2013 Season Predictions

[dmiles2186]

Let's get some chatter going on the board a few days before the first big game of the year. List your predictions for how you think things will play out this year for the Blues. If anyone comes up with any categories they want me to add, let me know.

Your best case scenario for the 2013 Blues: The Blues fulfill all of their promise, on their way to a Stanley Cup Finals appearance.

Your worst case scenario for the 2013 Blues: Shortened season causes injuries, depth is tested, team struggles and misses the playoffs.

Who scores the most goals: Perron

Who finishes with the most points: Petro

More Wins: Halak or Elliott Halak

Where Blues will finish in Central division: 1st

Will they make the playoffs? If so, how far: Yes, Conference Finals

Other predictions: Tarasenko lives up to the hype, Schwartz proves to be a work in progress. The Blues are aided by the fact that they have two #1 goalies and carries them to a second straight division title.

[DaDitka]

Your best case scenario for the 2013 Blues: This team competes every night, and score a little more
Your worst case scenario for the 2013 Blues: Defense is exposed and the offense continues to struggle to score. Impossible for goaltending to be THAT good again.
Who scores the most goals: Perron
Who finishes with the most points: Backes
Where Blues will finish in Central division: 1st
Will they make the playoffs? If so, how far: Yes, Conference Finals
Other predictions: Lack of depth at defense is exposed, Army deals some young talent upfront for D. Maybe even bigger names then we expect (both coming and going).

[glen a richter]

Your best case scenario for the 2013 Blues: Blues win the cup

Your worst case scenario for the 2013 Blues: Blues don't win the cup

Who scores the most goals: Tarasenko

Who finishes with the most points: Backes

More Wins: Halak

Where Blues will finish in Central division: 1st

Will they make the playoffs? If so, how far: Yes, SCF

Other predictions: sweep season series v. Detroit, Tarasenko notches a hat trick in his first game, ends the season with 25 goals to lead the team, Blues win The Cup.

[APOD]

Your best case scenario for the 2013 Blues: Blues win the cup! 1st in the west.

Your worst case scenario for the 2013 Blues: Don't make the playoffs, bad injuries that cause us to lose in 13-14 season.

who scores the most goals: Perron

Who finishes with the most points: Petro

More Wins: Halak only beacause he is in net 90% of the Playoffs. The regular season is split between both.

Where Blues will finish in Central division: 1st

Will they make the playoffs? If so, how far: We win the cup this year

Other predictions: Tarasenko proves to be what we all thought he would be, Petro wins norris, jennings again for ells and halak, halak gets screwed on vezina to Lundqvist, Rangers and Blues go 7 games in the final shit is intense!

[abc789987]

Your best case scenario for the 2013 Blues: Win Cup

Your worst case scenario for the 2013 Blues: Fall on our face like we did in the 2nd round of the playoff last year, and don't make the playoffs at all.

Who scores the most goals: Perron

Who finishes with the most points: Petro

More Wins: Halak or Elliott Tie

Where Blues will finish in Central division: 1st

Will they make the playoffs? If so, how far: Yes, all the way baby.

Other predictions: Tarasenko wins Calder, Pietrangelo wins Norris, Hitchcock wins Jack Adam.

[Oaklandblue]

Your best case scenario for the 2013 Blues: Stanley Cup, Free Tacos for Everyone!

Your worst case scenario for the 2013 Blues: They get moved to Quebec City

Who scores the most goals: Chris Stewart

Who finishes with the most points: Patrik Berglund

More Wins: Halak or Elliott: Elliott

Where Blues will finish in Central division: 2nd

Will they make the playoffs? If so, how far: Yes. Cup.

Other predictions: Chris Stewart surprises everyone by scoring like a madman; it's a contract year, the man needs the money. Tarasenko puts up a respectable 25 goals and the rest of the team follows suit. Halak and Elliott find the sync again and both netminders dominate.

The LA Kings don't make the playoffs this year and the real threat in the West is the Minnesota Wild, who we play and beat in the Confrence Finals after sweeping the Sharks, who are officially in rebuild mode, Detroit who we beat because well...they're Detroit, and make it to the SCF where we play the Florida Panthers for whom the Tallon Blueprint only needed a solid year to make them into definite Cup Contenders. A seven-game series is played because that's how Bettman rigs the ga-ERRR, I mean because that's just how awesome this kind of series would be and of course we beat them, trumpets sound, the heavens cheer, hooray! The Cup Is OURS.

[dmiles2186]

Steve Levy of ESPN has posted on Twitter he's picking the Blues to win the Cup.

[cardsfan04]

Best Case: Win the Cup
Worst Case: Out first round
Most Goals: Perron
Most Points: Oshie
Wins: Halak
Central: Champs
Playoffs: Win the Cup over Rangers in 6 games
Other Predictions: Tarasenko lives up to the hype from the get go. Schwartz shows promise, but is at least a year away from hitting his potential. Blues get 2 seed, not 1, in conference because of tougher schedule. Detroit barely makes the playoffs and loses first round. Blues make trade to sure up defense in somewhat of a "win-now" move

[cprice12]

Your best case scenario is the Blues make the finals? WTF?
Best case scenario is winning the cup.

Everyone knows what the worst case scenario is.

Who scores the most goals:
Perron

Who finishes with the most points:
Oshie

More Wins:
Halak, simply because he is going to play more games...not that he is going to be superior, but he is the #1...if that makes any sense.

Where Blues will finish in Central division:
1st

Will they make the playoffs? If so, how far:
Yes, All the way. This is their year. I think this is the first time I have ever actually predicted that.

Other predictions:
- Tarasenko is an Oshie clone with slightly less impressive hands.
- Oshie has a monster year.
- Perron nets 20.
- Goal scoring will not be the issue it was last year.
- Detroit will miss the playoffs. Their Lidstrom-less swiss cheese defense will expose Howard as being overrated.
- Tootoo will do something stupid in the first game.
- Chicago will finish 2nd and re-establish themselves as being our true #1 rival...although it will be fun to beat up on Detroit this year. IT'S FINALLY PAYBACK TIME!!!

[dmiles2186]

Your best case scenario is the Blues make the finals? WTF?
Best case scenario is winning the cup.

A) I didn't want to jinx anything by buying in wholeheartedly.
B) Typically, there's a progression. Teams win a playoff series, then make the conference finals, then graduate to the Stanley Cup Finals. Using that metric, this team is a year away.

[AlsWoodenStick]

Your best case scenario for the 2013 Blues: Mostly-reconstructed team doesn't lose steam which will take them to the Finals. Tarasenko & Schwartz are as good as advertised. Reaves knocks everyone the frank out.

Your worst case scenario for the 2013 Blues: Offense continues to struggle, one goalie regresses, the other doesn't have the stamina to hold up to the compact schedule, we narrowly miss the playoffs.

Who scores the most goals: Perron

Who finishes with the most points: Oshie

More Wins: Halak or Elliott Halak, because he'll play more if healthy.

Where Blues will finish in Central division: 1st

Will they make the playoffs? If so, how far: Yes. Lose the Cup in 6. At this point I just can't pick them to win.

Other predictions: Tarasenko makes ESPN-worthy scoring, Petro gets an extension of 6+ years, we don't make a major trade for a "top 4" D man, I get hammered before & during every home game, the cause of global warming is linked to the heat coming off of Hitchcock's rosy red cheeks.

[cprice12]

Your best case scenario is the Blues make the finals? WTF?
Best case scenario is winning the cup.

A) I didn't want to jinx anything by buying in wholeheartedly.
B) Typically, there's a progression. Teams win a playoff series, then make the conference finals, then graduate to the Stanley Cup Finals. Using that metric, this team is a year away.

I get that. But "best case scenario" would always be winning the cup.

Best case scenario for Columbus this year would be winning the cup.

[dmiles2186]

Your best case scenario is the Blues make the finals? WTF?
Best case scenario is winning the cup.

A) I didn't want to jinx anything by buying in wholeheartedly.
B) Typically, there's a progression. Teams win a playoff series, then make the conference finals, then graduate to the Stanley Cup Finals. Using that metric, this team is a year away.

I get that. But "best case scenario" would always be winning the cup.

Best case scenario for Columbus this year would be winning the cup.

True and I see your point. What I was really meant was what is the ceiling for this year's team. I probably should have worded it a bit differently.

[cprice12]

Your best case scenario is the Blues make the finals? WTF?
Best case scenario is winning the cup.

A) I didn't want to jinx anything by buying in wholeheartedly.
B) Typically, there's a progression. Teams win a playoff series, then make the conference finals, then graduate to the Stanley Cup Finals. Using that metric, this team is a year away.

I get that. But "best case scenario" would always be winning the cup.

Best case scenario for Columbus this year would be winning the cup.

True and I see your point. What I was really meant was what is the ceiling for this year's team. I probably should have worded it a bit differently.

I'm just being nitpicky. I know what you meant.

[ViPeRx007]

Your best case scenario for the 2013 Blues:
Umm...win the whole damn thing. Any other answer here is ridonk.

Your worst case scenario for the 2013 Blues:
They go 0-48...In reality though I guess I'd say missing the playoffs would be a pretty bad backwards step.

Who scores the most goals:
Perron

Who finishes with the most points:
Backes

More Wins: Halak or Elliott:
Halak

Where Blues will finish in Central division:
1st

Will they make the playoffs? If so, how far:
Yea, and I'd like to say all the way. I think it can happen, but the Wild, Kings and Rangers will make it tough.

Other predictions:
I agree with one of the previous posts and think Stewart will have a bounce back year. Roman Polak will eat somebody.

[cardsfan04]

Roman Polak will eat somebody.

This literally made me LOL.

I also agree with those saying Stewart will have a bounce back year. I heard something about his offseason workout program and him taking it more seriously this year (or something to that effect).

[glen a richter]

If Chris Stewart had taken it seriously last year, we would have won the whole damn thing. Tons of potential, totally wasted. The first time he figure 8's this year I will literally flip my lid.

[dmiles2186]

Time to revisit this thread. Some of these are still TBD, of course.

Your best case scenario for the 2013 Blues: The Blues fulfill all of their promise, on their way to a Stanley Cup Finals appearance.

Your worst case scenario for the 2013 Blues: Shortened season causes injuries, depth is tested, team struggles and misses the playoffs.

Who scores the most goals: Perron

Who finishes with the most points: Petro

More Wins: Halak or Elliott Halak

Where Blues will finish in Central division: 1st

Will they make the playoffs? If so, how far: Yes, Conference Finals

Other predictions: Tarasenko lives up to the hype, Schwartz proves to be a work in progress. The Blues are aided by the fact that they have two #1 goalies and carries them to a second straight division title.

Who scores the most goals: Team leaders were Stewart-18, Berglund-17, Perron 10.

Who finishes with the most points: Stewart 36, Backes- 28, Steen- 27

More Wins: Halak or Elliott Elliott- 14, Allen- 9, Halak- 6

Where Blues will finish in Central division: 2nd

Will they make the playoffs? If so, how far: Yes--TBD

Other predictions: Tarasenko lives up to the hype (He did early on, was not quite the same after the concussion. Still finished with 8 G, 11 A).

Schwartz proves to be a work in progress. (Finished w/ 7 G, 6 A, but impacted more than just the score sheet. Hitch used him everywhere from the 1st to 4th line. Still a work in progress, but had a very solid rookie season)

The Blues are aided by the fact that they have two #1 goalies and carries them to a second straight division title. (Dead wrong. Goalies were shaky for much of the season. Thankfully Jake Allen came in to right the ship)