What are the Blues missing?

[Eowin]

Like the Bulls in the mid-90's, sometimes a competitive team just knows how to win better than you do.

 

[Kcoyote3]

Blues are missing Patrick Marleau. We'll give him to you for cheap.

 

[KingsFan7824]

7-7 at home in the playoffs since 2012. 4-4 against the Kings and Hawks. 3-3 against the Sharks and Wild. If you're going to be average at home, you have to be great on the road. They're 3-10 away from St.Louis. 0-8 against the Kings and Hawks, and have a 0-3 series record. 3-2 against the Sharks and Wild, with a 1-1 series record.

6-4 in Games 1 and 2 at home to start a series. 3-7 in Games 3 and 4 on the road. 1-6 in Games 5 and 6 as the series is nearing its end. 0-3 in Game 5's at home with the series tied at 2-2.

So they're not great at home, and lose more as they get deeper into a series. A Hall of Fame goal scorer like Hull could never get the Blues out of the 2nd round when he was there. Tarasenko isn't Hull quite yet, and he can't get the Blues out of the 1st round by himself. They need more out of everyone, especially at home. Tough to be .500 at home and win.

 

[BobRouse]

Elite goaltender.

I lean towards this.

The Flyers of the mid 90s-mid 2000s had the same types of problems.

The Caps of the 80s to the early 90s had these problems.


In the playoffs you need your goaltender to out perform the other team's goalie. How often has that happened for St Louis?

When you goaltend via platoon (like St Louis has done on and off for years now) it generally means you don't have a goalie.

There are exceptions to the rule sure but generally the easiest way (not that its easy) is to have an elite goalie.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

An offense that shows up in the playoffs. A killer isntinct if you will.

Saying we've failed because of the goaltending is a cop out. If the forwards did their jobs we wouldn't be talking about the goalies. Yes they let in some softies, but ultimately if the team is so mentally fragile that a soft goal in the first period is something they can't overcome, they they suck an won't be winning anything anyway.

 

[Note Worthy]

Yet the fans are vehement about not trading him.

Do you have a player in mind that we could get that would replicate Backes' defensive play and chip in 25-30 goals a season? Because that's why we don't want to trade him.

He's not our savior or anything but losing Backes creates a scenario where our 1-2 punch at center is Stastny and Lehtera. If Stastny goes down due to injury, which wouldn't be a crazy thought, our new number one center is Jori Lehtera. That's a bad spot to be in.

Unless a team gives the Blues an outstanding offer, trading Backes doesn't make hockey sense for the Blues.

 

[roboninja]

Do you have a player in mind that we could get that would replicate Backes' defensive play and chip in 25-30 goals a season? Because that's why we don't want to trade him.

He's not our savior or anything but losing Backes creates a scenario where our 1-2 punch at center is Stastny and Lehtera. If Stastny goes down due to injury, which wouldn't be a crazy thought, our new number one center is Jori Lehtera. That's a bad spot to be in.

Unless a team gives the Blues an outstanding offer, trading Backes doesn't make hockey sense for the Blues.

Sorry, my comment was more questioning the guy I quoted. It was not meant to be "Ha-ha, Blues wont trade crappy Backes".

 

[Sonofamitch]

A legit number 1 center

 

[Note Worthy]

Sorry, my comment was more questioning the guy I quoted. It was not meant to be "Ha-ha, Blues wont trade crappy Backes".

Ah, I understand. My apologies.

 

[Hawks4life]

I think their failure in the playoffs is not because of one thing in particular. All the pieces are there. Backes may not be the BEST captain but he is not a BAD one either. Goaltending can be overcome ala Detroit, Chicago if the players are there. I personally think there was a coaching problem and Hitch has had the game pass him by. Lots of hate for the Blues but this new playoff format has made that whole central divisions life hard.

 

[Evergreen]

Goaltending. Allen and Elliot are good and all...but they are not the game breakers/stealers they need.

Elliott isn't great, but he had a very good season except for a shaky stretch late in the season. He totally outplayed Allen for the vast majority of the year. I don't understand the decision to start Allen in the playoffs. It actually made me angry because I felt Elliott was having a year where he was proving his doubters wrong.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

Their current core, especially Backes and Oshie, lack the balls to win in the playoffs

 

[42]

Better goalie and better #1 center.

 

[CraigsList]

Elite center or goaltender.

I believe Allen can turn into their elite goaltender in a few years, but the elite center remains to be seen.

 

[DayNah]

That team's not going anywhere with Backes as the captain.

This. No leadership skills whatsoever.

 

[Stuzchuk]

Leadership, guts, drive...

 

[Avsboy]

Better top end forward talent, better goaltending

 

[Kurisu]

#1 C and a legit starting goalie

 

[Chippewa]

Coaching. Their coaching crumbles against any good team, regular season and playoffs. Hitchcock severely limits their offensive game and screws with the kind of shots the goalies see. In his own words, "we don't give up a lot of shots, but the ones we do, they're doozies". Well, Hitch, a goalie would rather face a lot of ****** shots from the perimeter than 3-4 "doozies" a game.

Secondary players. They have elite talent at forward and defense, but once past Tarasenko, Pietrangelo, and Shattenkirk, the talent level drops off substantially. Goaltending isn't a problem, it's average at worst. That leads into....

Leadership. Backes, Oshie, Steen, etc, just flat out don't get it done in the playoffs. No way around it. Having those players in leadership positions on the team is a mistake.

There are considerable problems, but nothing really insurmountable. A few years ago, they lacked a truly elite offensive threat, and that was bad, since those are rare. Now they have that in Tarasenko, and Pietrangelo and Shattenkirk have developed really well.

A modern, offensive coach like McClellan, a few trades of players like Backes and Oshie, a healthy Bouwmeester, a revamped, mobile defense, and they'll be rid of this black cloud, and will see results.

Is that a lot to ask? Sure, but it's less than 3 years ago, when they had those problems, and no offensive superstar.

 

[Benedict Kovalchuk]

Leadership - Backes is a bad captain that won't take them anywhere, strip him of the C or trade him. He wilts under pressure and either disappears completely or disappears and then reappears taking stupid penalties when it's like 5-1 with 10 min to go in the third. How can you follow that? Oshie is an absolute ghost, should have been moved last season to capitalize on Olympic hype.

Coaching - Hitch can't adjust, can't keep the team consistent and motivated. Pretty simple, get a new coach.

Goaltending - Need better goaltenders, period. Allen is still young and inexperienced, Elliott is not even close to adequate. Need a goalie who can elevate their game.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Heart.

 

[featherhawk]

heart and determination, work ethic

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

They're missing playoff performers. Oshie and Backes suck in the playoffs.

 

[jjyay]

There was a big thread about this recently. I didn't read it all so I don't know if they figured it out or not.

 

[TheBluePenguin]

Its simple really