Who was the best Blues player this season?

[HighNote]

Do not take into account expectations.

This is not the same as who you think our MVP was this season, but the player you select can be both your MVP and best player.

For example, one could argue that X player has been the best Blues player this year, but Y player is more valuable to the team. You're voting for X in this scenario.

Click to read more...

 

[Linkens Mastery]

1st 1/2 Kyrou

2nd 1/2 Thomas

Most consistent throughout the year Faulk.

 

[Xerloris]

As much as I want to say Thomas or Tarasenko I think we would have been f***ed without Faulk. Far and away the best player night after night.

 

[Stealth JD]

Husso
Only guy they miss the playoffs without

 

[Mike Liut]

My top 10 MVP’s

Thomas
Buchnevich
Faulk
Tarasenko
Schenn
Husso
Parayko
Barbashev
ROR
Kyrou

 

[Moose and Squirrel]

Sanford

 

[simon IC]

This was tough, so many good choices. I finally went with Buchnevich because of his two way play.

 

[BlueDream]

Very tough but I gotta go with Thomas. Not only is he killing it points-wise, but I think he’s the main guy responsible for revolutionizing our team’s identity in terms of becoming an elite passing and offensive team.

 

[execwrite1]

Good poll. I have to give this some thought.

I think it's Thomas, Faulk or Husso.

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

Faulk has been the most consistent player throughout the year.
Husso hard carried the team in Jan/Feb.
Tarasenko has been the most consistent forward for production.
Thomas has been an absolute monster post All-Star break.

I don't think there's anyone that stands head and shoulders above the rest of the team, went with Faulk.

 

[elkranio]

Haven't seen a lot of games this season sadly, but I'd go with Husso, Won't wote because of my small sample size.

 

[ItsOnlytheRiver]

Husso has saved a lot of goals.

 

[rumrokh]

Thomas
Husso
Faulk

I think it's that order, but I can't blame anyone for any other order, especially Husso as #1. Tarasenko, Buchnevich, Perron, and Kyrou after that.

Schenn flies under the radar a bit. I think he's a work-ethic-emotional leader on the team in a big way. Might actually be more important to their success this year than Kyrou. But you can't discount Kyrou's impact on their offensive confidence early.

 

[joe galiba]

really considered Faulk, Husso and Thomas

 

[Celtic Note]

Thomas
Husso
Faulk

I think it's that order, but I can't blame anyone for any other order, especially Husso as #1. Tarasenko, Buchnevich, Perron, and Kyrou after that.

Schenn flies under the radar a bit. I think he's a work-ethic-emotional leader on the team in a big way. Might actually be more important to their success this year than Kyrou. But you can't discount Kyrou's impact on their offensive confidence early.

These are my top 3.

 

[Blueline2757]

This is a tough one, so many good choices. I ultimately went with Faulk with Thomas very close behind.

 

[oPlaiD]

I voted for Husso, but Thomas and Faulk are very legitimate choices.

I was curious what some analytics said about this question, so I looked at Evolving Hockey, which has a Goals Above Replacement metric that takes into account offensive and defensive contribution.

Husso has 17.38 GSAA and if he had played 50-60 games at that level like the other top goalies in the league he'd be a clear choice, but since he's under 40 games played I can understand picking a skater.

Evolving Hockey's GAR ranks our skaters thus:

1) Robert Thomas, 16.3 GAR
2) Justin Faulk, 16.2 GAR
3) Pavel Buchnevich, 15.7 GAR
4) Colton Parayko, 13.7 GAR
5) Jordan Kyrou, 12.9 GAR
6) Ryan O'Reilly, 12.2 GAR

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

I went with Faulk.

 

[TheDizee]

Many people, its been a great TEAM. But if I had to pick 3 Justin Faulk, Chucky Sideburns and Nathan Walker.

Faulk has been the most consistent player and the other 2 helped carry and produce for this team when they were at rock bottom.

 

[Robb_K]

It's really too difficult to choose a "best" player, especially without a hard and fast, detailed definition of what "best" means. This Blues' team is probably the most balanced EVER in their history. Faulk, Thomas, Husso, Buchnevich, Parayko, and Tarasenko have all been essential. O'Reilly, Schenn, Perron, and Kyrou come just below that level. Then Krug, Saad, Leddy, and Barbashev. I voted for Faulk, because he has played the steadiest in a two-way, balanced role. Thomas, O'Reilly, and Schenn, are excellent in the 2-way game, as well. But, those 6 I mentioned first would be tied, if I could answer using my own criteria, and not following the pollmaker's rule. The Blues are the 2021-22 NHL team that determining a "best" player, or MVP is the most difficult, and has the least meaning, as they are the most balanced, and also probably most dependent upon teamwork, as well.

 

[Joshuar56]

It's funny that so many people picked Thomas, but he didn't start putting up these numbers until he started playing with Tarasenko.

 

[Stealth JD]

It's funny that so many people picked Thomas, but he didn't start putting up these numbers until he started playing with Tarasenko.

Yeah - Tarasenko is leading the team in scoring by a considerable amount...has probably been more consistent than anyone and has hardly a mention for team MVP. It's a bit weird. Tank would probably be my #2.

 

[TurgPavs]

Yeah - Tarasenko is leading the team in scoring by a considerable amount...has probably been more consistent than anyone and has hardly a mention for team MVP. It's a bit weird. Tank would probably be my #2.

IMO Tarasenko has made everyone around him better this season. The top line of Buch, Thomas, and Tarasenko is the most entertaining offensive group I have seen in a long time in St. Louis.

No one saw this coming with Tarasenko.

At the start or the season, he was on the ice with, what was essentially the third line.

I wonder how many fans would have believed that Tarasenko would score 80+ points this season to move into the top 5 all time for the Blues.
Honestly I thought we would see a 45-55 point production from the guy this season.

 

[TurgPavs]

Forgot to mention Tarasenko is now tied with Turgeon for the 3rd most points scored in a season by a Blue, in the last 25 years, with only Demitra 93 points in 02-03 and 89 points in 98-99, in front of them.

 

[Brian39]

I went with Buch. He just does everything so damn well.

He's 2nd on the team in goals. He's 3rd in assists and points. He leads forwards in +/- by 12 and he leads our forwards in defensive points share as well. His offensive production is just shy of Tarasenko/Thomas but he does so damn much heavy lifting defensively for whatever line he is on. His possession numbers lead the top 9, as does his goals for percentage and his expected goals for percentage.

Tarasenko's possession numbers and expected goals percentage are in the low-40s without Buch but they are just above 50 together.

Thomas is in the mid-40s without Buch and in the mid-50s with Buch.

The Buch-Thomas-Tarasenko line is in the mid-50s across the board. Thomas and Tarasenko together without Buch are in the mid-40s. It's about a 10 percentage point drop across the board when you take Buch off their line and the sample size is just as many minutes as they have all been together. Every metric suggests that Buch is the straw that stirs the drink for what has become our best line.

Barby was at his clear best this season when he got put with Buch. His possession metrics are in the low-40s without Buch but just below 50 with Buch. Kyrou is in the mid-40s without Buch and the low-50s with him.

Pretty much every player on the team sees their defensive performance get drastically better when they are on a line with Buch and Thomas/Barby each saw their offense explode with Buch. There is no doubt in my mind that Buch would have finished ahead of Thomas in scoring if they hadn't moved Thomas onto Buch's line. And I firmly believe that Buch's play off the puck more than covers the 4 goal and 7 point production gap between Buch and Tarasenko.

Buch is the driver of his line at 5 on 5. He's been our best defensive forward and (at worst) the 3rd best offensive forward. He's been nothing short of remarkable this season. There are a number of guys who aren't the "wrong" answer to this question, but Buch is my answer by a noticeable margin.

My top 5 (in order) would be Buch, Faulk, Thomas, Tarasenko, Husso. Faulk has been incredible in his role, but the sheltering of his usage dips him below Buch for me. Thomas and Tarasenko are damn near interchangeable as the 2nd and 3rd best forwards, but Thomas killing penalties gives him an ever so slight edge. Husso has been great, but the limited workload puts him below that incredibly good top 4 performances in my eyes. That isn't remotely his fault, but it is just the nature of small sample sizes. He'd be higher if the question was 'who has been most important to the team.'