GDT #26: 12/4/14 | 7:00PM CST | @ Predators | FSMW/KMOX

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Re: GDT #26: 12/4/14 | 7:00PM CST | @ Predators | FSMW/KMOX

Post by dmiles2186 »

glen a richter wrote:Ladies and gentlemen, the greatest goalie that ever lived...
There's no way you are blaming last night on just the goalie....right?
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Re: GDT #26: 12/4/14 | 7:00PM CST | @ Predators | FSMW/KMOX

Post by ecbm »

Starting to think this squad could use a trade to shake things up. A physically imposing D and/or a forward who's at all hot wouldn't go amiss.

People I'm talking to are losing patience with Stastny and I can't blame them. No doubt Boat would have contributed much more by now.

Hard not to notice how Steen's scoring dried up right around the time he signed his extension. It was a dubious move at the time, giving a 29 year old such a deal during a complete outlier of a season.

Then I look at what Halak's doing on the Island and I just put my head in my hands feeling like I can live another 35 years and still won't see the Blues win a Cup...

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Re: GDT #26: 12/4/14 | 7:00PM CST | @ Predators | FSMW/KMOX

Post by cardsfan04 »

I didn't get to see much of last night's game but it appears we didn't play well again. All (well most) of the criticisms seem valid. Oshie, Steen, Backes (less for him), Stastny (especially for him), etc. need to pick it up. We're not getting what we need from them.

The half-full view of this, however, is that we're still very close to the top of one of the toughest divisions in hockey, despite a sizable chunk of our team not living up to expectations. I suppose it's possible that they won't all year, but I think it's much more likely that they will. And when they do, even if the STL line regresses some, we're going to be a really really competitive hockey team.
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Re: GDT #26: 12/4/14 | 7:00PM CST | @ Predators | FSMW/KMOX

Post by cardsfan04 »

Krigloch the Furious wrote:really missing Polak. Called it before the season even started.
It's like there's no toughness on the team anymore
I mean, the team just got called out nationally for bullying other teams on the ice.
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Re: GDT #26: 12/4/14 | 7:00PM CST | @ Predators | FSMW/KMOX

Post by dmiles2186 »

cardsfan04 wrote:
Krigloch the Furious wrote:really missing Polak. Called it before the season even started.
It's like there's no toughness on the team anymore
I mean, the team just got called out nationally for bullying other teams on the ice.
:plusplus:
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Re: GDT #26: 12/4/14 | 7:00PM CST | @ Predators | FSMW/KMOX

Post by dmiles2186 »

It's really baffling how we get these huge leaps from Schwartz, Tarasenko, Lehtera (well, not a leap but big time impact from an unknown going into the season). But then our stalwarts, Osh, Backes, Steen, Petro....all are playing under what they're capable of doing. Are guys hurt? Is there unrest? Hard to say. And at times, I forget Stastny is even on this team. But like it was previously mentioned, we're only a few points outside of first and we have these complaints. The optimist in me says that the cold streaks for all those guys won't continue the whole season. Otherwise, I don't think Army is going to sit on this that long. I could see a guy like Oshie being put on the trade block.

Also, if Blues fans haven't figured it out yet, seeing Halak and Miller succeed elsewhere should tell you that the goalies were never the problem.
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Re: GDT #26: 12/4/14 | 7:00PM CST | @ Predators | FSMW/KMOX

Post by not_a_wings_fan »

Halak is playing well; Miller's numbers are pretty pedestrian.

Both of those guys are playing for teams that score a great deal more than the Blues are currently. I don't think we are having this discussion if the Blues were averaging 3+ gpg like NYI and VAN.
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Re: GDT #26: 12/4/14 | 7:00PM CST | @ Predators | FSMW/KMOX

Post by gaijin »

Methinks Halak will have no qualms about playing against us tomorrow...
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Re: GDT #26: 12/4/14 | 7:00PM CST | @ Predators | FSMW/KMOX

Post by ViPeRx007 »

Wasn't it the Kings last season who were awful for stretches? How did their season end up again?

I'm not ready to throw up the white flag yet, but I'd be lying if I didn't have a few concerns starting to simmer at the surface:

1) Stastny - I'm not even going to add a reason why.

2) Steen - You know he has the skill, but the heart is something else. Play for the payday and then just coast? He's not the same player he was pre-deal. This is the type of thing that causes locker room disturbances and affects others as well. Not good.

3) Hitchcock - Is he pissed off enough? Is he too pissed off? Do they listen to him? He doesn't seem as happy-go-lucky as he has in the past. I think the mustache needs to come back. I still support Hitchcock and his system, I just don't think some guys are following it entirely. For one thing, they need to loosen up a bit; have more fun. They look amazing at times and then really rigid and almost scared at others. I'll go get the beach ball. Actually, I better get two just in case.

4) Backes - Is he doing enough "captain-like" things? He started out a bit rough, like a lot of guys, but he's been turning it around some lately. The fight with Tarasenko was strange. I'll say that the simmering is trending downward, but we'll see if it stays there.

5) Goals? - Pietrangelo is -8. That's somewhat concerning. Not really for him, but because it represents a lack of scoring. The same lack of scoring that has resulted in repeated playoff exits...and that we supposedly addressed....yea that. This one kind of goes along with #1 and #2 above.

You might be wondering why Ott and Berglund aren't mentioned. I still think they should be traded, but they've actually been more useful than some of the guys mentioned above. At least I've heard their names during games. There are times I rarely hear "Stastny" or "Steen". That's kind of disturbing. It's Chris Stewart-esque.

All this being said, I don't think there's anything that isn't internally fixable. Nothing up there is a red flag to me. It's just getting some heads on right. That's usually easier said than done though. The fact that I've seen stretches of amazing play lets me know that it's in there, it's just figuring out how to maintain that level for longer.
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Re: GDT #26: 12/4/14 | 7:00PM CST | @ Predators | FSMW/KMOX

Post by cprice12 »

Everyone wants their team to be dominant all season long and never struggle.
That is rarely the case.
When teams struggle, the fan base gets all pissed and the outrage flies about how they can't possibly win the cup because they aren't playing well right then.
It happens to every, single cup contending team at some point every, single, year. That's just how it is.

This team is playing like ass right now.
It really is that simple.

Stastny hasn't really been noticeable much at all since he returned from his injury. Before his injury, he was playing very well and putting up points. That can't be a coincidence. Something is going on there.

Berglund needs to go away. There are some pretty irresponsible and stupid GM's out there. We need to find them, corner them, and make them trade for Berglund. Signing Berglund to that contract in the offseason is one of the few real bad moves I think Armstrong has made. Just cut the cord already. Get a serviceable forward and a draft pick and send him out.

Our goaltending has been inconsistent since Elliott went down. Allen has been good at times and not so good at times. This team misses Elliott. He bailed out this team quite a bit.

I am losing faith in Petro. He isn't the All-Star he is billed as. He will look great at times, but he also makes far too many bonehead plays/giveaways and seems to blow a tire more than most players for whatever reason. I bet they could get a ton for Petro in a trade. I wonder what he would bring? I don't want them to give up on him because his best years should be ahead of him, and they likely won't give up on him because they are seemingly in love with him...but if any GM has the balls to trade a "Petro-like" player...Armstrong is the guy.

Jackman is looking old. He just doesn't seem to really "have it" anymore.

With all of that said...
I'm not that worried about this team. They just need a major kick in the ass to get things going. Backes, Oshie and Steen will get on the ball soon...I have faith in that. They are far too good to struggle all season long.

This team is a much, much better team with Bouwmeester and Elliott healthy and playing. Those are two huge pieces to this team that aren't playing right now.
Elliott is significantly better than Allen right now and Bouwmeester is our best defenseman.
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Re: GDT #26: 12/4/14 | 7:00PM CST | @ Predators | FSMW/KMOX

Post by glen a richter »

Stastny is trying to live up to the contract in front of his hometown crowd. He's putting too much pressure on himself. Kid needs a shrink, nothing else. We see this shit all the time in NY, talented player comes to a big stage and falls flat. St. Louis is his personal big stage.
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Post by Krigloch the Furious »

I agree with Elliott being better than Allen. Big fan of Ellls

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Re: GDT #26: 12/4/14 | 7:00PM CST | @ Predators | FSMW/KMOX

Post by Oaklandblue »

This is totally an idle thought of mine; I don't live and have never visited or been in or around the STL (yet - it's on my bucket list), but could the team's mindset be seriously affected due to the situation around them with all the protests and burnings in Ferguson? I know that topic's been beaten to death on other media outlets, but could this have had a really negative effect on members of the team that have turned into poor play, taking their minds totally off the ice? I could see being from somewhere else playing in a different city than I grew up in and seeing all of that chaos, feel like I'm suddenly walking on pins and needles.

Thoughts?
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Re: GDT #26: 12/4/14 | 7:00PM CST | @ Predators | FSMW/KMOX

Post by cprice12 »

Oaklandblue wrote:This is totally an idle thought of mine; I don't live and have never visited or been in or around the STL (yet - it's on my bucket list), but could the team's mindset be seriously affected due to the situation around them with all the protests and burnings in Ferguson? I know that topic's been beaten to death on other media outlets, but could this have had a really negative effect on members of the team that have turned into poor play, taking their minds totally off the ice? I could see being from somewhere else playing in a different city than I grew up in and seeing all of that chaos, feel like I'm suddenly walking on pins and needles.

Thoughts?
It didn't seem to effect the Rams in a negative way at all. They've been lights out the past two weeks. I don't know why it would effect the Blues players in a negative way on the ice.
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Re: GDT #26: 12/4/14 | 7:00PM CST | @ Predators | FSMW/KMOX

Post by ecbm »

cprice12 wrote:Our goaltending has been inconsistent since Elliott went down. Allen has been good at times and not so good at times. This team misses Elliott. He bailed out this team quite a bit.
I agree with your general point and most of the details but you're giving Allen a pass here. The way he's played over his last 10 starts, if Hitch had two healthy goalies and could send him down he would. A sub-90 sv% over 10 starts doesn't say inconsistent, it says not ready. Disappointing. Really missing Elliott.

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