Let's Go Blues

Were it not for outstanding goaltending from Binnington and Hofer, the Blues could easily be 0-5-1 with the lack of effort Blues forwards have been showing in the offensive zone from that first Colorado loss when ROR missed his first game. Look at the the past two games as examples. Offensive zone possession time is heavily in favor of the Ducks and Jets. This can't be placed on the defense. It's the forwards responsibility to actually work at generating offense and maintaining offensive zone pressure with support from the defense. When the forwards won't do the work below the goal line, won't forecheck, or do any of the things to maintain o-zone pressure, it puts more pressure on the defense to prevent things from happening. When missing one of the top 4 defenseman, this is the worst thing the Blues could do, yet they've done it for 6 games now. I don't get what happened, other than Covid, but losing ONE of the top 6 forwards each game (ROR, then Schenn) shouldn't lead to this much of a lackluster offensive zone effort.

Why would I post this? The Blues are about to face one or the league's best least recognized goalies in Saros and then will face two top 10 offenses in a back-to-back with travel. I don't care how good Binnington or Hofer have been. If the Blues forwards don't get off their butts and actually maintain offensive zone possession, they are losing the next 3. That's my prediction right now based on how this team is playing and how Berube is mismanaging the roster with it's limitations.

Neighbours deserved more than 6:05 of ice time. Walman, again, was demoted to 3rd pairing in the 3rd period vs the Jets. That's b2b games. What's it going to take for Berube to promote Rosen to the 2nd pairing and limit Walman's ice time?? While Walman has been a long time Blues prospect, he's 25 and never looks like more than a 3rd pairing NHL guy, regardless of his AHL performance. Rosen, in 2 games, has looked better.

Said it oln Twitter and will repeat it now before tomorrow's news that Neighbours is being sent back to Juniors.. and IMO, it's entirely due to Berube not using him where he belongs. 2-3 years from now, Neighbours as a 4th liner will make no sense. Go back and look at preseason. They had Neighours playing in a top 6 role damn near every game. Get to real games and it's back to Berube's veterans matter first mentality - even promoting Neal to the top line for things Neighbours initiated. James Neal used to be a top 6 forward. He isn't even close to one now, no matter how vocal he is on the bench or in the locker room. What's it going to take for the Blues coaching and management to acknowledge this?

The last two games especially, the Blues have played most of the time in their own end. They were lucky to get the OT bonus point against Winnipeg at all, much less the 2nd point for the SO win.

A far cry from the team that started the season 5-0.

Perunovich should be up with the Blues right now if it weren't for salary cap gymnastics issues which still don't entirely make sense to me.

Why should COVID have any different impact on the cap than IR does? I had thought it was treated the same. Whatever.

Yea no question the Blues, other than Binnington, are in a collective funk. OT was great, basically owned the whole extra session but it can't come down to that.

Awful lot of running around in the D-zone, getting trapped and gassed.

I would prefer Scandella was traded, Perunovich was up and Tucker was the next man up in time of need. How much are those frikken performance bonuses that they can't figure out a way to get him onto the team?

I saw enough of Perunovich in one game live to understand he's a guy who makes things happen on the offensive end. Sorely needed, right now.

Covid is impacting the cap this season, because team's are aren't allowed to carry a taxi squad.

I think you have a very solid argument, but the team being 5th overall in the league with a chance to jump into 3rd overall tonight may preclude any significant, imminent moves, unfortunately.

They need 2.175M in cap space to recall Perunovich. Whatever the bonuses are, it apparently won't take much to trigger them leading to his salary becoming 2.175M, instead of the 925k he is currently making.

Given he won’t play enough NHL games, if any this season, Perunovich will definitely be in the conversation for ROY next year, so there is that.

I bet the bonuses are tied to playing even a single game above AHL. The minute he suits up they kick in. That’s Army’s fault then.

It's also the kid betting on himself which is a far cry from when he reported to UMD with, in his own words, "zero confidence." Perunovich credits the UMD coach for fixing that and his dad for never doubting him.