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The Score's Write Up About the Blues' Struggles

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 9:20 am
by dmiles2186
http://blogs.thescore.com/nhl/2013/02/1 ... sing-room/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you click on the link, it has the video of the post game interviews it mentions.
Above is video of the St. Louis Blues post-game interviews after losing to the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 last night. That loss pushes the Blues to five straight games without earning two points, and in fact, they’ve only taken a single point total over that time, getting out-scored 26-11. Again: a Ken Hitchcock team has given up 26 goals in its last five games.

Skip ahead to the 2:00 mark to listen to David Backes’ comments about his team. For the video impared, the transcript is below (but you’re missing out on the murderous tone, which is also key):

“There’s no secret, it’s going out there and playing for the group. We got too many guys lookin’ at the stat sheet and wondering how many goal, and assists, and…cookies they got rather then taking a hit to make a play and getting run over so we can get a puck out so that your teammate can maybe have a three-on-two, or…so you can block a shot and kill a penalty when we really need it so we can stay in a game.

We just don’t have that desperation, that accountability, that responsibility to each other. Look at that team we played tonight, they all have that. They’re guys that are willing to get run over for the guy sitting next to them. I said it after the playoffs and it still rings true. We need all 20 guys to have that mentality, that ‘I’m willing to sacrifice my body and the stat sheet so that we can be successful,’ all 20 guys need to be willing to do that every single night, or else, we’re going to have too many interviews like this.”

By the way, 90% of North American hockey coaches just got wood reading that interview from a team captain. They LOVE that quote.

When you’re on a losing team, and more specifically a talented-enough team on a losing streak, the dressing room is a relatively miserable place to be. It’s pure silence immediately after the game, with very few murmured conversations between players (once the cries of “F***” die down, of course). Their coach likely told them exactly when to be at the rink the next day and didn’t say much more until he has time to analyze the video and cool down (unless he was irate, but still, coaches rarely talk much post-game).

And when the guys return in the morning it will be the same thing. There will be a little more chatter, guys icing shoulders and getting stim on the medical tables, having coffee and chatting, but the tone is completely different from the morning after a win, when it’s laughter and jokes. That light atmosphere and winning air leads to better practices with less nerves and more sure hands, which breeds confidence and more wins. Practices after losing suck. You hear a lot of pucks off the glass and posts, some coaches yelling, and not much more.

But it’s the “accountability” thing that makes it really miserable. When Backes makes that quote, he has certain players in mind, and those “certain players” know it. He may have yelled at them on the bench, or made some snide remark to them, or just gave them enough looks that they know – they’re the players under the captain’s watchful eye. And for them, less is going to be more difficult than most.

And that’s why coaches love a guy like Backes: he’ll make the dressing room uncomfortable for guys who aren’t putting themselves on the line. And incidentally, it’s also why teams pick guys like Backes to be the captain – they know he’ll put his body on the line for the good of the team, so he’s allowed to get on guys who don’t. A leader who puts himself first can’t very well say much in the dressing room, which is why you see so many “heart and soul” players sporting the “C.”

That’s just how it will be for players on the St. Louis Blues until thing get better, AKA, they get a win. A handful of guys have been indirectly called out (or maybe directly behind the scenes), and they’re on notice: if you don’t buy into what “we” are doing, “you” are going to be in trouble.

Whether that means trades, practice fights, healthy scratches, who knows, Backes made it clear after the game last night – things in the Show Me State are going to be awfully uneasy until some players acting like prima donna’s do exactly what David Backes wants them to: “show me.”

Don’t tell anyone you’re going to be better. Don’t make excuses for the past. The only way to make life good again for a losing team is to play another game and prove you’re willing to do what it takes. Actions speak louder than words.

Re: The Score's Write Up About the Blues' Struggles

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 10:42 am
by APOD
Backes :okman:

Well said man, now its up to you and hitch to get all 20 in that mentality.

And yea before anyone says it, backes has had a slow start but I keep thinking back to the ducks game and how much he was trying to make the right pass, get in the slot, taking the body, playing while hurt. Again last night I really saw him trying to get things started. I don't see anyone else with a C on this team but him

Steen is also trying to make things happen you can see how frustrated Steen gets when things are not going well I'm good with his A.

^I'm starting to ramble but I just don't know why we have 5 Alt Caps.

We need to strip the letters, put players on the bench, let some rivermen come up and say "See who is taking your place tonight, you want your spot back well get out there and (Franking) earn it."

Re: The Score's Write Up About the Blues' Struggles

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 2:43 pm
by DaDitka
The problem is (as much as I love them) it really is many of the team 'leaders' that he's talking about.

It's Oshie, DP, Andy Mac, Petro, Shats......They are moving their feet, they are exerting effort...they're just not going into those tough places as much as they need to IMO.

20, 42 (lately),12,17, 21, and even 25 (most of the time) have been getting dirty and working.

Then guys like Redden, Swartz, and Polak are trying....just sucking (I really feel for Roman right now, dude is working his but off but everything he does blows up in his face).

It's hard to really 'come down' on Frank. He's still adjusting to the North American game

But it all starts with those top 5 I have listed there recommitting themselves to the 'team'. Instead of finishing a check or supporting on the boards they're all cheating for the breakout. We pointed it out after the first game of the year that if they kept playing like that it would be a problem.

Re: The Score's Write Up About the Blues' Struggles

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 2:44 pm
by Oaklandblue
Some things to consider:

1. This didn't start happening until we activated Wade Redden. Is there something about him we don't know?

2. The last time Hitchcock was relevant was when he coached the Stars about a decade ago. He took the BJs to the playoffs and right after was fired. Red Flag?

Look at the last few coaches we've had and tell me who, in the last decade, have been releavant for that matter? Payne? what would he know about what it takes to win at the NHL level? Murray has never won a Cup. Way I see it, we sign cheap coaches who are past their prime or who are shots in the pan. Nothing that will take us where we want to go, so the end result is lackluster and aggravating for the players and fans. I still feel we should hire Brett Hull. If anything, he will motivate these people.

3. Backes can say anything he wants, but it's about the same effect as what Hitch has done; it's words, videos, slaps on the wrist. What, as a Captain, is he doing with the team to make it work beyond being pissed off? Frankly, until recently he's looked pretty bad.

Popularity should not determine who gets the C, the C should go to the Captain who motivates the team, makes them play and gets them to leave all they got on the ice. And I'm sorry, but that guy isn't David Backes.

4. Goaltending is not our problem. Pinning all of the responsibilities at goal to one person is. Elliott, we have all pretty much agreed is the 1A but everyone expects him to play like Glenn Hall with people not realizing that even if he played like that, we'd still lose cause the offense ain't doing jack and the D has been nothing more than a serious distraction to the guy in goal; instead of worrying about 2-3 man rush, they're trying to watch 5-6 players who are all in the way, and half of that is their own teammates.

Our problems, in my mind, have been consistently a few things: Bad leadership, inadequate elites and the complete lack of a Win Now and Sacrifice mentality, which is what is keeping the real elites from considering the Note: No one wants to play for a losing team, not on the stats or in the clubhouse.

Re: The Score's Write Up About the Blues' Struggles

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 3:01 pm
by STLADOGG
Oaklandblue wrote:Some things to consider:

2. The last time Hitchcock was relevant was when he coached the Stars about a decade ago. He took the BJs to the playoffs and right after was fired. Red Flag?
Don't start with this shit....Murray came in and we played good, then we sucked....Payne came in we did good, then we sucked....Hitchcock comes in we did good, now we are sucking.
I don't want to hear fire him. Fire the god damn players.

Re: The Score's Write Up About the Blues' Struggles

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 3:17 pm
by Oaklandblue
STLADOGG wrote:
Oaklandblue wrote:Some things to consider:

2. The last time Hitchcock was relevant was when he coached the Stars about a decade ago. He took the BJs to the playoffs and right after was fired. Red Flag?
Don't start with this shit....Murray came in and we played good, then we sucked....Payne came in we did good, then we sucked....Hitchcock comes in we did good, now we are sucking.
I don't want to hear fire him. Fire the god damn players.
See, I don't buy that. There's something else there. If they do well and then suck in unison on a constant basis and with us having changed Captains and Coaches, named Alternates and gone a bit without a Captain, there's a single factor involved that's constantly derailing the train and that's coming from above the player level, like for instance maybe we're hiring the same 'kind' of coach or something. The results keep being the same for it to be just coincidence.

Re: The Score's Write Up About the Blues' Struggles

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 3:32 pm
by glen a richter
Unpopular opinion, possibly, but I think a large part of the problem is Perron. He strikes me as a primadonna who wants to be a puckhog and make pretty plays and pad his own stats. I think he's exactly who Backes was talking about when he made his comments. There's nothing wrong with the D that can't be solved by getting a little help from the O not making stupid turnovers at the other end. DP is prime culprit #1. Now, on the other side of the ice, Elliott shouldn't be franking up as bad as he is. His job is to stop the puck and there's no excuse, but it's not like he's getting any help out there. But to blame the D for any of this is kind of lame. They're not the ones responsible for having to consistently speed all the way up ice to prevent scoring chances. Get rid of Perron and I think you'll see a different team. It all starts with benching his ass for a few games.

Re: The Score's Write Up About the Blues' Struggles

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 3:42 pm
by Oaklandblue
glen a richter wrote:Unpopular opinion, possibly, but I think a large part of the problem is Perron. He strikes me as a primadonna who wants to be a puckhog and make pretty plays and pad his own stats. I think he's exactly who Backes was talking about when he made his comments. There's nothing wrong with the D that can't be solved by getting a little help from the O not making stupid turnovers at the other end. DP is prime culprit #1. Now, on the other side of the ice, Elliott shouldn't be franking up as bad as he is. His job is to stop the puck and there's no excuse, but it's not like he's getting any help out there. But to blame the D for any of this is kind of lame. They're not the ones responsible for having to consistently speed all the way up ice to prevent scoring chances. Get rid of Perron and I think you'll see a different team. It all starts with benching his ass for a few games.
This

Re: The Score's Write Up About the Blues' Struggles

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 3:49 pm
by cardsfan04
Oaklandblue wrote:Some things to consider:
2. The last time Hitchcock was relevant was when he coached the Stars about a decade ago. He took the BJs to the playoffs and right after was fired. Red Flag?

Look at the last few coaches we've had and tell me who, in the last decade, have been releavant for that matter? Payne? what would he know about what it takes to win at the NHL level? Murray has never won a Cup. Way I see it, we sign cheap coaches who are past their prime or who are shots in the pan. Nothing that will take us where we want to go, so the end result is lackluster and aggravating for the players and fans. I still feel we should hire Brett Hull. If anything, he will motivate these people.
The last time Hitchcock was relevant was 2012 when he won the Jack Adams Award. I'd like to think 1 5-game losing streak doesn't make a coach irrelevant.

And, that's just what this is, a 5 game losing streak. I mean, it's not due to bad puck bounces and bad calls. It's due to bad play to be sure. But, people were ready to name streets after Hitchcock last year. Wanting to get rid of him after a 5 game losing streak is about as knee jerk as it gets. Sure, it's possible he's lost the locker room. But, that's one of the more unlikely reasons for our struggles.

Also, as for Perron, completely agree. I kept thinking of Perron while listening to Backes talk. Generally speaking, I like Perron. I think he can be a great asset if he's working toward the right goals. But, this puck hog stuff is getting excessive. I'd be more than OK if we traded him assuming the return is legit.

Re: The Score's Write Up About the Blues' Struggles

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 3:59 pm
by glen a richter
I'd be more than okay if they traded him for a bag of broken sticks. Addition by subtraction. Be a team player or GTFO. Right now he's not being a team player, he's being a primadonna piece of trash out there. The biggest problem with Perron is that when he does score goals, they look great in the highlight reel and everyone forgets about all the stupid shit he does.

Re: The Score's Write Up About the Blues' Struggles

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 4:13 pm
by Oaklandblue
glen a richter wrote:I'd be more than okay if they traded him for a bag of broken sticks. Addition by subtraction. Be a team player or GTFO. Right now he's not being a team player, he's being a primadonna piece of trash out there. The biggest problem with Perron is that when he does score goals, they look great in the highlight reel and everyone forgets about all the stupid shit he does.
:okman:

His previous concussion would probably make the return something like a draft pick anyway. A statement has to be made in any case and this wouldn't be a bad place to start.

Re: The Score's Write Up About the Blues' Struggles

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 6:17 pm
by tjk002
[quote="Oaklandblue"]Some things to consider:

3. Backes can say anything he wants, but it's about the same effect as what Hitch has done; it's words, videos, slaps on the wrist. What, as a Captain, is he doing with the team to make it work beyond being pissed off? Frankly, until recently he's looked pretty bad.

Popularity should not determine who gets the C, the C should go to the Captain who motivates the team, makes them play and gets them to leave all they got on the ice. And I'm sorry, but that guy isn't David Backes.

Complete BS. Been to everygame, and watched away games on tv. He has not looked bad. He just does the unpopular, non-pretty things, such as hitting and camping in front of the net. Hard to say he's looked like crap when in the first 5 games they didn't score a 5 on 5 goal with him centering his line. Watch the way he back checks, then watch Berglund back check with his lazy ass attitude, then come talk to me.

Re: The Score's Write Up About the Blues' Struggles

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 6:51 pm
by Shanahan19
The previous comments regarding Perron are correct.

I wonder if he has always been this and we haven't seen/admitted it or, in my opinion, the arrival of Tank has made it more exaggerated.

Stewart should have been sent packing long ago. He just seems like an idiot and locker room cancer.

It's time we admit that the goal-tending last year was the exception and that Halak and Elliott really aren't that good. Halak is more at home in the East and not this style of hockey. And as we have seen Brodeur and Howard get a little more human in recent years they are still better than what we have.

I don't think it's Hitch yet.

But what was the reason Columbus gave when he got fired?

Re: The Score's Write Up About the Blues' Struggles

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 7:05 pm
by APOD
Oaklandblue wrote:Some things to consider:

1. This didn't start happening until we activated Wade Redden. Is there something about him we don't know? Really? Really? Redden>wowavierswika this is not some voodoo one player problem :doh:

2. The last time Hitchcock was relevant was when he coached the Stars about a decade ago. He took the BJs to the playoffs and right after was fired. Red Flag? Jack adams?

Look at the last few coaches we've had and tell me who, in the last decade, have been releavant for that matter? Payne? what would he know about what it takes to win at the NHL level? Murray has never won a Cup. Way I see it, we sign cheap coaches who are past their prime or who are shots in the pan. Nothing that will take us where we want to go, so the end result is lackluster and aggravating for the players and fans. I still feel we should hire Brett Hull. If anything, he will motivate these people.

3. Backes can say anything he wants, but it's about the same effect as what Hitch has done; it's words, videos, slaps on the wrist. What, as a Captain, is he doing with the team to make it work beyond being pissed off? Frankly, until recently he's looked pretty bad. He did have a slow start but he can't force the guys to skate laps and suicides and sit guys on the bench, he can yell and degrade players for not doing what they are suspose to....what he said in that interview was a direct jab a player(s) don't think he is doing the same thing in the locker room?

Popularity should not determine who gets the C, the C should go to the Captain who motivates the team, makes them play and gets them to leave all they got on the ice. And I'm sorry, but that guy isn't David Backes. This was brought up in flashchat last night, if not him then who....nobody came up with a answer last night because he is the best choice.

4. Goaltending is not our problem. Pinning all of the responsibilities at goal to one person is. Elliott, we have all pretty much agreed is the 1A but everyone expects him to play like Glenn Hall with people not realizing that even if he played like that, we'd still lose cause the offense ain't doing jack and the D has been nothing more than a serious distraction to the guy in goal; instead of worrying about 2-3 man rush, they're trying to watch 5-6 players who are all in the way, and half of that is their own teammates. Agree

Our problems, in my mind, have been consistently a few things: Bad leadership, inadequate elites and the complete lack of a Win Now and Sacrifice mentality, which is what is keeping the real elites from considering the Note: No one wants to play for a losing team, not on the stats or in the clubhouse.
There does seem to be a problem with getting a fire ignited, I would say a lack of discipline is more the problem, perron needs to be a healthy scratch until he plays as a team member not an individual same with a few others. We need to finish checks, or just start checking period, enough with playing along the board trying to break though traffic play it to the guys in postion or guys that can net it from the blueline like petro, jackman or redden.

Stewart is awesome on the power play but 50/50 on his line so whats the issue should we pair stewart with different players, I know he can play and he has been working his ass off its just not working for him like it should be.

If Berg cant hit the net he shouldnt be playing, sorry thats how I feel I'm sick of hear pang say " SHOOTS! and its a foot wide."

Frank tank rookie what ever you want to call him needs less ice time, he is good but i think he is getting overwhelmed.

Backes keeps the C, Steen gets A and everyone else works for ice time and the 1 not 3 other A's, maybe Andy Mac maybe Jackman maybe someone else or no one at all really don't need 2 alt's in my opinion.

I have a theory maybe someone stole the wiener hat?

Re: The Score's Write Up About the Blues' Struggles

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 5:01 am
by Oaklandblue
APOD wrote:
Oaklandblue wrote:Some things to consider:

1. This didn't start happening until we activated Wade Redden. Is there something about him we don't know? Really? Really? Redden>wowavierswika this is not some voodoo one player problem :doh:
Well, if you really think about it, there actually IS a Kevin Bacon, seven degrees of separation sort of thing involved in this: Jaroslav Halak.

Halak went down in Game 1 of the playoffs. Ells was good for the Sharks stretch and when we went to the next team, he totally fell apart against the Kings and the team in general really stopped playing the game.

Halak gets hurt now after Ells has helped bail him out and suddenly Ells does the same thing again and the team really stopped playing the game again.

Interesting, huh?

Re: The Score's Write Up About the Blues' Struggles

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 5:05 am
by Oaklandblue
Shanahan19 wrote:The previous comments regarding Perron are correct.

I wonder if he has always been this and we haven't seen/admitted it or, in my opinion, the arrival of Tank has made it more exaggerated.

Stewart should have been sent packing long ago. He just seems like an idiot and locker room cancer.

It's time we admit that the goal-tending last year was the exception and that Halak and Elliott really aren't that good. Halak is more at home in the East and not this style of hockey. And as we have seen Brodeur and Howard get a little more human in recent years they are still better than what we have.

I don't think it's Hitch yet.

But what was the reason Columbus gave when he got fired?
Link: http://seattletimes.com/html/sports/201 ... fired.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Columbus' season-long struggles have cost coach Ken Hitchcock his job.

Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson announced Wednesday that Hitchcock has been relieved of his duties and will be replaced on an interim basis by Claude Noel, who was one of Hitchcock's assistants.

Columbus is last in the Central Division and 13th in the Western Conference with 53 points (22-27-9). Hitchcock finished his tenure as the Jackets' coach with a 125-123-36 record.

"It wasn't working," Howson said when asked at a news conference Wednesday evening about why the change was made. "The team wasn't responding to the message."

Noel will coach his first game Thursday, when the Blue Jackets host Dallas in the opener of a five-game homestand

"You're going to see some changes," Noel said at the news conference. "But I'm not going to reinvent the game."

Hitchcock led the Blue Jackets to the first playoff berth in franchise history last spring, though they were swept by the Detroit Red Wings. The Jackets were expected to continue to improve, but after a 12-6-2 start, the team won just three of its next 24 games. The defense, usually a trademark of Hitchcock-coaches teams, has struggled -- and 2008-09 Calder Trophy winner Steve Mason hasn't matched last season's performance in goal.

"We don't consider the season lost," Howson said. "We'll play hard the rest of the season and see what happens."

Asked why he decided to fire Hitchcock now, Howson said, "We thought Hitch deserved a chance to work out these last 37 games. We kept hoping he'd find a decision."

Re: The Score's Write Up About the Blues' Struggles

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 6:08 am
by sseagle
That quote is funny, howson got shitcanned yesterday.

Re: The Score's Write Up About the Blues' Struggles

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 7:59 am
by glen a richter
Torts is basically the same kind of coach, so how come the Rags are doing much better since their early season struggles? Is it the coach or is it the personnel?

Re: The Score's Write Up About the Blues' Struggles

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 9:06 am
by sseagle
Beejays named jarmo kekkelienen as gm.
Jd is bringing in the crew.

Re: The Score's Write Up About the Blues' Struggles

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 9:08 am
by APOD
sseagle wrote:That quote is funny, howson got shitcanned yesterday.
Exactly and that was 3 years ago when hitch was let go......BJ's still suck today.