How dominant will this team be?

[pucksakes666]

Will this be good enough to finish 1st in the west ? The forward group is stacked and the addition of krug should keep this an unreal team.

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[Frenzy31]

I think it will depend a lot on Colorado. They have more explosive offense, just not quite as deep. I think the D is very similar. May come down to system and goaltending. I know fans are worried about Vegas, but they are still not yet cap compliant and need to move salary.

Pie is a great addition, but the cost may well offset that addition. Lose the 2nd line center, top pairing dman and another piece will be tough. Plus they have lost a lot of prospect depth with trades... but who know.

 

[The Note]

Dominant seems like a stretch for a team that’s likely not the best team in their division. They should easily make the playoffs. Beyond that, I could see them losing in the first round just as easily as winning a round or two.

 

[kimzey59]

Going to depend a lot on chemistry. We have a lot of turnover to deal with and that takes time for the team to gel. When we start getting on the same page, I think we could see some truely amazing offensive zone domination. And we’ll have the finishers to run up the score at times.

 

[Blueline2757]

Dominant is a stretch, I still see the Blues finishing 3rd in their division. The forward lineup is stacked so I'll give the Blues that, But I'm not sold on the Blues defense and I know Krug is a good player but I'm not sold on him either. Losing Pietrangelo's defense is going to hurt but Krug can make up make Petro's production, all in all I'm still meh. I much rather have Pietrangelo on the team and it's still a mistake.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Will this be good enough to finish 1st in the west ? The forward group is stacked and the addition of krug should keep this an unreal team.

I think early season predictions are going to end up looking silly this year. With the possibility of Covid absences, the short season and the usual hot streaks that mediocre teams can sustain for short stretches (like Buffalo, famously) I think it’s going to be a lot less accurate than usual. Obviously Colorado, St Louis and Vegas are strong teams in the division. But I fully expect one of the teams no one is expecting (San Jose, Anaheim, LA, Arizona) to end up being in the mix for winning the division. Don’t know which one, but someone is going to hit the right chemistry, goaltending, team health, etc and surprise everyone.

As for the Blues, they could win the division. They have just as much chance as anyone. Colorado will probably have a target on their back and be preseason Cup favorites. I expect the veteran know-how of the Blues combined with 1) the sour taste from the playoffs bubble and 2) Berube, to be worth a lot.

 

[AjaxManifesto]

No clue.

As we saw in the COVID Cup some teams adjusted well to the bubble and played very well. The Blues were lost.

With the 56 game season, new divisions, and the travel protocols (read up on those, very interesting) anything can happen. Maybe it works for the Blues, maybe it doesn't.

I'm just happy to see them play. I'm very much interested in seeing what Krug, Hoffman, Clifford, ROR, Bunny, Colt, etc. can do. We've moved on from the 2018-2019 season. The team has changed. I'd like to see how their style of play has adjusted.

 

[TK 421]

Dominant isn't the word that comes to mind because there's still several question marks regarding Binnington and the new look defense.

Exciting is the word I'd use and it's mostly because I have no idea how this roster construction will work out.

 

[ort]

What the team looks like on paper matters less and less in the modern NHL. It's all about chemistry, momentum and teamwork.

We looked stacked moving into the bubble too and that may have been the worst stretch of Blues hockey in the last 5 years or so.

 

[simon IC]

I would be very surprised and disappointed if we do not make the playoffs. On paper, this team should be a lock for at least 3rd in the division, if not 2nd. As others have mentioned, there are a lot of variables. A shortened season, roster turnover, and goaltending are all going to factor in. A lot is going to hinge on Binnington. I am concerned, that once the playoffs start and teams start playing a more physical, shutdown game, our new-look defense is going to be exposed. I am a little concerned about Thomas, as he looked a little gun shy last season. If he can improve his defensive game and learn to handle the checking attention he is definitely going to get, I will feel a lot better. I can see players like Hoffman and Kyrou, and to a lesser extent Thomas, doing exceptionally well in the regular season, but shut down in the playoffs. Fortunately, we are well stocked with supporting two-way players at forward. I think that depth is going to be crucial. It is certainly going to be interesting!

 

[Mike Liut]

We aren’t less physical on D by losing Petro and adding Krug.

 

[simon IC]

We aren’t less physical on D by losing Petro and adding Krug.

No, but we are less proficient defensively.

 

[HighNote]

We aren’t less physical on D by losing Petro and adding Krug.

I think the distinction that should be made here in terms of our defense is that we're not necessarily less physical, it's that we're more prone to physical play against us. When the games get tight and there's little to no time or room to make plays in our own zone, having guys like Pietrangelo and Bouwmeester (big, smart transition defenseman) is invaluable. They can take hits and still make smart plays when under pressure. It's why the addition of Scandella when Bouwmeester went down was really nice.

I don't think it's a huge issue, but worth noting.

 

[Mike Liut]

I think the distinction that should be made here in terms of our defense is that we're not necessarily less physical, it's that we're more prone to physical play against us. When the games get tight and there's little to no time or room to make plays in our own zone, having guys like Pietrangelo and Bouwmeester (big, smart transition defenseman) is invaluable. They can take hits and still make smart plays when under pressure. It's why the addition of Scandella when Bouwmeester went down was really nice.

I don't think it's a huge issue, but worth noting.

Gotcha. But isn’t Krug known to be a great transition player?

 

[BlueSeal]

We basically got a bunch of parts dropped on the table. We just need to see what fits where and what needs arise from it once we have something workable.

It's really going to really depend on Chemistry and how Chief approaches things. He's potentially got two very stacked lines that can do some real damage. I'm curious what his strategy will be.

Hoffman's essentially playing for a contract, so I expect him to go crazy. With him, I'm concerned about baggage and how it might affect the locker room. If that stuff is sorted out, he should be a force to be reckoned with.

The defense is a huge question mark and that concerns me because it puts Binny in the position of potentially being left up to dry. Hopefully Chief works with the D Coach and hammers out a strategy.

I'm expecting a lot of goals as well as a number of open opportunities against Binny. Worst case scenario we get to see how good Binny (and our D) really is without Pie and Boomer on the roster.

 

[BlueSeal]

Gotcha. But isn’t Krug known to be a great transition player?

I feel Krug could go either way. I'm hoping he meets and totally blows everyone's expectations.

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

I think it depends on how our special teams pan out. We lost 3 important PKers in JBo, Petro, and Steen, so people will have to step up in that category, especially amongst the defensemen. And our PP might actually improve with the additions of Krug and Hoffman.

If we end up staying in the middle of the pack on the PK and maintain a top 5 PP like last year, I think we can easily compete with Vegas for the 2nd spot in the division.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I think it depends on how our special teams pan out. We lost 3 important PKers in JBo, Petro, and Steen, so people will have to step up in that category, especially amongst the defensemen. And our PP might actually improve with the additions of Krug and Hoffman.

If we end up staying in the middle of the pack on the PK and maintain a top 5 PP like last year, I think we can easily compete with Vegas for the 2nd spot in the division.

There are good PP players, but it would be difficult to improve much on the PP numbers from last season. Even an elite PP can only be so good. I agree the PK will be a big story to watch early. For as long as I’ve been watching the Blues, they’ve always had very good PK units. Not last season. It’s strange to see a team that is otherwise so scrappy and solid defensively to be so mediocre in that area. I don’t know who the units will be, but it needs to be better.

 

[BlueSeal]

PP imo really needs a better playbook. If we can't put together a solid attack PP group at this point... I don't know...

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

There are good PP players, but it would be difficult to improve much on the PP numbers from last season. Even an elite PP can only be so good. I agree the PK will be a big story to watch early. For as long as I’ve been watching the Blues, they’ve always had very good PK units. Not last season. It’s strange to see a team that is otherwise so scrappy and solid defensively to be so mediocre in that area. I don’t know who the units will be, but it needs to be better.

PP may not be better since last years was so good, but would have been much worse if we didn’t add Krug and Hoffman.

 

[simon IC]

How can the PP not be good with the addition of Krug, Faulk, and Hoffman? If there is a problem, it is clearly a coaching issue. Maybe Montgomery can help with that? I too am worried about the PK. Losing Pietrangelo, Bouwmeester and Steen really hurts that department. Sundqvist is a pretty good PKer, as are ROR and Bozak. Perhaps Barbashev. For some reason, Berube likes to put Faulk on the PK ... whatever. Maybe Mikkola can be used there?

 

[Blueline2757]

There was an interview with chief that I saw on Twitter here is the link if anyone wants to give it a listen. One interesting thing is they are looking at Thomas on the PK and one thing that concerns me is he says number one priority is to establish a physical game by checking and playing heavy defense.

Craig Berube on the Mike Hoffman acquisition, Jordan Kyrou's growth and a new role for Robert Thomas – 101 ESPN

 

[PettersonHughes]

Are you guys worried about Binnington? Without Allen as the safety net now, he'll have to be the man again. He looked pretty shaky in the playoffs but it did seem that reports were that a lot of the team got hit by the bug, and so underperformed. Is this a rebound season or continuing flatline, or worse...?

 

[EastonBlues22]

Gotcha. But isn’t Krug known to be a great transition player?

He has some very good transition tools, but he's too flawed to have that label, IMO.

Part of the greatness of Pietrangelo's transition game is that you can put him out there against anyone, he wins a lot of pucks in the defensive zone, and then he can consistently beat heavy pressure to transition it the other way...even when the other team is overloading his side in an attempt to neutralize him (which is often, especially in the playoffs).

Krug has some dynamic tools, but he's not a guy you want to put out there against other team's top players, and he's not a guy who is going to win as many pucks as a better defender would, and he is a guy who can be nullified by heavy pressure to some extent (as the Blues did against him at ES during the finals two years ago). Those things limit the overall impact of his ES transition game to something less than what his tools otherwise suggest it might be, and I think it keeps him a solid step below the "great" transition players, even though he's still decidedly above average at ES (and excellent on the PP).

 

[Louie the Blue]

Are you guys worried about Binnington? Without Allen as the safety net now, he'll have to be the man again. He looked pretty shaky in the playoffs but it did seem that reports were that a lot of the team got hit by the bug, and so underperformed. Is this a rebound season or continuing flatline, or worse...?

I’m not as concerned with Binnington as I am Husso.

They’re trying to break in a rookie goalie during one of the more challenging seasons logistically when the entire season is pretty much a set of 1 game on, 1 day off, 1 game on.

I think, in the short term, we’re going to miss Allen’s performance as a backup more than losing Petro. Long term is a different story.