GDT #45: 1/17/15 | 6:00PM CST | v Maple Leafs | NHLN/FSMW

[cprice12]

These GDT's are a lot quieter since the Blues have been winning again and there aren't people coming in demanding we trade and fire everyone.

Either way, Steen's goal and his assist on Oshie's were definite highlights of the night. Keep it rollin', boys. Good stretch here into the final game before out 9 day sabbatical.

Don't you worry. They'll be back next time we lose.

... Blues dominate the Leafs,...

It was the Leafs. A team currently not in the Eastern Conference playoff picture which has been playing so poorly, they recently fired their coach. The Blues had better dominate and shutout a crappy team like the Leafs.

I'm on board with the whole - let's start beating top 5 teams in each conference before celebrating anything.

Nowhere did I ask for a celebration. Rather, some positivity regarding winning 6 of 7 (gaining a point in the 1 loss) would be nice, however. That's my point.

You want to get excited about meeting expectations?

It's not the 6/7 thing, it's the teams they beat. This is a complete dead zone in the schedule. The only reasonable teams in this stretch were SJ and Detroit. SJ has been struggling and we kept them there - very good. Detroit beat us in our barn - fail.

If you are just trying to get out of the West, we are 4-7-1 against CHI, ANA, LA, and Nash - we will play one of these teams in the first round most likely. This team is very good - clearly one of the best in the league - but the expectation is a cup and we aren't showing anything that would lead me to believe that we have that mythical "extra gear" to win big in the post season.

To be fair, we dominated Detroit for half of that game. Mrazek was great and won that game for them. 9 times out of 10, we win that game.

Chicago's record against ANA, LA, NSH, & STL: 6-3-0
Anaheim's record against CHI, NSH, LA, & STL: 6-2-1
LA's record against CHI, ANA, NSH, & STL: 3-2-4
Nashville's records agianst CHI, ANA, LA & STL: 6-2-3

We're a few points behind all of those teams when it comes to head to head points earned...but in the standings we're also 10 pts. ahead of LA, 4 pts. ahead of Chicago, only 2 pts. behind Nashville and 4 pts. behind the Ducks.
If the season were to end today, Los Angeles wouldn't even be in the playoffs...which is what they always do during the season.

Going into this season, we knew that the West was going to be a beast...and it is. Now...with that said, a lot of people feel Nashville will fade as the season goes on. But we'll see on that.

I don't think anyone can say with any amount of certainty who will come out of the West. It could be any of the big boys. I'm not concerned with our record so far against those teams. There is a lot of season left and who knows how teams will be playing at that time, who will be healthy, etc?

[cardsfan04]

anyone else think Gunnarson sucks? Really doesnt do much at all.

I think Gunnarson, for the most part, has been fine.

I agree. I had a conversation with somebody at work about this recently and he didn't like the trade. He's not as physical as Polak, although Polak's physicality was a bit overrated anyway.

[not_a_wings_fan]

To be fair, we dominated Detroit for half of that game. Mrazek was great and won that game for them. 9 times out of 10, we win that game.

Chicago's record against ANA, LA, NSH, & STL: 6-3-0
Anaheim's record against CHI, NSH, LA, & STL: 6-2-1
LA's record against CHI, ANA, NSH, & STL: 3-2-4
Nashville's records agianst CHI, ANA, LA & STL: 6-2-3

We're a few points behind all of those teams when it comes to head to head points earned...but in the standings we're also 10 pts. ahead of LA, 4 pts. ahead of Chicago, only 2 pts. behind Nashville and 4 pts. behind the Ducks.
If the season were to end today, Los Angeles wouldn't even be in the playoffs...which is what they always do during the season.

Going into this season, we knew that the West was going to be a beast...and it is. Now...with that said, a lot of people feel Nashville will fade as the season goes on. But we'll see on that.

I don't think anyone can say with any amount of certainty who will come out of the West. It could be any of the big boys. I'm not concerned with our record so far against those teams. There is a lot of season left and who knows how teams will be playing at that time, who will be healthy, etc?

What I see is all those teams except for LA have winning records against the top teams. We don't and neither does LA. I have watched good regular seasons lead to first round exits too many times, and much of it is that we don't beat the top teams in either the regular season or the post season.

Nashville has two games in hand atm - and that's not a guaranteed lead increase, it is something to consider.

[cprice12]

To be fair, we dominated Detroit for half of that game. Mrazek was great and won that game for them. 9 times out of 10, we win that game.

Chicago's record against ANA, LA, NSH, & STL: 6-3-0
Anaheim's record against CHI, NSH, LA, & STL: 6-2-1
LA's record against CHI, ANA, NSH, & STL: 3-2-4
Nashville's records agianst CHI, ANA, LA & STL: 6-2-3

We're a few points behind all of those teams when it comes to head to head points earned...but in the standings we're also 10 pts. ahead of LA, 4 pts. ahead of Chicago, only 2 pts. behind Nashville and 4 pts. behind the Ducks.
If the season were to end today, Los Angeles wouldn't even be in the playoffs...which is what they always do during the season.

Going into this season, we knew that the West was going to be a beast...and it is. Now...with that said, a lot of people feel Nashville will fade as the season goes on. But we'll see on that.

I don't think anyone can say with any amount of certainty who will come out of the West. It could be any of the big boys. I'm not concerned with our record so far against those teams. There is a lot of season left and who knows how teams will be playing at that time, who will be healthy, etc?

What I see is all those teams except for LA have winning records against the top teams. We don't and neither does LA. I have watched good regular seasons lead to first round exits too many times, and much of it is that we don't beat the top teams in either the regular season or the post season.

Nashville has two games in hand atm - and that's not a guaranteed lead increase, it is something to consider.

I've also seen regular season head to head records not mean jack squat come playoff time.

Again, there is a lot of season left. I'm not going to make any playoff predictions at this point, because it's an exercise in futility because:

Injuries happen.
Trades happen.
Hot streaks happen.
Cold streaks happen.
Etc.
It's way too early to start thinking about playoffs and how we'll fair.

Based on what I have seen so far, any playoff matchups between the teams listed should be outstanding. And LA could conceivably miss the playoffs entirely (but I wouldn't bet on it), so them being out would be a plus.

Nashville has two games in hand, but Rinne is also out 3-5 weeks. That can only hurt them. They aren't the same team at all without him in net. They are 1-1 with Hutton starting in net after Rinne's injury...who allowed 3 goals on the first 4 shots against Detroit last game. He has allowed 6 goals on 38 shots in the past 4 periods. Hutton's GAA for the season is 3.04 with a save % of .892 and a 1-4-2 record this year.
In short, he hasn't impressed at all.
And as luck would have it, we play Nashville on the 29th. So we'll get a first hand look at how they look without Rinne in net.