Make some bold predictions for this season

HighNote

Just one more Cup
Jul 1, 2014
3,312
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St. Louis
If all of that goes right, there is a basically 0% chance we don't finish at least 3rd in the division. Also, what is with the fear of Colorado everyone has? Their D is pretty mediocre, and their biggest free agency moves to fix those holes were Ian Cole and Matt Calvert. With MacKinnon having an all world year they still only beat our team last year that had fallen off a cliff by a single point last year. It took almost a worst case scenario to beat us last year, and we completely upgraded our forward core since.
Yeah, I think Colorado will get 4th at best, but I can see them being as far back as last in the central.
 

Bluesish

Embrace Mediocracy
Nov 19, 2011
485
721
Rust Belt, USA
We start the season well and Allen has okay numbers. Columbus starts the season poorly despite Bob playing amazing. In November Army trades Allen, Kostin, Binnington and a 3rd in 2019 for Bob @ 50% retained. Blues crush souls for the remainder of the season.
 

The Winter Soldier

Registered User
Apr 4, 2011
70,803
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Neutral fan here, but I have a sentimental spot for the Blues. Hard to believe they are the second longest team waiting for a cup. Blues have had some good teams in their history. I am indifferent to Coach Yeo, sort of reminds me of Maurice in Winnipeg. But I do like what Armstrong has done this summer.

Also Blues have some of my favourite young players. Parayko, Dunn, Fabbri, and Bokk. I think Bozak is going to be a sneaky good player for you guys. ROR and he provide much better depth and quality down the middle.

I think this could be a year the Blues do well. We will see and I can see them being pretty good. They have a veteran team with some good vets sprinkled with young players.
 

simon IC

Moderator
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Sep 8, 2007
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Neutral fan here, but I have a sentimental spot for the Blues. Hard to believe they are the second longest team waiting for a cup. Blues have had some good teams in their history. I am indifferent to Coach Yeo, sort of reminds me of Maurice in Winnipeg. But I do like what Armstrong has done this summer.

Also Blues have some of my favourite young players. Parayko, Dunn, Fabbri, and Bokk. I think Bozak is going to be a sneaky good player for you guys. ROR and he provide much better depth and quality down the middle.

I think this could be a year the Blues do well. We will see and I can see them being pretty good. They have a veteran team with some good vets sprinkled with young players.
Thanks for dropping by! I appreciate insightful input from posters outside of our regular group. I am looking forward to this season!
 

The Winter Soldier

Registered User
Apr 4, 2011
70,803
21,006
Thanks for dropping by! I appreciate insightful input from posters outside of our regular group. I am looking forward to this season!
Absolutely! The Blues have a great checkered past with a great history. I still recall Dan Kelly calling games. The Plager Bros and The Federko, Sutter, Mullen, Gilmour years. And who could forget Hull and Oates. Truly a Great history with this franchise. A cup is overdue sure, if St Louis does win one, as neutral as a fan could be. I would be very happy for St Louis and long time Blues fans.
 

Majorityof1

Registered User
Mar 6, 2014
8,261
6,796
Central Florida
Provel is a mix of provolone, swiss, and cheddar, IIRC. If you like those cheeses, you will probably like provel.

I like all of those and hate Provel. Provel is a processed cheese, like velvetta or American cheese. While those are ok for some things , I wouldn't layer some Kraft American singles on my pizza. The three you mentioned are natural cheeses. Sprinkle a bit of all three on the pizza and its delicious. Throw all three in a vat with saturated fat, emulsifiers, salt, dyes and preservatives to reform into a block of goo that is then put on the pizza, and no thanks.
 

EastonBlues22

Registered User
Nov 25, 2003
14,807
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RIP Fugu ϶(°o°)ϵ
I like all of those and hate Provel. Provel is a processed cheese, like velvetta or American cheese. While those are ok for some things , I wouldn't layer some Kraft American singles on my pizza. The three you mentioned are natural cheeses. Sprinkle a bit of all three on the pizza and its delicious. Throw all three in a vat with saturated fat, emulsifiers, salt, dyes and preservatives to reform into a block of goo that is then put on the pizza, and no thanks.
<shrug>

I'm pretty ambivalent about it personally, but a lot of people seem to like it.
 

tfriede2

Registered User
Aug 8, 2010
4,514
2,971
I haven't opined in this thread yet, so here goes:

1) Tarasenko (my favorite player) does not hit another level, scores between 30 and 35 goals and around 70 points, leading to trade rumors;
2) Fabbri re-injures his knee at home during the first week of the season, leading everyone in the building to groan in depression, knowing that his career is likely over;
3) Schwartz does not miss significant time and plays 75+ games, leading the Blues in scoring with over 75 points;
4) Thomas starts out on the 4th line but moves up to the 3rd line RW in time, putting up 25 points on the season;
5) Parayko has another 35 point season, with no improvement in goal scoring, leading to more trade rumors;
6) Husso steals the job from Allen 3/4 into the season, but Allen is declared the starting goaltender for the playoffs.
 

Ranksu

Crotch Academy ftw
Sponsor
Apr 28, 2014
19,671
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Lapland
2) Fabbri re-injures his knee at home during the first week of the season, leading everyone in the building to groan in depression, knowing that his career is likely over;
tenor.gif
 

CaliforniaBlues310

Registered User
Apr 9, 2013
4,544
3,506
San Pedro, CA.
Allen ends up top 5 in Vezina voting.

Tarasenko finds wonderful chemistry with O’Reilly and Fabbri, and FINALLY hits the PPG mark(scoring 43 goals in the process).

O’Reilly, Schenn, and Schwartz all hover around 70 points.

Fabbri stays healthy and returns to form. Gets 40 points despite a slow start.

Thomas starts the year with the team, but Kyrou and Kostin dominate in San Antonio and force their way onto the Blues roster to stay as well.

Blues roll into the playoffs running this when healthy.

Fabbri-O’Reilly-Tarasenko
Schwartz-Schenn-Kyrou
Steen-Bozak-Perron
Maroon-Thomas-Kostin
Jaskin, Barbashev, Soshnikov

Edmundson-Pietrangelo
Dunn-Parayko
Bouwmeester-Schmaltz
Bortuzzo
 
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TK 421

Barbashev eats babies pass it on
Sep 12, 2007
6,445
6,090
Ryan O'Reilly comes in and immediately sets about destroying his Western Conference competitors at center using the force and his giant blue G.A.R. chart lightsaber. He wills the Blues to their 1st Stanley Cup and finshes the season with 90 points. JoeThorntonsRooster then comes in to the Cup celebration thread and proclaims that ROR still isn't "elite" because the new arbitrary # for being elite is now 91 points.
 

Renard

Registered User
Nov 14, 2011
2,148
761
St. Louis, MO
We win the cup. The world is saved. Free IMOs for everybody.

Papa John then gets control back of Papa Johns.

Tarasenko goes full Ovechkin and goes on a week long bender that ends with him raising the cup the entire game of a Cubs vs. Cardinals game at Busch. We win the game Oquendo is the manager

And then we all wake up and realize none of it came true


Pretty funny!
 

BlueDream

Registered User
Aug 30, 2011
25,685
14,074
Blues trade a healthy Fabbri and Kostin to rent Panarin, roll 4 "scoring" lines, and play thrilling run and gun hockey. They win the Presidents Trophy, despite a much higher GA, a mediocre PK and inconsistent goaltending. But who cares, we can outscore anyone, right? Then we are shut down in the 1st round by a good defensive team with a hot goalie, and management, players and fans alike are reminded that defense is actually important. Panarin then signs with the 'Hawks, and Fabbri and Kostin become regulars for years on Columbus. Hey, Blues fan gonna Blues fan! :)
Between offense, defense and goaltending, I think a very strong argument can be made that defense is the least important one.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't think we need to touch our roster right now. But the defense could be amazing and we will only go as far as Allen can take us. Being able to score and having a good goalie are the main keys to winning a Cup. We'll see how it works out.
 
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Brian39

Registered User
Apr 24, 2014
7,029
12,744
berglund outscores thomas

Points or goals? I'd be shocked if Thomas scores more goals than Bergie but wouldn't be surprised either way if we're talking points. I'd probably put my money on Bergie though.
 

Dominicr

Registered User
Nov 23, 2017
797
227
My prediction is the blues win the cup. +2500 in Vegas right now. IF they are +2000 or more in November when I’m out there for the game I’ll be putting 100 on it.
 

Thallis

Progression is not linear
Jan 23, 2010
9,118
4,453
Behind Blue Eyes
Between offense, defense and goaltending, I think a very strong argument can be made that defense is the least important one.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't think we need to touch our roster right now. But the defense could be amazing and we will only go as far as Allen can take us. Being able to score and having a good goalie are the main keys to winning a Cup. We'll see how it works out.

I very strongly disagree with this sentiment. Defense is the most important position in professional hockey by a long shot. A mediocre goalie is the easiest thing in pro hockey to cover for, even in the playoffs. Chicago won with Niemi. Philly got the the final with Lieghton. Ottawa regularly went deep with Anderson. Murray has 2 Stanley Cups. Elite teams don't need great goalies because they possess the puck on the other end of ice for the vast majority of the game. That starts with a great defense. The offense putting in pucks consistently makes goalie fairly inconsequential. That doesn't mean you can have Scott Foster as your starter, but having someone in the bottom half of the league in goaltending ability doesn't really matter if the team around him is Cup quality.
 
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Chojin

Tiny Panger...
Apr 6, 2011
4,301
573
Johnson sucks, but Allen plays like a league-average goaltender so it's OK. Rookies make no significant contributions this year.
 

Brian39

Registered User
Apr 24, 2014
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12,744
I very strongly disagree with this sentiment. Defense is the most important position in professional hockey by a long shot. A mediocre goalie is the easiest thing in pro hockey to cover for, even in the playoffs. Chicago won with Niemi. Philly got the the final with Lieghton. Ottawa regularly went deep with Anderson. Murray has 2 Stanley Cups. Elite teams don't need great goalies because they possess the puck on the other end of ice for the vast majority of the game. That starts with a great defense. The offense putting in pucks consistently makes goalie fairly inconsequential. That doesn't mean you can have Scott Foster as your starter, but having someone in the bottom half of the league in goaltending ability doesn't really matter if the team around him is Cup quality.

Ottawa got out of the first round twice with Anderson. One of those years they lost 4-1 in the second round. In the other, they got to the Conference Final with Anderson. He posted a .922 and played pretty damn well based on my eye test. He also posted a .926 in the regular season that year (through 40 starts) and was widely considered a top 10 goalie that season despite his starts being limited due to his leave to be with his wife.

Murray has a career .923 playoff SV%. He posted a .923 in his first Cup run and a .937 in the next. He was mediocre last year and lo and behold, the Pens got bounced in the 2nd round.

In 2011, Thomas won the Conn Smythe with a .940 SV%. He won the Vezina.

In 2012, Quick won the Conn Smythe with a .946 SV%. He was 2nd in Vezina voting that year.

In 2013, Crawford posted a .932 in the playoffs in his first Cup run.

In 2014, Quick posted a mediocre .911 SV%. He was abysmal in their first 3 games against SJ, but then became a superhero for the reverse sweep. He was also brutal for a 3 game stretch in round two before flipping the switch again. He was decidedly mediocre overall, but was incredible slightly more often than he was terrible, which allowed the Kings to win 3 straight 7 game series because he was great slightly more often than not.

In 2015, Crawford posted a .924 SV%.

Murray posted the .923 and .937 totals I mentioned above in 2016 and 2017.

Holtby posted a .922 last year.

I don't see any teams covering for below average goalies in there. 3 of those 5 goalies have a Vezina trophy and Crawford has finished as high as 5th in the voting and is unquestionably a top 10 NHL goalie. Murray struggled in his first year without a safety net, but was unquestionably fantastic in their two playoff runs.

In terms of losing goalies, the last 3 years have seen Rinne, Fleury, and Jones all play fantastic in the first 3 rounds of the playoffs. But they all came down to Earth in the Final. We're probably talking about different Cup winners if those 3 had sustained their great play instead of forcing their teams to cover for mediocre goaltending in the Final.

I completely disagree with the idea that it is easy to cover for a mediocre goalie. If you want to win a Cup with that formula, that goalie needs to play like a top 10 goalie in the playoffs (even if he can't sustain it all season). Otherwise, you better have what is by far the best roster assembled in the cap era. That 2010 Hawks lineup was just hilariously absurd and that was 9 years ago. Since then, we've seen 1 out of 8 Cup winning goalies post a sub-.920 playoff SV% and that 1 exception had a weird habit of single handedly winning and losing games instead of just being 'meh' throughout.
 
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