Those three teams are better than we are. But you are ignoring the competitive aspect of the games. We aren't getting blown out by these teams. We have been tied going into the third period (or ahead) in several of the games. A couple of player additions could make a big difference.
If we get Gunnarsson, Schwartz and Elliott in the lineup, it will make a big difference. If Jaskin comes through (and if that helps Stastny be more effective), that will make a big difference.
Ordinarily, I would have thought so. But, this season, I think there is more wrong with this team.
It's clear that The Blues' players don't believe in Hitch's system anymore. The forwards believe their scoring is down because of it, and that it "tires them out". And they see that The Blues can't beat the best teams while using it. So they have given up being disciplined, and just going through the motions. That's why they are losing so many games and not even dominating the weak teams this season, unlike last season. There are very few games in which they have the "jump in their legs that they had last year. You can tell they are not trying nearly as hard in most games, unlike they did in most games last season.
Their team defence is terrible. The forwards are not making much effort to get back, so the backchecking is weak, and sometimes nonexistent. They allow opponents free entry into their zone. They don't skate full out in races to the puck. They COULDN'T ALL have lost so much speed over one off season. They are playing with little or no energy, unlike last season.
When do you ever hear a public statement like Stastny's saying that "he is having trouble adjusting to Hitch's system, which is limiting his offensive production"? That kind of thinking is usually kept inside the team and coach - not told to the public. Clearly, there is a rift between Hitch and the team. They don't believe in his system, and don't have confidence they can win. You can see it in the way they play. It's totally different from last season, even with more talent now. Hockey is a game dependent on emotion. It's very hard to win when you don't want to split a gut to win for your coach just as you do for your teammates. There seems to be a rift, and it's NOT going to be fixed by a trade, alone.
I think, unfortunately, that Hitch has to go, because he's not going to throw out his system in mid season, and tell his players he'll work together with them to get the team back on the winning track. I don't think that Muller taking over in mid-season will help. A "fleecing" trade might help a little bit. But, I don't see this team getting by both Nashville AND Chicago in the playoffs. They might win one series.
I wonder how the playing 110% every regular season game and being exhausted and getting lots of injuries down the stretch plays in the backs of the players' and coaches' minds. Is this half-hearted playing the result of trying to "take it easy and coast through the regular season" a result of that, and carrying out a strategy? If so, they need to stop it.
As a former player in organised hockey, I can't imagine how players can play league games and not play hard, trying to win each game. How would anyone do that??? You have to play all out and hope that you have enough left at playoff time.
The only way to try to avoid the tiredness and injury is for the coach to sit out players one at a time, to rest them. With such a deep roster, that should be no problem, and actually help the team by giving more playing time to bench players, so they are not rusty when needed.
Unfortunately, I'm afraid that we've seen the pinnacle of this roster's play, and a major shake-up. including a new coach AND a major trade or two must come, or this season will be either the same as last, or worse.
And you all know that I'm usually optimistic.
