2019-2020 St. Louis Blues - Defending the Cup - Part 3: The Prelude to Playoff Positioning

[Meatball]

For all the complaining about this season, we did something never done before in team history: sweep the season series with the Hawks.

Not sure if it's been mentioned (and sorry for being late to the party) but what a great accomplishment.

 

[BlueDream]

For all the complaining about this season, we did something never done before in team history: sweep the season series with the Hawks.

Not sure if it's been mentioned (and sorry for being late to the party) but what a great accomplishment.

I don’t even understand why there’s so much complaining.

It feels like we’ve been in 1st place for basically the entire season.

That’s still not good enough for some though.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I don’t even understand why there’s so much complaining.

It feels like we’ve been in 1st place for basically the entire season.

That’s still not good enough for some though.

Yeah, I felt that this season has basically been in cruise control with basically no bumps. To be in 1st with no Tarasenko is fantastic. To not have a Cup hangover is fantastic.

 

[The Note]

The Blues Instagram account posted the other day:

They've been the 1 seed going back to December 14th and 122 days total this year. The next closest is Edmonton at 20 days.

 

[Oberyn]

The complain brigade comes out every time the Blues allow a goal, it's like they expect the Blues to play a perfect game every night

 

[BlueDream]

Yeah, I felt that this season has basically been in cruise control with basically no bumps. To be in 1st with no Tarasenko is fantastic. To not have a Cup hangover is fantastic.

Right.

This has actually been an amazing year. Near perfect given the circumstances... lol it’s wild. Just goes to show fan behavior.

I’m just happy we are the champs. Anything else is gravy, and being in 1st is a great tasting gravy.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Right.

This has actually been an amazing year. Near perfect given the circumstances... lol it’s wild. Just goes to show fan behavior.

I’m just happy we are the champs. Anything else is gravy, and being in 1st is a great tasting gravy.

Never thought I'd have this feeling as a Blues fan. That's the mentality I have.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

This same exact thing happened with Cubs fans after they won the World Series. There’s some expectancy to go 82-0 or 162-0, and it’s ridiculous.

I’ve done my best to keep pretty even keel until playoffs start, and honestly, the only time I’ve been pretty stressed was when we were on that long streak where we lost a lot.

 

[Dbrownss]

82-0 or bust. Change my mind

 

[MissouriMook]

This same exact thing happened with Cubs fans after they won the World Series. There’s some expectancy to go 82-0 or 162-0, and it’s ridiculous.

I’ve done my best to keep pretty even keel until playoffs start, and honestly, the only time I’ve been pretty stressed was when we were on that long streak where we lost a lot.

While that is certainly true of the long view of a regular season, in the short term there is always a certain amount of "my team is better than the opponent so there is no reason they should lose" baked into most people's fandom. While no one realistically believes their team will go 82-0, when you feel your team is the best team in the league, you don't feel like any game is a game you "should" lose. It gets especially frustrating when the team you lose to is significantly poorer than your "best team in the league".

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

While that is certainly true of the long view of a regular season, in the short term there is always a certain amount of "my team is better than the opponent so there is no reason they should lose" baked into most people's fandom. While no one realistically believes their team will go 82-0, when you feel your team is the best team in the league, you don't feel like any game is a game you "should" lose. It gets especially frustrating when the team you lose to is significantly poorer than your "best team in the league".

Oh that’s completely understandable. I mean, if I watch us lose to a bad team, I definitely get annoyed, but not enough to go meltdown mode on here like others have.

 

[Mike Liut]

The NBA announces it has suspended the season following a positive COVID-19 test result for a Utah Jazz player.


nhl is next. Really sucks

 

[Meatball]

Right.

This has actually been an amazing year. Near perfect given the circumstances... lol it’s wild. Just goes to show fan behavior.

I’m just happy we are the champs. Anything else is gravy, and being in 1st is a great tasting gravy.

Being in 1st given the circumstances is like gravy with sausage and bacon bits in it.

 

[The Note]

If the NHL cancels the season it’s only fair the Blues get a victory lap year with the cup after waiting so long to win it.

(I am not making light of those affected by a global pandemic, just a crazy time we’re living in)

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Here’s a scenario:

Play resumes and they go straight to the playoffs with seeding predicated on current standings (points percentage). Blues win the conference, yay!

The matchups would be:
1 Boston vs NYI WC2
2 Tampa vs Toronto 3
1 Washington vs Carolina WC1
2 Philadelphia vs Pittsburgh 3

1 St Louis vs Calgary WC2
2 Colorado vs Dallas 3
1 Vegas vs Nashville WC1
2 Edmonton vs Vancouver 3

There would be some intriguing matchups. I’d prefer to play Calgary over any other of those teams in the West. Happy to let Dallas and Colorado slug it out.

Nashville will make Vegas have to earn it, for sure. And Edmonton and Vancouver would at least guarantee a Canadian team in the 2nd round. It’s not hard to imagine Nashville in the WCF though. Not that they’d be favored to get there, just they aren’t outclassed.

In the East, Flyers vs Penguins! Nice. Washington gets a rematch with Carolina. I have to think the Bruins clobber the Islanders though. Tampa vs Toronto would probably expose just how unprepared the Leafs are to compete. Sue me, I’m a Leaf’s skeptic. But I’d love to watch that series.

Anyway, I read a scenario where the season picks back up with the playoffs. That Ducks game win could prove to have been the difference between a 1 or 2 seed. That bracket is about as good as it could get for St Louis. Wouldn’t be easy, but they would be heavy favorites over Calgary

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

I personally want them to go by straight points. Mostly because there’d be a Battle for Alberta series that would be an absolute bloodbath imo

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I personally want them to go by straight points. Mostly because there’d be a Battle for Alberta series that would be an absolute bloodbath imo

Neither option will leave everyone happy, but points percentage is most accurate. The irony is that the website’s rankings don’t use point percentage. It creates the perception some teams are ahead of where they really are because they’ve played more games.

If you looked at those standings, you’d think Columbus and Winnipeg were in. Some fans would be irate I’m sure, to find out they’re actually on the outside looking in.

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

Neither option will leave everyone happy, but points percentage is most accurate. The irony is that the website’s rankings don’t use point percentage. It creates the perception some teams are ahead of where they really are because they’ve played more games.

If you looked at those standings, you’d think Columbus and Winnipeg were in. Some fans would be irate I’m sure, to find out they’re actually on the outside looking in.

True, I do think point percentage is more accurate, and most of my wanting straight points is just to see the chaos of a Calgary/Edmonton matchup. But it's definitely a difficult choice as Vancouver goes from out to 3rd in the division simply because they didn't get a chance to play an almost coin flip game as they are currently 36-33 in straight W-L. I think the ideal would be getting every team to 71 if possible, since that'd only be a few extra games.

 

[Brockon]

True, I do think point percentage is more accurate, and most of my wanting straight points is just to see the chaos of a Calgary/Edmonton matchup. But it's definitely a difficult choice as Vancouver goes from out to 3rd in the division simply because they didn't get a chance to play an almost coin flip game as they are currently 36-33 in straight W-L. I think the ideal would be getting every team to 71 if possible, since that'd only be a few extra games.

With 189 games yet to be played, at a cost of almost 300M in revenue to cancel them I can't see the league doing so.

I'd speculate they'll try to play every team up to 75 or 77 GP to lessen the losses, give all teams a chance to affect their playoff outcome/seed and give every team a chance to get back they game timing.

Any version of playoff hockey played by rusty players is going to draw flak. I mean look at how teams play after the All-star break with 10 days off. Now triple that down time, and add a heap of panic...

How many players are going to be venturing far from home before the COVID-19 panic is no longer a frenzy? Players' timing is going to be atrocious without some games to get it back - the NHL would be pretty short sighted to not allow some buffer before their most anticipated games of the year start from a business model standpoint.

I mean playoff hockey is supposed to be the pinacle of the sport, you can't have guys looking like faster beer league guys on national TV during your banner moment.

 

[mk80]

No situation is going to be favorable. I think how they conduct everything depends on when it's determined that it's safe to do so and the virus is on the down side of the bell curve.

In the back of my mind though I do think the worst case scenario that is possible is we've seen our last hockey played until September, but I hope not.

 

[Meatball]

Bright side: an extended cup reign.

I mean, not bad considering the time B.C. (before cup, the dark ages ).

 

[The Note]

NBCSN is showing game 2 of the 2014 series against the Hawks. Crazy to think I convinced myself this team could win a cup lol.

 

[MissouriMook]

NBCSN is showing game 2 of the 2014 series against the Hawks. Crazy to think I convinced myself this team could win a cup lol.

With #2C Derek Roy?

 

[simon IC]

With #2C Derek Roy?

View attachment 339107

Definitely in my top five list of Worst Blues Ever. Actually, make that top 3.

 

[MissouriMook]

Not sure if this was posted elsewhere, but the Blues website has an article from yesterday that appears to state that NHL.com and their app are now making replays of this year’s games and other content available even if you’re not a subscriber.