There are of course a bunch of ways to build a contender and numerous "improvements" that could be made that would put STL over the top.
But looking more at the team STL have, I do think the big weakness is that their top guys on the blueline is not taking charge of things the way say Keith, Subban, McDonagh or Hedman have done lately.
Then I definitely think its fair to question Backes role as a top center and the center depth overall in STL. We have seen many teams be de facto contenders without having top centers lately. Boston, NYR and so forth. No matter how much guys like Bergeron, Brassard, Krejci and Stepan and co are hyped, they miss abilities a true franchise center is expected to have. They don't set up shop on a PP and get a point per game no matter what etc. BUT, more importantly, those guys don't loose match-ups intra-series. They never really struggle, and thats something thats far from a given with many of the "franchise" centers in this league.
With that said, I think both Backes and especially Statsny fall short at times here. They end up on lines that in terms of winning momentum just comes up short. And like with Backes, what he really have is a physical game. The thing is, you just gotta question how valuble that is today. Its like watching Kesler get under the skin of Chicago. Really do his job against them. But, does it mean anything? Is it valuble for Anaheim? He de facto baited Seabrook into a penalty. But I don't know, I am not saying that it necessarily isn't valuble but its like, I don't know. Is Kreuger not focused when playing because he is pwned by Kesler? Is Toews off his game because of it? Could be, could not be.
Personally, I am much more into building a team like Chicago where you have designated players with size that do the dirty work. And I mean, if you can get the top line of Anaheim, definitely don't interpret me as saying that size and physical play isn't valuble there. It is of course. But I just think the ability to play a good game of hockey tops anything else on your good players. Backes is pretty averge in that area to be perfectly honest. Pretty avg. You know if a team like EDM was willing to deal like Draisatl, I definitly make Backes available if I where STL.
But looking more at the team STL have, I do think the big weakness is that their top guys on the blueline is not taking charge of things the way say Keith, Subban, McDonagh or Hedman have done lately.
Then I definitely think its fair to question Backes role as a top center and the center depth overall in STL. We have seen many teams be de facto contenders without having top centers lately. Boston, NYR and so forth. No matter how much guys like Bergeron, Brassard, Krejci and Stepan and co are hyped, they miss abilities a true franchise center is expected to have. They don't set up shop on a PP and get a point per game no matter what etc. BUT, more importantly, those guys don't loose match-ups intra-series. They never really struggle, and thats something thats far from a given with many of the "franchise" centers in this league.
With that said, I think both Backes and especially Statsny fall short at times here. They end up on lines that in terms of winning momentum just comes up short. And like with Backes, what he really have is a physical game. The thing is, you just gotta question how valuble that is today. Its like watching Kesler get under the skin of Chicago. Really do his job against them. But, does it mean anything? Is it valuble for Anaheim? He de facto baited Seabrook into a penalty. But I don't know, I am not saying that it necessarily isn't valuble but its like, I don't know. Is Kreuger not focused when playing because he is pwned by Kesler? Is Toews off his game because of it? Could be, could not be.
Personally, I am much more into building a team like Chicago where you have designated players with size that do the dirty work. And I mean, if you can get the top line of Anaheim, definitely don't interpret me as saying that size and physical play isn't valuble there. It is of course. But I just think the ability to play a good game of hockey tops anything else on your good players. Backes is pretty averge in that area to be perfectly honest. Pretty avg. You know if a team like EDM was willing to deal like Draisatl, I definitly make Backes available if I where STL.
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