Your preferred first round matchup for the Blues

Who is your preferred first round matchup for the Blues to play?


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    84

thedustman

Registered User
Jun 19, 2013
4,198
1,246
I love how you learn a lot more about other teams when you play them in a playoff series, so I almost look at this like what team do I want to learn the most about.
 

TK 421

Barbashev eats babies pass it on
Sep 12, 2007
6,444
6,090
I picked the Minnesota Mild. When I was 5 I moved to STL from Minneapolis and I'm incredibly happy it worked out that way. However I didn't pick them for nostalgia sake, I picked them because the Blues would take them apart.
 

mk80

Registered User
Jul 30, 2012
7,962
8,490
i think there is a good chance the stars take out the avs in round 1 if they play
Whoever would come out of a Stars vs. Avs series would certainly be a tough opponent, quite possibly the toughest opponent in the west.
 

HighNote

Just one more Cup
Jul 1, 2014
3,311
4,100
St. Louis
Let's avoid these in this order:
1. Golden Knights - Deep, heavy team with some high end talent and goaltending that could steal some games. I think this is your WCF representative from the Pacific, but that also means we likely avoid them R1. But that would be a bloodbath if it's Blues/Knights in the WCF.
2. Avalanche - They're a fast team, and MacKinnon/Rantanen are scary. They've also been very good on the road, so we could have a potentially dangerous situation on our hands if they were to take one of the first 2 games in STL heading back to COL. Ideally, we want the Avs and Stars matching up in R1.
3. Stars - I think a lot of people are sleeping on the Stars. Their combo of a strong defense and goaltending could be bad for our offense. They can shut the door when they have a lead just like we can, and we saw that last yea. Not to mention that they were literally inches away from heading to the WCF.

Don't really care, I think we'd probably beat them:
1. Predators - I considered putting the Preds in the avoid list, but I just couldn't. Biggest reasons are 1) they're special teams are garbage, and 2) they lack star talent on offense (aside from maybe Forsberg). 3 of their top 8 point-getters are defenseman. We've shown that we can shut down scary offenses (like San Jose and Winnipeg), Nashville would be an even easier task. Josi is scary, but I think we could handle these guys pretty easily.
2. Oilers - We've done a great job, especially in last year's playoffs, at shutting down top offensive guys. McDavid and Draisaitl are another beast, and we've yet to really see them in full-on playoff mode, but I think our defensive duo of Parayko and Pietrangelo could really limit their production. They also have pretty weak defense and overall depth. I think our depth would eat theirs alive. So I guess McDrai and travel would be the reasons I'd want to avoid them (as well as their speed), but the positives outweigh the negatives in my opinion.
3. Coyotes - These guys simply don't scare me. Only reason I'd want to avoid them would be for travel reasons.
4. Jets - We handled them pretty well last year and they've gotten significantly worse this year, not to mention we'd have home ice this time. Their defense has been pretty decimated. Their offense is still dangerous, but we handled them before.

Yes please can we matchup against one of these:
Flames
Wild
Canucks


I don't really mind which of those three I'd want the most, as I'd gladly take all of them. Calgary is small and soft. That would be men against boys in my opinion. An absolute beat down physically. Only concern would be Kneeordano and Tkachuk being up to no good and cheap shotting. Wild are extremely meh. Average all around. Canucks are as well. I think we could take any of these 3 teams in 4-5 games, maybe 6 if they really bring it and make it tough for us.
 

CaliforniaBlues310

Registered User
Apr 9, 2013
4,544
3,506
San Pedro, CA.
From team I’d most want to play to least


Minnesota - I don’t think they’d push it past 5 games. They just do not intimidate me at all.

Chicago - Still in the race technically, but they have better top end guys than Minny, and a lot of experience.

Calgary - They’re paper tigers. Plus, their goaltending doesn’t scare me.

Edmonton - McDavid/Draisaitl duo is scary, but the rest of their team isn’t really. Those two could steal a few games though.

Vancouver - They’ve impressed me in the games I’ve seen. However, who knows how healthy they’ll be? They’re getting Boeser back tomorrow, but if they get a few other guys back, I push them past Nashville.

Arizona - They play us very tough, and their goaltending could definitely get hot at the right time. Plus, Kessel is usually solid in the playoffs, and there is a guy named Taylor Hall too.

Nashville - They’ve played us very well this year, and they’re hot at the right time. I don’t think they’d beat us in a 7 game series though. Probably too physical of a series than I’d enjoy in round one.

Winnipeg - They have the scariest top 6 I think out of all these teams, and they’re pretty physical when they want to be. Even though they aren’t as good as they once were, their size/speed could give us fits, and when Hellebuyck is on his game, he’s very hard to beat.

Dallas - Win the division and avoid this matchup. I have no desire to face the 2nd and 3rd best teams in the West in the first two rounds. Even though they’ve struggled, Bishop scares the hell out of me. Let them duke it out with the Avs.
 

Brian39

Registered User
Apr 24, 2014
7,028
12,735
Dallas - Win the division and avoid this matchup. I have no desire to face the 2nd and 3rd best teams in the West in the first two rounds. Even though they’ve struggled, Bishop scares the hell out of me. Let them duke it out with the Avs.

Not for nothing, but Dallas is suddenly 5th in the West by points and 4th by points percentage. I think they pull out of their slump soonish and finish 3rd or 4th in the West. I also think that their "A game" and goaltending are better than anyone from the Pacific. I still view them as an undesirable playoff matchup. But it is worth noting that the Central quickly became a 2 horse race for 1st. They are now 8 points back of Colorado and 10 points back on us (with a game in hand on us and same number of GP as Colorado). They might be able to pass one of us and Colorado if one of us slumps, but the odds of the Blues and Avs slumping hard enough for Dallas to pass both is extremely thin.

If Dallas goes 10-2-1 to close the year, they will have 103 points. We get to 104 by going 6-6 or 5-5-2. The Avs hit 104 by going 7-6 or 6-5-2. Considering that the season finale has to give a win to either us or the Avs, I think it is highly unlikely that neither team can hit .500 for the rest of the season. Dallas going "just" 9-3-1 means that they can't win the division unless the Blues do worse than 5-7 and the Avs do worse than 6-7. Dallas still has a realistic shot at catching one of the Blues/Avs to get home ice in round 1, but very little chance of winning the division.
 

Stlblue50

Registered User
Apr 17, 2019
680
503
Finishing 1st to avoid a tough round 1 matchup against Dallas has been all of the talk recently.
Now all of a sudden you could get the 1st seed and still have to play Dallas lol.
 
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MissouriMook

Still just a Mook among men
Sponsor
Jul 4, 2014
7,811
8,138
Finishing 1st to avoid a tough round 1 matchup against Dallas has been all of the talk recently.
Now all of a sudden you could get the 1st seed and still have to play Dallas lol.
I'm fine with the fact that Dallas has stayed far enough back that Dallas finishing first and the Blues having to play Colorado in the first round is all but off the table.
 

CaliforniaBlues310

Registered User
Apr 9, 2013
4,544
3,506
San Pedro, CA.
Not for nothing, but Dallas is suddenly 5th in the West by points and 4th by points percentage. I think they pull out of their slump soonish and finish 3rd or 4th in the West. I also think that their "A game" and goaltending are better than anyone from the Pacific. I still view them as an undesirable playoff matchup. But it is worth noting that the Central quickly became a 2 horse race for 1st. They are now 8 points back of Colorado and 10 points back on us (with a game in hand on us and same number of GP as Colorado). They might be able to pass one of us and Colorado if one of us slumps, but the odds of the Blues and Avs slumping hard enough for Dallas to pass both is extremely thin.

If Dallas goes 10-2-1 to close the year, they will have 103 points. We get to 104 by going 6-6 or 5-5-2. The Avs hit 104 by going 7-6 or 6-5-2. Considering that the season finale has to give a win to either us or the Avs, I think it is highly unlikely that neither team can hit .500 for the rest of the season. Dallas going "just" 9-3-1 means that they can't win the division unless the Blues do worse than 5-7 and the Avs do worse than 6-7. Dallas still has a realistic shot at catching one of the Blues/Avs to get home ice in round 1, but very little chance of winning the division.


Oh this is very true. It’s why I didn’t include the Avalanche on this list, because I don’t think there’s any way they catch both of us. I know they’re struggling now, but them catching on fire again after this is very likely IMO.

Personally, I just wanna see them and the Avs beat each other up for 7 games in round one. That’ll be a fantastic series.
 

Falco Lombardi

Registered User
Nov 17, 2011
23,176
8,467
St. Louis, MO
I don't think there's going to be a playoffs this year, but if somehow one happens, give me the Calgary Flames. That is one incredibly weak minded team. Johnny Gaudreau in a seven game series against a physical team? Are you kidding me? He'll be crying worse than Karlsson!

It's a shame Matthew Tkachuk is stuck there and not somewhere he has a chance to win.
 

Davimir Tarablad

Registered User
Sep 16, 2015
8,820
12,335
I don't think there's going to be a playoffs this year, but if somehow one happens, give me the Calgary Flames. That is one incredibly weak minded team. Johnny Gaudreau in a seven game series against a physical team? Are you kidding me? He'll be crying worse than Karlsson!

It's a shame Matthew Tkachuk is stuck there and not somewhere he has a chance to win.
He's only on a bridge deal :naughty:
 
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simon IC

Moderator
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Sep 8, 2007
9,219
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Canada
I don't think there's going to be a playoffs this year, but if somehow one happens, give me the Calgary Flames. That is one incredibly weak minded team. Johnny Gaudreau in a seven game series against a physical team? Are you kidding me? He'll be crying worse than Karlsson!

It's a shame Matthew Tkachuk is stuck there and not somewhere he has a chance to win.
Hopefully Tkachuk will be a Blue in four years, maybe less. Completely agree on Gaudreau. I never thought he was deserving of the "Mr. Hockey" moniker.
 
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TK 421

Barbashev eats babies pass it on
Sep 12, 2007
6,444
6,090
I don't think there's going to be a playoffs this year, but if somehow one happens, give me the Calgary Flames. That is one incredibly weak minded team. Johnny Gaudreau in a seven game series against a physical team? Are you kidding me? He'll be crying worse than Karlsson!

It's a shame Matthew Tkachuk is stuck there and not somewhere he has a chance to win.

Matthew is just biding his time watching his current contract play out so he can sign with the Blues and play wing for his brother Robert Thomas. I wonder when Brady goes UFA, hmmmm....
 

Falco Lombardi

Registered User
Nov 17, 2011
23,176
8,467
St. Louis, MO
Matthew is just biding his time watching his current contract play out so he can sign with the Blues and play wing for his brother Robert Thomas. I wonder when Brady goes UFA, hmmmm....

He's only on a bridge deal :naughty:

Hopefully Tkachuk will be a Blue in four years, maybe less. Completely agree on Gaudreau. I never thought he was deserving of the "Mr. Hockey" moniker.

I’d love to see it but I can’t imagine Calgary lets him leave unless he absolutely forces it.
 

Brian39

Registered User
Apr 24, 2014
7,028
12,735
I’d love to see it but I can’t imagine Calgary lets him leave unless he absolutely forces it.
His contract is structured almost perfectly for him to absolutely force the issue. He is in year 1 of a 3 year deal and year #3 carries a $9M salary. That means that in order to keep him an RFA at the end of that deal, the Flames will have to give him a $9M qualifying offer. If he wants out of Calgary, he can just sign that QO, get $9M for 2022/23 and then be a UFA in the summer of 2023.

I'm not saying his contract is evidence that he wants out ASAP. I think he and his agent fought to get the contract structured that way to maximize his next payday. However, if he does want to force that issue, he has all the leverage. If he does want out by the summer of 2021, he could tell Calgary that he intends to sign his QO rather than taking a long term deal, at which point Calgary very well might start looking to move him.

As a guy who generally sides with the players on CBA/contract issues, I really love how the current generation of young stars has realized that max term deals are not in their best interest. More and more guys are shooting for these 3 year bridge deals with large year 3 salaries that allow them to hold most the leverage towards the end of their deals. It might not be good for the individual teams these payers play for, but I think it is overall for the NHL as a whole. One of the biggest problems with the UFA market is that it is almost all guys in their late 20s or early 30s, which makes 7 year deals a big gamble. Giving a 26 or 27 year old a 7 year contract is a hell of a lot risky than giving that contract to a 29 or 30 year old.
 
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