit: Also, the lines listed are just generic to get everyone set on the active roster. I am not predicting that is the lines we will use. Just lumping them together to easily count. Cause you know someone would quibble about where I put Kyrou without this disclaimer

Thorburn cleared waivers in february also and ended up back on the Blues a couple days later. I think you are right though. I think the Blues are happy with who they have and will not be requesting Thor's services any longer. At least that's what most of us are hoping. I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.

 

[Blueston]

Thorburn cleared waivers in february also and ended up back on the Blues a couple days later. I think you are right though. I think the Blues are happy with who they have and will not be requesting Thor's services any longer. At least that's what most of us are hoping. I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.

i kinda expect he will be on roster after they send down Butler following tomorrow's game.

 

[Blanick]

Just finished up the GDT for tomorrow. I am going to try go coast to coast this year. 82 Fully Assed GDTs

 

[OSA]

Well if Blues actually win a cup while under Petro’s captainship. Thomas or anyone else for that matter will never see another Blue in #27. First Blues captain that hoists a cup == automatically retired ##. Now if AP bolts in a couple years. Then have at it Rob.

Fabbri was always #9 in junior. I’m surprised he didn’t scoop it up.

 

[Stealth JD]

Just finished up the GDT for tomorrow. I am going to try go coast to coast this year. 82 Fully Assed GDTs

Careful...may need to mind the momentum and be prepared to mix-it-up with a slump-buster every now and then. Sometimes their performance may warrant a half-assed GDT, especially if Yeo can't figure out things like "offense" or "special teams".

 

[Chojin]

I look forward to another bottom 5 finish on the PP. Doesn't seem like much has changed.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I look forward to another bottom 5 finish on the PP. Doesn't seem like much has changed.

Yeah, I don't get the idea of splitting up the most talented players into 2 separate units. Find a way for the best 5 to get it done.

 

[542365]

I look forward to another bottom 5 finish on the PP. Doesn't seem like much has changed.

I think our PK looked even worse than our PP. The passive box DOES NOT WORK. Good teams pass it around the perimeter quickly and then find the hole in the seam and carve you up. Or they shoot 1-Ts(yes, other teams are actually allowed to do this) from either circle and use the Dmen in front of the net as a screen. Aggressive PK is the wya to go if you can do it. Guys like Perron, Bozak, Thomas, Kyrou, Schwartz, Schenn, ROR etc. have the game to play an aggressive PK. I see no reason why we'd stand in a box and let our goalie try to bail us out.

 

[wannabebluesplayer]

I think our PK looked even worse than our PP. The passive box DOES NOT WORK. Good teams pass it around the perimeter quickly and then find the hole in the seam and carve you up. Or they shoot 1-Ts(yes, other teams are actually allowed to do this) from either circle and use the Dmen in front of the net as a screen. Aggressive PK is the wya to go if you can do it. Guys like Perron, Bozak, Thomas, Kyrou, Schwartz, Schenn, ROR etc. have the game to play an aggressive PK. I see no reason why we'd stand in a box and let our goalie try to bail us out.

All the more reason I don't like Yeo as coach. I don't want Berube to take over. Their special teams, historically, aren't good. I mean, even with Hitch, we had really good special teams.

 

[Majorityof1]

Yeah, I don't get the idea of splitting up the most talented players into 2 separate units. Find a way for the best 5 to get it done.

Giving the benefit of the doubt,which Yeo hasn't earned, but could it be about handedness more than spreading the wealth? Our best 5 PP players are mostly LHS: Tarasenko, Schwartz, Schenn, ROR, Dunn. Thats the top 5 PP line and its all lefties. Want Maroon for net front, also a LHS. Petro or Parayko are the only RHS you could argue are worth having on PP1 from a best 5 persepctive. Parayko is a huge stretch and they are both D so you wouldn't have them both out there. We went out and target Bozak and Perron specifically to inject some RHSs into the PP, so we should use it them. The only way to do that is to spread the wealth moving 1-2 of ROR, Tarasenko, Schenn, and Schwartz.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Giving the benefit of the doubt,which Yeo hasn't earned, but could it be about handedness more than spreading the wealth? Our best 5 PP players are mostly LHS: Tarasenko, Schwartz, Schenn, ROR, Dunn. Thats the top 5 PP line and its all lefties. Want Maroon for net front, also a LHS. Petro or Parayko are the only RHS you could argue are worth having on PP1 from a best 5 persepctive. Parayko is a huge stretch and they are both D so you wouldn't have them both out there. We went out and target Bozak and Perron specifically to inject some RHSs into the PP, so we should use it them. The only way to do that is to spread the wealth moving 1-2 of ROR, Tarasenko, Schenn, and Schwartz.

There are some valid reasons that that I agree with. I'd agree more if we had a PP that was meant to utilize one-timers more, and maybe that's the goal, but I just didn't see it very often. We still had way too many times of having a left-shot, getting the puck on the left, and really not being able to be an immediate threat with it.

 

[Stealth JD]

throw Thomas and Kyrou on the power-play...i don't care if they're rookies or not. The veterans sure as hell don't deserve to be allowed to piss away our few chances of the game to score with the man advantage. If you're playing them in a sheltered role with favorable match-ups and easy defensive responsibilities, why NOT play them on the PP, instead of watching the same shit over and over? Maybe they'll find success or energize the vets. Let Maroon and Tarasenko watch the PP from the bench for a couple of games and take notes.

 

[Dbrownss]

What killed me was Bozak sliding to the right while ROR rotated to the left. At some point, I think they are just trolling us. I'm fine with Tarasenko going to the left as he can score from anywhere and using Oreilly as the right circle 1T'er option.

If this hasnt improved in the next 2 weeks, we need the units moved

 

[bleedblue1223]

What killed me was Bozak sliding to the right while ROR rotated to the left. At some point, I think they are just trolling us. I'm fine with Tarasenko going to the left as he can score from anywhere and using Oreilly as the right circle 1T'er option.

If this hasnt improved in the next 2 weeks, we need the units moved

Exactly. It's not like it's the occasional float of Tarasenko to find the best spot, it seems intentional like that's what they are told to do. This setup made sense when we didn't have right-handed shots, but now it just doesn't make sense. It looked like the exact same PP strategy as last season, just with different personnel.

The best PP's are always very simple. They need to get back to the basics and figure out what kind of PP they want to run.

 

[MissouriMook]

Having recently watched the PP units for WAS and WPG consistently get Ovechkin and Laine open in the same spot on the ice over and over again, I can’t help but wonder why seem to have no ability to accomplish this with anyone on the ice aside from the occasional point man.

 

[Stealth JD]

At this point it's bad coaching if Yeo doesn't tell the face-off guy to immediately draw a delay-of-game penalty upon the start of the PP so as to negate the man advantage in its entirety. This team would be better off playing 4-on-4 hockey than go on the power-play.

 

[blueper]

Thorburn cleared waivers in february also and ended up back on the Blues a couple days later. I think you are right though. I think the Blues are happy with who they have and will not be requesting Thor's services any longer. At least that's what most of us are hoping. I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.

Hey Majority of 1, Look who's baaaaack ... again.

 

[HighNote]

Perron - ROR - Tarasenko
Pietrangelo - Edmundson

Perron in the middle, ROR down low, Tarasenko on the half wall. ROR and Tarasenko need to work the puck down low and wait for an opportunity to either get a shot from Vlady, or an opening to pass to Perron for a one-timer from the middle. Pietrangelo also has an underrated one-timer from the top of the circle, so there's another option. Whatever we do, we need more ways to attack. It's better to be good at scoring 3-4 different ways on the powerplay than it is to be great at 1 way to score because teams learn to cover that. Vlady is having trouble getting clean shots from his usual spot, and so instead of adapting, we kind of just keep doing that or shooting mindlessly from the point. Get the defenders moving around trying to cover those different options, and get the goalie moving side to side for one-timers. Our powerplay just looks so stagnant, not a lot of movement at all aside from passing it around the perimeter. We need players doing give and goes and switching sides on the point to cross up and confuse the defenders.

Here's an example of what I'd want Perron in front for:



Then you could run your second unit of:

Schwartz - Schenn - Thomas
Parayko - Dunn

Schenn in the middle, Thomas and Schwartz working the half wall and down low, try to get one-time passes to Schenn at the dot, Parayko one-timers, etc.

These are my unprofessional thoughts.