2024-2025 Blues Multi-Purpose Thread.

ChicagoBlues

Terraformers
Oct 24, 2006
16,146
6,927
It's looking like Binnington and Parayko have made Canada's preliminary roster for Four Nations.



Dom just cannot wrap his head around that his model isn't the end all be all of performance analysis.

I think he knows exactly how faulty his models are, but he's invested so much that exiting his investment is not feasible.

If he is willing to adjust enough to more accurately define his currently-lofty operational definitions, then I may have more respect for the effort.
 

Brian39

Registered User
Apr 24, 2014
7,614
14,341
The team is off to a pretty damn good start under Monty. 3-0-1 with a +8 goal differential. Underlying numbers aren't nearly as pretty, but my eye test has seen a lot of instances where we have successfully clogged the middle and allowed low danger muffins from the perimeter. The results are definitely outpacing the underlying play, but I'm not convinced that the bottom is going to completely drop out after guys start settling into new routines.

We were 5 points back of the playoff cutline when he took over and that hole has been reduced to just 2 points. The hole is a bit deeper than it looks since the 2 teams between us and the WC2 are Edmonton/Colorado and one has a game in hand.

But we are back in the playoff race and Monty is going to coach this team to win games. I think that minutes are going to be allocated on merit over development and I don't think the front office is going to cut the legs from this team so long as they are legitimately at the bubble.
 

BleedBlue14

UrGeNcY
Feb 9, 2017
6,442
5,020
St. Louis
The team is off to a pretty damn good start under Monty. 3-0-1 with a +8 goal differential. Underlying numbers aren't nearly as pretty, but my eye test has seen a lot of instances where we have successfully clogged the middle and allowed low danger muffins from the perimeter. The results are definitely outpacing the underlying play, but I'm not convinced that the bottom is going to completely drop out after guys start settling into new routines.

We were 5 points back of the playoff cutline when he took over and that hole has been reduced to just 2 points. The hole is a bit deeper than it looks since the 2 teams between us and the WC2 are Edmonton/Colorado and one has a game in hand.

But we are back in the playoff race and Monty is going to coach this team to win games. I think that minutes are going to be allocated on merit over development and I don't think the front office is going to cut the legs from this team so long as they are legitimately at the bubble.

Personally, I've been pretty happy with how minutes have been distributed since Monty's been here. Holloway has moved up a line, now that could mainly be due to Buchy's injury, but it looks more like Saad/Neighbors are now on the line that Buch is normally on and i'm not too overly concerned if either of them drop down to the 3rd line, would prefer Saad goes there for the development route, but it's not that big of a deal.

Broberg fresh off an injury is playing 22+, Bolduc is actually playing.

I'm not as concerned about it with the Blues having given Monty a 5 year contract. Not to mention with the manner it was done and the wording Doug used in the presser. I'd be willing to bet Monty has some of the best job security in the league currently.
 

WeWentBlues

Registered User
May 3, 2017
2,166
1,906
This team is so fun to watch right now under Monty and everyone is getting healthy. Getting 2019 vibes again but let's check back in a month
 

CaliforniaBlues310

Registered User
Apr 9, 2013
4,827
3,900
San Pedro, CA.
This team is so fun to watch right now under Monty and everyone is getting healthy. Getting 2019 vibes again but let's check back in a month

Honestly, I’d say check back in a week. These games against CGY/EDM/VAN will be a huge tell for me.

We’ve already beaten NYR/NJD/WPG since he’s been here, and if we play very well in these next 3 games…I’m all in on us making the playoffs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: stlwahoo

Stelmacki

Registered User
May 2, 2017
1,573
2,068
Holloway and Broberg leading this team in +/- currently at +7 and +6, respectively.
The amount of copium they are producing on the oilers boards is incredible. One of my favorite takes:

“every team also scouts the shit out of us whereas no one gives a flying f*** about playing LA or Buffalo or St. Louis, it's just a random game on the schedule in that case”
 

TheOrganist

Don't Call Him Alex
Feb 21, 2006
4,339
1,955
The team is off to a pretty damn good start under Monty. 3-0-1 with a +8 goal differential. Underlying numbers aren't nearly as pretty, but my eye test has seen a lot of instances where we have successfully clogged the middle and allowed low danger muffins from the perimeter. The results are definitely outpacing the underlying play, but I'm not convinced that the bottom is going to completely drop out after guys start settling into new routines.

We were 5 points back of the playoff cutline when he took over and that hole has been reduced to just 2 points. The hole is a bit deeper than it looks since the 2 teams between us and the WC2 are Edmonton/Colorado and one has a game in hand.

But we are back in the playoff race and Monty is going to coach this team to win games. I think that minutes are going to be allocated on merit over development and I don't think the front office is going to cut the legs from this team so long as they are legitimately at the bubble.
Why do you say the underlying numbers aren’t nearly as pretty? They’ve played 12 periods under Monty and have played 9 really strong periods, 1 meh period against the Flyers and two stinkers in New Jersey. They are winning HDCF by a pretty healthy margin in aggregate since the Ranger game per Natural Stat Trick. The Blues haven’t created this much offense by relying on a true possession oriented attack in years.
 

Reality Czech

Registered User
Apr 17, 2017
5,928
9,636
Personally, I've been pretty happy with how minutes have been distributed since Monty's been here. Holloway has moved up a line, now that could mainly be due to Buchy's injury, but it looks more like Saad/Neighbors are now on the line that Buch is normally on and i'm not too overly concerned if either of them drop down to the 3rd line, would prefer Saad goes there for the development route, but it's not that big of a deal.

Broberg fresh off an injury is playing 22+, Bolduc is actually playing.

I'm not as concerned about it with the Blues having given Monty a 5 year contract. Not to mention with the manner it was done and the wording Doug used in the presser. I'd be willing to bet Monty has some of the best job security in the league currently.

I agree with the majority of your post, but just wanted to point out that aside from the Rangers game when Monty was mostly rolling all 4 lines Bolduc has only played a bit more than his season average (around :30 to a minute more). So it's not like it's a massive difference in ice time. Considering Buch is injured, it makes sense that a few guys would get a slight bump in ice time.

However, he's started to get more chances offensively much like the entire team. Kind of crazy to see them beating good teams like the Rangers, Jets and Devils so soon after we looked terrible but just goes to show how much a little confidence and momentum can affect a team.
 

Reality Czech

Registered User
Apr 17, 2017
5,928
9,636
We should have kept Mikkola and Barbie. Should have tried extending them. Love both players

Easy to say in retrospect, but if we re-sign Mikkola does Army even try to sign Broberg? We wouldn't have had such a need to go out and grab another LHD. You never know how things would have worked out differently, but I am not sure the team would be in a better position overall. He's definitely found a niche for himself in Florida and would help most teams in the league.

Regarding Barbie, I doubt he'd be putting up the same numbers here that he's doing in Vegas playing with Eichel and Stone a lot of the time. It would be nice to have him now, but the timing just didn't make sense for us to re-sign either player at the time. Hopefully Dean will turn into a solid player to make us feel better about losing Barbs.
 

Xerloris

reckless optimism
Jun 9, 2015
7,726
8,354
St.Louis
This team is so fun to watch right now under Monty and everyone is getting healthy. Getting 2019 vibes again but let's check back in a month

We should have kept Mikkola and Barbie. Should have tried extending them. Love both players

I love Barbie yes but not for his current price and good for him for getting paid finally and Mikkola can f*** off.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bye Bye Blueston

BlueDream

Registered User
Aug 30, 2011
26,256
15,163
Easy to say in retrospect, but if we re-sign Mikkola does Army even try to sign Broberg? We wouldn't have had such a need to go out and grab another LHD. You never know how things would have worked out differently, but I am not sure the team would be in a better position overall. He's definitely found a niche for himself in Florida and would help most teams in the league.

Regarding Barbie, I doubt he'd be putting up the same numbers here that he's doing in Vegas playing with Eichel and Stone a lot of the time. It would be nice to have him now, but the timing just didn't make sense for us to re-sign either player at the time. Hopefully Dean will turn into a solid player to make us feel better about losing Barbs.
Solid points. If we still had Barbashev then maybe we don’t try to sign Holloway either, and I could see Holloway becoming a Barby type of player too, even if Dean doesn’t. I think Holloway has that versatility to help out in a lot of different ways.

Only thing I miss about Mikkola is I do think we could use a defenseman with some more physicality on our back end, but I’m hoping Leo Loof can provide that soon. I think I have him penciled in for our 3rd pair next season.
 

LetsGoBooze

Let the re-tool breathe
Jan 16, 2012
2,422
1,606
This team is so fun to watch right now under Monty and everyone is getting healthy. Getting 2019 vibes again but let's check back in a month
We have no where near the talent on the roster we had in 2019. Good enough for playoffs, sure, but comparing this year to the 2019 situation is wild. Monty was/is definitely the right choice, but its gonna take the development of multiple young pieces over the next few years before we can beat multiple top 10 teams in 7 game series.
 

Snubbed4Vezina

Registered User
Jul 9, 2022
2,474
4,397
Fellas, I may have been wrong about Scott Perunovich.

1733371564886.png
 

Ad

Ad

Ad