Identity Crisis?

[Dutchess]

http://twopadstack.net/identity-crisis-st-louis/

The perception of this team, at least as an outsider, is that they're very much a muck-it-up team. Is that true anymore?

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[The Note]

It was the case when Hitch first got here, more out of necessity than choice. However it was made clear this past offseason they're moving towards a skilled game rather than the grind it out type of system.

 

[rumrokh]

It never was. For years, they've been a possession team. They have ranked high in possession stats and haven't ranked high in hits in recent years because you can't hit while you have the puck. That's an approach to the game that requires a generally skilled lineup. It's true that they had less finishing skill and depth a few years ago, but the team has revolved around puck-moving defense and puck-protecting forwards since they had both Pietrangelo and Shattenkirk.

They're pretty much the same at their core, they just have better and more offensive depth, which allows them to try more lines and strategies instead of just cycle and throw it back for a point shot. Pretty straightforward and I don't see an identity crisis. They just have three new guys in their top 9, so it's going to take a while for things to gel.

 

[anlongo13]

Blues certainly moved on from the grind it out and win 2-1 team that they were in Hitch's first year.

But I would hardly call it a "crisis." Blues have added quite a bit of skill, and that takes time to gel. More importantly, they have only played 5 games, so it's not the greatest sample size to make judgements.

Blues have some things to figure out offensively, no question about it. But it's hard to see any reason to be concerned this early.

 

[bleedblue1223]

We've always been a team that aimed to dominate possession and we do that against most teams. This year, we got the players to add a more "Euro" style that Hitch and Army have wanted the past few years.

When Hitch came back to coaching, he changed his style to be more like Babcock's in Detroit. That's what our ultimate identity will be. We will play to out-transition the other team, and offensively will be both blue-collar and white-collar, just depending on the combinations.

We've never really been that physical, despite our reputation. We just have a few players that will throw their weight around at times. We can play that game, but we are better when don't do it to the extreme.

I wouldn't call it a crisis, I'd call it more of an evolution.

 

[rumrokh]

We've always been a team that aimed to dominate possession and we do that against most teams. This year, we got the players to add a more "Euro" style that Hitch and Army have wanted the past few years.

When Hitch came back to coaching, he changed his style to be more like Babcock's in Detroit. That's what our ultimate identity will be. We will play to out-transition the other team, and offensively will be both blue-collar and white-collar, just depending on the combinations.

We've never really been that physical, despite our reputation. We just have a few players that will throw their weight around at times. We can play that game, but we are better when don't do it to the extreme.

I wouldn't call it a crisis, I'd call it more of an evolution.

I think this is especially worth noting. Players and teams get undeserved reputations because, frankly, people don't watch the games. Most fans of eastern teams remember a few games they saw last year, possibly during a slump when key guys were injured, and the reputation for a certain style of play is cemented.

In the Blues' case, guys like Oshie, Schwartz, Tarasenko, Steen, and, contrary to the diseased opinion you might see around here, Berglund, are all excellent in puck battles and are hard as hell to check. They don't throw a lot of hits, but they play a tough style that prevents other teams from asserting themselves physically. All it takes is a couple of heavier hitters like Backes and Reaves and the more nuanced style of "tenacious" becomes HUGE AND PHYSICAL in the minds of the ignorant.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Yeah, just look at our defense, none of them are big hitters, hell none of them are even much of regular hitters. Jackman is just more of a pest type defenseman instead of a hitter.

 

[Twisted Blue]

They seem to find a way to "muck" it up in the playoffs.

 

[Celtic Note]

I do think we have lost some of our previous identity, but I am not sure I would go as far as saying we have lost our identity/have an identity crisis.

We are failing on the scoresheet and in the standings because we are failing to return to our identity.

Obviously puck possession is our overarching category. I get what people are saying about us not necessarily being a bruising team but accompanied with our puck possession identity has been the distinction as a heavy team to play against. Opposing players and coaches have said as much, as have our own players and coaches. The area where that gets misconstrued IMO is the lack of realization that heavy on the puck and heavy hitting can be two different things. The Blues have traditionally been heavy on the puck, meaning they jump on opposing players quickly through hard work, layered positioning and they use their bodies in a physical way to separate the man from the puck. That heavy "checking" style is physically and mentally taxing for most opposing teams. Thus the term heavy.

So here is where I feel we are having some identity issues, the Blues are not bringing that heavy element to their game. Their boards battles are not won as frequently nor are they maintaining high possession levels on the cycle/in high turnover areas.

If they rectify those areas of their game, then they will buy themselves more offensive time, which should allow them to find ways to maximize their skill.

They also need better discussion making when executing passes. That has less to do with identity and more to do with basic fundamentals.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

I do think we have lost some of our previous identity, but I am not sure I would go as far as saying we have lost our identity/have an identity crisis.

We are failing on the scoresheet and in the standings because we are failing to return to our identity.

Obviously puck possession is our overarching category. I get what people are saying about us not necessarily being a bruising team but accompanied with our puck possession identity has been the distinction as a heavy team to play against. Opposing players and coaches have said as much, as have our own players and coaches. The area where that gets misconstrued IMO is the lack of realization that heavy on the puck and heavy hitting can be two different things. The Blues have traditionally been heavy on the puck, meaning they jump on opposing players quickly through hard work, layered positioning and they use their bodies in a physical way to separate the man from the puck. That heavy "checking" style is physically and mentally taxing for most opposing teams. Thus the term heavy.

So here is where I feel we are having some identity issues, the Blues are not bringing that heavy element to their game. Their boards battles are not won as frequently nor are they maintaining high possession levels on the cycle/in high turnover areas.

If they rectify those areas of their game, then they will buy themselves more offensive time, which should allow them to find ways to maximize their skill.

They also need better discussion making when executing passes. That has less to do with identity and more to do with basic fundamentals.

I think this is very accurate, but I will also say we haven't acquired the talent to be a board possession team that Hitchcock wants to instill. Many of the adjustments that we made to the roster are more open ice type of players. The European game is big ice surfaces. I think good coaching may adjust to the pieces that we have in place rather than force pieces to be something that they are not. Just my assessment that maybe they should adjust to maximize the talent and skill sets that they have. Batman all of the sudden can't be Superman. I would have no issue of getting away from the constant board cycle where we seem to get beaten at and take more chances using speed and finesse in the middle of the offensive zone.

 

[GoldenSeal]

I wouldn't call it an Identity Crisis as much as the team historically not buying in and not showing enough heart.

 

[LGB51]

I wouldn't call it an Identity Crisis as much as the team historically not buying in and not showing enough heart.

Maybe they're tired of "buying" what's trying to be sold to them

 

[ToniJ1960]

http://twopadstack.net/identity-crisis-st-louis/

The perception of this team, at least as an outsider, is that they're very much a muck-it-up team. Is that true anymore?

He needs to hire a proof reader.

 

[cardinalnation]

Nonsense! The biggest problem this team has is a lack of finishers and shooters. What ever happened to guys that could shoot the puck in the corners, 5 hole, up high under the crossbar? This is a team that blindly shoots from outside and make far too many moves and shakes IMO. When was the last time they had a game where the opposition had more missed shots or more shots blocked than the Blues? It is rare. To me this club has a great stable of two way players like Swartz, Oshie, Backes, Berglund, Lehtera, Steen and Stastny. What they lack is guys that can put the biscuit in the basket. Been that way for years now.

 

[BlueSinceBirth]

Nonsense! The biggest problem this team has is a lack of finishers and shooters. What ever happened to guys that could shoot the puck in the corners, 5 hole, up high under the crossbar? This is a team that blindly shoots from outside and make far too many moves and shakes IMO. When was the last time they had a game where the opposition had more missed shots or more shots blocked than the Blues? It is rare. To me this club has a great stable of two way players like Swartz, Oshie, Backes, Berglund, Lehtera, Steen and Stastny. What they lack is guys that can put the biscuit in the basket. Been that way for years now.

If a goal is scored cleanly these ways I'm sure the goalie wouldn't be happy with himself. Goaltending is better than it has ever been and is more of a science now. It takes every deflection, screen, rebound, and backdoor play to get the puck past them now. I also think that Schwartz and Tarasenko are great shooters.

 

[rumrokh]

Nonsense! The biggest problem this team has is a lack of finishers and shooters. What ever happened to guys that could shoot the puck in the corners, 5 hole, up high under the crossbar? This is a team that blindly shoots from outside and make far too many moves and shakes IMO. When was the last time they had a game where the opposition had more missed shots or more shots blocked than the Blues? It is rare. To me this club has a great stable of two way players like Swartz, Oshie, Backes, Berglund, Lehtera, Steen and Stastny. What they lack is guys that can put the biscuit in the basket. Been that way for years now.

Eh. Steen was 11th in goals. They had three players in the top 50 in goal scoring and five in the top 90. They don't have any absolutely elite goalscorers, but of the Cup finalists the last three years, only one team had an elite scorer: Kovalchuk in New Jersey. Even the Hawks, who are incredibly dangerous as a whole, get in the low 20's to the low 30's in goals from their top players, just like the Blues did last year.

As a whole, the Blues take better shots than most teams do. The last two years, they've finished 12th and 3rd in the league in shooting percentage. So, no the Blues don't lack finishers and shooters. Last year, only five teams had more goals: Anaheim, Chicago, Boston, Colorado, and Pittsburgh - and of those, only Anaheim and Pittsburgh have elite goalscorers.

Sure, Steen might be bound for regression, but Stastny adds plenty of offense. If there is any development from Schwartz and Tarasenko (and possibly Lehtera), the Blues will continue to be a top-10 scoring and shooting team. They'll lack an elite scorer, but that's not even common among contending teams right now.

What the Blues truly lack are players who elevate their games in the playoffs.

 

[Note Worthy]

Eh. Steen was 11th in goals. They had three players in the top 50 in goal scoring and five in the top 90. They don't have any absolutely elite goalscorers, but of the Cup finalists the last three years, only one team had an elite scorer: Kovalchuk in New Jersey. Even the Hawks, who are incredibly dangerous as a whole, get in the low 20's to the low 30's in goals from their top players, just like the Blues did last year.

As a whole, the Blues take better shots than most teams do. The last two years, they've finished 12th and 3rd in the league in shooting percentage. So, no the Blues don't lack finishers and shooters. Last year, only five teams had more goals: Anaheim, Chicago, Boston, Colorado, and Pittsburgh - and of those, only Anaheim and Pittsburgh have elite goalscorers.

Sure, Steen might be bound for regression, but Stastny adds plenty of offense. If there is any development from Schwartz and Tarasenko (and possibly Lehtera), the Blues will continue to be a top-10 scoring and shooting team. They'll lack an elite scorer, but that's not even common among contending teams right now.

What the Blues truly lack are players who elevate their games in the playoffs.

Exactly. They ace the homework and fail the test.