last_stand
the gay card thrower Call Me Ragnar
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 7737
Loc: anywhere but "HomeofToto"
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Oh boy....what's it gonna be?
Team is 1/3 tear down with a few JAGS and 1/3 up and comers who best be coming and 1/3 vets who almost all need to turn around from last year barring just a few.
The common wisdom is to hold fort with this kind of team until the youngsters come into their own and they do have a great group of prospects a year or two away.
The goalie situation is going to be interesting. The D has to be credible but whatever JB actually is should come to light this year.
I think this group can compete if all the "ifs" actually happen.
Just glad the boys are back. It's been a long off season.
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Sometimes you got it sometimes you get got.
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sptsman
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 6193
Loc: Missouri
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I can honestly say that I have no idea how this team will look. They've lost so much scoring, experience and leadership, it feels like a rudderless ship. I hope they can gel and form an identity pretty quickly or they'll be in pretty deep hole a few months into the season. There is some talent on this team, to be sure. Just not sure if they'll have their chit together...
I guess my biggest concern is the D. Had Parayko become the Norris candidate we thought he was, I might feel better about it. But not having a top-ten/fifteen defenseman to anchor this defense is concerning. I just don't see this corps being good enough to get the Blues back in the playoffs and to contend.
Either way, I'll be watching the games, unless they start stinking it up, like last year. Then I'll watch when it is convenient and I have nothing better to do. Goign to miss not having Panger, when I do watch.
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"Hunts are best measured by the endurance of the memories they produce..."
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last_stand
the gay card thrower Call Me Ragnar
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 7737
Loc: anywhere but "HomeofToto"
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Quote:
sptsman said:
I can honestly say that I have no idea how this team will look. They've lost so much scoring, experience and leadership, it feels like a rudderless ship. I hope they can gel and form an identity pretty quickly or they'll be in pretty deep hole a few months into the season. There is some talent on this team, to be sure. Just not sure if they'll have their chit together...
I guess my biggest concern is the D. Had Parayko become the Norris candidate we thought he was, I might feel better about it. But not having a top-ten/fifteen defenseman to anchor this defense is concerning. I just don't see this corps being good enough to get the Blues back in the playoffs and to contend.
Either way, I'll be watching the games, unless they start stinking it up, like last year. Then I'll watch when it is convenient and I have nothing better to do. Goign to miss not having Panger, when I do watch.
Valid points but the forward group is actually more than decent.
I agree it comes down to the D as you say and then JB/Hofer who are also at their mercy.
Thrilled to see what Perunovich can do he's a little guy but knows how to move a puck.
CP is on the record he has to do better. Faulk and Leddy haven't fessed up but they know the same about themselves.
I just know I'll be watching and hoping for a "transition year" that includes play off hockey.
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Sometimes you got it sometimes you get got.
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sptsman
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 6193
Loc: Missouri
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Yes, the forward group is fine, offensively. My concern is the two way play and how they play defensively and in transition. You can’t put the puck in the net from your own end and you can’t score, if you can’t get out of your own end, though the neutral zone and get some possession time in the offensive zone. I think that is where they are going to miss guys like O’Reilly, Tarasenko, etc. the most. That being said, I trust Berube and his staff. I just hop the players do as well.
Go Blue!!
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"Hunts are best measured by the endurance of the memories they produce..."
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last_stand
the gay card thrower Call Me Ragnar
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 7737
Loc: anywhere but "HomeofToto"
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Quote:
sptsman said:
Yes, the forward group is fine, offensively. My concern is the two way play and how they play defensively and in transition. You can’t put the puck in the net from your own end and you can’t score, if you can’t get out of your own end, though the neutral zone and get some possession time in the offensive zone. I think that is where they are going to miss guys like O’Reilly, Tarasenko, etc. the most. That being said, I trust Berube and his staff. I just hop the players do as well.
Go Blue!!
I'll remember 91 fondly but I don't think they will miss him. I have to think he was a problem in the locker room in odd ways with more than a few mates. Also odd...they played better without both O'Reilly and Senko after they were moved out.
We'll see how this all goes. Most all of the experts have this team finishing around 25th in the league.
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Sometimes you got it sometimes you get got.
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wuchang
spiritual advisor and gatekeeper to the Spirit World
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 5209
Loc: uphill
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So…….does this mean the odds are against me seeing another Stanley Cup in St Louis during my lifetime?
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IIFID
Bond....Timmy Bond
Reged: 12/15/05
Posts: 8066
Loc: Nipawin, Saskatchewan
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There D was indefensible last year and there hasn't been any change. I do not see this team being any better than last year. I hope I'm wrong...
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Thought for the day; “It’s impossible to think outside of the box when all you do is think about getting inside of the box.”
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sptsman
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 6193
Loc: Missouri
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Quote:
wuchang said:
So…….does this mean the odds are against me seeing another Stanley Cup in St Louis during my lifetime?
Depends Bill… How long you planning on living? Right now, the trend is a Cup roughly every 50 years or so… 
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"Hunts are best measured by the endurance of the memories they produce..."
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sptsman
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 6193
Loc: Missouri
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Quote:
IIFID said:
There D was indefensible last year and there hasn't been any change. I do not see this team being any better than last year. I hope I'm wrong...
Actually, minimal change in personnel but a huge change in defensive strategy. If the Dallas game is any indication of how it looks in the early stages of development, it may just work. Granted JB stood on his head and played a spectacular game in the net, but the D showed some discipline in implementing the system. I have the same concerns about the D, but this new D coach and Berube seem to have them bought in. I guess we’ll know in the coming months.
Looking forward to watching some games. I hope I’m not done with them by Jan-Feb like last year….
Go Blue!!
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"Hunts are best measured by the endurance of the memories they produce..."
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wuchang
spiritual advisor and gatekeeper to the Spirit World
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 5209
Loc: uphill
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Quote:
sptsman said:
Quote:
wuchang said:
So…….does this mean the odds are against me seeing another Stanley Cup in St Louis during my lifetime?
Depends Bill… How long you planning on living? Right now, the trend is a Cup roughly every 50 years or so…
I plan on living forever…….but realistically I doubt that I will get close to Methuselah status…….or even the century mark
But I damn sure gonna try 
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last_stand
the gay card thrower Call Me Ragnar
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 7737
Loc: anywhere but "HomeofToto"
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Game 2 D very similar to game 1....pk as well.....and that's good news.
JB on his head once again too.
They played 2 good teams.
Forward group and pp is in question but I'd rather have it that way. It's a thin group but I think they can come around once they adjust to their "new" 200 foot play.
Gonna take 20 games to know what they have (including Hofer) but so far I'm pleased.
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Sometimes you got it sometimes you get got.
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IIFID
Bond....Timmy Bond
Reged: 12/15/05
Posts: 8066
Loc: Nipawin, Saskatchewan
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LS, are you hoping last night's 6 - 2 debacle against the Yotes was an outlier? Outshot 42 - 26 and generally dominated.
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Thought for the day; “It’s impossible to think outside of the box when all you do is think about getting inside of the box.”
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last_stand
the gay card thrower Call Me Ragnar
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 7737
Loc: anywhere but "HomeofToto"
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Quote:
IIFID said:
LS, are you hoping last night's 6 - 2 debacle against the Yotes was an outlier? Outshot 42 - 26 and generally dominated.
Yes.
Hoping is right.
I still don't believe most of these players are performing to their mean but maybe this is what they are. It's odd it's the forward group and scoring that are the issue right now. That's where my hope lies.
I'll give them the 20 games and see....last game was a stinker now a tough challenge tonight.
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Sometimes you got it sometimes you get got.
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IIFID
Bond....Timmy Bond
Reged: 12/15/05
Posts: 8066
Loc: Nipawin, Saskatchewan
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Good bounce back game tonight.
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Thought for the day; “It’s impossible to think outside of the box when all you do is think about getting inside of the box.”
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last_stand
the gay card thrower Call Me Ragnar
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 7737
Loc: anywhere but "HomeofToto"
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Quote:
IIFID said:
Good bounce back game tonight.
Yup
Their best game so far...forwards came alive and JB just in the zone.
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Sometimes you got it sometimes you get got.
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sptsman
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 6193
Loc: Missouri
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20 games in is a good marker point. These boys are still figuring out a new D system, linemates and even teammates. It's going to take a while to gel. They just can't get in too deep of a hole in the standings.
I would say the only panic I have is the PP. It isn't that they haven't scored, its how bad they look not scoring. Slow puck movement, slow shot releases, lack of creativity, lack of net-front presence. It feels like a DII college team could defend this PP. Let's see what happens with it over the next few games. It needs to get better, waaaay better.
Go Blue!
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"Hunts are best measured by the endurance of the memories they produce..."
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last_stand
the gay card thrower Call Me Ragnar
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 7737
Loc: anywhere but "HomeofToto"
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Quote:
sptsman said:
20 games in is a good marker point. These boys are still figuring out a new D system, linemates and even teammates. It's going to take a while to gel. They just can't get in too deep of a hole in the standings.
I would say the only panic I have is the PP. It isn't that they haven't scored, its how bad they look not scoring. Slow puck movement, slow shot releases, lack of creativity, lack of net-front presence. It feels like a DII college team could defend this PP. Let's see what happens with it over the next few games. It needs to get better, waaaay better.
Go Blue!
It was better last game.
No goals but better.
I'll say this just pregame with the Jets and he's still on the bench but PUT PERUNOVICH ON THE ROSTER and let him run the #1 PP.
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Sometimes you got it sometimes you get got.
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IIFID
Bond....Timmy Bond
Reged: 12/15/05
Posts: 8066
Loc: Nipawin, Saskatchewan
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Impressive win last night.
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Thought for the day; “It’s impossible to think outside of the box when all you do is think about getting inside of the box.”
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last_stand
the gay card thrower Call Me Ragnar
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 7737
Loc: anywhere but "HomeofToto"
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Quote:
IIFID said:
Impressive win last night.
It's a rested Nuck team coming up on a bit of a roll.
Big test for the boys on their first back to back.
Vancouver fans have to be some of the worst hope they can gather the strength to take 'em.
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Sometimes you got it sometimes you get got.
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griffin
administrator
Reged: 12/13/05
Posts: 9625
Loc: the most dangerous city in Ame...
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I can't decide if they won't shoot or they can't score.....but 2nd fewest goals scored in the Western Conference gets you a tee time in March.
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"The Irish are one race of people for whom psychoanalysis is of no use whatsoever." - Sigmund Freud
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last_stand
the gay card thrower Call Me Ragnar
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 7737
Loc: anywhere but "HomeofToto"
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Shaky start at best.
No way they survive without more pucks in the net.
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Sometimes you got it sometimes you get got.
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sptsman
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 6193
Loc: Missouri
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Quote:
last_stand said:
Shaky start at best.
No way they survive without more pucks in the net.
Here is what baffles me. I am just a schmo watching the games and can see as clear as day what the issues are with the power play. Granted, I watch a lot of hockey but I have about 1,000th of the hockey smarts the Blues coaches have. Even if they don’t bring it up to the level it needs to be, how in the world can’t they figure out the fundamentals of running a power play? Faster puck movement, more shots on net and a netfront presence at all times… It sure looks like 5 guys go to their prescribed areas on the ice, slowly pass the puck around the perimeter and eventually turn it over when the D figures out they can attack the puck without consequences (i.e. the Blues getting a shot on net) or when one of the Blues tries to make a miracle pass through a lane that the D has 2 or 3 sticks in. I can understand a player parking at the middle or top of the faceoff circle if the were one-timing shots like Hull or Ovy. But they don’t even try the quick release shots. Sometimes I have time to refill my glass between the time a forward gets the puck and shoots. It is painful to watch.
We’ll see what happens tonight. I’m not optimistic. Hope the prove me wrong…
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"Hunts are best measured by the endurance of the memories they produce..."
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last_stand
the gay card thrower Call Me Ragnar
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 7737
Loc: anywhere but "HomeofToto"
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PP still in the dregs. It does seem inexplicable.
But a good game last night.........seems like the team will bounce off the bottom for a while before the real team either stays there or comes up to the surface and competes.
I remain optimistic it's the latter.....barring injuries.
Habs tonight....another b to b game for the good guys be really good to win this one.
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Sometimes you got it sometimes you get got.
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griffin
administrator
Reged: 12/13/05
Posts: 9625
Loc: the most dangerous city in Ame...
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Only Sane Jose, who haven't won a game, have less goals scored than the Blues in the West. That's not sustainable.
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"The Irish are one race of people for whom psychoanalysis is of no use whatsoever." - Sigmund Freud
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sptsman
member
Reged: 12/14/05
Posts: 6193
Loc: Missouri
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I sat last night and watched almost every minute of the game. to say they were lucky to get out with a regulation time W is an understatement. This team is just not that good and needs to play a hard, disciplined 60 every game, get a few breaks and hope the better teams are not on their A game. If the Blues play their best possible game, they are still not beating half the teams in the league, when those teams are playing well.
Last night's power play was a new low. That's a new low, for a team that I thought was as low as they could go with PP performance. It was beyond bad and even embarrassing. They are dead last in the NHL with a 2.86% success rate and I think that stat does not include last night's 0 for 7 or 8 performance. Two full minutes of 5-on-3 with at least two turnovers and zero grade A scoring chances. Then another 6 or seven 5-on-4's that displayed just how lost they are on the PP. For the love of Pete, hire a PP coach that has a resume of coaching successful PP's. This is now at crisis level!! I need to do some research to see if the NHL allows declining power plays. Maybe that is the answer... 
I thought the strategy of firing everything at the net and racking up SOG's, was a solid idea. The problem is this team as few players that have a balls to crash the net like they need to and the skill to be able to work effectively net-front, in those situations. Granted, the players that have that grit and skill combined are limited. But if you don't have at least one or two of them, you will never make it very far in the playoffs. Heck, you may not even make the playoffs.
Let's see what happens in Colorado Saturday night. I'm not optimistic, but hope springs eternal...
Go Blue!!
PS - Would not be opposed to trading one of those prized prospects for a valuable veteran that can help lead this team. They still seem rudderless. They gave up Tage Thompson for O'Reilly and that worked out well for both teams. Something like that might be what they need.
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"Hunts are best measured by the endurance of the memories they produce..."
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