GDT Game 65: 2/28/18|7:00 PM CT|vs Red Wings|NBCSN/KMOX

[theohall]

Just remember Detroit has the 4th worst offense in the NHL and the Blues still gave up a goal to them. What happens against better offensive teams?

I hope it's a turning point, but have my doubts, considering how hard they had to work to beat a bottom 10 hockey team and almost blew it in the last 2 minutes.

Heck, Detroit was getting more pucks to the net through the first period. They out shot the Blues 36-25 for the game.

[gaijin]

Wild Card update, 1 March:

Wild Card 1 Mar.jpg (27.64 KiB) Viewed 716 times

With last night's Blues win and Calgary's loss to Colorado, the Blues are tied for points with Anaheim for the 2nd Wild Card, and 2 points behind Dallas for the 1st Wild Card (although both teams have played fewer games).

Although Colorado beating Calgary allowed the Blues to move closer to a Wild Card, it also enabled Colorado itself to move within 1 point of the Blues, with two fewer games played.

With a tough span of games coming up (Dallas, San Jose, LA, Anaheim, Colorado), there really is no room for error.

[theohall]

Blues need to be way better at 3rd period 5-on-5 faceoffs. Last 2 games - 11 for 31 is not getting it done.

[glen a richter]

Just good enough against the bad teams to gift Philly a really good draft pick.

Question... the conditional 1st is protected if it's in the top 10, the lottery is, if I'm not mistaken--which I probably am because I'm tired and not thinking straight--amongst every non-playoff team, yes? So as long as they miss the playoffs which is a distinct possibility, they could conceivably end up with a top 10 without being in the worst 10, yes?

[theohall]

Seeing as there are now 31 teams and only 16 teams make the playoffs, I don't think it's possible to get a lottery pick without having one of the worst 10 records. At least 5 teams won't be in the worst 10. Which really sucks for them. Not making the playoffs and not even having a shot at a lottery pick. Looks like this is where the Blues will end up this season. Unless they just keep losing divisional games - even to the (dare I say this) Blackhawks.

[WaukeeBlues]

Seeing as there are now 31 teams and only 16 teams make the playoffs, I don't think it's possible to get a lottery pick without having one of the worst 10 records. At least 5 teams won't be in the worst 10. Which really sucks for them. Not making the playoffs and not even having a shot at a lottery pick. Looks like this is where the Blues will end up this season. Unless they just keep losing divisional games - even to the (dare I say this) Blackhawks.

I liked the Stastny trade, but with that said, it pretty much wiped out this team's depth at center (which wasn't very deep anyhow) and realistically even if we get in the playoffs I seriously doubt the Blues get very far.

I'm torn. I want this team to make the playoffs because, well, I do. But I'm also a realist and can't bring myself to go back in time to 2006 when I was cheering for them to lose as much as possible to get the best pick.

The newfangled lottery system DOES give the Blues a chance (however remote) to fall into the top 3. Stranger things have happened.

IF we miss the playoffs I want a lottery pick Make it happen hockey gods!

That all being said I would be lying if I wasn't super stoked the Blues beat the Dead Things. We desperately needed that.

[gaijin]

I liked the Stastny trade, but with that said, it pretty much wiped out this team's depth at center (which wasn't very deep anyhow) and realistically even if we get in the playoffs I seriously doubt the Blues get very far.

There's pretty much no way the Blues get out of the first round, if they make the dance at all. At this point, they will have to play really damn hard and get some help from other teams just to get into a Wild Card spot... and a Wild Card spot means a first-round matchup with either Nashville or Vegas. I don't see either of those going in the Blues' favor.