GDT: TankTown Express, SmashVille 7PM CST

[Linkens Mastery]

If the Blues and Preds wore the old Reebok Jerseys with the Pipes. I would have mistaken this for a 2013 game. Had Hitch vs Trotz written all over it.

 

[Itsnotatrap]

If the Blues and Preds wore the old Reebok Jerseys with the Pipes. I would have mistaken this for a 2013 game. Had Hitch vs Trotz written all over it.

At least we finally decided that giving up 4 plus goals was a bad idea.

 

[stl76]

Great f***ing game. Let's string a couple of those together now!

 

[MissouriMook]

Gotta give props to Jordan Kyrou tonight. He’s getting better at puck battles and was puck hounding in all three zones tonight. Turned the tables and bailed his teammate out twice tonight after they gave up a D zone turnover. He needs to soak up as much stick wizardry from ROR as he can as that is going to be key for him to be a reasonably effective 2 way player and win more puck battles.

 

[stl76]

 

[Majorityof1]

If we are "too good not to" make the playoffs, we need to trade some people STAT. This year's draft and the potential draw of our pending UFAs is too good not to be a seller. Even if we make the playoffs, we are definitely not "too good not to" be swept in the first round. Keeping Tarasenko and RoR and getting another pick in the early 20s only to lose badly in the fuirst round would be the worst possible outcome of this season.

Granted, I take what Stillman is saying with a huge grain of salt given the setting, as it is probably just lip service.

 

[Robb_K]

Gotta give props to Jordan Kyrou tonight. He’s getting better at puck battles and was puck hounding in all three zones tonight. Turned the tables and bailed his teammate out twice tonight after they gave up a D zone turnover. He needs to soak up as much stick wizardry from ROR as he can as that is going to be key for him to be a reasonably effective 2 way player and win more puck battles.

And also get help from ROR on a little stick wizardry good for keeping the puck on his stick when trying to shoot after making a move right in front of the net!

 

[Robb_K]

If we are "too good not to" make the playoffs, we need to trade some people STAT. This year's draft and the potential draw of our pending UFAs is too good not to be a seller. Even if we make the playoffs, we are definitely not "too good not to" be swept in the first round. Keeping Tarasenko and RoR and getting another pick in the early 20s only to lose badly in the fuirst round would be the worst possible outcome of this season.

I agree. This team has GOT to get a really good first pairing D prospect, as well as lots of younger legs with faster speed, and some young skilled shooters, and a couple more young D-men prospects who are excellent puck carriers, and also decent sized. The time to start is NOW (before the trade deadline) and this offseason.

 

[bleedblue1223]

If we are "too good not to" make the playoffs, we need to trade some people STAT. This year's draft and the potential draw of our pending UFAs is too good not to be a seller. Even if we make the playoffs, we are definitely not "too good not to" be swept in the first round. Keeping Tarasenko and RoR and getting another pick in the early 20s only to lose badly in the fuirst round would be the worst possible outcome of this season.

Granted, I take what Stillman is saying with a huge grain of salt given the setting, as it is probably just lip service.

He's also not an owner that gets too involved in these things, so I'd be absolutely shocked if he ever came out publicly and made negative comments, he's just never given me that type of vibe.

 

[BadgersandBlues]

Our PK has looked so much better these last two games. We've been much more aggressive then we were previously this year and so far the results have been nothing but positive.

 

[Thallis]

He's also not an owner that gets too involved in these things, so I'd be absolutely shocked if he ever came out publicly and made negative comments, he's just never given me that type of vibe.

He could also have just not said anything and instructed the interview to not mention it. You can also say "we know we're not very good and have a plan to fix it" without explicitly saying that. Looking at this team and its body of work and coming to say "we're staying the course" is incredibly disappointing and doesn't bode well for the future.

 

[bleedblue1223]

He could also have just not said anything and instructed the interview to not mention it. You can also say "we know we're not very good and have a plan to fix it" without explicitly saying that. Looking at this team and its body of work and coming to say "we're staying the course" is incredibly disappointing and doesn't bode well for the future.

I think you're reading too much into it. I seriously doubt he's going to Armstrong and telling him this is the group that we have to work with, or the opposite, of these guys must be traded. He lets Army do his thing, and he's takes more of a fan role. He's just always given me the vibe of being the positive personality, so it rubs off on people around him.

 

[Reality Czech]

He could also have just not said anything and instructed the interview to not mention it. You can also say "we know we're not very good and have a plan to fix it" without explicitly saying that. Looking at this team and its body of work and coming to say "we're staying the course" is incredibly disappointing and doesn't bode well for the future.

So you'd rather he said we're throwing in the towel? Just because a lot of fans have given up on this season doesn't mean the players, coaches and front office has. I'd say it's a lot easier to give up when you're not personally invested in the team, but ownership doesn't spend all that money to give up 1/3 of the way through the season.

Kind of crazy that fans find something to be salty about even after a big win, but here we are.

 

[TheOrganist]

He's also not an owner that gets too involved in these things, so I'd be absolutely shocked if he ever came out publicly and made negative comments, he's just never given me that type of vibe.

Right. He also recently gave his GM a contract that runs through 2025-26. There probably isn’t a GM in the league that is more trusted by his owner the Stillman/Army relationship nor is there a GM with more job security than Army. Fans just need to let things play out the next few months.

Also, Stillman’s voice sounds like a 90s pro wrestler that got up at noon after an all night bender to cut a promo.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Our PK has looked so much better these last two games. We've been much more aggressive then we were previously this year and so far the results have been nothing but positive.

Firing MacTavish from PK responsibilities was a gift from God

 

[Blueston]

So you'd rather he said we're throwing in the towel? Just because a lot of fans have given up on this season doesn't mean the players, coaches and front office has. I'd say it's a lot easier to give up when you're not personally invested in the team, but ownership doesn't spend all that money to give up 1/3 of the way through the season.

Kind of crazy that fans find something to be salty about even after a big win, but here we are.

Yeah, I took that as we are too good to lose by 4 every night. That we need to stay positive and make sure fans keep coming to the building for next few months. Not a mandate that we have to make playoffs at all costs.

 

[Thallis]

So you'd rather he said we're throwing in the towel? Just because a lot of fans have given up on this season doesn't mean the players, coaches and front office has. I'd say it's a lot easier to give up when you're not personally invested in the team, but ownership doesn't spend all that money to give up 1/3 of the way through the season.

Kind of crazy that fans find something to be salty about even after a big win, but here we are.

Yes. I would rather the front office look the problem in the face and create a plan to fix it instead of throwing out vague feelings of belief in the roster.

Strickland is wrong; the goal every year isn't to make the playoffs. The goal is to win the Stanley Cup. If your roster cannot do that you need to be working on a path to do that. Saying "they're too good to miss the playoffs" about a team trending downwards, is under .500, has a bare prospect pool, and is already one of the oldest teams in the league is how you waste a decade picking 14th in the draft. It's prioritizing short term gratification over long term success.

 

[Blueston]

Yes. I would rather the front office look the problem in the face and create a plan to fix it instead of throwing out vague feelings of belief in the roster.

Strickland is wrong; the goal every year isn't to make the playoffs. The goal is to win the Stanley Cup. If your roster cannot do that you need to be working on a path to do that. Saying "they're too good to miss the playoffs" about a team trending downwards, is under .500, has a bare prospect pool, and is already one of the oldest teams in the league is how you waste a decade picking 14th in the draft. It's prioritizing short term gratification over long term success.

I agree with your premise, but only if we think Stillman speaks for the front office. Hopefully that isn't how DA will approach remainder of season/TDL. I don't think it is.

 

[joe galiba]

Yes. I would rather the front office look the problem in the face and create a plan to fix it instead of throwing out vague feelings of belief in the roster.

Strickland is wrong; the goal every year isn't to make the playoffs. The goal is to win the Stanley Cup. If your roster cannot do that you need to be working on a path to do that. Saying "they're too good to miss the playoffs" about a team trending downwards, is under .500, has a bare prospect pool, and is already one of the oldest teams in the league is how you waste a decade picking 14th in the draft. It's prioritizing short term gratification over long term success.

32 teams, so you will win a cup on average about 3 times a century
if that is all that matters, it is a completely miserable way to approach something that is supposed to be fun

 

[PocketNines]

Yeah, it's miserable to identify what success looks like and strive for it. Terrible way to live ... ?

 

[TK 421]

Damn it we won.

 

[Bluesnatic27]

32 teams, so you will win a cup on average about 3 times a century
if that is all that matters, it is a completely miserable way to approach something that is supposed to be fun

So wait, the jobs of an NHL player, coach, and GM are miserable ones when they’re whole reason to play/manage is to win a Stanley Cup?

I guess I should tell all of the athletes I train to find something that will make them happy instead of training to compete at high levels.

 

[joe galiba]

So wait, the jobs of an NHL player, coach, and GM are miserable ones when they’re whole reason to play/manage is to win a Stanley Cup?

I guess I should tell all of the athletes I train to find something that will make them happy instead of training to compete at high levels.

no team, not one, is going to win every year
setting and working for a goal is great, but if it something that is unattainable, by how someone has defined their goal, it is ultimately useless -- it is why I see all those people clogging my gym in January and not the rest of the year, their "goal" and "reality" are mutually exclusive

over the course of time in a hard cap league, bad gm's, bad coaches, bad players, bad owners, statistically, will be evenly spread out across the league
so if someone wants to be miserable over the statistical probability that 93 out of 96 years their team won't win, go ahead, but I won't be joining in

setting a goal of making the playoffs is something that is attainable most years, and if you make the playoffs your chance of winning a championship, by mathematical definition, are infinitely greater than if you miss the playoffs

 

[Thallis]

32 teams, so you will win a cup on average about 3 times a century
if that is all that matters, it is a completely miserable way to approach something that is supposed to be fun

The goal of winning the Stanley Cup every year doesn't mean it's only fun when you win. It just means that's what you should always be building towards.

 

[Thallis]

I agree with your premise, but only if we think Stillman speaks for the front office. Hopefully that isn't how DA will approach remainder of season/TDL. I don't think it is.

I'm combining this one with Armstrong's interview with ESPN a few weeks ago(and also the general vibes I get that may or may not be completely off base). Armstrong spoke about how he doesn't think the city can stomach a rebuild, making the playoffs is important for the franchise, and that we don't need to because Thomas and Kyrou are PPG players. I just disagree with basically everything I've been hearing them say and it's frustrating to hear it.