Did we have a better lineup last year?

[RR10*]

Honestly. Watching the lineups I feel we had a better team last playoffs. I know guys like Steen, Schwartz and Tarasenko developed and got better but is it enough to make todays team better?

Halak/Elliot

Same defensemen

Jaden Schwartz - David Backes - TJ Oshie
David Perron - Alexander Steen - Vladimir Tarasenko
Vladimir Sobotka - Andy McDonald - Chris Stewart
Ryan Reaves - Patrik Berglund - Jamie Langenbrunner

Three scoring lines and a solid fourth. What y'all think?

Click to read more...

 

[ManyIdeas]

You have to remember how ineffective AMac and Stew were together and apart toward the end of the year, though.

 

[ToniJ1960]

A fresh rested Andy McDonald and David Perron with the improved Schwartz and Tarasenko, looks pretty good.

Its not the problem though, theyre playing worse than a last place team right now. Are they tired, resting healing? Is it something deeper?

 

[RR10*]

A fresh rested Andy McDonald and David Perron with the improved Schwartz and Tarasenko, looks pretty good.

Its not the problem though, theyre playing worse than a last place team right now. Are they tired, resting healing? Is it something deeper?

- Injuries to key players.
- Lack of motivation.
- Earlier overperforming (might get jumped at for this statement).

 

[Dbrownss]

- Injuries to key players.
- Lack of motivation.
- Earlier overperforming (might get jumped at for this statement).

I don't see lack of motivation. They went from a 1st place favorite to just down right bad. Added the possibility of playing chicago first round when the Avs match them so well, I would think that's motivation enough..... With the support management has given this team, they seem content with pissing it away.

 

[Brez50]

Honestly. Watching the lineups I feel we had a better team last playoffs. I know guys like Steen, Schwartz and Tarasenko developed and got better but is it enough to make todays team better?

Halak/Elliot

Same defensemen

Jaden Schwartz - David Backes - TJ Oshie
David Perron - Alexander Steen - Vladimir Tarasenko
Vladimir Sobotka - Andy McDonald - Chris Stewart
Ryan Reaves - Patrik Berglund - Jamie Langenbrunner

Three scoring lines and a solid fourth. What y'all think?

Did Jamie Langenbrunner even play last year or spend all his time upstairs.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

There is no doubt in my mind this years team is better than last years. Sure, now that Vladi is hurt, Perron or even Stewart look better but they are not needed. Every team goes through a funk but hey maybe now that the Avs have crept up to 2 points behind us, it'll wake the boys back up. I know they won't say it but they do not want Chicago in round one.

 

[illninofan*]

This team >>>>>>>> Last year's team, AINEC.

Lol @ these rose colored glasses people are putting on because they're butthurt about the Ryan Miller deal.

 

[Megalodan]

Honestly. Watching the lineups I feel we had a better team last playoffs. I know guys like Steen, Schwartz and Tarasenko developed and got better but is it enough to make todays team better?

Halak/Elliot

Same defensemen

Jaden Schwartz - David Backes - TJ Oshie
David Perron - Alexander Steen - Vladimir Tarasenko
Vladimir Sobotka - Andy McDonald - Chris Stewart
Ryan Reaves - Patrik Berglund - Jamie Langenbrunner

Three scoring lines and a solid fourth. What y'all think?

But that's not what our lines looked like last year's playoffs. If you do it by time on ice:

Steen (3G) - Backes (1G,2A) - Oshie (2G)
Perron (2A) - Berglund (1G,1A) - McDonald (no points)
Schwartz (1A) - Sobotka (3A) - Stewart (1A)
Porter (1G) - Cracknell (no points) - Reaves (no points)
*Tarasenko benched.

 

[BlueDream]

But that's not what our lines looked like last year's playoffs. If you do it by time on ice:

Steen (3G) - Backes (1G,2A) - Oshie (2G)
Perron (2A) - Berglund (1G,1A) - McDonald (no points)
Schwartz (1A) - Sobotka (3A) - Stewart (1A)
Porter (1G) - Cracknell (no points) - Reaves (no points)
*Tarasenko benched.

So to review, line by line:

-- 1st line is still here
-- Perron and McDonald are out; Tarasenko and Roy are in ... Pretty much a wash as of now, but Tarasenko should be better for us than Perron in the future.
-- Stewart out, Ott/Morrow/Paajarvi (whoever you want to put on the 3rd line) in. Eh... Stewart has the most offensive potential but he wasn't giving us much and neither are many of the others. Basically a wash.
-- 4th line is upgraded; Lapierre is a better player than Cracknell.

Also take into account Schwartz's improvement. Nobody has really regressed or should anytime soon.

Not to mention I do still believe Miller > Halak.

So while similar, I don't think this team is worse than last year's. Probably a little better.

 

[Megalodan]

So to review, line by line:

-- 1st line is still here
-- Perron and McDonald are out; Tarasenko and Roy are in ... Pretty much a wash as of now, but Tarasenko should be better for us than Perron in the future.
-- Stewart out, Ott/Morrow/Paajarvi (whoever you want to put on the 3rd line) in. Eh... Stewart has the most offensive potential but he wasn't giving us much and neither are many of the others. Basically a wash.
-- 4th line is upgraded; Lapierre is a better player than Cracknell.

Not to mention I do still believe Miller > Halak.

So while similar, I don't think this team is worse than last year's. If anything it's about the same, if not a little better.

For real.

If you knock out the guys that left the team our playoff roster would be:
Steen - Backes - Oshie
Schwartz - Berglund - Sobotka
Porter - Cracknell - Reaves
... which is the list of forwards that contributed and weren't total defensive liabilities.

Coincidentally, Hitchock was recently interviewed and said that the 4th line should carry specialists instead of being an energy line, since TV Timeouts give players enough rest anyway.

So going into the playoffs, even with Tarasenko injured, the Blues could roll:
#1: Steen - Backes - Schwartz
#2: Berglund - Sobotka - Oshie
#3A: Ott - Lapierre - Reaves
#3B: Morrow - Roy - Paajarvi

depending on line-matching/circumstance. Get Tarasenko back and you have
#1: Steen - Backes - Oshie
#2: Schwartz - Sobotka - Tarasenko
#3A: Morrow - Berglund - Ott
#3B: Paajarvi - Lapierre - Reaves

which brings back our team's much-needed secondary scoring while keeping the Bottom 6 defensively solid. The top lines don't have as many skilled players, but defensively it's a marked improvement over last season without losing much scoring -- since they didn't really do much anyway.

This sort of adds to speculation on why the Blues didn't go out and grab a scorer: they don't want to add in a scorer that wouldn't be improvements over what we have, and maybe would've ruined the defense of the Bottom 6.

I think that next season the Blues add to the team to make the 3rd line into a scoring/checking line with Paajarvi, Berglund/Sobotka, and Jaskin (assuming no Stastny). Ott to the 4th with Lapierre/Reaves.

 

[illninofan*]

^Depending on the team, I would go Porter-Lappy-Reaves on the 4th line, but that's pretty much about right.

Tarasenko can't get back soon enough.

 

[Daley Tarasenkshow]

Lapierre's impact on this team will really show come playoff time IMO, he's been solid all year.

You're also forgetting the fact that Ryan Miller is now in net for the Blues.

 

[Mike Liut]

AMac was the worst player on the ice in last years playoffs. He was worse than terrible.

 

[Hooliganx3]

Lapierre's impact on this team will really show come playoff time IMO, he's been solid all year.

You're also forgetting the fact that Ryan Miller is now in net for the Blues.

I think you're overrating Miller. Miller only had 1 great season and playoff run. He has yet to perform better than Halak with the Blues. Halaks playoff run is actually more recent than Miller's.

I never understood the hype for Miller's he's a good goalie but was only great one season.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I think you're overrating Miller. Miller only had 1 great season and playoff run. He has yet to perform better than Halak with the Blues. Halaks playoff run is actually more recent than Miller's.

I never understood the hype for Miller's he's a good goalie but was only great one season.

You've been very pessimistic the past few months, are you just preparing yourself for the inevitable disappointment?

 

[izzy]

AMac was the worst player on the ice in last years playoffs. He was worse than terrible.

He was over a PPG the year before in the playoffs wasn't he? It's a shame he couldn't bring it back...

 

[Captain Creampuff]

You've been very pessimistic the past few months, are you just preparing yourself for the inevitable disappointment?

He just is mad that we traded for Miller because he wanted a top 6 center or scoring help in general instead.

 

[illninofan*]

You've been very pessimistic the past few months, are you just preparing yourself for the inevitable disappointment?

Glad I'm not the only one who's noticed. Really annoying.

 

[Mike Liut]

He was over a PPG the year before in the playoffs wasn't he? It's a shame he couldn't bring it back...

Yeah, he would have been the difference if was the AMac of old.

 

[bleedblue1223]

AMac last playoffs lost a step or 2, but he played scared and that's why he was so ineffective. Can't really blame him though.

 

[bluemandan]

He just is mad that we traded for Miller because he wanted a top 6 center or scoring help in general instead.

He's not the only one.

I said at the time of the trade that I'll judge it by the postseason. Wasn't a huge fan initially, but I'm still holding off until after the season is over before I make my comments.

 

[Hooliganx3]

You've been very pessimistic the past few months, are you just preparing yourself for the inevitable disappointment?

I just personally have never seen Miller as an Elite goalie. Okay I take that back the season in 09-10 I did see him as an Elite goalie.

I don't think anything is doom or gloom right now. If we get healthy and our team puts it together we can make a real run. I don't think Miller will in anyway be the difference maker for our team. I do think a top goalscorer was the real issue with the team.

I do think having Perron right now would help out our team. MPS while a decent player IMO will never be the offensive force Perron can be. I see MPS as a bottom 6 player for his NHL career. The odds the 2nd liner develops into a player the caliber Perron is is not likely IMO as well.

I think Armstrong has made a lot of questionable moves. Our current prospect depth worries me. I think Armstrong to should have used Perron and Stewart as pieces to help replenish our prospect depth. I think he returned poor value for them.

The more I have seen Jaskin in the NHL the more worried I am about him being a top 6 NHL player. I think he should be in Chicago playing for the Wolves with Rattie. Rattie has done well this season but it remains to be seen if his game can translate to NHL success.

I do question the leadership on our team. I question our teams compete level. It's something they need to fix from within.

The good news is we have players like Pietrangelo , Bouwmeester, Oshie, Backes, Steen, Shattenkirk, Schwartz and Tarasenko. The older of the group should have a good 4-5 years at least of playing at a high level. The younger of the bunch should have 10 plus years.

I think our team has some good and some bad going for them. When I see something positive in the team I post positive comments when I see bad things i post negative comments.

If we are talking about Backes. Schwartz, Steen, Oshie, or Tarasenko my posts will normally be positive. Pietrangelo is a player i expect more out of with the skill and talent he has.

Berglund and Jackman are two players that are sometimes whipping boys that I always seem to support. They just are what they are. Both have negative qualities and some positives. I am not going to expect either one to ever be a game breaker for us.

Armstrong is someone due to his moves he has made this offseason and during the season I really question. I'm not much of a fan of his at all. I will say I think he did well with the Bouwmeester trade. Lappy was a decent signing. Morrow was such a low risk signing even though he's has a limited impact i would never call it a bad signing.

 

[bleedblue1223]

It's just I've noticed a big difference in your posts over the past few months than your traditional style since we've been active. Maybe it's nothing, but I've definitely noticed it.

 

[Captain Creampuff]

If Hitch didn't think Jaskin wasn't ready for the NHL and would amount to nothing I don't think he would keep playing or praising him. I'll trust Hitch rather than people freaking out after a stretch of losses and only 15 games played in the NHL. Remember what people were saying about Schwartz last year when he wasn't putting up that many points in the AHL?