GDT #63: Flames @ Blues, 1 Mar 2011, 7:00pm

[DaDitka]

Unless you can sign him for the same price next year.

That's what I expect. I still think he will be a Blue next year. They will be looking to round out the bottom of the roster with guys that will play for less then a mill and he fits the bill.

I think if Winchester is on your fourth line, you've got a pretty good top 12 forwards.

Stewart - Bergie-Oshie
DP-A Mac-Backes
Steen-Sobotka-D'ag
Winchester-McRae-Tank

Reeves

Not bad, IMO (I do think we can do better then Sobotka however)

[goon attack]

This team should be better by now. Way better.

According to what?

It's like getting a hummer from a seasoned whore... she should be great at it but it isn't always great... unless you hire the really good ones. The cheap ones are either on crack, drunk, or apathetic about retaining you as a customer.

Sometimes it takes them longer to understand that consistency is key.

[dmiles2186]

I think it's easy to understimate how much time it takes to build depth. I think, arguably, we have more skill on the current team than the one that made the playoffs in '08-'09. We rode an unbelievably hot streak in net to the 6th seed that year. But do we run as deep? That year we were hit by injuries, much like this year. In fact, I'd say that year heightened expectations and made most of us believe we were further along in the rebuild than we actually were. To pull a team out of the cellar, it can years before you build up skill and depth. Yeah, I'm frustrated that we're not competing for playoff spots when I thought we would be at this point. But it's not a total failure, at least not yet.

[DaDitka]

I think it's easy to understimate how much time it takes to build depth. I think, arguably, we have more skill on the current team than the one that made the playoffs in '08-'09. We rode an unbelievably hot streak in net to the 6th seed that year. But do we run as deep? That year we were hit by injuries, much like this year. In fact, I'd say that year heightened expectations and made most of us believe we were further along in the rebuild than we actually were. To pull a team out of the cellar, it can years before you build up skill and depth. Yeah, I'm frustrated that we're not competing for playoff spots when I thought we would be at this point. But it's not a total failure, at least not yet.

And that's why I say Halak will be the difference between this being a playoff team or not next year.

This team is good enough to be a 7th - 8th seed....Halak could make them a 5th or 6th seed, or keep us out of the playoffs IMO.

[deadcanvas]

And that's why I say Halak will be the difference between this being a playoff team or not next year.

This team is good enough to be a 7th - 8th seed....Halak could make them a 5th or 6th seed, or keep us out of the playoffs IMO.

Just to jump in here...I'd like to say that before this game, the last four games that we've lost were by one goal. And we've got two mediocre back-up goaltenders who have been trying to fill in for Halak. The last 10 games I've watched, the blue have looked like a really promising team, and some of their top players (Oshie, Stewart, Pietrangelo, Shattenkirk, Backes, Berglund, McDonald) have been really exciting to watch. That said, they are still young. They still fall apart when they get down by a goal, they still are working on capitalizing on all the chances they get (and throughout last night's game there were PLENTY). The big thing, IMO, is that they need to work more on the bottom part of their line-up - the 5/6 defenceman and the 3rd/4th lines are still incomplete. They have something rediculous like 10-12 picks in this upcoming draft and they have a shit ton of cap space to move with, so they have a lot of opportunity to make this hockey team better.

I know it's been a while for this team, but don't write them off just yet. If we didn't have our first line out for a month and a half, and if we didn't still have our top LW and starting goaltender out, we would be a playoff team, no question.

[kodos]

Here's the problem. It's always one excuse or another. Oh they are young. Or they are hurt. Or they aren't spending enough. Or they played well but... or this or that.

It's always something/ Some sort of excuse. But they just can't seem to ever put it all together and actually do the one thing that matters, and that's actually winning games.

I don't want to hear excuses anymore. I don't freaking care anymore. Just win. It's been like a decade since this team was even halfway decent. Enough already. JUST WIN SOME GOD DAMNED GAMES. WIN GAMES. No more crappy excuses. No more NEXT YEAR. NO MORE.

WIN. WIN LOTS OF GAMES AND GET INTO THE PLAYOFFS. THEN WIN PLAYOFF GAMES.

NO MORE STUPID EXCUSES. NO MORE.

[STLADOGG]

I was asked what is wrong with this team? and I had no answer...

[theohall]

Going to speak the unspeakable....

Maybe Eric Brewer was the one who kept this team motivated. We all just didn't know it.

[Ghostface]

If the Blues are going to be near the bottom of the West (obviously not ideal), I'd rather it be happening with the West insanely close and competitive.

[ohio BLUES]

Going to speak the unspeakable....

Maybe Eric Brewer was the one who kept this team motivated. We all just didn't know it.

[goon attack]

Is it just me or does the Hart remind anyone else of some sort of exotic dildo from the far east that you might find in your grandma's keepsakes after she croaks?

[cprice12]

This team should be better by now. Way better.

I dunno.
I thought they were a solid playoff team this year...but to be honest, we're not that far removed from the start of the rebuild.
Unexpectedly making the playoffs a couple years ago may have amped up our expectations a bit premature...who knows.

I don't think it's a failure, I think they are tweaking the rebuild...and to be honest, it's for the better.
Getting Stewart and Shattenkirk looks to be a very good move.
Johnson was underachieving and Brewer just sucked...and they are both gone. Boyes was a disappointment the last two years, and now he's gone.

It's encouraging they are getting rid of the guys who aren't shaping up to be part of the future of this team, and they have added, what looks to be, very good and young players.

But to be honest, they need to spend some real money soon on a couple great free agents to put this team over the top. Until they do that, I don't see them getting where they need to be...unless Perron turns into a 50 goal scorer next year and Shattenkirk scores 20.

In the offseason they need to add a good veteran d-man, get Perron back and add another 35+ goal scorer if anyone is available. I'd go to war with that lineup.

[cardsfan04]

This team should be better by now. Way better.

I dunno.
I thought they were a solid playoff team this year...but to be honest, we're not that far removed from the start of the rebuild.
Unexpectedly making the playoffs a couple years ago may have amped up our expectations a bit premature...who knows.

I don't think it's a failure, I think they are tweaking the rebuild...and to be honest, it's for the better.
Getting Stewart and Shattenkirk looks to be a very good move.
Johnson was underachieving and Brewer just sucked...and they are both gone. Boyes was a disappointment the last two years, and now he's gone.

It's encouraging they are getting rid of the guys who aren't shaping up to be part of the future of this team, and they have added, what looks to be, very good and young players.

But to be honest, they need to spend some real money soon on a couple great free agents to put this team over the top. Until they do that, I don't see them getting where they need to be...unless Perron turns into a 50 goal scorer next year and Shattenkirk scores 20.

In the offseason they need to add a good veteran d-man, get Perron back and add another 35+ goal scorer if anyone is available. I'd go to war with that lineup.

If we do that, we will be legit stanley cup contenders on paper IMO, goaltending pending obv.

[fargoblues]

Need to prepare for the possibility that post-concussion Perron is a shell of pre-concussion Perron.

[gaijin]

Need to prepare for the possibility that post-concussion Perron is a shell of pre-concussion Perron.

Flashbacks of Geoff Courtnall. It was a damn shame when he had to call it quits. I hope Perron pulls through.

[STLADOGG]

New team slogan...Maybe Next Year!

[not_a_wings_fan]

I was asked what is wrong with this team? and I had no answer...

They don't consistently finish the scoring chances that they generate.

It's that simple, really. We get as many scoring chances most nights as other teams, often more. We score fewer goals. Bury more chances and this team is in the middle of the playoff pack instead of fighting for a top ten draft pick. People can complain about defense, but I really don't think that's as large as issue as the scoring. We are 11th in goals allowed and 17th in goals for.

And we really don't need a ton more goals to be competitive - if Boyes buried five or six more chances than he did and david perron had been healthy and netted 10-15 over the games he has missed, this was easily a playoff team - about a goal every three games.

[DaDitka]

We are 11th in goals allowed and 17th in goals for.

Actually (as of today) were 19th in goals allowed and 20th in goals scored.

But we play a defensive based system. We (as a team) stress defensive responsibility first.

And we still allow too many goals'

Most of the year we've been middle of the pack in gaols scored, and considering our system and our terrible PP, I think that's pretty admirable. The addition of Stewart and Shattenkirk will great help the PP.

Obviously they are both important issues, I just think the current talent up front can and will score more, I have concerns whether we have the personal to fix our defensive deficiencies.

[goon attack]

I agree with NAWF... the question is "why?"

I'd say it's because the shoot wide a HELLUVA lot and don't crash the net enough.

Here's the thing: if you play with an edge and get under people's skin, not only are you playing a proactive game, but you're also going to draw penalties. Yes, it takes a huge sack to play that way, but if you're not willing to do that, get the (Frank) off this team and get the (Frank) out of the NHL. If I were Davis Payne, I'd start benching pussies who aren't playing hard out there.

CRASH THE GOD DAMN NET. PUT THE PUCK ON NET. Every shot doesn't have to be a cream of the crop, top shelf highlight. Put the puck in low where the goalie can't control it, then have the forwards crashing the net pounce on choice rebounds.

BE ASSHOLES out there you pansies.

Here's the other thing... do you guys want to look back in 20 years and have people say, 'That team sure had talent, but they were soft.'?

F no. You want them to look back and say "That team was BALLS TO THE WALL."

You are defining your legacy RIGHT NOW you (Franking) pussies.

Did you hear that clip of K Stevens and BRYAN (Franking) TROTTIER giving Bellows shit? TROTTIER! One of the elite scorers of his time and NOT A PANSY. Dude was talking trash out the ass. Be old skool or go start stripping in a gay club you wussies.

you do NOT have the talent to be the Detroit Red Wings Ice Dancers. You are a blue collar team with SOME talent. If you play like pussies, you aren't going to win jack (Franking) shit.

[cardsfan04]

New team slogan...Maybe Next Year!

Goddammit. We're the (Franking) Cubs.