Random Division/Conference/League Stuff

[cprice12]

Don't look now, but...
- We're now 6 pts. up on Chicago with a game in hand.
- We are tied with Anaheim (70 pts) and Anaheim is losing 4-3 in the 3rd vs. Carolina. Assuming they lose in regulation, we are 2nd overall in the NHL. It wasn't long ago I thought it would be tough to catch Anaheim. Going 11-0-1 in our last 12 will make up a lot of ground on anyone I guess.
- 2 pts. behind Nashville with the same number of games played. I'll be shocked if we don't take over 1st in the division in the next week or two.
- We have another 3 games in 4 nights stretch coming up this week. (Thurs, Friday, Sunday)
- We play Tampa again next week in TB...it will be interesting to see how that game goes. I'm sure Tampa is plenty pissed off after losing in OT to us.

[cprice12]

Well, Anaheim just tied it. Blah.

[STLADOGG]

Great thread.....
Anaheim just won lol.

[drwoland]

I'll be shocked if we don't take over 1st in the division in the next week or two.

Would you say you'd be as shocked as you are at the fact that we have gained so much ground on Anaheim? A 10-0-2 streak can just as easily be followed by an 0-10-2 streak.. It's not TRENDING that way, but as you said.. there's a 3 in 4 stretch in there.. We got points out of the last one of those, but it's not like they were blowouts..

I'm cautiously optimistic, but all I'm really going to pay attention to right now is that this team is fun as shit to watch. They give themselves a chance to win every night, and no team can take them for granted even for a split second, even on an off night. As you said in the other thread, we're winning games now that we would have normally lost in seasons past.

[Kreegz2]

Don't look now, but...
- We're now 6 pts. up on Chicago with a game in hand.
- We are tied with Anaheim (70 pts) and Anaheim is losing 4-3 in the 3rd vs. Carolina. Assuming they lose in regulation, we are 2nd overall in the NHL. It wasn't long ago I thought it would be tough to catch Anaheim. Going 10-0-2 in our last 12 will make up a lot of ground on anyone I guess.

even better, we're 11-0-1 in our last 12

We play Tampa again next week in TB...it will be interesting to see how that game goes. I'm sure Tampa is plenty pissed off after losing in OT to us.

I'm gonna be at that one next week. Can't wait to see the rematch.

[cprice12]

I'll be shocked if we don't take over 1st in the division in the next week or two.

Would you say you'd be as shocked as you are at the fact that we have gained so much ground on Anaheim? A 10-0-2 streak can just as easily be followed by an 0-10-2 streak.. It's not TRENDING that way, but as you said.. there's a 3 in 4 stretch in there.. We got points out of the last one of those, but it's not like they were blowouts..

I'm cautiously optimistic, but all I'm really going to pay attention to right now is that this team is fun as shit to watch. They give themselves a chance to win every night, and no team can take them for granted even for a split second, even on an off night. As you said in the other thread, we're winning games now that we would have normally lost in seasons past.

That comment about taking over the division was partially made because Rinne is out. That has a lot to do with it...which is only fair as we lost Elliott for a while...now they are without Rinne.
I'm just saying what everyone else is thinking/hoping.
I'm not saying they will take over the division, but I expect them to with the way things are trending.

[cprice12]

even better, we're 11-0-1 in our last 12

Doh...fixed.

[JesusNEVERexisted]

Cprice, remember the saying those who don't learn from the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat it. When the Blues won the President's Trophy in 2000 many felt the Cup was already ours!

Then San Jose came along. Some teams peak at the end of the season. Maybe it's Minnesota this year, maybe not. I'm just saying don't count your chickens before they hatch. A lot can still happen.

[cprice12]

Cprice, remember the saying those who don't learn from the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat it. When the Blues won the President's Trophy in 2000 many felt the Cup was already ours!

Then San Jose came along. Some teams peak at the end of the season. Maybe it's Minnesota this year, maybe not. I'm just saying don't count your chickens before they hatch. A lot can still happen.

Look, I didn't predict the Blues were going to win the division, I didn't say they were going to win the cup. Don't read too much into what I said...just try to read what I actually said.
I just said that I expect the Blues to take over the division here shortly. With us being just 2 pts. back of Nashville with Rinne out for a while yet, and with us winning games left and right, I'd say that's not a crazy prediction at all...it should be expected. Looking ahead to the next couple games, I expect us to win on Thursday vs. Buffalo...I think everyone does. Anaheim is playing in Nashville Thursday and the Ducks could very well win that game. We would be tied if that happens. And then on Friday we play in Columbus. They always play us tough and it's in their building, but I don't think anyone would be surprised if we win that game...and there you go, we'd be alone in first in the division because Nashville doesn't play that day...they play the Rangers on Saturday...which won't be easy for them.

I don't play for the Blues, I am a fan and I can look ahead as much as I want and it doesn't effect jack squat.

And I don't think ANYONE in 2000 felt the "cup was already ours" before the playoffs started. I'm not sure why you think that. I do remember being very excited at the chance to win a cup since they were the best team in the league that year...but I've been around long enough to know nothing is a given in the NHL playoffs.

[JesusNEVERexisted]

Don't you remember in the Laurie era the Blues had unlimited pockets and NO salary cap! I remember people saying the Blues could just buy a Cup. And there was a lot of talk about a Cup parade down market street in 2000. I was here. Of course once San Jose showed they could hang with us it stopped.

I also remember when Chaser got traded in the mid to late 90s he really lamented it because he said "the Blues are going to win the Stanley Cup this year". You probably know the exact year I'm talking about. The point is we've had FANTASTIC teams before and it hasn't worked out in the playoffs.

But I do agree the Blues have a great chance to reach the Cup.

[cprice12]

Don't you remember in the Laurie era the Blues had unlimited pockets and NO salary cap! I remember people saying the Blues could just buy a Cup. And there was a lot of talk about a Cup parade down market street in 2000. I was here. Of course once San Jose showed they could hang with us it stopped.

Getting excited about the chance to win a cup is nothing new for any team in the playoffs. And there is even more hype and excitement around a team who finishes with the best record in the league.
This is not exclusive to St. Louis in 2000...but nobody was saying the cup is in the bag. Anyone who did was an idiot. But getting overly excited about a great team when the playoffs start is nothing new.
There was nothing wrong with those expectations either. The Blues have had a number of teams good enough to win the cup, but things never broke our way. There have been teams less talented than some of the Blues best teams that went on to win a cup...but things just fell into place at the right time for them, they had some luck on their side and maybe a hot goalie.

But I do agree the Blues have a great chance to reach the Cup.

I wouldn't say they have a great chance to win the cup this year...but I'll say they have as good of a chance as anyone. The Western conference is so stacked, it's going to be a huge battle to win the West.
I think this year more than most, it is extremely important to finish first in the division/conference to get the best possible matchups...but Los Angeles is lurking down there right now...and if they get in, they may be a 7 or 8 seed and they are more than capable of knocking off anyone in a 7 game series.

The Blues best players need to be their best players in the playoffs, they need the supporting cast to play well, they need to find that extra gear, stay away from injuries to key guys, and have some luck on their side. I've said this before many times, the Blues have NEVER had enough luck on their side in the playoffs. We're due.

As good as the Blues have been in recent years, THIS is the best team we have ever had. It just sucks that the West is a bitch of a conference. St. Louis, Anaheim, Chicago, Nashville, San Jose...and LA is going to turn it on soon and get in the playoffs, you know they will. Any one of those teams can beat the other in a 7 game series.

The playoffs this year should be unreal. I just hope the Blues are the team left standing when the smoke clears.

[ecbm]

Nashville will lose ground as long as Rinne's out. Blues look to be the main beneficiary as the rest of the division seem to be trading blows below us. Considering games in hand, they're the only team in the league truly ahead of us. And I still don't think the Blues have really fired on more cylinders for more than a few games this season. They haven't peaked. Things are looking good right now, so I'm kinda terrified.

By the way, what's that smell? Did somebody cut one in here?

Anyone who thinks the Lauries were going to "buy a cup" in St. Louis was paying no attention to the actual actions of those asset-stripping carpetbaggers.

[Portland Blues]

Rinne back on Thursday.

[gaijin]

Rinne back on Thursday.

Well that ruins my day.

[dmiles2186]

Rinne being out didn't really hurt Nashville. Maybe they are for real.

[tweet][/tweet]

[cardsfan04]

Rinne being out didn't really hurt Nashville. Maybe they are for real.

[tweet][/tweet]

Yeah. I've said it before, but I keep waiting for them to fall off. Still think they might, but they keep winning. I didn't expect them to hand around this well for this long.

[JesusNEVERexisted]

Cprice, that's EXACTLY what I mean. You realize how many Blues teams we could list we thought that had a great chance to reach or win the Cup?

86 Monday Night Miracle team
91 team when Belfour went ballistic after we swept the Hawks
Another early 90s team with Hull and Oates
96 Gretzky goes to Hullywood team
2000 Bill Laurie "buy any player you want, NO salary cap" President Cup team
2001 team that went to the conference finals for the 1st time since 86
2014 team that Oshie said they thought "would be having a parade down Market street"

I don't go before the MNM but I'm sure there are more and I probably missed some since 86 too!

[ecbm]

Cprice, that's EXACTLY what I mean. You realize how many Blues teams we could list we thought that had a great chance to reach or win the Cup?

86 Monday Night Miracle team
91 team when Belfour went ballistic after we swept the Hawks
Another early 90s team with Hull and Oates
96 Gretzky goes to Hullywood team
2000 Bill Laurie "buy any player you want, NO salary cap" President Cup team
2001 team that went to the conference finals for the 1st time since 86
2014 team that Oshie said they thought "would be having a parade down Market street"

I don't go before the MNM but I'm sure there are more and I probably missed some since 86 too!

And? The Sharks have had damn good teams too and have never won it. Should their fans not get excited and anticipatory when they're doing well? This is supposed to be entertainment, you know, not a second job or philosophical discipline.

Strickland's arithmetic is wrong-since Rinne's last game on 1/13, NSH have gone 4-2-2 (10pts) and the Blues have gone 6-0-1 (13pts) so the difference is 3 points-no small amount to make up in 12 games. Killer though is not beating the mustard in regulation. Do that and the Blues have gained 5 points on the top team in the standings to become the joint-top team in the standings.

[glen a richter]

Belfour went ballistic in '93, not '91. We swept the Hawks then lost to the Leafs in 7 after getting shelled 6-0 in the deciding game. Leafs went on to lose to the Kings, Kings went on to lose to the Canadiens. Last team from the great white north to win the Cup.

[Kerfuffle]

Don't look now, but...
- We're now 6 pts. up on Chicago with a game in hand.

Don't worry about us - we can't beat anyone at the moment. Ever since our assistant trainer committed suicide a few days before xmas it's been all downhill. I know every team has their ups and downs during a season and right now we are in our 'way down' part and have not recovered - it all started 12/23. I'm not even thinking about winning the division anymore but rather just making the playoffs. We are only 5 points away from completely falling out of it. As long as we can recover in time and make the playoffs and play like we are capable of then I believe we can make a run at the cup again since that's the real season. But right now we suck, we can't score, and have no D, nor goaltending.