St Louis Blues 2020 Post-Season Thread

[Stupendous Yappi]

With Barbashev out, I’d like to see Kyrou get into one of these next two games. The offense hasn’t looked great, and we could definitely use his speed in the lineup. From all reports, he looked really good in camp.

Schenn-O’Reilly-Perron
Schwartz-Thomas-Tarasenko
Sanford-Bozak-Kyrou
Blais-Sundqvist-Steen
MacEachern

It’s pretty clear MacEachern will slot in. He was being groomed for this 4th line role. I don’t see how Kyrou fits at all as a replacement for Barbashev. He’s more likely to come in if someone like Tarasenko goes down.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Updated for games 8/4:

1 - Colorado 2p, 6p possible
2 - Vegas 2p, 6p possible
3 - St Louis 0p, 4p possible
4 - Dallas 0p, 4p possible

No round robin games in the West today. Colorado and Dallas tangle tomorrow.

For the next part, I’m going to predict who wins each series based on current probability by Dom’s model. This is in flux.

5 - Edmonton (5) over Chicago (1-1)
6 - Nashville (6) over Arizona (1-1)
7 - Vancouver (7) over Minnesota (1-1)
8 - Calgary (8) over Winnipeg (2-1)

Blues would currently face Nashville.​

 

[mk80]

I like our chances over anyone coming out of the qualifying round...

Right now I do kind of hope it would work out that we face the winner of the Jets vs Flames series somehow, that series has taken a toll on both of those teams, and having to go up against the physical grinding Blues A game would be tough for one of those teams.

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

Hopefully nothing serious....

 

[BlueDream]

Great opportunity to get Kyrou in a game. No reason to risk a bigger injury to Thomas.

 

[Brockon]

Hopefully nothing serious....

Im dying to see what a healthy Thomas does through a whole post season... I guess next year I might get that. Sigh...

 

[mk80]

What even happened to Thomas? I liked how he was playing in the last game. The good news is according to Chief it's not serious. It will be interesting to see how Kyrou looks though.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

What even happened to Thomas? I liked how he was playing in the last game. The good news is according to Chief it's not serious. It will be interesting to see how Kyrou looks though.

Thought he started slow but got better as game went along.

 

[simon IC]

My chicken little alarm is going off. "Oh no, Thomas is made of glass!" Calm down, Simon. Breathe.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I think this is more about getting Kyrou a game before the elimination games than about Thomas being hurt.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

I think this is more about getting Kyrou a game before the elimination games than about Thomas being hurt.

Maybe, but Thomas plays best when comfortable and confident. Unless he is really hurt I want him getting reps. Let Bozo or Steen sit.

 

[The Note]

I'm sure it's a classic case where if this game were an elimination game or pivotal game 5 tied 2-2, Thomas would be in. But since it's not and they have the luxury of spare forwards, just give him the extra rest.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Updated for games 8/5:

1 - Colorado 4p, 6p possible
2 - Vegas 2p, 6p possible
3 - St Louis 0p, 4p possible
4 - Dallas 0p, 2p possible

If the Blues win either game, they are guaranteed at least 3rd. There is still a scenario where they could get 1st. Blues win out in regulation and Vegas beats Colorado in regulation. There would be a 3-way tie with 4 points, and revert to the tiebreakers.

For the next part, I’m going to predict who wins each series based on current probability by Dom’s model. This is in flux.

5 - Vancouver (7) over Minnesota (1-1)
6 - Calgary (8) over Winnipeg (2-1)
7 - Arizona (11) over Nashville (2-1)
8 - Chicago (12) over Edmonton (2-1)

It’s a shame those Chicago-Edmonton games have been so late. I watch part of them, then miss the endings. They’re not the best caliber of playoff hockey, but they are entertaining. I’m going to do this format for the Eastern Conference today too. It’s crazy that both 12 seeds are a game from advancing.

Blues would currently match up against Calgary.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Eastern Conference through 8/5:

1 - Tampa 4p (6p possible)
2 - Philadelphia 2p (6p possible)
3 - Washington 1p (5p possible)
4 - Boston 0p (2p possible)

Boston can get no higher than 3rd, because Washington has a point from OT. I had that wrong earlier.

5 - Carolina (6) defeated Rangers (3-0)
6 - Islanders (7) over Florida (2-1)
7 - Toronto (8) over Columbus (1-1)
8 - Montreal (12) over Pittsburgh (2-1)

Carolina is locked in at 5 or 6 seed. The reward might be facing the Bruins. I still think Pittsburgh will win their series, but I can’t help rooting for Montreal.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Updated for 8/6

1 - Colorado 4p, 6p possible
2 - Vegas 4p, 6p possible
3 - St Louis 0p, 2p possible
4 - Dallas 0p, 2p possible

It’s pretty clean now:
Colorado vs Vegas for 1/2
St Louis vs Dallas for 3/4
Apparently Allen is starting the Dallas game. I don’t fault Berube for getting time for all the guys in the round robin games. It’s the smarter approach for a team that plans on a long run. They obviously don’t view these games as real playoff games...and they’d be right.

But you can’t just flip a switch later. I think the Blues look very messy in multiple ways. I may post tomorrow with some details, but the bottom line is that I don’t think they are going on a deep run this time. And shockingly, it’s probably Bouwmeester’s absence that is the key issue.

For the next part, I’m going to predict who wins each series based on current probability by Dom’s model. It’s getting clearer:

5 - Vancouver (7) over Minnesota (2-1)
6 - Calgary (8) defeated Winnipeg (3-1)
7 - Arizona (11) over Nashville (2-1)
8 - Chicago (12) over Edmonton (2-1)

So the matchup still looks like Calgary as of today. There is no way the Blues could face Chicago or Arizona in the first round.​

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Updated for 8/6

1 - Colorado 4p, 6p possible
2 - Vegas 4p, 6p possible
3 - St Louis 0p, 2p possible
4 - Dallas 0p, 2p possible

It’s pretty clean now:
Colorado vs Vegas for 1/2
St Louis vs Dallas for 3/4
Apparently Allen is starting the Dallas game. I don’t fault Berube for getting time for all the guys in the round robin games. It’s the smarter approach for a team that plans on a long run. They obviously don’t view these games as real playoff games...and they’d be right.

But you can’t just flip a switch later. I think the Blues look very messy in multiple ways. I may post tomorrow with some details, but the bottom line is that I don’t think they are going on a deep run this time. And shockingly, it’s probably Bouwmeester’s absence that is the key issue.

For the next part, I’m going to predict who wins each series based on current probability by Dom’s model. It’s getting clearer:

5 - Vancouver (7) over Minnesota (2-1)
6 - Calgary (8) defeated Winnipeg (3-1)
7 - Arizona (11) over Nashville (2-1)
8 - Chicago (12) over Edmonton (2-1)

So the matchup still looks like Calgary as of today. There is no way the Blues could face Chicago or Arizona in the first round.​

Not sure how you pinpoint JayBo loss as key when to me looks like biggest issue is lack of urgency and particularly our forwards look completely disengaged.

 

[Nederlander]

The one bright spot from the Avalanche game (besides Binnington) was the defense. For the most part, they kept MacKinnon in check. So why did Berube mess with all the defensive pairings for last night's game? The defense was atrocious last night. I do hold Berube accountable, because he is supposed to get the team ready, and they clearly aren't ready. They look old and slow.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Not sure how you pinpoint JayBo loss as key when to me looks like biggest issue is lack of urgency and particularly our forwards look completely disengaged.

The ‘engagement’ of the forwards is a mental thing. But Scandella can’t just decide to be a more talented defender. If he’s a weak link, the Parayko pairing suddenly isn’t erasing other team’s top lines and taking puck possession so quickly. They were adept at quick puck retrieval last postseason.

I’ve already been watching opposing teams forecheck the Blues and keep the puck in their offensive zone much longer than we are accustomed to.

I rewatched all the Blues playoffs during the pandemic. I was impressed by Bouwmeester’s play more than I’d appreciated when the games were happening. I think his part in the defense’success has been largely underrecognized. I don’t see any ingredients on the team to reproduce that tandem. Before the playoffs are over, I think Scandella is going to be a whipping boy for defensive lapses.

 

[tom leafers]

My dudes, quick question, and quite honestly i was laughing my ass off-

This is Pietrangelo's HockeyDB picture. did he die and you guys found some dude that looks nothing like him to take his place? because this honestly looks nothing like him ahah.

 

[MissouriMook]

My dudes, quick question, and quite honestly i was laughing my ass off-

This is Pietrangelo's HockeyDB picture. did he die and you guys found some dude that looks nothing like him to take his place? because this honestly looks nothing like him ahah.

That looks like him to me. Are you sure you weren't looking for Uncle Frank?

 

[LetsGoBLUES91]

The one bright spot from the Avalanche game (besides Binnington) was the defense. For the most part, they kept MacKinnon in check. So why did Berube mess with all the defensive pairings for last night's game? The defense was atrocious last night. I do hold Berube accountable, because he is supposed to get the team ready, and they clearly aren't ready. They look old and slow.

They are the most poorly conditioned team in either bubble.

I remembered today that they interviewed Perron after Period 1...like 8 minutes after it ended...and he sounded like he was gonna pass out. They even joked about it. He could barely speak. 20 minutes.

You can see guys like Schenn just absolutely can’t wait to go home. It’s a shame.

 

[tfriede2]

My dudes, quick question, and quite honestly i was laughing my ass off-

This is Pietrangelo's HockeyDB picture. did he die and you guys found some dude that looks nothing like him to take his place? because this honestly looks nothing like him ahah.

He’s not smiling, which looks a bit goofy, but otherwise that looks exactly like him...

 

[execwrite1]

Chief either turns this ship around ASAP or it be sinking.

 

[HighNote]

We have two possible opponents in R1 now, Calgary or Vancouver. Pretty simple... if we win we get Calgary, if we lose we get Vancouver. I think we can handle either team, so I'm not too worried about which we match up against, but I'd prefer something positive before the playoffs actually begin so I'm rooting for a dominant win over the Stars. I want there to be no question about who the better team is on Sunday. We need to step into the first round on the right foot, so let's do that by stepping on Dallas' neck.

 

[simon IC]

We have two possible opponents in R1 now, Calgary or Vancouver. Pretty simple... if we win we get Calgary, if we lose we get Vancouver. I think we can handle either team, so I'm not too worried about which we match up against, but I'd prefer something positive before the playoffs actually begin so I'm rooting for a dominant win over the Stars. I want there to be no question about who the better team is on Sunday. We need to step into the first round on the right foot, so let's do that by stepping on Dallas' neck.

Could you have used any other reference?