Tracking the Blues’ Stanley Cup Quest—LOL

[carter333167]

Updated: 11/21/18

 

[Ted Hoffman]

37-21-4 to get to 95 points
18-9-2 home, 19-12-2 road

Regulation losses the next two nights would mean we need to go at about 107-point pace the rest of the way, and we're talking an '08-09 like run again with a heavier tilt toward road games.

 

[carter333167]

37-21-4 to get to 95 points
18-9-2 home, 19-12-2 road

Regulation losses the next two nights would mean we need to go at about 107-point pace the rest of the way, and we're talking an '08-09 like run again with a heavier tilt toward road games.

We haven't hit the iceberg yet, but it's visible off the bow. FULL REVERSE!

I think Army waited about three weeks too long. At this point, as awful as it sounds, I don't want a turn around just to narrowly miss....and then lose our draft pick.

 

[carter333167]

37-21-4 to get to 95 points
18-9-2 home, 19-12-2 road

Regulation losses the next two nights would mean we need to go at about 107-point pace the rest of the way, and we're talking an '08-09 like run again with a heavier tilt toward road games.

Actually, Dallas sits in the second WC slot and they are on a pace for 90 points. We will see how things develop. We need to win one of the next two and then really start on a tear of winning.

 

[TruBlu]

The season is sunk unless a whole new coaching crew comes in. You're not going to get that in the middle of a season. I think DA is going to run the course with Berube and make a change in the offseason. We keep our first round pick, we can sell underperforming, expensive vets at the tdl, and we get a larger group of competitive coaches to pick from.

 

[carter333167]

The season is sunk unless a whole new coaching crew comes in. You're not going to get that in the middle of a season. I think DA is going to run the course with Berube and make a change in the offseason. We keep our first round pick, we can sell underperforming, expensive vets at the tdl, and we get a larger group of competitive coaches to pick from.

I'm not optimistic we will keep the pick. IMO, we will turn it around and get somewhat close. I don't think this team is bad enough to finish in the bottom 7-8 which probably is what it takes to almost guarantee keeping the pick when the lottery is conducted.

 

[TruBlu]

Actually, Dallas sits in the second WC slot and they are on a pace for 90 points. We will see how things develop. We need to win one of the next two and then really start on a tear of winning.

I'd use the last 5 years thresholds of teams minimum points to make it into the playoffs. Using early season estimates will change from day to day.

 

[TruBlu]

I'm not optimistic we will keep the pick. IMO, we will turn it around and get somewhat close. I don't think this team is bad enough to finish in the bottom 7-8 which probably is what it takes to almost guarantee keeping the pick when the lottery is conducted.

Why are you optimistic?

 

[carter333167]

I'd use the last 5 years thresholds of teams minimum points to make it into the playoffs. Using early season estimates will change from day to day.

I'll work on it. No matter which way you cut it, we need to start winning asap.

 

[carter333167]

Why are you optimistic?

I just think the team is too good to truly suck over the course of the entire season. One or two solid stretches of winning will probably put us in that uncomfortable 8-10ish range.

We wait too long to make the playoffs. Then, we wait too long to go full tank. Oh, the irony.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

I'd use the last 5 years thresholds of teams minimum points to make it into the playoffs. Using early season estimates will change from day to day.

I agree. That's why I suggested using last year's cutoff for a while until it became more apparent that it needed to move and then only making small (1 point) changes.

 

[TruBlu]

We aren't making the playoffs this year. We haven't produced a winning record in almost a year now. Our interim is an assistant to the same system we used. Other than the increase in energy you normally see from a coaching change, I've no reason to believe this will be a sustained push for the playoffs. We played much better tonight, but I don't believe it will continue.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Losing the pick would be less worrisome than for this team to accumulate an entire season of losing play. Sure, another asset would be nice to have, but I think improving the team’s culture is more important. They may come up short, but there must be discipline of effort and intensity. The consequences to the draft pick are secondary.

 

[AjaxManifesto]

Hibernation....see you in 2019

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Hibernation....see you in 2019

Is this a firm commitment?

 

[AjaxManifesto]

Is this a firm commitment?

I'll be lurking. But this season is lost.

It's not just the coach or the goaltending. This team's culture sucks. There needs to be a big change in staff.

I miss David Backes.

 

[The Note in MI]

All this talk about the teams culture on here cracks me up. None of you have factual evidence. It’s pure speculation mostly because we’re losing a lot. The nhl has too much parity. It’s not culture change that gets you places.

Look at Ottawa Buffalo Montreal Detroit this year. Bottom teams that are not playing like bottom teams right now.

Does Pittsburgh have a bad culture? They’ve won a cup 2 times in the last three years but this year they’re bottom of the standings. I bet they need a shakeup for that culture.

No, anyone who thinks it’s a culture issue is full of it. Unless you’re in that locker room and have inside knowledge You have no ground to stand on.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

I agree. Saying "we need a new culture" because the current season is going poorly is a cop-out. It would be more fair to say "we need a new culture" if you're talking in terms of having a killer attitude when we get leads, get games against opponents we're definitely better than and should win, and how the team generally responds to adversity [and that goes beyond simply "X is hurt and won't be in the lineup for a handful of weeks"].

 

[carter333167]

Updated--Big win over the Preds--Way to go, boys!

LGB!!!!

 

[Ted Hoffman]

The positive: we won tonight, so we didn't lose any more ground. Winnipeg lost at Minnesota.

The negative: Dallas and Colorado both won, so we're still 7 [really 8] points out. Colorado passes Winnipeg for 3rd in the Central.

Our short-term best friend: Colorado, who sits in 3rd in the Central and plays Dallas tomorrow night. We win [preferably before the shootout, but at this point you take 2 points however you can], Colorado wins in regulation, and now we're 5 [really 6] points behind both Dallas and Winnipeg and the pressure eases a bit.

What would be devastating: we lose in regulation, Dallas wins before the shootout. That would kick us to 9 points out [really 10] of a playoff spot, and Stars and Jets would have yet another ROW on us in a tiebreak on points; if the Stars won in OT, the Avalanche would scoop up a point.

 

[TheDizee]

The positive: we won tonight, so we didn't lose any more ground. Winnipeg lost at Minnesota.

The negative: Dallas and Colorado both won, so we're still 7 [really 8] points out. Colorado passes Winnipeg for 3rd in the Central.

Our short-term best friend: Colorado, who sits in 3rd in the Central and plays Dallas tomorrow night. We win [preferably before the shootout, but at this point you take 2 points however you can], Colorado wins in regulation, and now we're 5 [really 6] points behind both Dallas and Winnipeg and the pressure eases a bit.

What would be devastating: we lose in regulation, Dallas wins before the shootout. That would kick us to 9 points out [really 10] of a playoff spot, and Stars and Jets would have yet another ROW on us in a tiebreak on points; if the Stars won in OT, the Avalanche would scoop up a point.

we havent played either dal or col so wouldnt worry about them really. we need to keep building off this win. this is the RECIPE for how this team needs to play to be successful

 

[Saint Loser]

I agree. Saying "we need a new culture" because the current season is going poorly is a cop-out. It would be more fair to say "we need a new culture" if you're talking in terms of having a killer attitude when we get leads, get games against opponents we're definitely better than and should win, and how the team generally responds to adversity [and that goes beyond simply "X is hurt and won't be in the lineup for a handful of weeks"].

What's the difference? A culture change for the positive. Fill in the bank.

All this talk about the teams culture on here cracks me up. None of you have factual evidence. It’s pure speculation mostly because we’re losing a lot. The nhl has too much parity. It’s not culture change that gets you places.

Look at Ottawa Buffalo Montreal Detroit this year. Bottom teams that are not playing like bottom teams right now.

Does Pittsburgh have a bad culture? They’ve won a cup 2 times in the last three years but this year they’re bottom of the standings. I bet they need a shakeup for that culture.

No, anyone who thinks it’s a culture issue is full of it. Unless you’re in that locker room and have inside knowledge You have no ground to stand on.

Nobody believed microwaves existed until we could measure them.

Point is, just because something is not visible and tangible does not mean that it is not real.

I could be obtuse and ask, How do you know it is not cultural? Do you have any factual evidence that it is not a cultural issue?

It cracks ME up that something so potentially real is so readily dismissed at the outset.

If all that crap between Hoffman and Karlsson did not come out, then would we know about the obvious toxic locker room they had? Everyone knew something was wrong with that team. When all of that soap opera crap came out, then we understood what was going on as a possible explanatory factor for Ottawa's suckiness.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

What's the difference? A culture change for the positive. Fill in the bank.

That sounds great in theory. It's that "fill in the blank" part where things get difficult. If we're talking about the culture of this team, I'd like to discuss about 20 of the past 25 years of the Blues playing to the level of their opposition, squeaking through in games they should have won comfortably if they don't gak it away completely, struggling with adversity [especially anyone missing out of the complete lineup], and finishing off opponents when they have a chance.

That spans multiple rosters and multiple coaches. It predates everyone associated with this team. But it's a mindset that like Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees, seems to live on no matter what happens.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

What would be devastating: we lose in regulation, Dallas wins before the shootout. That would kick us to 9 points out [really 10] of a playoff spot, and Stars and Jets would have yet another ROW on us in a tiebreak on points; if the Stars won in OT, the Avalanche would scoop up a point.

Well, half of that is in the books.

 

[carter333167]

Updated: 11-24