I know we just lost to the Blackhawks, so I understand where all the doom and gloom is coming from. Claiming that it's so obvious that this team is worse than last year is just false - at best it's debatable.
But whatever. I'm sure it hurts a lot less when the Blues loses to just act as if they never had a chance.
It's not debatable. Not only do they have less points than they did last year, it's already been pointed out that their goal differential is much worse. Furthermore, our shot differential is a lot worse. The Blues are averaging 30 shots per game AND 30 shots against per game. In past years, the Blues would only be allowing ~26 shots per game... even as few as 24 in 2013. They were one of the best teams in the league at that.
What exactly is their identity? They are no longer a stifling defensive team. They are way too passive in fact. They are no longer a heavy forechecking team. Only a couple players even fit that bill now. They are not some relentless, high-energy team. They come out flat in the first period the vast majority of the time, even in games they win.
It's such a bland hockey team. I can't think of that many things they do extremely well aside from kill penalties and maybe make good outlet passes but that's only because they are lucky to have two of the best d-men in the league at that. It's not like the forwards even take advantage of it though so it's pretty much moot. So they are a good penalty killing team... Lol. Awesome. Their powerplay isn't even good.
It's the same roster except for replacing Jackman, Michalek/Cole, Oshie, Goc with Parayko, Edmundson, Brouwer, Fabbri, Brodziak. That's not even counting the players on the roster (Backes, Jaskin) who have probably gotten worse from last year, and really nobody has improved. Lehtera/Stastny are the same.
In the long run, yes, replacing Jackman/Michalek/Oshie with Parayko/Edmundson/Fabbri may make us better. But not this season. Relying on three rookies to be the difference is a very bold strategy in the playoffs, and one that isn't likely to work. As for the rest, are you really counting on depth guys to be the difference? Brodziak, Upshall, Goc... those guys really don't matter that much and they were never the problem to begin with. It doesn't matter what 4th line the Blues ice. They can't score. You literally are taking a roster that had huge troubles scoring and replacing Oshie with a worse player in Brouwer and sprinkling in a few rookies in place of veterans. And you also have a head coach who pretty much refuses to change his ways and always gets outcoached in the playoffs. Why would anyone be optimistic about that combination?
