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Re: Hockey News: Blues to Win Cup

Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 8:22 am
by abc789987
Today's a new day! I'm in a better mood and can't wait for some hokies to start!
:cup:

Re: Hockey News: Blues to Win Cup

Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 7:13 pm
by Oaklandblue
The only real question on everyone's minds, in my mind, should be 'Did we sign a spark plug?' Because if we didn't, it's going to feel like Groundhog's Day at the end of the season.

We got the right pieces and I feel Roy is going to be big for us. I look at everyone else and we're hoping for talent over training and skill from players like Tarasenko, etc. which, I'm sorry, is outright insane. Just because we bring up players from the minors/other leagues doesn't mean that they will catch fire in this league. It's been proven more ofthen than not that it isn't the case. Yes, we are neck-deep in talent. So who is going to be the one to ignite it? Pie's not. Backes has tried and it's not him; he's too busy carrying and no one's helping him. Defense is a brutal wall with netminding depth the likes of which the Flyers envy.

When it comes to offense, we still need that one player that can ignite the team's cannons. We got many and they vary in skill and ability, but they lack....something. A playmaker? A setup man? A finisher? Do we now have one or is there one in the wings? When I say spark plug, that's what I mean. We have a lot of veteran talent and players who have proven in points of their career that they're close to turning the corner, but don't quite get them. Which makes me wonder: Do we have that plug?

Re: Hockey News: Blues to Win Cup

Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 8:26 pm
by glen a richter
One thing we don't have is David Perron making stupid ass turnovers. That has to be worth something, no?

Re: Hockey News: Blues to Win Cup

Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 8:52 pm
by Kreegz2
glen a richter wrote:One thing we don't have is David Perron making stupid ass turnovers. That has to be worth something, no?
Also we don't have anyone to dive like they were trying to make the Olympic team anymore.

Re: Hockey News: Blues to Win Cup

Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 9:06 pm
by cardsfan04
Oaklandblue wrote:The only real question on everyone's minds, in my mind, should be 'Did we sign a spark plug?' Because if we didn't, it's going to feel like Groundhog's Day at the end of the season.

We got the right pieces and I feel Roy is going to be big for us. I look at everyone else and we're hoping for talent over training and skill from players like Tarasenko, etc. which, I'm sorry, is outright insane. Just because we bring up players from the minors/other leagues doesn't mean that they will catch fire in this league. It's been proven more ofthen than not that it isn't the case. Yes, we are neck-deep in talent. So who is going to be the one to ignite it? Pie's not. Backes has tried and it's not him; he's too busy carrying and no one's helping him. Defense is a brutal wall with netminding depth the likes of which the Flyers envy.

When it comes to offense, we still need that one player that can ignite the team's cannons. We got many and they vary in skill and ability, but they lack....something. A playmaker? A setup man? A finisher? Do we now have one or is there one in the wings? When I say spark plug, that's what I mean. We have a lot of veteran talent and players who have proven in points of their career that they're close to turning the corner, but don't quite get them. Which makes me wonder: Do we have that plug?
I'm not real sure what the bolded means. I don't really know what to expect from Tarasenko, but I wouldn't write him off because of his rookie year in the NHL. As far as training goes, he lost 10 pounds in the offseason. That's probably a good sign.

Re: Hockey News: Blues to Win Cup

Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 11:10 pm
by Oaklandblue
cardsfan04 wrote:
Oaklandblue wrote:The only real question on everyone's minds, in my mind, should be 'Did we sign a spark plug?' Because if we didn't, it's going to feel like Groundhog's Day at the end of the season.

We got the right pieces and I feel Roy is going to be big for us. I look at everyone else and we're hoping for talent over training and skill from players like Tarasenko, etc. which, I'm sorry, is outright insane. Just because we bring up players from the minors/other leagues doesn't mean that they will catch fire in this league. It's been proven more ofthen than not that it isn't the case. Yes, we are neck-deep in talent. So who is going to be the one to ignite it? Pie's not. Backes has tried and it's not him; he's too busy carrying and no one's helping him. Defense is a brutal wall with netminding depth the likes of which the Flyers envy.

When it comes to offense, we still need that one player that can ignite the team's cannons. We got many and they vary in skill and ability, but they lack....something. A playmaker? A setup man? A finisher? Do we now have one or is there one in the wings? When I say spark plug, that's what I mean. We have a lot of veteran talent and players who have proven in points of their career that they're close to turning the corner, but don't quite get them. Which makes me wonder: Do we have that plug?
I'm not real sure what the bolded means. I don't really know what to expect from Tarasenko, but I wouldn't write him off because of his rookie year in the NHL. As far as training goes, he lost 10 pounds in the offseason. That's probably a good sign.
The players we are leaning the hardest on are the rookies and those who are still fairly new to the league, which I feel is 'insane' as in unfair. We're throwing them out to the wolves without the right mix of veterans and coaches to really up their game and forge them into the players we feel they can be. There's a step missing in this and the step is we don't have those 'middle ground' players who are high-skilled and demand the best. We don't seem to have nor breed those kind of players and they're the ones who win Cups. It's almost as if you don't come in the door an Elite, odds are you either you won't be one or will be one - on another team.

I'm not sure if that all makes sense, but I see the talent in all of the players we get but I don't see those elite in-their-prime players nor do I see us have coaching that can craft those elite-in-their-prime players out of the ones that we have, which is why a mediocre or late-bloomer goes to another team and suddenly they're solid.

Re: Hockey News: Blues to Win Cup

Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 11:13 pm
by Oaklandblue
glen a richter wrote:One thing we don't have is David Perron making stupid ass turnovers. That has to be worth something, no?
David Perron bothers me. I feel he should be gone, but should he be gone because he lacked the skills or gone because we lacked the balls to whip him into what he can be and hold him to it. Edmonton will not take half of what we took from him. If Perron suddenly explodes into a scoring machine, all it will prove is that we can't coach our own, which has been kind of my running theme as of late. Put simply, I feel we tolerate too much and give too much, for far too little.

Re: Hockey News: Blues to Win Cup

Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2013 6:48 am
by dmiles2186
Kreegz2 wrote:
glen a richter wrote:One thing we don't have is David Perron making stupid ass turnovers. That has to be worth something, no?
Also we don't have anyone to dive like they were trying to make the Olympic team anymore.
Also, let me add, we don't have anyone to take back-breaking offensive zone penalties or forehead slapping powerplay penalties.

Re: Hockey News: Blues to Win Cup

Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2013 8:41 am
by cardsfan04
Oaklandblue wrote:
cardsfan04 wrote:
Oaklandblue wrote:The only real question on everyone's minds, in my mind, should be 'Did we sign a spark plug?' Because if we didn't, it's going to feel like Groundhog's Day at the end of the season.

We got the right pieces and I feel Roy is going to be big for us. I look at everyone else and we're hoping for talent over training and skill from players like Tarasenko, etc. which, I'm sorry, is outright insane. Just because we bring up players from the minors/other leagues doesn't mean that they will catch fire in this league. It's been proven more ofthen than not that it isn't the case. Yes, we are neck-deep in talent. So who is going to be the one to ignite it? Pie's not. Backes has tried and it's not him; he's too busy carrying and no one's helping him. Defense is a brutal wall with netminding depth the likes of which the Flyers envy.

When it comes to offense, we still need that one player that can ignite the team's cannons. We got many and they vary in skill and ability, but they lack....something. A playmaker? A setup man? A finisher? Do we now have one or is there one in the wings? When I say spark plug, that's what I mean. We have a lot of veteran talent and players who have proven in points of their career that they're close to turning the corner, but don't quite get them. Which makes me wonder: Do we have that plug?
I'm not real sure what the bolded means. I don't really know what to expect from Tarasenko, but I wouldn't write him off because of his rookie year in the NHL. As far as training goes, he lost 10 pounds in the offseason. That's probably a good sign.
The players we are leaning the hardest on are the rookies and those who are still fairly new to the league, which I feel is 'insane' as in unfair. We're throwing them out to the wolves without the right mix of veterans and coaches to really up their game and forge them into the players we feel they can be. There's a step missing in this and the step is we don't have those 'middle ground' players who are high-skilled and demand the best. We don't seem to have nor breed those kind of players and they're the ones who win Cups. It's almost as if you don't come in the door an Elite, odds are you either you won't be one or will be one - on another team.

I'm not sure if that all makes sense, but I see the talent in all of the players we get but I don't see those elite in-their-prime players nor do I see us have coaching that can craft those elite-in-their-prime players out of the ones that we have, which is why a mediocre or late-bloomer goes to another team and suddenly they're solid.
Do you really think we are leaning on Tarasenko and Schwartz? I don't. I think we have high hopes that they will reach their perceived potential soon, but I don't think we are leaning on them really. Hell, Tarasenko didn't even hardly play in the playoffs last year. I don't think that's a sign of leaning hard on him. We're leaning hard on Backes, Oshie, Steen, Halak, Pietro (OK, he's young but not rookie), Bouwmeester, etc.

I think it would be insane for the plan this year to be that Tarasenko become an elite goal scorer. But, I don't think that is the plan either. It's probably within the realm of possibility, but that would be more of a best case scenario than something we are depending on.

I have mixed feelings on our ability to develop an elite scorer. We haven't for awhile, but I think the same goes for most teams in the league. They don't exactly grow on trees. Hitch might not be the best coach to produce an offensive superstar, but I think a lot of it falls on the player too. HItch's defense-first system doesn't promote an offensive breakout, but it also doesn't put pressure on a young prospect to immediately dominate the box score.

I'm excited to see what kind of improvement (hopefully) Schwartz and Tarasenko make this year.

Re: Hockey News: Blues to Win Cup

Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2013 8:52 am
by glen a richter
Remember that stretch last season where they scored about a bazillion goals in a 3 or 4 game span? it started with the game against LA that they got out to the huge lead and blew it. I think they lost 6-5 or something. Anyway, the team has the personnel to score in bunches and also the personnel to play rock solid defense. Unfortunately, they weren't able to do both at the same time. If Hitch could figure out a way to run a hybrid system we'd be looking at an unstoppable team. Unfortunately I don't think it's in his style to even consider that, so it's either keep playing solid defense, win a bunch of regular season games then get stymied in the playoffs because they can't score the timely goal, or play great offense but the defense constantly gets hung out to dry and it takes a toll on the entire team. One way or the other, we lose in the end.

Re: Hockey News: Blues to Win Cup

Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2013 8:53 am
by WaukeeBlues
dmiles2186 wrote:They certainly have the talent to do it. And we saw how they could dominate any team once Hitch came on in the 2011-2012 season. It's just ever since losing to the Kings in the 2012 playoffs, they've been so inconsistent. As Hitch said about 1500 times last year, it's about getting everyone to buy in. If they can do that for 82 games plus 16 postseason wins, then sure, it could happen.
That's the thing: many teams have the talent and experience to do it. Quite frankly the list of teams that DON'T have the talent or experience to win the cup is probably shorter than the list of those teams that ARE. I don't put much stock in it. And apparently The Hockey News has way more faith in our goaltending than we do haha.

Re: Hockey News: Blues to Win Cup

Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2013 4:15 pm
by goon attack
I predict I will do a sixty freakin' niner with Salma Hayek.

Re: Hockey News: Blues to Win Cup

Posted: Sun Sep 01, 2013 4:39 pm
by AlsWoodenStick
goon attack wrote:I predict I will do a sixty freakin' niner with Salma Hayek.
Image

Re: Hockey News: Blues to Win Cup

Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2013 2:53 pm
by cprice12
That prediction comes as no surprise.
The Blues have been a very, very good regular season team the past couple years...and everyone is waiting for them to break through in the playoffs.
Who knows, for playoff success-starved Blues fans, this could be the year, we'll see...but it's a long season and, like for any eventual cup champion, a lot has to go right during the season and in the playoffs, you have to have a lot of luck on your side and who you draw in the playoffs is a huge part of it.
Like last season, I'm cautiously optimistic.

The cup winning team isn't always the best team in the NHL. But they are always the team that has the most fall in their favor along the way.
I'd rather be lucky than good anyday because the Blues have had some good/great teams...but they've never really had an overly lucky team when it counted.

I'll say this...I'd rather have us in the discussion as cup contenders, than not.

This is a much more fun team to watch than it was 6 or 7 years ago.
I'm excited about the season...so bring it on....again.

Re: Hockey News: Blues to Win Cup

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 5:56 am
by gaijin
cprice12 wrote: This is a much more fun team to watch than it was 6 or 7 years ago.
I'm excited about the season...so bring it on....again.
That sounds like a long time ago, but it sure doesn't feel like very long ago. Let's hope this is the year, but I still have the nagging feeling that the players we have are only "who was available." Maybe they'll turn out to be the right players.

Re: Hockey News: Blues to Win Cup

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 9:13 pm
by Oaklandblue
cprice12 wrote:That prediction comes as no surprise.
The Blues have been a very, very good regular season team the past couple years...and everyone is waiting for them to break through in the playoffs.
Who knows, for playoff success-starved Blues fans, this could be the year, we'll see...but it's a long season and, like for any eventual cup champion, a lot has to go right during the season and in the playoffs, you have to have a lot of luck on your side and who you draw in the playoffs is a huge part of it.
Like last season, I'm cautiously optimistic.

The cup winning team isn't always the best team in the NHL. But they are always the team that has the most fall in their favor along the way.
I'd rather be lucky than good anyday because the Blues have had some good/great teams...but they've never really had an overly lucky team when it counted.

I'll say this...I'd rather have us in the discussion as cup contenders, than not.

This is a much more fun team to watch than it was 6 or 7 years ago.
I'm excited about the season...so bring it on....again.
:okman:

Re: Hockey News: Blues to Win Cup

Posted: Tue Sep 17, 2013 9:19 pm
by Robb_K
I think it's [b]possible[/b] that they win it all, IF everything goes right. I see them improving this season and going fairly deep in the playoffs. But, I don't think they'll get by Chicago in the Conference finals. 2014-15 is when they should win it all. Tarasenko, Schwartz, Jaskin, Rattie, Shattenkirk, Pietrangelo, Oshie, will all be much more ready 2 years from now. They'll be a LOT more consistent at scoring in 2014-15 than this season, in which they'll be Top 9-11 or so. In 2014-15, they should climb into the top 5-6 in Western Conference scoring, to go along with their Top 2-3 defence.

Re: Hockey News: Blues to Win Cup

Posted: Wed Sep 18, 2013 12:23 pm
by cprice12
Robb_K wrote:I think it's possible that they win it all, IF everything goes right. I see them improving this season and going fairly deep in the playoffs. But, I don't think they'll get by Chicago in the Conference finals. 2014-15 is when they should win it all. Tarasenko, Schwartz, Jaskin, Rattie, Shattenkirk, Pietrangelo, Oshie, will all be much more ready 2 years from now. They'll be a LOT more consistent at scoring in 2014-15 than this season, in which they'll be Top 9-11 or so. In 2014-15, they should climb into the top 5-6 in Western Conference scoring, to go along with their Top 2-3 defence.
And then Hull will finally get his St. Louis Blues Stanley Cup ring. :okman:

You know...if the Blues do end up winning it all in the next few years, the level of excitement and flat out relief in this town would be ridiculous.
I mean, personally, with the Cardinals, I've seen them win the World Series a few times...so the uniqueness of it all isn't there anymore for me. Don't get me wrong, it was great with the Cards in 2009 & 2011...and it will be awesome when if/when it happens again...but it would just be a different level of great with the Blues because it would be the first time.

I definitely wouldn't be going into work the next day. And I'd probably buy every Blues Stanley Cup item they put out. What's that? A commercial selling a DVD of the Blues run to their first cup? Yes please. A stanley cup champs hat? You say it's ugly as sin? I'll take three. A cup champs toilet paper dispenser? Yup...one for each bathroom.

They are in a position to make a run at it at some point over the next few years. Hopefully it works out. Blues fans deserve it.

Re: Hockey News: Blues to Win Cup

Posted: Wed Sep 18, 2013 12:35 pm
by ecbm
Tremendous amount of venom for Perron on here (two minutes hate much, gents?) from folks who still have patience for Berglund, who is the most maddeningly lazy player on this team if you ask me (ok, Stewart gives him a run).

Anyway, still three major issues to address, eye on the ball and all: 1. where do the goals come from? (btw-losing Perron eliminated one possible answer but hey, he won't be annoying the posters here anymore so I guess it's a wash) 2. who shows up in goal, especially in the playoffs? 3. Is Hitchcock flexible enough tactically to maximize the abilities of a pool of players as offensively talented as the Blues are?

The shape of the Blues' season will be determined by the answer (or lack thereof) to those three questions, mark my words.

Re: Hockey News: Blues to Win Cup

Posted: Wed Sep 18, 2013 12:43 pm
by dmiles2186
The Blues winning the Cup would be just out-of-this-world insanely awesome, but seeing Brett Hull and Al Mac hoisting the Cup as Blues, even if they're wearing suits, would be the icing on the cake.