Pre-Game Talk: Blues V Preds

[TarasenkosForearm]

Top ten this year, then doesn't it go unprotected next year?

I dont have a clue who is projected 1st the year following this one. Not sure though, sorry.

 

[Spektre]

Just finished the game.

The decision to pull Allen with 5 minutes left and you're gifted a 4v3 PP was just a head scratcher. It was the wrong decision no matter what the outcome was.

Panger was calling out Tarasenko, and he definitely didn't have his best game. He had way too many turnovers. Edmundson had some wtf moments that could have easily been 2 goals. Does anyone ever call out Pietrangelo? Besides almost countless gaffes this year what is he providing that makes a positive difference in games? He can stick check? No way he's a top 10 D in this league. If the Blues were smart they would trade him for the biggest haul available, and give the C to O'Reilly.

Fabbri's pass to spring the short handed goal can't happen. It's such an easy play to anticipate there's no way you can make that pass.

Why in the f*** is Tarasenko playing the point on the PP? What in the wide wide world of shitty ass sports is going on here? I'll give Berube one plus because the team actually showed some heart but at least two minuses for pulling the goalie and playing 91 on the point.

Trade Pietrangelo now before the league catches on how far he's slipped. Shit he can't hit the net for f*** sake

 

[TarasenkosForearm]

Just finished the game.

The decision to pull Allen with 5 minutes left and you're gifted a 4v3 PP was just a head scratcher. It was the wrong decision no matter what the outcome was.

Panger was calling out Tarasenko, and he definitely didn't have his best game. He had way too many turnovers. Edmundson had some wtf moments that could have easily been 2 goals. Does anyone ever call out Pietrangelo? Besides almost countless gaffes this year what is he providing that makes a positive difference in games? He can stick check? No way he's a top 10 D in this league. If the Blues were smart they would trade him for the biggest haul available, and give the C to O'Reilly.

Fabbri's pass to spring the short handed goal can't happen. It's such an easy play to anticipate there's no way you can make that pass.

Why in the **** is Tarasenko playing the point on the PP? What in the wide wide world of ****ty ass sports is going on here? I'll give Berube one plus because the team actually showed some heart but at least two minuses for pulling the goalie and playing 91 on the point.

Trade Pietrangelo now before the league catches on how far he's slipped. **** he can't hit the net for **** sake

He had his kids and got fixed. Now he is just shootin blanks.

 

[Thallis]

I just want to add that Petro has looked like ****ing **** ever since his wife had triplets. I know it's stupid for me to say this but **** I admire Jagr so much. He had only one love in his life and it was hockey. Players today just don't have the dedication of the greats.

He's been fine since game 10. He had a bad shot that led to an empty netter, but wasn't bad otherwise.

Anyways, didn't think be played that bad of a game tonight. Aside from two turnovers and an unlucky tip, it was even, and the Preds would be tough even if we had a good record so far. I think a lot of people are looking too far beyond what actually happened.

 

[Default]

Idk guys.. if I’m being real I’m still not ready to be trying to tank already. Went through that s*** for a bit too long there before we started consistently making the playoffs. This is actually beyond frustrating and I didn’t think it would get to this point but then I remember what team we are and it doesn’t surprise me, but this is a whole new level. Insanely disappointed. Ty alcohol.

 

[Lakewood]

Tons of positives from this game. No, the blues aren't as structured or talented as the home team But played w intensity.

Blues need to step up their game at home and get in synch when to press and how to save energy defending, they work way too hard chasing in the d zone. Leads to fatigue and comes back to bite giving up in the transition, odd man breaks, turnovers...

For all the talk of playing a north/south, there's no such thing if you're effectively playing like you are killing penalties 5 vs 5

 

[TruBlu]

Idk guys.. if I’m being real I’m still not ready to be trying to tank already. Went through that s*** for a bit too long there before we started consistently making the playoffs. This is actually beyond frustrating and I didn’t think it would get to this point but then I remember what team we are and it doesn’t surprise me, but this is a whole new level. Insanely disappointed. Ty alcohol.

I'm not talking about tanking in the sense that we have a sell off, but go look at the current projections for our ending season record. We are not making the playoffs this year. We would have to win more than 2 out of every 3 games left this season to get in. I'm talking about letting them flounder, selling off some underperforming "stars" at the deadline, and then coming back with a top 3 pick; and several other picks and A prospects. Look at this realistically. If we are in limbo all year as to who our coach is, and they aren't performing any better than this, our core is now in their late 20's. We also have a couple of guys who might leave because of our lack of success. Will Petro stay here anyway if handed more money? Honestly, watching Parayko skate into the oppositions zone is happening more and more often. He's acting like the top line d man right now, not just tonight, but pretty much this whole season.

 

[Lakewood]

If there's a sacrificial lamb I'd rather it be pietrangelo. We are a team of embarrassing riches. A nice fake Rolex can tell the time as well as a timex.

 

[EastonBlues22]

I'm not talking about tanking in the sense that we have a sell off, but go look at the current projections for our ending season record. We are not making the playoffs this year. We would have to win more than 2 out of every 3 games left this season to get in. I'm talking about letting them flounder, selling off some underperforming "stars" at the deadline, and then coming back with a top 3 pick; and several other picks and A prospects. Look at this realistically. If we are in limbo all year as to who our coach is, and they aren't performing any better than this, our core is now in their late 20's. We also have a couple of guys who might leave because of our lack of success. Will Petro stay here anyway if handed more money? Honestly, watching Parayko skate into the oppositions zone is happening more and more often. He's acting like the top line d man right now, not just tonight, but pretty much this whole season.

That's not true...not yet, at least.

Blues currently have 17 points after 20 games.

Even if it takes 97 points to get in, the Blues can get the 80 points they need over their last 62 games without winning two out of every three. Something like a 37-19-6 record works just fine.

 

[simon IC]

Maybe we should keep to discussing hockey and not each other. I am not liking the tone of this board in general lately, and this thread is awful.

 

[TheDizee]

our core = no shows and babies. you will never win with these babies in leadership roles

 

[simon IC]

Maybe we should keep to discussing hockey and not each other. I am not liking the tone of this board in general lately, and this thread is awful. I think I might lurk for a while.

Sorry. Pulled a Robb.

 

[TruBlu]

That's not true...not yet, at least.

Blues currently have 17 points after 20 games.

Even if it takes 97 points to get in, the Blues can get the 80 points they need over their last 62 games without winning two out of every three. Something like a 37-19-6 record works just fine.

I'm a numbers guy. I know we aren't technically put out yet. I know we don't technically have to win 2 out of every 3 yet, but we are right on the cusp. When I make comments like that, I'm going on what I've seen out of them this year. Easton, do you believe that the team will make the playoffs based on their past, present, and, so far, unknown future play?

 

[Ted Hoffman]

That's not true...not yet, at least.

Blues currently have 17 points after 20 games.

Even if it takes 97 points to get in, the Blues can get the 80 points they need over their last 62 games without winning two out of every three. Something like a 37-19-6 record works just fine.

On paper, yes. With the remaining schedule, the task is getting tougher to pull off. And for perspective, 37-19-6 is "only" 105.8 point pace; this team hasn't cracked that mark since 2016 and last year's 21-8-2 start (120.3 point pace) was because Schenn and Schwartz were off to career years and the defense and goaltending were fantastic.

So, there's an implicit argument that not only will this team get the ship righted, it will stay playing it's ass off like it did last year and that Berube can make it happen quickly because he's got that kind of coaching ability. In that case, there's a great argument for just making Berube the full HC [and he probably becomes a leading contender for the Jack Adams, depending on what Hitch does with Edmonton].

 

[Ted Hoffman]

our core = no shows and babies. you will never win with these babies in leadership roles

Wrong. It shows Thomas is an independent contractor because he's out doing his own thing, instead of being a team guy like everyone else and not scoring at all.

 

[EastonBlues22]

I'm a numbers guy. I know we aren't technically put out yet. I know we don't technically have to win 2 out of every 3 yet, but we are right on the cusp. When I make comments like that, I'm going on what I've seen out of them this year. Easton, do you believe that the team will make the playoffs based on their past, present, and, so far, unknown future play?

I don't think it's impossible, but I do think it's unlikely.

If the Blues can put together a 10 game run of strong play at any point in the last 62 games, say winning 9 out of 10, they can be approximately league average in the other 52 games and get to 95 points.

I do believe the team will have a strong streak at some point when the players start playing more to their usual levels, but I still don't have any faith in the goaltending over the long haul, and it's a bit unrealistic to expect an interim coach to come in and get everyone firing on all the right cylinders soon enough to still have a credible shot at making the playoffs. Those concerns put a real damper on my faith in this team's ability to sustain average play in this division for that long.

All that said, I disagree pretty strongly with a lot of the sentiments I'm seeing expressed by Blues fans at the moment. I know some of that is borne of frustration and that this can be a venting process as much as it is an intellectual exercise, but I'm just not ready to pass the judgments that I'm seeing passed by others. I think the good players we have are not suddenly crap players, and I think it's premature to make proclamations about something's value before we've seen the good and the bad it has to offer. A number of people were singing Yeo's praises while the team was playing lights out for awhile after he joined, and I said that the time that it was too early to draw conclusions about his fit as a coach because we hadn't yet seen the bad times. This is exactly like that, but in reverse. This team inevitably has good times ahead of it, and I think it is prudent to get a feel for just how good they can be before writing it off as a lost cause and making major moves.

I firmly believe the core of skaters in place is a pretty good core, and they're largely at the right ages to compete now without completely burning the future as the oldest guys age out. They need a good coach, and they need a good goaltender, and they need everyone to play to their usual standards. Those aren't small things, but they aren't hopeless causes, either.

Honestly, the biggest concern for me at this point is whether Armstrong is up to the task of finding the right coach and the right goaltender. I have little doubt that guys like Pietrangelo, Tarasenko, and Schwartz will find their way back to being the players they were.

 

[Spektre]

That's not true...not yet, at least.

Blues currently have 17 points after 20 games.

Even if it takes 97 points to get in, the Blues can get the 80 points they need over their last 62 games without winning two out of every three. Something like a 37-19-6 record works just fine.

No way the Blues are going to finish the year with that kind of record.

 

[BlueDream]

Tons of positives from this game. No, the blues aren't as structured or talented as the home team But played w intensity.

Blues need to step up their game at home and get in synch when to press and how to save energy defending, they work way too hard chasing in the d zone. Leads to fatigue and comes back to bite giving up in the transition, odd man breaks, turnovers...

For all the talk of playing a north/south, there's no such thing if you're effectively playing like you are killing penalties 5 vs 5

Really? Playing with intensity is a positive?

This isn’t directed toward you in particular but it’s a theme I’ve seen mentioned many times so I have to rant.

How low is the bar for this team? Like, there’s “lots of positives” when the team looks like they actually give a flying shit and don’t look like a complete sloppy pile of shit. That’s what we give them props for.

It’s so aggravating that we entered this season expecting to contend for the division and now we have to give them brownie points for showing emotion for once.

I agree that it was nice to see some fire out of some guys but that should always be expected out of grown ass professionals. This team should be WAY better. I didn’t catch every minute of the game but there’s no real positives for me. The team is just flat out not even close to the level of the really good teams in the league. And we shouldn’t be satisfied for this “well they showed effort” BS. We have a LONGGG way to go. I do not see this ship turning around soon.

 

[GoldenSeal]

People had an endless pool of optimism for Armstrong and Stillman before this season and after Army signed a handful of Centers... at this point in the season and the mess this team is, y'all still feeling the same way because I don't and never felt that way.

Bad coaching has wrecked this team, with some players possibly irreversably, and I blame that for the morale issues we're seeing out of some players. Part of the roster has either given up or not giving their best. I'm hoping Berube can wake them up because I doubt help is on the way and if it is, it's going to take away from this roster, not add.

 

[Klank Loves You]

Really? Playing with intensity is a positive?

This isn’t directed toward you in particular but it’s a theme I’ve seen mentioned many times so I have to rant.

How low is the bar for this team? Like, there’s “lots of positives” when the team looks like they actually give a flying **** and don’t look like a complete sloppy pile of ****. That’s what we give them props for.

It’s so aggravating that we entered this season expecting to contend for the division and now we have to give them brownie points for showing emotion for once.

I agree that it was nice to see some fire out of some guys but that should always be expected out of grown ass professionals. This team should be WAY better. I didn’t catch every minute of the game but there’s no real positives for me. The team is just flat out not even close to the level of the really good teams in the league. And we shouldn’t be satisfied for this “well they showed effort” BS. We have a LONGGG way to go. I do not see this ship turning around soon.

Eh. Its not nothing. 2nd day of new coach + one of the more difficult of teams and barns. Clean up the unusual etc moments and its a close game.

 

[AjaxManifesto]

Our core is rotten.

 

[TarasenkosForearm]

Sorry. Pulled a Robb.

I was confused lol

 

[Pizza!Pizza!]

I don't think it's impossible, but I do think it's unlikely.

If the Blues can put together a 10 game run of strong play at any point in the last 62 games, say winning 9 out of 10, they can be approximately league average in the other 52 games and get to 95 points.

So basically you think they're last year's Avalanche? Avs didn't get sparked until Duchene got traded, so who do the Blues move out?

Petro has a NTC but Tarasenko is free and clear to be moved wherever. Schwartz is also wide open, and I know he's the second best player on the team, but what good is that if he seems to be injured all the time?

Shakey Jake was putting up great numbers during the Blues' scoreless streak, but I'm not sure if the Blues can trick another team into wanting him.

 

[hullderko]

I didn't see much change in the play of the 'core' last night, however the youngsters seemed to play a lot more freely and get more ice time, esp Parayko and Thomas. Not surprising the Blues sluggish decision making in Dzone, poor passing and shooting 8' wide continues, do they not practice? They also lost a ton of 1-1 battles where they were closer to the puck with positioning, but got outworked. They play like a team that has been playing pickup for months and now find themselves in the NHL trying to adjust to game speed. Stay on them Berube!

 

[Stealth JD]

The Blues aren't going to tank or start selling off guys, other than perhaps the pending UFA who won't be brought back.
The good news is that they have talent, and can compete as early as next year if they just let nature take its course and have this season play out exactly as its going. But despite how hard they compete (at times) or how skilled they occasionally look, they're going to lose more games than they win due to their poor play (and talent) in their own end. The coaching staff has a monumental task ahead of themselves trying to get these guys on the same page, and this team knows that they're buried. Trying to play catch-up in the standings while building chemistry with ever-changing line-mates and incorporating much needed changes in game-planning would be difficult for a team in a crappy division. In the Central, with a new coach and league-worst goaltending? Fuggedaboutit.

Every move they make from here on out should be with the intention of preparing for next season. Use this season as the opportunity to find out who belongs where, and what needs to change for next year. If someone doesn't fit, move them now. Start removing the tumors one mass at a time, and rehab while you're getting fed your medicine by the rest of the Central. Grab a top-3 talent at the draft, trade a forward with value (like a Schenn/Schwartz/Tarasenko) for LHD, and jettison Allen from this roster, and you've got a fresh look and attitude coming into next year. Blues management needs to embrace this 'reset', and accept that this failure-to-launch is a blessing in disguise, and in the greater-good for the franchise's Cup-aspirations.