Blues Playoff Push 2011!!!!

[thedoc]

Berglund frustrates me at times in the last 2 games had plenty of close in chances and cashes in on very few.

Your frustrated he is your leading scorer over the last month?

[ohio BLUES]

Berglund frustrates me at times in the last 2 games had plenty of close in chances and cashes in on very few.

Your frustrated he is your leading scorer over the last month?

I'm frustrated that he doesn't score on every shot he takes.

[WaukeeBlues]

Math Re-Calculated.

Sticking with the 95 Points needed.

22 games left, need 32 points, need 16 wins or some lower combo w/ OT/SO

Blues need to win 72.7% of their remaining games.

3 outta 4 aint that bad is it

[blues fan]

yes watching the games and the scoring chances he gets, should be cashing in more goals himself. If he cashes in more the blues win at least 2 more games as of late. They play close games and when you have the chances he gets and yes they all get chances but many of his are served on a platter pulls them wide or high.

[DaDitka]

yes watching the games and the scoring chances he gets, should be cashing in more goals himself. If he cashes in more the blues win at least 2 more games as of late. They play close games and when you have the chances he gets and yes they all get chances but many of his are served on a platter pulls them wide or high.

The same was Stewart has done at least three times since he's been here?

The same way Oshie has missed an open net multiple times in the last three?

Your right...he's the only one missing the open net.

[thedoc]

Are you high while posting? Cause you can't really be serious.

[TheoSqua]

It's the woes of a young team. And like it or not this is still a very young team.

[goon attack]

It's the woes of a young team. And like it or not this is still a very young team.

fukken bingo.

this team is very likable as far as I'm concerned and guess what... they still might make the playoffs.

[glen a richter]

This thread should have been locked before it even got underway.

It's a fukking jinx, plain and simple!

[DaDitka]

This thread should have been locked before it even got underway.

It's a fukking jinx, plain and simple!

Perhaps you misunderstood...

Clearly they must be discussing the push for the 2012 playoffs.

[cprice12]

Unless the 10 game win streak starts soon, we're done.

What a frustrating year.

And yeah, I'll beat the dead horse. If we could have acquired some offensive help before this season started, like we should have done and like all of us were screaming to have done...we'd easily be in the playoffs now. Way too many games this year saw us overall outplay an opponent in a game (like the last few games), but fall a goal short because we couldn't finish enough times on our great scoring chances.

The recent trades were great...but it's too little, too late.

[not_a_wings_fan]

There's a ton of upside to this team, but they are still incomplete as far as being a top tier cup contender. The way they have managed games recently, they don't belong in the playoffs imo.

Last night, McDonald looked like he did in the playoffs two years ago. He needs to bring that intensity every shift and show the young guys how one plays hockey the right way. The team picks up that motor for 60 minutes, and it's a different story.

I think we have some really, really good pieces, we just need to get them fit together and polished.

[Krigloch the Furious]

I forsee Bergy being a powerhouse next year.
Mark my words

[glen a richter]

I forsee Bergy being a powerhouse next year.
Mark my words

Marc Bergevin is coming out of retirement?

[DaDitka]

I forsee Bergy being a powerhouse next year.
Mark my words

I went out on a limb and I'm go to stick with it.....

Bergie will lead this team in goals in 2013. (Approx. 36 goals)

Now, I said that before Stewart joined the team and he could change this, but F' it.....I'll still roll with it.

[kodos]

I'm actually excited about next year, but this year's squad is done.

If they don't make the playoffs again next year I'm going to consider the rebuild to be a complete failure and every single person affiliated with the team, from the front office to the guy who mops the floors will be complete and total failures not just in hockey, but also in life.

[DaDitka]

I'm actually excited about next year, but this year's squad is done.

If they don't make the playoffs again next year I'm going to consider the rebuild to be a complete failure and every single person affiliated with the team, from the front office to the guy who mops the floors will be complete and total failures not just in hockey, but also in life.

I see absolutely no reason not to make the playoffs next year.....not even injury (I think we have enough depth now), except.......


, he's the one HUGE question mark left.


Oh, and if they decide to put Jackman down in the offseason....I'll guarantee a playoff birth.

[glen a richter]

I predict Jackman will be traded, along with Boyes, before the deadline. Returns unknown.

[TheoSqua]

Yeah the offense can come from this core. I think Berglund, Perron, Backes, and Stewart all have the potential to score 30 goals. McDonald, Oshie, Steen, and Boyes could score 20. Add in another 20 goal scorer (Tarasenko? FA?) and you're looking at 220 goals from your top 3 lines. D'Agstini/Cromchester/Sobotka can add another 25 goals and you'd expect the defense to be capable of 20 goals....that's 265 goals.

3 goals a game is 246. Give some fluctuation for players who don't pan out, players who exceed expectations, career years, and down years and you have to think the team as assembled should be able to exceed their current goal totals just by letting the team stay together and develop.

Plus you have to consider what the play style of this team is. They're an up-tempo control-the-puck kind of team. The primary objective of that playstyle is to limit opponents offensive opportunities. The Blues should win games 3-2, not 5-4. They don't need a top10 offense, they need to limit scoring opportunities to keep the opponents goals down.

Currently the Blues are 17th in the league with 2.8 goals a game. They're 23rd in the league with 2.98 goals a game. So I personally think the problem isn't the offense, it's the defense, and the issue is two fold.

First, the offense tends to over commit to keep the puck in the offensive zone. This leads to more odd-rushes and breakaways than a trap-heavy team like New Jersey would give away, so the St. Louis goalies will never lead the league in save %, the chances they give up are too good to make 93% of saves. But the team still only has a .900 save percentage, and it's been considerably worse since the awesome start. The goaltending has to be better for the team to win regardless of how many goals are scored.

Second, the longer puck possession and better scoring chances from the opposition should be counter balanced by the opponent getting less shots on net. The Blues generally should have a huge shots on goal advantage. Through 60 games they're +111 in shot differential, so that's the case. Problem is that's just not enough, it averages to 1 or 2 shots more per game than the opponent... They need it to be closer 3-4 on average. To fix that the team has to cut down on giveaways and bad passes.

Both problems tend to be from a young team. The Defense will get better and start better positioning itsself and making better outlet passes. The Offense will stop turning over the puck so often and start making better passes. Mental gaffes where players forget to cover someone or lose the puck should improve with experience.

Still, these guys are hitting their mid-20s. We have a goalie who is supposed to be good enough to carry a team for stretches of time. If they can't put it all together by the end of next season I think you have to consider blowing up and starting over.

[ohio BLUES]

I predict Jackman will be traded, along with Boyes, before the deadline. Returns unknown.

I think you're forgetting the fact that no one wants these douches.

Although, Vancouver traded for Eric Weinrich. So there's always hope.