GDT: Game #2: St. Louis Blues vs. Calgary Flames // Back to Basics Edition

[2 Minute Minor]

Nice to see the team playing Hitchcocks style effectively, but I think Calgary is not the best measuring stick. They play hard, but lack talent.

It was the correct move to put Ott on the top line. The other two lines need more ice time together to gel. He did a more than serviceable job filling in for Berglund.

Hopefully whatever is ailing Berglund is a quick recovery, and also maybe slowed him in the Rangers game...because he looked tentative and passive in that game. I'm concerned for the lineup if he's not up to taking the wing spot on Backes line.

Lindstrom has shown some flashes, but also failed to get off a shot on two occasions where two Blues got behind the D. Hopefully he'll be skilled enough to make that line more dangerous, but I think he has a lot to prove first. It was nice to see him get a goal, though.

 

[ManyIdeas]

Loved Cole last night. Did something almost none of our dmen can do, take a bounce pass off the board and immediately shot it hard and didn't miss the net at all.

 

[WalterSobchak]

the problem is we saw this kind of effort last season against "easy" opponents. it's when the other team forces the Blues to play dirty or to grind it out that they go missing. So if this is an easy win, it won't be a very useful measuring stick imo

quoting this. This game tells us nothing. We had plenty of these kinds of "easy" games last year and followed it up against a tougher opponent and shat the bed. This team excels when it is given the room to play fancy. I am still waiting to see how it plays, when the rust isn't obvious, against a team who forces them to grind it out.

That game we will be able to truly see the players Lehtera, Lindstrom and even Stastny are. It is in those games that we are going to miss Sobie, because when this team was in tough and looking to lay down, he was usually the linchpin that started making big hits and playing tough and inspiring a few of the other young players -- in particular Tank and Schwartz and even Bergy on occasion -- to get into the game and truly fight it out.

The jury is still way way out on what the identity of this team is going to be this season.

 

[WalterSobchak]

-SNIP-

It was the correct move to put Ott on the top line. The other two lines need more ice time together to gel. He did a more than serviceable job filling in for Berglund.

it definitely was. If Sobotka was still on the team, he would have slotted up and nobody would have said boo about it. Ott is our Sobie replacement this season, for better or for worse.

 

[BlueDream]

it definitely was. If Sobotka was still on the team, he would have slotted up and nobody would have said boo about it. Ott is our Sobie replacement this season, for better or for worse.

Agreed, and he's actually not a bad option. At the very least, he can win faceoffs, crash and bang and go to the front of the net for scoring chances. He plays hard, and that's really all I want out of him. Sure he may be best on the 4th-line but it's nice having that versatility.

 

[Meatball]

Yeah, it was almost like he wasnt playing tonight.

When he gets back, obviously.

 

[WalterSobchak]

Agreed, and he's actually not a bad option. At the very least, he can win faceoffs, crash and bang and go to the front of the net for scoring chances. He plays hard, and that's really all I want out of him. Sure he may be best on the 4th-line but it's nice having that versatility.

I don't get the hate on Ott. Even comparing him to Stewart, Ott filled a need on the team that Stewart did not. Stewie was replaceable. Different skill set that we already had filled in our top 2 lines and he was redundant. I call anyone who says in retrospect that they knew the Miller trade wasn't going to work because, imo it was worth the risk.

I also don't blame our teams collapse on Miller entirely, but he was not "as advertised"

I suppose we'll see this season if All-iot is the answer this off-season but tbh, no excuses -- Conference Finals or bust. If we falter one more season, it's time for a culture change and IMO it starts with Hitch.

 

[BlueDream]

I don't get the hate on Ott. Even comparing him to Stewart, Ott filled a need on the team that Stewart did not. Stewie was replaceable. Different skill set that we already had filled in our top 2 lines and he was redundant. I call anyone who says in retrospect that they knew the Miller trade wasn't going to work because, imo it was worth the risk.

I also don't blame our teams collapse on Miller entirely, but he was not "as advertised"

I suppose we'll see this season if All-iot is the answer this off-season but tbh, no excuses -- Conference Finals or bust. If we falter one more season, it's time for a culture change and IMO it starts with Hitch.

I like that you know what you're getting out of Ott. He's gonna give you his best effort every night, and be a physical force and annoy the other team. With Stewart, you didn't know if he'd show up or not.

Looking at the past 2 years, if we're going into a playoff series I'll take the Ott we saw against Chicago on my side before any of Stewart's series. Ott had a bad injury and put it all on the line and played pretty decently.

We overpaid for Miller but I thought at the time it was worth the risk as well. I never thought Halak had much of a future here, and thought Miller was an upgrade. Stewart's future also looked bleak, and sure we didn't use good asset management on Stewart and Carrier, but asset management comes after building a team. That's the main goal. Unfortunately we were still short that top 6 center we needed, so let's see how this year's team stacks up. People can complain about the bad trades of Halak, Stewart, Perron all they want, and they have a good reason to, but in the end Armstrong has greatly improved our team over the last 4 years.

 

[PeterAngelo]

The play is continually dying when he has the puck. He tries to make an extra move and loses it, cycles it a little weird, or simply whacks at the puck instead of trying to control it or pass it with intent and accuracy. Guys like Schwartz, Lindstrom, Tarasenko, Steen, and Stastny are continually getting open and getting the puck in open ice and challenging the opposition. Oshie is just kind of grinding along at this point.

It's just a couple games in, though, he should be fine.

Thank you for the reply rumrokh, this kind of insight is handy. Appreciate it

 

[Overkamp]

Thank you for the reply rumrokh, this kind of insight is handy. Appreciate it

I would also add that Oshie (who obviously never shied away from hitting or the physicality) has been much more active after the whistle. In fact, I cannot remember him being that feisty and combative during any stretch in his career (two game sample here). Lots of patty-cake going on.

Sometimes I wonder if he tweaked something or was sore after that fight in the first game vs Zuccarello. He definitely has looked a little slower and kind of lagging.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Yeah, it's nice to see a bit more of an edge from Oshie. When Ott is with Backes and Oshie, they really have the potential to be a complete pain in the butt to play against.

 

[SirPaste]

What happened to Berglund? Didnt get to see the game last night

 

[sparkycircuit]

What happened to Berglund? Didnt get to see the game last night

Out with an injury, Ott took his place on the line with Backes and Osh.

 

[BlueDream]

Yeah, it's nice to see a bit more of an edge from Oshie. When Ott is with Backes and Oshie, they really have the potential to be a complete pain in the butt to play against.

Ott and Backes together is pretty fun to be honest.