Regular season, I think we will be okay. I will be surprised if we don't make the playoffs. I am concerned about our defense as it is currently constructed. Once the playoffs start, I am not sure if that defense will stand up. This is especially true if no further additions are made, and Perunovich becomes a regular as many here have projected.
Do you view this team as real Stanley Cup Contender?
- Thread starter Ranksu
- Start date
I think we will be in huge problems in regular season about our defense. 82 games will show up our flaws, expecially when we face tougher opponents.
I view we will struggle vs mediocre teams too.
This year will be eye opener. Hopefully I'm dead wrong about it.
You're describing Mattias Ekholm. (Or Adam Pelech...but something tells me he ain't available.)
Ekholm is 31 and looking for a raise from his current $3.75M/yr cap-hit.
I'd be happy with 5 x $5.5M if he could be acquired and signed.
I still think Nashville would be crazy to not re-sign the guy though.
Maybe Tyler Tucker will develop into that guy in another year or two. He had a beauty of a hip-check in the Thunderbirds final pre-season game. He definitely fits the physical/defensive mold; though his puck skills will need to improve as his skating has.
We need to trade away Krug to get free salary to fit real top2 LHD salary in. Trading Scandella doesn't make a trick (3.550mill$) next season Scandella's cap hit will increase even for 3.550mill.$-->3.850mill.$-->3.000mill.$
At this stage I would be willing to keep Scandella and trade Krug. Faulk can take Krug spot at PP and eventually and hopefully Perunovich.
Free up 6.5mill.$ in defense would be amazing. Ofc we should find team who would wnt to take that contract and + make it fair to them.
Then go all-in to acquire top2 LHD. Finding that would definetely make us close to contender status. IMO.
Brian39
Registered User
- Apr 24, 2014
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As to the bolded, I disagree. You said "His contributions on the PP were elite three seasons ago and should remain strong for another few years (not six though)." You didn't say 'he is elite on the PP and should be for for a few more years.' You used the past tense and set a time frame of 3 years ago to modify the word 'elite' and then used a lesser adjective to describe his status current (and short term future) PP ability. Everything about that sentence structure suggests that he hasn't been elite for several seasons.
As to the conversation about the Bruins, I think we will just have to agree to disagree. Saying that they fell short in game 7 of the Final and were only there because Tampa got swept doesn't tell me that they weren't a contender. If that is the definition, then I think the only contenders each year is the President's Trophy winner and the team who wins the Cup. The Bruins were 3rd in the NHL in 2019 and went to game 7 of the Cup Final. They followed that up by winning the President's Trophy in 2020. But they weren't really a contender because the team they lost to believed that they could beat them and then did beat them by the narrowest of margins? Come on.
I don't think that the Blues are contenders right now with Krug as the #2/3 D man. However, I think that it is possible to build a contender around a blue line with Krug as a 2/3 D man. The Bruins did it. With the proper support around him, Krug is good enough to get top pair or 2nd pair minutes on a contender. The necessary support includes a better #1 D man than the one that we have. Charlie McAvoy was (and is) a better #1 D man than Parayko currently is. In 2019 and 2020, McAvoy/Chara/Carlo was a better supporting cast around Krug than Parayko/Faulk/Scandella is around Krug. Both stylistically and in terms of ability. If either Parayko or Faulk plays like a top 10 NHL D man and the 3rd pairing is above average, then I think that this team is absolutely a contender with Krug logging 21+ minutes a night and top PP duties. I don't think it is very likely that either of them is capable of being a top 10 NHL D man, so I don't have much confidence that this team is a contender with Krug logging that many minutes. Which is why I fully support bringing in a LD upgrade who can push Krug down to 19-20 minutes a night as the clear #4.
My intention wasn't to blast you without context. I wasn't the one who brought your quote into this thread without context and I was responding to the user who did. That same user has spent the entire summer saying that it is impossible to contend with Krug as a #2/3 D man and my entire point is that I believe such an argument is just not true. He can absolutely be the 2/3 on a team if he has an elite partner. We don't have that and I agree with your take that this blue line isn't that of a contender. Barring a massive bounce back season from Parayko, we aren't getting an elite #1 D man, so the only avenue I see to make this blue line good enough is to get a LD that can effectively handle the #2/3 D man role and push Krug down to the #3/4 role while Scandella becomes the clear #5.
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CaliforniaBlues310
Registered User
Looking at the schedule, and it’s SUPER important that we get off to a good start, or else the question of this thread might answer itself.
Our first 12, and 17 of 18 games are against the Western Conference.
2 games each against powerhouses COL and VGK
1 game against playoff hopefuls WPG/DAL/CAR/EDM/NSH/CHI
We also have 3 against LA, 2 against SJ/ARI, and 1 against ANA, so there’s definitely a fair amount of games where we NEED to get some points against bottom feeders as well.
Our first 12, and 17 of 18 games are against the Western Conference.
2 games each against powerhouses COL and VGK
1 game against playoff hopefuls WPG/DAL/CAR/EDM/NSH/CHI
We also have 3 against LA, 2 against SJ/ARI, and 1 against ANA, so there’s definitely a fair amount of games where we NEED to get some points against bottom feeders as well.
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AVictoryDive
Registered User
Psht…Shane Wright ainecOr we might create tank mode thread.
Brad Lambert #1
AVictoryDive
Registered User
Lambert just seems to be losing some of his luster and struggling more. Wright just seems to be the more complete prospect, but Lambert does have the experience against men. Maybe he rebounds but 1 pt in 9 games compared to Wrights 4 pts in 3 games (though small sample size) is not encouraging. Let’s see where they’re at by the end of the year.
Halak Ness Monster
Registered User
As currently constructed? No.
We’ll get in. We’re still going to be a successful regular season team. We have a lot of good pieces. The defense just clearly isn’t Cup caliber.
We can win a round but we’re not built to beat Vegas or Colorado in 7. Very similar to the days of not being built to beat Detroit/Colorado in the 90s/early 2000s and Chicago/LA in the early to mid 2010s.
We’ll get in. We’re still going to be a successful regular season team. We have a lot of good pieces. The defense just clearly isn’t Cup caliber.
We can win a round but we’re not built to beat Vegas or Colorado in 7. Very similar to the days of not being built to beat Detroit/Colorado in the 90s/early 2000s and Chicago/LA in the early to mid 2010s.
Soon we will be 5th spot. Interesting to see will those ppl who voted Blues as a Contender change their opinions after this season where this team is and where the problem is?
Or we hear another excuses. COVID this and injuries that.
Or we hear another excuses. COVID this and injuries that.
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Chet Manly
Registered User
Sgt Schultz
Registered User
Again, I'll preface this with the fact that I don't draw too many conclusions about any team before the first of the year. The first couple of months of the season are almost like a preseason where the point totals count. Any useful trends or conclusions begin in January, as a rule.
The Blues are better than I expected at times, and worse at times. I think that can be said about most of the 32 teams, hence my January 1st rule. I still think the defense needs to be more stout in our own end. Our offense needs to be more consistent. Again, I think most of the 32 teams can come up with some general list like that.
If I were going to focus on one thing as we approach January, it would getting wins and points in games where we should get wins and points. In pretty much any sport, teams that can consistently beat the teams they are supposed to beat will find themselves in the hunt. That is especially true when there are 16 playoff spots for 32 teams. Getting a point or two tonight and walking out of a pair of home-and-homes with Florida and Tampa with 4 or 5 points would be great. But it only works if we are going to follow that up by collecting the "low hanging fruit" points on the schedule.
Is this a Cup contender? It depends on the night. I think they need to move the needle of consistency to answer that question, and we will hopefully see that soon.
The Blues are better than I expected at times, and worse at times. I think that can be said about most of the 32 teams, hence my January 1st rule. I still think the defense needs to be more stout in our own end. Our offense needs to be more consistent. Again, I think most of the 32 teams can come up with some general list like that.
If I were going to focus on one thing as we approach January, it would getting wins and points in games where we should get wins and points. In pretty much any sport, teams that can consistently beat the teams they are supposed to beat will find themselves in the hunt. That is especially true when there are 16 playoff spots for 32 teams. Getting a point or two tonight and walking out of a pair of home-and-homes with Florida and Tampa with 4 or 5 points would be great. But it only works if we are going to follow that up by collecting the "low hanging fruit" points on the schedule.
Is this a Cup contender? It depends on the night. I think they need to move the needle of consistency to answer that question, and we will hopefully see that soon.
This team during the regular season is above average and will make the playoffs without breaking much of a sweat. Winning in the playoffs is a different matter altogether. While I love watching the occasional tic tac toe passing play , that is not the type of goals normally scored in the playoffs. As much as I don't want to admit it the game against the Panthers showed how soft this team is. I am not advocating for a goon as that won't solve anything.
What I think we need is a forward and a defenseman both of whom have skill and play a physical game. Trade Tank as he is not the player of old and use his salary to bring in those players. I don't know if the kid in Montreal (Chairiot) plays a physical game or not but his size looks intriguing. If not him I'm sure one of the proverbial also rans may have someone who can become a steadying influence and occasionally make a forward think twice about running our goalie. We really need some size and sandpaper on the back end. The rumor mill claims a #2 pick and a weak prospect will get this done. If we can get someone to take Walman and a pick all the better as we have his replacement. Also I realize this may just be a rental but if we can offload Tank's salary who knows.
The forward is the more crucial player in my opinion as we have got to find somebody who regularly WANTS not just can but WANTS to hit people. This is really the only way to equal a team that has great speed and puck handling. Put them on their ass and they slow down! As for the guy I would like us to acquire I really don't know who is actually available so I would only be guessing but a Matthew Tkachuk type who other teams hate and who can occasionally score would help this team quite a bit and maybe even add a the swagger that usually accompanies a winning team.
Always a Blue Blood
P.S. I know Tkachuk is probably not available and with all this said , I trust ARMY.
What I think we need is a forward and a defenseman both of whom have skill and play a physical game. Trade Tank as he is not the player of old and use his salary to bring in those players. I don't know if the kid in Montreal (Chairiot) plays a physical game or not but his size looks intriguing. If not him I'm sure one of the proverbial also rans may have someone who can become a steadying influence and occasionally make a forward think twice about running our goalie. We really need some size and sandpaper on the back end. The rumor mill claims a #2 pick and a weak prospect will get this done. If we can get someone to take Walman and a pick all the better as we have his replacement. Also I realize this may just be a rental but if we can offload Tank's salary who knows.
The forward is the more crucial player in my opinion as we have got to find somebody who regularly WANTS not just can but WANTS to hit people. This is really the only way to equal a team that has great speed and puck handling. Put them on their ass and they slow down! As for the guy I would like us to acquire I really don't know who is actually available so I would only be guessing but a Matthew Tkachuk type who other teams hate and who can occasionally score would help this team quite a bit and maybe even add a the swagger that usually accompanies a winning team.
Always a Blue Blood
P.S. I know Tkachuk is probably not available and with all this said , I trust ARMY.
Bluesnatic27
Registered User
- Aug 5, 2011
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I didn't think they were a Cup contender leading into this season because I did not like how the defense was constructed. 20+ games in and I still don't think this team is a Cup contender because of how the defense is constructed. Sure, there are other issues I have, like the Saad signing. But the defensive play use to be the reason the team would win, and for a while, it was finding consistent offense that was the issue. The defensive play has been slipping since the Blues won the Cup and now I find the Blues in a situation where they have no cap flexibility and a locked up defense that I don't think will get them anywhere. Thank God Binnington and Husso have been playing well this year because the issue isn't as apparent with those two in net.
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Looks like you can't re-evaluate what this team is. Living in fantasy Blues land.
Celtic Note
Living the dream
- Dec 22, 2006
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I watch them and am frustrated when they struggle. You seem frustrated when they don’t.
ChicagoBlues
Terraformers
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TheDizee
Trade Jordan Kyrou ASAP | ALWAYS RIGHT
- Apr 5, 2014
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this team can play with any team in the league, given that they check and get superb goaltending (no soft garbage). this has not happened enough this season and they are far too prone to let downs against inferior teams too.
the defense is their weakest link and IMO they need to make a move or two to be in the favorite's category. thing is, blues has historically played much better playoff hockey when being a underdog.
the defense is their weakest link and IMO they need to make a move or two to be in the favorite's category. thing is, blues has historically played much better playoff hockey when being a underdog.
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