What exactly are the expectations for the St. Louis Blues?

Kronwalled8*

Registered User
Jul 30, 2014
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Is it cup or bust for them? If they dont win the cup, or at least make the SCF, will Hitch have seen this season as not meeting their expectations?

Is there not a single team in this post season with higher expectations than the blues?

Many critics have chosen the blues to win the cup this year.

On paper, this team is stacked with literally no holes. They have what 9 top 6 forwards and a healthy Paul Stastny now?

4 line offense - check
Balanced defense core - check
One of the best systems - check
Solid goaltending - check
Experience - check

The only thing that I feel this team lacks is a real superstar forward. But history has proven that you dont need a superstar to win cups. Does it help? Forsure, but you can still win without superstars. The blues are loaded with stars, but no superstars...but still very capable going all the way as long as someone on this team takes the bull by its horns and shows them how to win.

IMO, that person has to be Hitch. 2 cups, and has a proven playoff and international tourney track record. Hitch is still one of the best technical coaches today and he still knows how to win. Every team he has coached, he has made a drastic difference in not only the teams success but players growth and success - Modano, Nash, Johanson, Giroux, Voracek, Carter, Richards, Oshie, Tarasenko, etc.
 
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GAGLine

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Sep 17, 2007
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They need to get out of the 1st round, at least, but that's gonna be tough. Looking like Minnesota will take game 5. If they can win this series, maybe they'll get the monkey off their backs and go on a run.
 

dechire

TBL Stanley Cup Champs 2020 2021
Jul 8, 2014
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I don't expect them to make the Conference Final tbh. Maybe they'll surprise me.
 

Beukeboom Fan

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Feb 27, 2002
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At least the conference finals.

I'd say Cup finals, but that is just IMO. Arguably the deepest and most balanced set of skaters in the league, and very good goaltending (even if not high profile or considered elite).

That being said, its proabably not a fair expectation. The Central division had 4 teams that were about even, and having to beat 2 of them and then a team like ANA is REALLY tough.
 

melinko

Registered User
Jun 13, 2010
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Minnesota
I'd say Cup finals, but that is just IMO. Arguably the deepest and most balanced set of skaters in the league, and very good goaltending (even if not high profile or considered elite).

That being said, its proabably not a fair expectation. The Central division had 4 teams that were about even, and having to beat 2 of them and then a team like ANA is REALLY tough.

I agree. The Blues are in a situation where they have expectations that would be difficult to match for any team.

All 3 teams they would have to beat are teams no one would be too surprised to see in the finals.

I would hate to be the one that has to make a decision about the future of the team. Honestly feels like it could just be bad luck, but at the same time it has happened often enough that it probably isn't.
 

CitizenSnips

TheFightingMongooses
Nov 23, 2011
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St. Louis
Getting past the 2nd round would be nice.

If we don't, expect to see a blowup and building around:

Tarasenko
Schwartz
Stastny
Petro
Shattenkirk
Allen

Expect players like Bouwmeester, Gunnarsson, Oshie, Berglund, to be gone and players like Jackman, Backes, and possibly Steen to be on a hot seat or moved as well.

If we cannot even make it out of the first round, we need to be making some major leadership changes. Hitch may move on or retire as well
 

featherhawk

Registered User
Dec 13, 2006
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pretty sure Hitch will be fired if the blues don't win this series against Minnesota
 

Kronwalled8*

Registered User
Jul 30, 2014
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pretty sure Hitch will be fired if the blues don't win this series against Minnesota

The coach can only do so much, its up to the players on the ice to perform up to expectations. To have success in the post season, your best players need to be your best players. There is no way around it.

The biggest knack against the blues is that they dont have any players who are known to step up and take their game to the next level when it matters. They are loaded with skill, but still lack the experience on the big stage. What this team needs is a Toews, a player who will take charge on the ice and in the lockerroom.

Toews, Kane, Keith, Seabrook, Hossa, etc and Kopitar, Williams, Gaborik, Carter, Quick, Doughty, etc is what seperates the Hawks and Kings from the blues. The Kings and Hawks have a proven track record for performing on the big stage.
 

Reality Check

Registered User
May 28, 2008
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Detroit was always their roadblock. Then those reigns were handed down to Chicago once Detroit departed for the East.

Put it this way...they should be WCF or bust with Weber hurt and Chicago currently starting Scott Darling in goal. Gaining the #1 seed in that bracket only to be on the verge to losing to Minnesota? Egads...
 

Cassano

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Aug 31, 2013
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If you listen to their fans and the media, you would think they'd be cup contenders.
 

Vesa Awesaka

#KeepTheSenate
Jul 4, 2013
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I think the last 2-3 years ive had them in the SCFs. Safe to say im not very good at fantasy playoff hockey because the blues

You look at their team and think.. What more could they need.. Maybe a goalie? Maybe a true dynamic game changing pmd? Shat and Petro both are kinda that though. I'm think a guy like Letang, Karlsson or Subban though. Guys who will rush the puck and take over games
 

Tryblot

Registered User
Oct 4, 2009
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The coach can only do so much, its up to the players on the ice to perform up to expectations. To have success in the post season, your best players need to be your best players. There is no way around it.

The biggest knack against the blues is that they dont have any players who are known to step up and take their game to the next level when it matters. They are loaded with skill, but still lack the experience on the big stage. What this team needs is a Toews, a player who will take charge on the ice and in the lockerroom.

Toews, Kane, Keith, Seabrook, Hossa, etc and Kopitar, Williams, Gaborik, Carter, Quick, Doughty, etc is what seperates the Hawks and Kings from the blues.

Tarasenko..?
 

Mr Rogers

Registered User
Jul 11, 2010
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Calgary
Pretty embarrassing performances from Stastny, Backes, Oshie.Tarasenko and Shatty seem to be only ones doing anything
 

Rangerfan4life90

Registered User
Oct 14, 2008
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College Point, NY
I think the last 2-3 years ive had them in the SCFs. Safe to say im not very good at fantasy playoff hockey because the blues

You look at their team and think.. What more could they need.. Maybe a goalie? Maybe a true dynamic game changing pmd? Shat and Petro both are kinda that though. I'm think a guy like Letang, Karlsson or Subban though. Guys who will rush the puck and take over games

I had the Blues or Hawks coming out of the west this season. Really thought the Blues would finally make a deep run, since they're due.

But, now they're on the verge of losing to the Wild in the 1st round.
 

Kronwalled8*

Registered User
Jul 30, 2014
771
1
Tarasenko..?

Far too soon to put this much pressure on him to carry the team offensively.

The blues have 3 Team USA players (Oshie, Backes, Stastny), these guys have chemistry, they need to perform better.

This team really could benefit greatly with a guy by the name of Phil Kessel on their top line. Adding him would make this team that much better and scary offensively. I still think the Blues should have made a serious run for him last dead line.
 

Vesa Awesaka

#KeepTheSenate
Jul 4, 2013
18,236
25
Far too soon to put this much pressure on him to carry the team offensively.

The blues have 3 Team USA players (Oshie, Backes, Stastny), these guys have chemistry, they need to perform better.

This team really could benefit greatly with a guy by the name of Phil Kessel on their top line. Adding him would make this team that much better and scary offensively. I still think the Blues should have made a serious run for him last dead line.

I actually agree although phil would kill ken hitchcock
 

Tryblot

Registered User
Oct 4, 2009
8,124
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Far too soon to put this much pressure on him to carry the team offensively.

The blues have 3 Team USA players (Oshie, Backes, Stastny), these guys have chemistry, they need to perform better.

This team really could benefit greatly with a guy by the name of Phil Kessel on their top line. Adding him would make this team that much better and scary offensively.

He is carrying the team offensively though. He has 9 goals in 11 playoffs games and a lot of those goals are huge goals. He IS known to step it up when it matters which is what you said the team doesn't have.
 

Kronwalled8*

Registered User
Jul 30, 2014
771
1
I had the Blues or Hawks coming out of the west this season. Really thought the Blues would finally make a deep run, since they're due.

But, now they're on the verge of losing to the Wild in the 1st round.

Dont discredit the Wild, they are a very VERY good team. They are just about as deep as the Blues are up front and have a guy by the name of Ryan Suter on the backend who is a gamebreaker.

The wild took the Hawks to 7 games last post season and were 1 game away from going to the WCF. This is a very dangerous team who has underachieved in the first half of this season and when they acquired Dubynk, they went on a seriously impressive run and literally turned their season around.
 

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