What Qualifies as a Successful Season for the 2014-15 Blues?

[bluesman11]

Yes, but you are talking about the organization as a whole. None of the players have won presidents trophies, gone far in the playoffs etc as Blues. I just think that setting the bar too high this early is doing yourself and the players on the team an injustice. As it looks TODAY, if they make the second round and still have gas in the tank to do some damage, I'll be a happy fan. The playoffs is just so hard to predict, and too much is an unknown this early. Injuries, trades, etc. If we're injury free, if our new guys have worked out, our PP looks good and so on, THEN I'd be ready to say Cup or bust.

It's a logical response this early, and the other point is how do they stack up against the competition in the West, as of right now I don't see them as the clear cut favorites to win the West.

 

[GoldenSeal]

Yes, but you are talking about the organization as a whole. None of the players have won presidents trophies, gone far in the playoffs etc as Blues. I just think that setting the bar too high this early is doing yourself and the players on the team an injustice. As it looks TODAY, if they make the second round and still have gas in the tank to do some damage, I'll be a happy fan. The playoffs is just so hard to predict, and too much is an unknown this early. Injuries, trades, etc. If we're injury free, if our new guys have worked out, our PP looks good and so on, THEN I'd be ready to say Cup or bust.

I don't understand the confusion since I didn't name a specific player or players and was most definently talking about the franchise as a whole given how each aspect I was bringing up was about the franchise overall.

And even if I wasn't talking about the franchise, when you spend to the cap like Stillman has been doing the expectations, especially from a small market team with a very bad arena deal like the Blues, has to be Cup or Bust. They can't keep up that level of spending if it leads to a very early exit and without that level of spending they can't keep together the important pieces of the puzzle that make that team's engine go or acquire the parts that'll make it go faster and better. The money on that end is very limited and a scarce resource. It's an investment that is dire to show a return.

 

[ort]

My metric of success is always the same. Do better than you did last year. Show improvement.

So going by that, I suppose making it to the second round sould be considered a success, but honestly, I think anything less than making the conference finals will be ultimately deemed a failure... and it should be.

I'm really tired of people calling the Blues a cup contender or an elite team. They have not earned the right to be called either. This current roster has accomplished exactly nothing in the postseason. In the past 10 years they've won a single playoff round. You can't lay all of that on the current roster, but even if you cut it off at 5 years, they've accomplished NOTHING. Cup contending teams can do things like win a few playoff rounds. The current Blues have never even made a good run. They've never even come close to making a good run. They've accomplished exactly nothing of import when it matters most.

I might sound harsh here but it's true. I still love the team, I still watch every game and pour over every article... but let's stop pretending that they're something they aren't.

This team has not earned the right to be considered a top team in the league. You do that by winning games when it matters and they have not been able to do that.

 

[BlueDream]

My metric of success is always the same. Do better than you did last year. Show improvement.

So going by that, I suppose making it to the second round sould be considered a success, but honestly, I think anything less than making the conference finals will be ultimately deemed a failure... and it should be.

I'm really tired of people calling the Blues a cup contender or an elite team. They have not earned the right to be called either. This current roster has accomplished exactly nothing in the postseason. In the past 10 years they've won a single playoff round. You can't lay all of that on the current roster, but even if you cut it off at 5 years, they've accomplished NOTHING. Cup contending teams can do things like win a few playoff rounds. The current Blues have never even made a good run. They've never even come close to making a good run. They've accomplished exactly nothing of import when it matters most.

I might sound harsh here but it's true. I still love the team, I still watch every game and pour over every article... but let's stop pretending that they're something they aren't.

This team has not earned the right to be considered a top team in the league. You do that by winning games when it matters and they have not been able to do that.

This is a good post.

By not being satisfied by anything except for winning the cup, like Iron Fist said a lot of you are setting yourselves up for major disappointment considering the team is coming off two first round exits. On paper sure they may be a cup contender but that means nothing. In real life they have come nowhere close. I don't think Kings and Blackhawks fans really expected a cup until their team actually did it.

 

[Lucifer T Longfellow]

I went cup because that is the goal, but it is not necessarily what I am expecting. There are a myriad of scenarios that could play out that would impact how I feel about the season. If we go out, it all depends on who we lose to and how we play. Losing to any of Chicago, LA or Anaheim wouldn't be as depressing as loosing to the Wild. However, losing to anyone while giving up a 2-0 series lead may make me go into a profanity laced tirade that will be able to be heard from both sides of the Mississippi.

 

[Edgar]

Drafting McDavid isn't an option, but if we did that, I think I would consider it a successful season

 

[linusandvarlamov]

Avs fan coming in peace.

I looked at the results of your poll and I find it quite surprising to see that most of your fan-base would be content with a western conference final exit. You guys have a wonderful roster !! It isn't surreal to expect your team to win the cup.

I prefer my team to have a 1st round exit in the playoffs than to get to get to the western conference finals (with your belief in the team being that much higher) and exit the tournament when you were just that much closer to the cup. People don't remember who went to the conference finals this year and that year, people remember who won the cup.

 

[Note Worthy]

Avs fan coming in peace.

I looked at the results of your poll and I find it quite surprising to see that most of your fan-base would be content with a western conference final exit. You guys have a wonderful roster !! It isn't surreal to expect your team to win the cup.

I prefer my team to have a 1st round exit in the playoffs than to get to get to the western conference finals (with your belief in the team being that much higher) and exit the tournament when you were just that much closer to the cup. People don't remember who went to the conference finals this year and that year, people remember who won the cup.

We're being realistic. Of course we all want the Cup, who doesn't. But with two first round exits getting to the WCF would be a nice improvement.

I like to keep my expectations in check because it helps dissipate the disappointment.

 

[2 Minute Minor]

Avs fan coming in peace.

I looked at the results of your poll and I find it quite surprising to see that most of your fan-base would be content with a western conference final exit. You guys have a wonderful roster !! It isn't surreal to expect your team to win the cup.

I prefer my team to have a 1st round exit in the playoffs than to get to get to the western conference finals (with your belief in the team being that much higher) and exit the tournament when you were just that much closer to the cup. People don't remember who went to the conference finals this year and that year, people remember who won the cup.

A WCF appearance would indicate beating Chicago or someone similar in a series. I think that would be a step forward. Of course, if they can do that, why not win it all?

 

[BlueDream]

WCF is far superior to a first round exit. We've seen plenty of the latter. If we could beat Chicago and advance so the fanbase can see them play hockey later into the summer that's a plus. Also because the team would make more money.