Reality Check

[BluesDom]

McDavid returned and he was humming.
Blues played admirably. We can win. We have won. Stay the course. Go Blues.
Get healthy.
Colton will give us a boost fo sure.

[Sudsy 11]

You could see towards the end of the streak that the level of play wasn't as strong as as it was in the early part of the streak. Somehow they still were able to win games. I think the the days off will help moving forward to the final 2 games and hopefully playoff hockey. It will be a very tough first round for the Blues if Holloway can't play. He really drives the play of that 2nd line. The Blues future looks bright, but I'm not expecting a repeat of 2019.

[JR1]

Whoever said Schenn is looking overmatched I agree. He had a terrible first half but has looked rejuvenated during the 12 game winning streak. The past few games he looks like he’s not putting forth as much effort. When he was playing well he was getting multiple scoring chances per game. I don’t think he’s had a good look over the past 3-4 games. Is he exhausted? Injured? He just looks disinterested to me.

[Harry York 37]

If the Blues can get into the play offs I see that as a separate issue than what is happening right now.

I have no doubt the blues could win a round 1.

The matter at hand AND the challenge at hand right now is to just get in.

Monty...do your stuff my man.

This is key. The boys have bought what he has been selling, but they need a refill and a refresher course.
The last time they had this much time off, they got a fine polishing.

Do it again, Monty.

It might be as simple as a few practices to restore the “habits” that got them in the hunt.

Dvorsky looks a bit overwhelmed, but he is 19 and hasn’t even played an entire season on an NHL sized rink, has he?


If anyone can get these rag tag warriors remembering to always be relentless and play the right way and start believing in themselves again, it would be Monty.


I gotta say… even though I realized most of it was from desperation, I loved all the playoff dirty tricks we got away with.


Suter looks like he is practicing an innocent face for when the Detectives come over to question him.

[blues2112]

The true reality check will be in the playoffs.

Bear in mind that Montgomery's teams are 16-17 in postseason.

[BobbyBlue]

The only reality check that I see is…the team is beginning to see the effects of not having Holloway and Colton in the line-up. They covered it up admirably during the winning streak. But as you begin to play playoff caliber teams and playoff caliber talent…their loss is magnified. Holloway’s speed and transition game is missed and changes the dynamic and chemistry of the lines. Colton’s presence effects the defensive pairings and the close out of games. We have placed a band-aid on them being out of the line-up. Now…that band-aid has been pulled off…and the wound of them not being in the line-up is being exposed. Hopefully…they can still get into the playoffs. And hopefully Colton can return to help the cause in round one…but…I think the loss of Holloway will be the one loss the team can not overcome…this year…and that’s the real reality check IMO.

[DawgDad]

The true reality check will be in the playoffs.

Bear in mind that Montgomery's teams are 16-17 in postseason.

I don't put any stock into what other teams did in the past. 16-17 for Monty isn't bad but there is some very troubling context buried in there. Frankly, I don't see any Scotty Bowmans around.

[callitwhatyouwant]

The true reality check will be in the playoffs.

Bear in mind that Montgomery's teams are 16-17 in postseason.

I don't put any stock into what other teams did in the past. 16-17 for Monty isn't bad but there is some very troubling context buried in there. Frankly, I don't see any Scotty Bowmans around.

I mean 16-17 isn't bad for playoffs. You aren't expected to always make runs in the playoffs. There's going to be a year where you get a 1-4 lopped on your record.

https://records.nhl.com/records/playoff ... ins-career

Like you said, not too many Bowmans around. But on that list the notable guys that don't have a near .500 record are

2. Al Arbour
9. Glen Sather
15. Toe Blake


And then once you get to 25 on that list, coaches start being slightly above .500 to slightly below .500. Getting to the playoffs in general is the feat.

[blackinkbiz]

The only reality check that I see is…the team is beginning to see the effects of not having Holloway and Colton in the line-up. They covered it up admirably during the winning streak. But as you begin to play playoff caliber teams and playoff caliber talent…their loss is magnified. Holloway’s speed and transition game is missed and changes the dynamic and chemistry of the lines. Colton’s presence effects the defensive pairings and the close out of games. We have placed a band-aid on them being out of the line-up. Now…that band-aid has been pulled off…and the wound of them not being in the line-up is being exposed. Hopefully…they can still get into the playoffs. And hopefully Colton can return to help the cause in round one…but…I think the loss of Holloway will be the one loss the team can not overcome…this year…and that’s the real reality check IMO.

Yep, it seems counter-intuitive, but it's the loss of Holloway that in fact weakens the team defensively probably more than Parayko. The Blues defensive system is predicated on a strong 4-line forecheck which keeps the opponent hemmed up in their own end. Holloway and his line were masters at this during the streak. The sustained offensive pressure of his line seemed to tip the scales enough that the oppo was figuratively skating uphill the entire game. Now, without that pressure, teams are reversing the scales and the extended amount of time spent in our own end is creating more time, thus more chances, mistakes, and goals against.

Parayko will certainly help, but man Holloway's loss is big.

[callitwhatyouwant]

The only reality check that I see is…the team is beginning to see the effects of not having Holloway and Colton in the line-up. They covered it up admirably during the winning streak. But as you begin to play playoff caliber teams and playoff caliber talent…their loss is magnified. Holloway’s speed and transition game is missed and changes the dynamic and chemistry of the lines. Colton’s presence effects the defensive pairings and the close out of games. We have placed a band-aid on them being out of the line-up. Now…that band-aid has been pulled off…and the wound of them not being in the line-up is being exposed. Hopefully…they can still get into the playoffs. And hopefully Colton can return to help the cause in round one…but…I think the loss of Holloway will be the one loss the team can not overcome…this year…and that’s the real reality check IMO.

Yep, it seems counter-intuitive, but it's the loss of Holloway that in fact weakens the team defensively probably more than Parayko. The Blues defensive system is predicated on a strong 4-line forecheck which keeps the opponent hemmed up in their own end. Holloway and his line were masters at this during the streak. The sustained offensive pressure of his line seemed to tip the scales enough that the oppo was figuratively skating uphill the entire game. Now, without that pressure, teams are reversing the scales and the extended amount of time spent in our own end is creating more time, thus more chances, mistakes, and goals against.

Parayko will certainly help, but man Holloway's loss is big.

add to what you said, did anyone forecheck and steal a puck that led to offensive chances during a line change moreso than hollywood this season? I feel like I had seen 4 or 5 times where the puck was dumped in for a line change and hollywood was the pressure guy and somehow he stole the puck, held on for a minute and then was able to cycle while he got off and it turned into big pressure moments. Those plays were the ones that made me a huge fan earlier in the season and it continued. And as you said, Monty is definitely a defensive oriented coach. It's not secret that when he was added to the staff, our "shots" went down but our high danger spots went up. Both that season and this season our best part of our game was our transition game. We led the league then and were this year at odd man rushes.

I think because we lost that speed component with Hollywood, it has trickled down the lines and had a big effect. 2nd line with kyrou and hollywood was speedsters, torpedo and walker have speed, and Joseph has big time speed. Thats 3 lines of absolute hellish hockey you have to play against. And then when we get the o-zone faceoff, you have to see the Thommer buchy line. That was the recipe for success. Hopefully we can get the new guys to create that same pressure.