GDT: Game #10: St. Louis Blues vs. Detroit Redwings

[BlueBeard]

Come on guys don't get so caught up in the moment. The season isn't over, Hitch and the players aren't garbage. They will pull out of this funk and get things on the right track again.

 

[Lord Helix]

If they don't get their **** together, someone will be traded.

 

[542365]

Russell was excellent in the playoffs last year. He was one of the best Blues' d-men.

However, when you suck now, you retroactively always sucked. That's how it works on message boards.

I never said he always sucked. I said he needs to sit right now and let Ian Cole, who has played much better hockey this season, take his spot. I don't really see how anyone can argue that Russell has been better than Cole.

 

[BlueOil]

It might be time to mix up the defensive lines.

 

[superblues]

What happened to the defense-first Blues? I'd be happy to see that ethic return.

 

[Wiems35*]

some of you guys aren't even watching the game. our forwards are putting for a lot of effort. even right off the bat, you could tell they were playing hard. my finger is pointed at brian elliot. this is the same elliot we saw in the playoffs. when do we finally stop making up excuses for him?

No forechecking at all tonight, everyone is watching the puck, and we're making a bad detroit team look physical. Another "team loss" as Hitch calls it.

 

[brendan]

paging Jaroslav Halak

 

[DatDude44]

So Seth Jones will look really good in Blue next year...

lol.

 

[Fred Murtz]

Pietrangelo goal

 

[h22prelude93]

Everyone is to blame right now, but Hitchcock's player management has been absolutely horrid.

 

[Wiems35*]

Come on guys don't get so caught up in the moment. The season isn't over, Hitch and the players aren't garbage. They will pull out of this funk and get things on the right track again.

Probably not until next week and Detroit is the worst team we'll see on this home stand.

 

[Fred Murtz]

Cory Emmerton goal

 

[sbet1998]

Hithcock messing with the lines has created match-up chaos. The Coach hasnt had any form of a training camp to start micro-managing like he has. Ive supported him, but he's fiddle-f'ing with every line based on a small sample size.

I thought the fans were supposed to do that type of overreacting ****.

This team was gelling with the lines they had. Because of a tiny sample size and a 'loss' in DET he has rearranged the lines in a way that the communication is off and there is just chaos.

So glad Stillman didnt give him a 5 year contract as well. He needs to go back to what worked. He's making a mistake here. Hopefully he will figure that out and soon.

 

[BlueOil]

Bull

Oshie and Perron are going out every shift and winning battles. they have nothing to be ashamed of.

Alright, so two or three players are playing hard. The point still pretty much stands that most of the team is not putting their best effort.

 

[Meatwagon]

Looks like I predicted the score in favor of the wings, crap

 

[Fred Murtz]

Damien Brunner goal

 

[Linus]

After losing so horribly on Tuesday and playing Detroit after last week's loss, I expected the Blues to be playing a lot better than they are. Or at least to get up for the game. There are numerous players who can be called out for bad play tonight (who have probably all been called out in this post so I won't get into it) but again I'm left unimpressed with Steen. Hitchcock wouldn't ever scratch him, though. It could be his switch to center, but he wasn't great after he came back from IR last year either.

This is a tough stretch coming up, with Anaheim and LA next. The Blues can't afford to go on a 5 game losing streak to go 6-6.

 

[GrandPapillon*]

Alright, so two or three players are playing hard. The point still pretty much stands that most of the team is not putting their best effort.

There are definitely more not pulling their weight than those doing so right now. It is important to recognize those that are still fighting. Those are the guys the team should build around.

 

[Stealth JD]

Russell was excellent in the playoffs last year. He was one of the best Blues' d-men.

However, when you suck now, you retroactively always sucked. That's how it works on message boards.

I hope you're not aiming that at me, because I've always said Russell sucked...even when everybody else said how awesome he was in the playoffs, I wasn't buying it. An under-sized, offensive d-man who can't put up any points never has been and never will be a valuable commodity in my book...regardless of how well he skates with the puck.

 

[Celtic Note]

Why are people freaking out? We are still six and three, with a playoff spot at the moment. Sure we have played abysmal for three games, but back off from the ledge.

 

[PocketNines]

I never said he always sucked. I said he needs to sit right now and let Ian Cole, who has played much better hockey this season, take his spot. I don't really see how anyone can argue that Russell has been better than Cole.

I wasn't calling out anyone in particular.

The biggest problem is the Blues' linchpin defensive defenseman isn't any longer interested in playing much defense. He decided he wants to be a forward in a contract year. Oh-kaaaay. So the scoring chances that never used to be there when he was on the ice, about 25 min a game, are suddenly blossoming all over that ice time.

Overall, it feels like there's too much fancy play, too little structure, a sense that just by showing up on the ice the Blues are favorites. The team IS a quality group and talk of a top 10 pick is absurd. But this has been an epically bad week in Blues land.

 

[Wiems35*]

I don't think any team shoots it at a goalies chest more than the Blues

 

[PocketNines]

I hope you're not aiming that at me, because I've always said Russell sucked...even when everybody else said how awesome he was in the playoffs, I wasn't buying it. An under-sized, offensive d-man who can't put up any points never has been and never will be a valuable commodity in my book...regardless of how well he skates with the puck.

It's ok if you weren't buying Russell being good in the playoffs. I accept you always didn't like that trade.

Doesn't change the fact that he was excellent in the postseason last year. Excellent. Not debatably, either.

 

[Thallis]

I wasn't calling out anyone in particular.

The biggest problem is the Blues' linchpin defensive defenseman isn't any longer interested in playing much defense. He decided he wants to be a forward in a contract year. Oh-kaaaay. So the scoring chances that never used to be there when he was on the ice, about 25 min a game, are suddenly blossoming all over that ice time.

Overall, it feels like there's too much fancy play, too little structure, a sense that just by showing up on the ice the Blues are favorites. The team IS a quality group and talk of a top 10 pick is absurd. But this has been an epically bad week in Blues land.

Thank you for consistently having sense. You've been one of my favorite posters since you were still posting on stltoday's boards.

Let's pull our finger off the panic button for a while and remember this team started 6-1. We need Halak back and to get some bounces going our way again and we'll all forget about this stretch.

 

[sbet1998]

I hope you're not aiming that at me, because I've always said Russell sucked...even when everybody else said how awesome he was in the playoffs, I wasn't buying it. An under-sized, offensive d-man who can't put up any points never has been and never will be a valuable commodity in my book...regardless of how well he skates with the puck.

Russel is only good on loose pucks. He has value there and with his transition game, but he gets manhandled consistently on contested pucks. He is what he is.

Steen's hurt. FFS