When will the Reload make way for the Rebuild?

DrSense

Registered User
Oct 4, 2017
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(AP) St. Louis: “Rebuild” and “Blues”, never the two shall meet?

Alas, with a lackluster season behind them, where they were meekly dismissed from in the first round of the playoffs in 5 games, Blues faithful have to at least be asking themselves whether more significant moves need to be made with this franchise.

In conducting the requisite post-mortem, let’s first look at the good.

The Blues are a team synonymous as a contender and are coming off an HFNHL record 18th straight season in making the playoffs. They did so in arguably the league’s toughest division and while the team lost in the first round, they did so in a tough matchup against the league’s President Trophy winner in a series in which the Blues were only outshot in one of the five games. The core of the team is the close to the same that went to game of the Stanley Cup final 24 months ago.

The case against is perhaps more damning.

The Blues would have missed the playoffs had a perfect scenario not unfolded in the last few days of the season, including relying on several other teams to dictate their post-season fate, and the team is one of the oldest and most expensive in the league. Even though they have been one of the top teams in the league for more than a decade, the core of this team has more often than not led to underachievement in the post-season.

Even the most biased jury, would have trouble not being swayed by the latter’s case, and this is certainly compounded when looking at a team that potentially goes into next season with the likes of Joe Thornton, Zdeno Chara and trade deadline acquisition, Zach Parise as the team’s elder statesmen. All respected veterans to the last, but all clearly several years past their best before dates, and all clearly overpaid given their current on-ice performances.

So the questions linger if it is indeed time to tear it down. While 18 straight years of playoffs is not something you want to turn your back on, does this team want to wallow in mediocrity trying to extend a streak that is little consequence when there is nary a Stanley Cup banner to be seen in the rafters?

But at the same time, with a closer look, it does show a different part of the core in their prime, and one also not to be dismissed. With Mark Stone, Logan Couture, Kyle Turris, Wayne Simmonds, Elias Lindholm, and JG Pageau up front, and the blueline duo of Roman Josi and Dustin Byfuglien all playing as good or better than ever, there is at least some reason to believe in the near future. And with the emergence of some fresh faces in the lineup including Yanni Gourde and Will Butcher among others, there is at least some replenishment on the horizon.

The question is, can the elder trio of Thornton, Parise and Chara be seen as complimentary leaders who still play at a high enough level to help the top 9 and top 4, respectively?

The real concern is the barren prospect cupboard, and the state of the goaltending.

The Blues ranked near the bottom of the league rankings in the HFNHL annual prospect ranking, and with good reason. While there is a rather large cohort of prospects that will become pros, there is really no legit bluechipper that is foreseen as a sure fire top line forward or defender. Several wild cards like Sergei Abramov, Anthony De Angelo and Rielly Tuft have potential, but they all carry a fair degree of bust potential as well.

In goal, is perhaps the team’s most dire straight. Craig Anderson had one of the worst seasons of his career, and at 37 could be nearing the end, if not for his contract. And the Blues quite simply have no heir apparent close to arriving anytime soon. And while goal is certainly an area of intrigue on the prospect front with the likes of MacKenzie Blackwood, Kyle Helvig, and Filip Larsson, the reality is all remain wild cards and years from taking the reins in St. Louis.

So how will the offseason unfold, it remains to be seen, as management has been uncharacteristically mum in the offseason thus far, perhaps adding a level of intrigue to this team’s upcoming moves, not seen in some time. Reload or Rebuild, the roster will undoubtedly see a shake-up before October.
 

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