http://insider.espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/ ... 014-15-nhl
I don't think this is very likely. Our team just isn't built that way. Hitch plays defense-first, and I'd say our defensive corps is pretty damn solid. I know there's been a lot of discussion on goaltending, but I'm comfortable with the guys we have. Our offense is upgraded, so even if some players do regress this year, we should be about like last year.With much of the active roster producing at or above their expected levels in 2013-14, the St. Louis Blues, who narrowly missed out on a Central Division title, are at risk of seeing many of their key contributors take steps back this season. While a late-season swoon from trade deadline pickup Ryan Miller kept the team from a first-round matchup with the Minnesota Wild, the Blues instead wasted the blistering performances of the likes of Alexander Steen, T.J. Oshie, Alex Pietrangelo and others as they fell in six games to the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round.
Accordingly, it is no surprise that VUKOTA sees many of the top Blues skaters falling this season to levels more commensurate with their historical records. To maintain their lofty divisional contender status, St. Louis will need the addition of stud center Paul Stastny to make up for the general downturn among his new teammates and for the new goalie tandem of Brian Elliott and Jake Allen to outperform the past season's tandems of Elliott and Jaroslav Halak, and later, Elliott and Miller.