Worried about the defense and the PK

[RR10*]

I should start with saying im happy about our start this season. I'm really looking forward to see what a healthy Blues lineup is capable of doing.

But one thing that bothers me so far is our defense. You hear other fans saying it's one of the best in the league, on paper it might be, but in reality I doubt it is. My main concern is the passiveness in the neutral zone and in our d-zone. We are backing off and giving the opponents space to walk in our zone like nothing. While we barely can get anything going without dumping it in due to our opponents holding their blueline and put constant pressure. It's dangerous every time the other team has odd man rushes against us. I noticed yesterday that even Gunnarsson was way too passive.

If this is our team strategy it has to stop. If it continues I don't see us taking the next step. I feel that this is a bigger problem than our defensemen being soft.

Same concern with the PK, they are too passive letting them walk in and control the play with much space. It's dangerous every ****ing time. And every time I'm thinking what if they gave Tarasenko that much space like we give them? He would kill them with his wrister. Just imagine Tarasenko vs. our small box letting him walk in and shoot over and over again. Of course he's going to score. I want to see them pressure the puck holder and close the gap!

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[intangible]

But one thing that bothers me so far is our defense. You hear other fans saying it's one of the best in the league, on paper it might be, but in reality I doubt it is. My main concern is the passiveness in the neutral zone and in our d-zone. We are backing off and giving the opponents space to walk in our zone like nothing.

Completely agree. I've seen at least three goals this season where Pietrangelo has simply lazily stood while a forward gained position on him and scored. Not sure what his deal is, but frankly I've been extremely unimpressed by him this season. Not saying he's bad, but that he's not that dominating defenseman I expected.

Also color me completely unimpressed by Cole. Haven't seen him do much of anything out there and his stat line seems to reflect that.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

Being too passive is almost guaranteed to be a coaching issue.

 

[Note Worthy]

Being too passive is almost guaranteed to be a coaching issue.

I agree but it's odd because I've heard Hitch twice mention how they're being too passive on the PK specifically. So it appears they get the problem but aren't fixing it.

 

[ManyIdeas]

I distinctly remember 1 pk from last night that actually impressed me, ott and lappy were hounding the puck carriers in the blues d zone very well.

 

[RR10*]

Shattenkirk after the Rangers game:

“We just have to stay aggressive, that’s the way we play,†defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk said. “That’s our penalty kill, it’s all based off of pressure.

 

[542365]

I thought the PK was better last night. We were putting a lot more pressure on the point and forcing them to make plays quickly. Ott was especially aggressive last night.

 

[Stopsight]

I thought the PK was better last night. We were putting a lot more pressure on the point and forcing them to make plays quickly. Ott was especially aggressive last night.

agreed, generally it was a lot better last night with the pressure, there wasn't sustained zone time for the Devils, and they actually had a quite successful PP thus far in the season.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

Despite my criticism of Ott, he's actually a great player to have on the PK precisely because he's so aggressive.

 

[BlueDream]

Ott is fine. The only issue with him is his contract and the fact that he can't score, but he plays his role very well.

Pietrangelo is still so underhwelming to me. Needs to be better.

 

[LGB51]

I also thought they played much better on the PK last night, much more engaged. nowhere near as lackadaisical as they have been, hopefully that persists.

 

[PeterAngelo]

Is the absence of Oshie a factor, or not really? --> (Obviously I mean the absence of 'Blues career' Oshie, not '8 games to start this season' Oshie)

I have always rated him pretty highly as a PK'er.

 

[RR10*]

Is the absence of Oshie a factor, or not really? --> (Obviously I mean the absence of 'Blues career' Oshie, not '8 games to start this season' Oshie)

I have always rated him pretty highly as a PK'er.

Not really. PK was passive last year also. Guess it's a team strategy but I don't like it at all.

 

[SirPaste]

It hasnt been good so far but its too early to get worried about it, if its still bad a month or two from now I will get worried. We know they are capable of playing way better and I for one would rather them be firing on all cylinders come playoff time than a few weeks into the season.

 

[rumrokh]

They were junky early in the year and tired on this last trip. They have plenty to work on, but it's early and the team has been ravaged by illness. All of Pietro, Shatty, Bouw, and Gunnarsson have looked great more often than they've looked bad. Cole and Jax have been very hit or miss, but that's expected from a bottom pairing. They allow very few shots, rebounds, and goals. The defense is good, warts and all.

PK will really lock in in the second half of the year, just like it has for a few years in a row. All that matters is that they rack up points in the meantime.

It really blows me away that people are so down on Pietro. Dude was great last night. The one shift when he was standing around last night was after he took a slapper to the ankle and was out there for well over a minute. The only game he hasn't looked very good in during the winning streak was against the Rangers.

 

[Alklha]

Is the absence of Oshie a factor, or not really? --> (Obviously I mean the absence of 'Blues career' Oshie, not '8 games to start this season' Oshie)

I have always rated him pretty highly as a PK'er.

There are bigger factors. Adjustments do have to be made, losing Sobotka and Polák is going to play into things. Missing Oshie for a few games shouldn't really be an issue.

I don't really care about our PP and PK at the moment, that can take some time to mesh. Last season we started hot and were beyond terrible as soon as it went to 2014, hopefully we'll come onto our game as the season goes along.

We are absolutely too passive, but the players and coaches are saying the right things about that. It is easier to back off than engage when your tired, so I do wonder how much the illness is playing a part. As long as it isn't all talk, I'd expect that we'll see good progress over the next few weeks.

 

[execwrite]

Ian Cole is +6 and Alex Pietrangelo is -3

Go figure

 

[Note Worthy]

Ian Cole is +6 and Alex Pietrangelo is -3

Go figure

Pietrangelo plays against other teams' top lines. Cole does not.