GDT: Defending Stanley Cup Champs St. Louis Blues vs. Ducks

[Stlblue50]

Crazy how we've stayed good since the Hitch era, and the old Pacific monsters like the Ducks have faded.

Crazy how the Ducks, Hawks, Kings, and Sharks who have been constantly at the top of the western conference/league for the past decade or so, have all fallen to the bottom in the past couple of years!

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Mikkola keeps making Gunner tradable. Mikkola is going to force his way onto this team no matter what this year.

 

[Mike Liut]

Crazy how the Ducks, Hawks, Kings, and Sharks who have been constantly at the top of the western conference/league for the past decade or so, have all fallen to the bottom in the past couple of years!

Blues window is wide open for at least 5 more years

 

[TaffyPool]

L* WWW LL*L^L WW L WWWWWWW L^L*L WW LL^ WWWW LLL WWWWWWWW LLL* WWWW

First in the NHL now. This is fun!

 

[Ginger Papa]

Crazy how we've stayed good since the Hitch era, and the old Pacific monsters like the Ducks have faded.

Crazy how the Ducks, Hawks, Kings, and Sharks who have been constantly at the top of the western conference/league for the past decade or so, have all fallen to the bottom in the past couple of years!

 

[Meatball]

Blues window is wide open for at least 5 more years

We've been saying that for years!

 

[Robb_K]

He's much better than advertised

That's because we all thought that Ranksu was being chauvanistic, "talking him up" just because he's a Finn. But the guy is actually very solid. Maybe Ranksu can get a job with The Blues as an amateur scout in Finland?

 

[Mike Liut]

The Blues seem to exert just enough energy to win. They had so much more in the tank tonight if needed.

 

[Robb_K]

When healthy:

Schwartz Schenn Tarasenko
Perron O’Reilly Blais
Sundqvist Thomas Bozak
MacEachern Barbashev Steen

Ex: Kyrou, Sanford, Brouwer

Faulk Pietrangelo
Bouwmeester Parayko
Mikkola Dunn

Ex: Bortuzzo, Gunnarsson

Binnington
Allen

Now that is DEEEEEP.

Dunn-Mikkola could be an AMAZING bottom pairing.

Edit: De La Rose as another extra. Not to mention, Kostin as a black ace. We have an entire extra 4th line and three extra players that can play in the top-9 somewhat comfortably. Our extra dmen are both excellent bottom-pairing and Gunnar can even slide up into the top-4 if need be. Allen and Binnington are playing 1A/1B. It’s a good time to be a Blues fan.

Best NHL - quality depth The Blues have ever had. Probably their best overall team lineup (maybe not the best scoring firepower throughout the lineup, but certainly the best working together as a team).

 

[Dbrownss]

Crazy how the Ducks, Hawks, Kings, and Sharks who have been constantly at the top of the western conference/league for the past decade or so, have all fallen to the bottom in the past couple of years!

Hawks are the only ones who had the talent to stay good if they avoided a few bad contracts.

That's because we all thought that Ranksu was being chauvanistic, "talking him up" just because he's a Finn. But the guy is actually very solid. Maybe Ranksu can get a job with The Blues as an amateur scout in Finland?

I heard enough about him outside of Ransku to figure he'd be a NHL player. It's odd how the offense isnt there for him. He's does everything to put up points.

 

[Mike Liut]

I don’t see Mikkola replacing Bortuzzo in the playoffs.

 

[Robb_K]

Hawks are the only ones who had the talent to stay good if they avoided a few bad contracts.
I heard enough about him outside of Ransku to figure he'd be a NHL player. It's odd how the offense isnt there for him. He's does everything to put up points.

The points will come. He has decent offensive sense, and is a good passer. After he gets comfortable with the NHL pace, and with his teammates, and The Blues' system, he'll start shooting more, joining the rush more, and even pinch once in a while. He'll score something like Bouwmeester, did in his prime. He'll never be a big-time scorer, because he was taught from early in his career to stress defence, and always back up his shiftmate. But he can, and will score adequately. He'll always be strong defensively, and at best, be a 6 or 7 goal 25 to 30 point scorer as a #4 D-Man.

 

[TK 421]

Bye bye Ducks, gtfo and take your sorry record with you. Hey, have yourself a soy latte while you're at it or whatever it is you people do.

 

[Blueston]

I don’t see Mikkola replacing Bortuzzo in the playoffs.

Long way to playoffs. He could continue to improve and take top 4 role or hit rookie wall. But I’d like to see how he looks over next couple months and go from there.

 

[TK 421]

Mikkola had a play in the 3rd where he noticed his guy had drifted high slot and closed the gap quickly. The puck was behind our net with 2 Blues already scrumming for it so good awareness by him to close that gap and pick up his assignment. He's showing strong reads out there now in anticipating the play.

 

[Ranksu]

Good for him, I always assumed the Finns were kitten soft

 

[TK 421]

Admit it, you got tingly in a special way when Mikkola dropped that Duck late in the 3rd. The guy just sat there for a minute on his can and I immediately pictured your favorite 'maniacal popcorn eating' GIF while giggling my ass off.

 

[simon IC]

When healthy:

Schwartz Schenn Tarasenko
Perron O’Reilly Blais
Sundqvist Thomas Bozak
MacEachern Barbashev Steen

Ex: Kyrou, Sanford, Brouwer

Faulk Pietrangelo
Bouwmeester Parayko
Mikkola Dunn

Ex: Bortuzzo, Gunnarsson

Binnington
Allen

Now that is DEEEEEP.

Dunn-Mikkola could be an AMAZING bottom pairing.

Edit: De La Rose as another extra. Not to mention, Kostin as a black ace. We have an entire extra 4th line and three extra players that can play in the top-9 somewhat comfortably. Our extra dmen are both excellent bottom-pairing and Gunnar can even slide up into the top-4 if need be. Allen and Binnington are playing 1A/1B. It’s a good time to be a Blues fan.

Minor quibble, but why would you put two defensemen on their "off-side" unnecessarily?

• Dunn-Pietrangelo
• Bouwmeester-Parayko
• Mikkola-Faulk.

 

[simon IC]

That's because we all thought that Ranksu was being chauvanistic, "talking him up" just because he's a Finn. But the guy is actually very solid. Maybe Ranksu can get a job with The Blues as an amateur scout in Finland?

Hey, I was right there with Ranksu, (with a couple others), promoting Mikkola right from the get-go! So glad to see him fitting in so well!!!

 

[Joshuar56]

When healthy:

Schwartz Schenn Tarasenko
Perron O’Reilly Blais
Sundqvist Thomas Bozak
MacEachern Barbashev Steen

Ex: Kyrou, Sanford, Brouwer

Faulk Pietrangelo
Bouwmeester Parayko
Mikkola Dunn

Ex: Bortuzzo, Gunnarsson

Binnington
Allen

Now that is DEEEEEP.

Dunn-Mikkola could be an AMAZING bottom pairing.

Edit: De La Rose as another extra. Not to mention, Kostin as a black ace. We have an entire extra 4th line and three extra players that can play in the top-9 somewhat comfortably. Our extra dmen are both excellent bottom-pairing and Gunnar can even slide up into the top-4 if need be. Allen and Binnington are playing 1A/1B. It’s a good time to be a Blues fan.

Don’t really like having 2 RHD and 2LHD paired.
Would also much rather play Kyrou over MacMac, with Sundqvist or maybe Blais goings to the 4th, but I know that won’t happen...

 

[Ranksu]

That's because we all thought that Ranksu was being chauvanistic, "talking him up" just because he's a Finn. But the guy is actually very solid. Maybe Ranksu can get a job with The Blues as an amateur scout in Finland?

I really don't know does Blues have amateur scout who visit in Finland. Martin Brodeur was last what I know has come here in Finland to watch some games. Or even Sweden, mid-europe countries or Russia?

 

[CoverYour5]

Minor quibble, but why would you put two defensemen on their "off-side" unnecessarily?

• Dunn-Pietrangelo
• Bouwmeester-Parayko
• Mikkola-Faulk.

I'm with you here. This defense looks good!

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

I really don't know does Blues have amateur scout who visit in Finland. Martin Brodeur was last what I know has come here in Finland to watch some games. Or even Sweden, mid-europe countries or Russia?

Jan Vopat has been our Director of European Scouting for many years now. Stefan Elvenes handles Sweden part-time, Alexey Starovoytov handles Russia, and Timo Koskela handles Finland. So, we have at least a part-time presence in at least 4 countries.

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

Minor quibble, but why would you put two defensemen on their "off-side" unnecessarily?

• Dunn-Pietrangelo
• Bouwmeester-Parayko
• Mikkola-Faulk.

Because despite me wanting to see Mikkola-Petro, Dunn-Parayko, Bouwmeester-Faulk, I would assume managment would want to stick with Faulk-Petro, Bouwmeester-Parayko given their dominance this season and what that second pairing did in the playoffs.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

Mikkola had a play in the 3rd where he noticed his guy had drifted high slot and closed the gap quickly. The puck was behind our net with 2 Blues already scrumming for it so good awareness by him to close that gap and pick up his assignment. He's showing strong reads out there now in anticipating the play.

His reads have been the most impressive part of his game for me. He seems to think the game at a pretty high level.