GDT #15: 11/11/14 | 7:00PM CST | v Sabres | NBCSN/KMOX

[dmiles2186]

The ending of this game was almost as bizarre as the end to the game against the Devils last week.

That STL line just keeps rolling. All three guys have had a hat trick and we're not even 20 games into the season. What is this bizarro world we're living in? It's going to be awesome when Backes, Steen, etc. start to add a little scoring punch.

So many people give Army such a hard time when he makes a bad move, let's give him props now. The signings of Lindstrom, and especially, Lehtera have proven to be masterstrokes thus far. The comfort Tarasenko has with Lehtera, both on and off the ice, seems to really be at the heart of his breakout. And Lindstrom has proven that even at 30, after most thought his NHL days were over, has still got a little left in the tank.

[glen a richter]

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but 6-1 against Buffalo is what's supposed to happen. Tarasenko, Lehtera and Schwartz have combined for 21 of the teams 41 goals and unless another line starts joining the party on a regular basis, wins will be hard to come by down the road. You can't expect three guys to shoulder the load all season. Last nights final 3 goals nonwithstanding, again because it was against Buffalo, this team is way too dependent on one line at the moment. That has to stop. Our record against poor teams is pretty good but our record against good teams is pretty poor. They have the skill set to score 3 or 4 goals a game against any team and they aren't doing that. I'm happy about 6-1 against Buffalo but I'd be much happier about 6-1 against Nashville tomorrow.

[cardsfan04]

Best part of the game was definitely Lehtera getting the hat trick. Good for him.

But, the most gratifying part of the game was burying them after the cheap shot on Tarasenko. It wasn't super vicious, but it was very very dirty. And, that's exactly the response we need on that kind of thing. Take a cheap shot, better be prepared to see the scoreboard light up.

[ecbm]

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but 6-1 against Buffalo is what's supposed to happen. Tarasenko, Lehtera and Schwartz have combined for 21 of the teams 41 goals and unless another line starts joining the party on a regular basis, wins will be hard to come by down the road. You can't expect three guys to shoulder the load all season. Last nights final 3 goals nonwithstanding, again because it was against Buffalo, this team is way too dependent on one line at the moment. That has to stop. Our record against poor teams is pretty good but our record against good teams is pretty poor. They have the skill set to score 3 or 4 goals a game against any team and they aren't doing that. I'm happy about 6-1 against Buffalo but I'd be much happier about 6-1 against Nashville tomorrow.

I'm with you. The Blues can blow out Arizona, Calgary and Buffalo but it doesn't really tell you much (other than how shockingly dirty the Sabres have become). The team is absolutely riding one line and you can see how teams are starting to key on and hit-legally and otherwise-Tarasenko. The record is checkered against top teams. Putting Nashville to the sword would allay some of my misgivings. It would also move us to the top of the division, which is worth noting. Performance so far would be good enough to get us another first round meeting with the likes of Chicago, LA or Anaheim.

Also, as for Army-let's wait to see how things pan out. I've liked Lindstrom and Gunnarson, definitely. Letehra has done well to replace Sobotka...but...I can't help but wonder how good this team could be if Boat and, frankly, anyone else were getting the minutes currently going to Berglund and Ott. By the way, those two also carry a $6.3M cap hit...while Vova is an RFA after this season.

[dmiles2186]

Also, as for Army-let's wait to see how things pan out. I've liked Lindstrom and Gunnarson, definitely. Letehra has done well to replace Sobotka...but...I can't help but wonder how good this team could be if Boat and, frankly, anyone else were getting the minutes currently going to Berglund and Ott. By the way, those two also carry a $6.3M cap hit...while Vova is an RFA after this season.

Yeah, I'd take Boat over Ott and Berglund. But...we offered Boat more money than he was worth, but from the sounds of it, he was more upset about his role. He wanted a top 6 role. The Blues couldn't promise him that. He bolted to the KHL. I still don't get why people blame Army solely for that debacle. Boat bears responsibility too. What the Blues offered him was on par, if not better, than players of his skillset. He turned it down and took off. Army didn't drive him away.

[APOD]

Also, as for Army-let's wait to see how things pan out. I've liked Lindstrom and Gunnarson, definitely. Letehra has done well to replace Sobotka...but...I can't help but wonder how good this team could be if Boat and, frankly, anyone else were getting the minutes currently going to Berglund and Ott. By the way, those two also carry a $6.3M cap hit...while Vova is an RFA after this season.

Ott looks alot better than last year and he is doing what his role on the team is. But Berglund on the other hand I can only wish we can move him before the trade deadline to free up cap space for next summer as rumor is the cap will not be moving up.

[WaukeeBlues]

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but 6-1 against Buffalo is what's supposed to happen. Tarasenko, Lehtera and Schwartz have combined for 21 of the teams 41 goals and unless another line starts joining the party on a regular basis, wins will be hard to come by down the road. You can't expect three guys to shoulder the load all season. Last nights final 3 goals nonwithstanding, again because it was against Buffalo, this team is way too dependent on one line at the moment. That has to stop. Our record against poor teams is pretty good but our record against good teams is pretty poor. They have the skill set to score 3 or 4 goals a game against any team and they aren't doing that. I'm happy about 6-1 against Buffalo but I'd be much happier about 6-1 against Nashville tomorrow.

Yes but quite frankly we have to have ONE consistent scoring line before we can have two. I'll take the one clicking now.

No NHL games are gimme's. Didn't Buffalo just beat Anaheim or some crap? You earn every win you get in this league. Buffalo is bad but they have (mostly) NHL players on their roster this season, not the AHL team from last year. Their stats aren't much better but they are.

[WaukeeBlues]

Also, as for Army-let's wait to see how things pan out. I've liked Lindstrom and Gunnarson, definitely. Letehra has done well to replace Sobotka...but...I can't help but wonder how good this team could be if Boat and, frankly, anyone else were getting the minutes currently going to Berglund and Ott. By the way, those two also carry a $6.3M cap hit...while Vova is an RFA after this season.

Ott looks alot better than last year and he is doing what his role on the team is. But Berglund on the other hand I can only wish we can move him before the trade deadline to free up cap space for next summer as rumor is the cap will not be moving up.

Berglund played last night? I didn't notice him once. Not once.

[cardsfan04]

Also, as for Army-let's wait to see how things pan out. I've liked Lindstrom and Gunnarson, definitely. Letehra has done well to replace Sobotka...but...I can't help but wonder how good this team could be if Boat and, frankly, anyone else were getting the minutes currently going to Berglund and Ott. By the way, those two also carry a $6.3M cap hit...while Vova is an RFA after this season.

Ott looks alot better than last year and he is doing what his role on the team is. But Berglund on the other hand I can only wish we can move him before the trade deadline to free up cap space for next summer as rumor is the cap will not be moving up.

Berglund played last night? I didn't notice him once. Not once.

It's funny you say that. I frequently have forgotten that he's on the team this year until reading people bitch about him here. He really has been invisible this year. He's on pace for a whopping 13 points this year.

[ecbm]

I still don't get why people blame Army solely for that debacle.

I can only answer for me: because it strikes me as penny wise/dollar foolish and a decision that was made by Army alone or maybe with the input of Hitch but those two are hand-in-glove. Boat is a player worth going a bit ($300K is no more than a bit) over the market. Whereas Ott and, ridiculously obviously, Berglund are players that should only be signed on small, single year "prove it" deals. I don't think anyone was seriously interested in them before the Blues signed them. They both got multi-year deals above market rate. You can't ask me to evaluate some of Army's moves in a vacuum.

I agree Boat wouldn't be on the top 2 lines with the current roster. That's not because he's a nailed on 3rd-line center; he'd be top-6 on plenty of NHL teams-it's because with Stastny & Letehra we suddenly had great C depth. But note, when those negotiations happened nobody knew what we'd get out of Letehra. Plus, I can understand Sobotka being put off by having a team tell him: we have too much depth to give you the #2C job BUT we want to keep you around largely because (as happened for much of last season due to Backes' injuries and Roy's ineffectiveness) if we need you to play 2C we know you can. But we're going to pay you bottom-6 money, as in $1M-ish/year less than Berglund. Anyone who wouldn't be offended by that has no balls.

I'm willing to leave all that behind and just judge the FO on how their moves pan out this season but I'm also willing to explain my position every time the inquiry is made.

[ecbm]

He's on pace for a whopping 13 points this year.

My math ain't so hot so correct me if I'm wrong but I think that's about $280K/point.

Good work if you can get it.