Twelve games to go in the season and the Blues are still first in the West by the slimmest of margins. And it’s always worth noting that these Blues have played 26 more games in the last year than half the league. If MacKinnon is out for an indefinite amount of time that really sucks for the Avalanche (but good for the Blues!). This is as good a time as any to do a player review and identify which need to rest if we can just open up, say, a 5-point gap in next week in the standings.
Rest up and Recharge List: O’Reilly, Perron, Bozak, Schenn, Pietrangelo, Steen, Sanford, Sundqvist, Thomas, and Dunn.
The first four soon need, I think, two consecutive games off (or Both sides of a three-game stretch) to just soak in a tub and listen to their bodies. With Schenn, he just plays a heavy game that takes its toll. I have no doubt with a little rest they’ll all show up huge for the playoffs. The next three, I’d give two games off in remainder of season — they don’t look battered, but could use a day to get their playoff legs back and their minds sharpened. The last three don’t need an off-day, but should get one — when they’re at their best (and they’ll need to be in the Playoffs), the team as a whole is a more consistent top-to-bottom threat and opponents have more difficulty matching up.
Bite the Snake That’s Bit ‘Ya List: Schwartz (removed — Jaden thanks you, bleedblue!), Blais, MacEachern, Tarasenko, Gunnarson, and Faulk.
Whether truly snakebitten (Faulk), returning to form from injury (Blais & Tarasenko), or just lacking consistent ice time (MacEachern & Gunnarson), I’d like to see these players use the last 12 games to simplify their games, work on the small (but no less important!) things like positioning, wall-work, through-shots and defensive awareness, focusing on one or two things per game and in practice.
Keep on Keepin’ On List: Schwartz (added), Parayko, Bortuzzo, Scandella, Barbashev, de la Rose, Binnington, and Allen.
These players all appear to be playing their best game right now. I want them in for the rest of the games (for goalies, say, an 8/4 or 9/3 split) continuing to build confidence in their individual game.
Last and Maybe Least List: Kyrou and Brouwer.
As much as it hurts some to hear, Kyrou is looking like a definite odd-man out for the initial playoff roster. If we give rest to the players above, he’ll get his ice time here in the regular season and, if called upon, will be ready for the Playoffs when (not if, unfortunately) a two-game injury or one-game suspension occurs. Kyrou fits in best against a block-defense opponent, where he can zip by to retrieve a dump-in or open up space. For Brouwer (on waivers again), well, we likely will not see him again, actually, unless we open up a wide lead going into the final week, and go into ultra-rest mode.
. Let’s move him to the Keep On Keepin’ On List then...and work an off day in for tub time. Heres’s to another postseason with multiple Hatties for #17! 
