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

[Davimir Tarablad]

I could see Tarasenko being more of a decoy when he returns, maybe on the 3rd line. I just don’t know how long it will be until he gets his shot timing and accuracy back up to snuff. But if he can at least be enough of a threat they have to honor, it might open up some matchups for other lines or for his linemates. One problem is that if Tarasenko isn’t scoring, other players do the other parts of the game better than he does.

Tarasenko is gonna come back right in time for the playoffs, he'll have 16 games played, 16 goals, 16 game winning goals, then dislocate his shoulder lifting the Conn Smythe and not even be able to lift the Cup again.

 

[Note Worthy]

I’m a long time reader, and some of you remind me of STL Rams fans during the Greatest Show era. We all thought they were a dynasty in the making. Slow your rolls. There’s a reason The Cup is the toughest title to win in all of sports.

You mean the Rams team that went to two Super Bowls in 3 years including winning one of them? They obviously weren’t a dynasty but it’s not like them winning in ‘99 was some crazy fluke. They were right back in the Super Bowl two years later and lost on a last second field goal to a team that cheated.

There was good reason to believe The Greatest Show on Turf was going to produce multiple Super Bowl wins.

 

[Brockon]

All it takes is a couple of weeks of garbage goaltending for a massive portion of the fans to pin everything on them. The fact is we have had a couple stellar months of goaltending. Yes, the team is doing a lot of things well and they are legitimately good, but this goaltending is a huge part of what is creating separation too. Some look at this and think it is the normal state of things, but this is as good as it gets for goaltending.

All that to say that ruling out any team that earns a playoff spot is silly, because goaltending is erratic, and you can get out-goalied by anyone over a 4-7 game sample.

This. Ben Bishop took us 85:50 minutes to beat in game 7... If Dallas had better goal support for their Vezina calibre goalie, there's a strong chance they play Boston in June in our stead. 15 goals in 7 games isn't enough. Not that our 18 was significantly better, but it was enough...

 

[Renard]

The St. Louis Post Dispatch employs a man named Jim Thomas as the Blues "beat" writer. He made a statement recently that the Tarasenko surgery was not as "complicated" as the previous one. He implied that Tarasenko is likely to be ready for the playoffs.

I have no idea about this. But Tarasenko's uncertain recovery time creates a dilemma for Doug Armstrong. Do we have to make a move for a rental forward? Do we have the expendable assets to do it? Do we have enough offense to win the Cup without Tarasenko?

I don't see Jordan Kyrou developing enough between now and April to be counted on in the playoffs.

 

[Mike Liut]

You mean the Rams team that went to two Super Bowls in 3 years including winning one of them? They obviously weren’t a dynasty but it’s not like them winning in ‘99 was some crazy fluke. They were right back in the Super Bowl two years later and lost on a last second field goal to a team that cheated.

There was good reason to believe The Greatest Show on Turf was going to produce multiple Super Bowl wins.

not with those buffoons running the organization.

 

[Ranksu]

The St. Louis Post Dispatch employs a man named Jim Thomas as the Blues "beat" writer. He made a statement recently that the Tarasenko surgery was not as "complicated" as the previous one. He implied that Tarasenko is likely to be ready for the playoffs.

I have no idea about this. But Tarasenko's uncertain recovery time creates a dilemma for Doug Armstrong. Do we have to make a move for a rental forward? Do we have the expendable assets to do it? Do we have enough offense to win the Cup without Tarasenko?

I don't see Jordan Kyrou developing enough between now and April to be counted on in the playoffs.

Well, Kyrou doesn't go sky rocket yet, but he has improved his game a lot. In my eyes I see Møre confidence and less bad play on him every game. When Kyrou is positionally sounded it will look more and more Schwartz and Schenn can't keep up his rhythm and gamespeed. So we'll see Tarasenko and Thomas are only one s who can match up with Kyrou. Only questionmark is can Kyrou play left side.

Next year in crazy way IF Kyrou and Kostin develope

Kyrou - Thomas - Tarasenko
Schwartz - Schenn - Kostin
Blais - O'Reilly - Perron
MacMac - Barbashev - Sundqvist

 

[JoshFromMO]

Well, Kyrou doesn't go sky rocket yet, but he has improved his game a lot. In my eyes I see Møre confidence and less bad play on him every game. When Kyrou is positionally sounded it will look more and more Schwartz and Schenn can't keep up his rhythm and gamespeed. So we'll see Tarasenko and Thomas are only one s who can match up with Kyrou. Only questionmark is can Kyrou play left side.

Next year in crazy way IF Kyrou and Kostin develope

Kyrou - Thomas - Tarasenko
Schwartz - Schenn - Kostin
Blais - O'Reilly - Perron
MacMac - Barbashev - Sundqvist

It feels wrong keeping sundqvist on the 4th line but this team has impeccable depth

 

[Note Worthy]

not with those buffoons running the organization.

Sure that’s how we feel in hindsight but at the time in 1999 it was a different feeling.

 

[execwrite1]

It feels wrong keeping sundqvist on the 4th line but this team has impeccable depth

Lately he's been on the second line with Perron and O'Reilly.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

The St. Louis Post Dispatch employs a man named Jim Thomas as the Blues "beat" writer. He made a statement recently that the Tarasenko surgery was not as "complicated" as the previous one. He implied that Tarasenko is likely to be ready for the playoffs.

I have no idea about this. But Tarasenko's uncertain recovery time creates a dilemma for Doug Armstrong. Do we have to make a move for a rental forward? Do we have the expendable assets to do it? Do we have enough offense to win the Cup without Tarasenko?

I don't see Jordan Kyrou developing enough between now and April to be counted on in the playoffs.

I don’t trust Thomas’ blues reporting as far as I can throw it. He’s a football guy that knows nothing about hockey.

 

[Ranksu]

It feels wrong keeping sundqvist on the 4th line but this team has impeccable depth

Well, if he plays with Barbashev heavy PK iceminutes + takes majority shutdown role that 4th line will be playing ~15min a night no matter what. Ofc that might dropp their point produce, but there isn't any better shutdown duo than Barbashev + Sundqvist, but they did produce in 4th line role too. Looks like MacMac has make big steps forward and in my eyes he's already better option for 4th line than Steen + MacMac has really mesh well with Barbashev so they will be scary force to have in 4th line. Speaking best shutdown duo knowing we've player like ROR in our team should make scary thoughts to opponent and btw Sunny and Barby were last playoffs shutdown duo they played most of time vs. opposite best players.

 

[Note Worthy]

I don’t trust Thomas’ blues reporting as far as I can throw it. He’s a football guy that knows nothing about hockey.

True but he is now the Blues main beat writer at the Post Dispatch since Rutherford left. He may not know much about hockey but I bet he has decent sources that could be tell him this info.

 

[Dbrownss]

It feels wrong keeping sundqvist on the 4th line but this team has impeccable depth

the 4th line isnt the traditional less than 10min a night. Sunny seems to produce no matter where he slots in. I think he does his best damage in the bottom 6 for whatever reason but could just be hot and cold streaks

 

[Reality Czech]

Lately he's been on the second line with Perron and O'Reilly.

I dunno about you but I consider the ROR line our first line or at least line 1A. It sure is nice to have two lines good enough to be considered our top line.

 

[Mike Liut]

Sure that’s how we feel in hindsight but at the time in 1999 it was a different feeling.

They just completely lucked out with Warner and the Faulk trade. Everything fell into place. And it took a complete failure of a bunch of morons to have that amount of talent only have a 3 year run.

 

[Ranksu]

I have thinked how big force Hawks were when they won first Stanley Cup in long time 2009-2010 season and what kind of roster they had.

Buffy, Hjalmarsson, Versteeg, Skille, Ladd, Hossa, Bolland, Bickell.

I just wonder we're someway same kind of situation next season and after that. What we do with Pietro, does he get big money like Kane, Toews? Do we keep Schwartz, Bozak? Ofc Parayko is no brainer if Pietro walks.

 

[Mike Liut]

I have thinked how big force Hawks were when they won first Stanley Cup in long time 2009-2010 season and what kind of roster they had.

Buffy, Hjalmarsson, Versteeg, Skille, Ladd, Hossa, Bolland, Bickell.

I just wonder we're someway same kind of situation next season and after that. What we do with Pietro, does he get big money like Kane, Toews? Do we keep Schwartz, Bozak? Ofc Parayko is no brainer if Pietro walks.

I build around the foundation of Petro, Parayko, Faulk, ROR, Schenn, Tarasenko, Thomas, Kyrou, Kostin, Sunny, Blais and Binny. Bozak, Steen, Allen and Schwartz won’t be able to stay. I love Schwartz, but I’m afraid he’s the first big casualty. Possibly Dunn too

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

I build around the foundation of Petro, Parayko, Faulk, ROR, Schenn, Tarasenko, Thomas, Kyrou, Kostin, Sunny, Blais and Binny. Bozak, Steen, Allen and Schwartz won’t be able to stay. I love Schwartz, but I’m afraid he’s the first big casualty. Possibly Dunn too

I don't see Dunn being a cap casualty at least in the near future, he's our only young piece on the left side. Add that he hasn't taken a step forward this year, he won't break the bank on his next deal. We should be able to get a roughly a 3x3 bridge if that's the route DA goes.

 

[Blues0307]

They just completely lucked out with Warner and the Faulk trade. Everything fell into place. And it took a complete failure of a bunch of morons to have that amount of talent only have a 3 year run.

They lucked out? How was the Faulk trade luck? They had a good talent evaluator in Charley Army (and I'm sure there were others within the org) and the Colts were looking to move Faulk. It's not luck that we were able to trade for him.

We also brought in Trent Green AND Kurt Warner, both who ended up being great QB's. Is Kurt's story remarkable? Yes. But Trent Green would've been a heck of a QB for the Rams as well. So it's not luck that the Rams organization put together possibly the best team in football. They showed an ability to evaluate talent back then and also had a great coach in Vermeil.

 

[Mike Liut]

They lucked out? How was the Faulk trade luck? They had a good talent evaluator in Charley Army (and I'm sure there were others within the org) and the Colts were looking to move Faulk. It's not luck that we were able to trade for him.

We also brought in Trent Green AND Kurt Warner, both who ended up being great QB's. Is Kurt's story remarkable? Yes. But Trent Green would've been a heck of a QB for the Rams as well. So it's not luck that the Rams organization put together possibly the best team in football. They showed an ability to evaluate talent back then and also had a great coach in Vermeil.

They caught lightening in a bottle. That’s why they were terrible prior to 1999 and terrible right after the GSOT ended.

 

[Blues0307]

They caught lightening in a bottle. That’s why they were terrible prior to 1999 and terrible right after the GSOT ended.

You're right, it was luck to have 5 HOF players on one roster and to come a play away from winning 2 Super Bowls. I don't think your narrative holds up against scrutiny.

 

[Mike Liut]

You're right, it was luck to have 5 HOF players on one roster and to come a play away from winning 2 Super Bowls. I don't think your narrative holds up against scrutiny.

That proves my point. It took complete ineptness to turn that much talent into such a short lived run.

 

[Note Worthy]

That proves my point. It took complete ineptness to turn that much talent into such a short lived run.

I feel like you're ignoring some other factors. Like Vermeil retiring and Martz taking over. That isn't the sole reason for the decline, they obviously went to a Super Bowl with Martz, but that was eventually a contributing factor.

I liken it to the Cardinals. They were good immediately after TLR retired but eventually his message faded and Matheny's took over and...well...

EDIT: By the way, I just realized this isn't the OT thread. Lol.

 

[WeWentBlues]

It was the culmination of many things
-Injuries (Warner's thumb)
-Coaching change
-Front office turmoil
-Free agency

Had Vermeil stayed, I think the outcome would have been different.

 

[Blues0307]

That proves my point. It took complete ineptness to turn that much talent into such a short lived run.

Not at all. You're discounting the efforts of those that were able to assemble and coach up such a team. It'd be like saying the Blues lucked into the Cup last year. Sure, we were extremely fortunate to have a guy like Binnington, who the Blues front office didn't even realize was as good as he is, come up and take the league by storm. But there was way more to it than luck, obviously. It was no different for the GSOT.