What did I just witness?

[Old_Goat]

Get the Goaltending Coach off the bench during games! Just let him maybe point out some/very few glaring things in between periods in locker room (i.e. your carrying your glove too low, etc.)... while certainly focus on and reinforce elements during postgame video reviews and practices.
I'm speculating that there is too much messaging and steering of the goalies from the bench and during timeouts -- getting into their heads. Let them play instinctively and reflexively and focus accordingly. Develop habits and training before and after the game.

[1983cougar]

If they can't win games when they score 4 goals it's going go be a loooooong season! In my opinion this team was built to win games 2-1, 3-2, etc. I hope they get their act together soon because I thought at the beginning of the season that they were a playoff team. I'm pretty sure that they can't compete with the upper echelon teams but if you play solid defense and get good goaltending (see 2019) you've got a chance.

[theograce]

If they can't win games when they score 4 goals it's going go be a loooooong season! In my opinion this team was built to win games 2-1, 3-2, etc. I hope they get their act together soon because I thought at the beginning of the season that they were a playoff team. I'm pretty sure that they can't compete with the upper echelon teams but if you play solid defense and get good goaltending (see 2019) you've got a chance.

They had the best backend in the world in 2019.

[seattleblue]

If they can't win games when they score 4 goals it's going go be a loooooong season! In my opinion this team was built to win games 2-1, 3-2, etc. I hope they get their act together soon because I thought at the beginning of the season that they were a playoff team. I'm pretty sure that they can't compete with the upper echelon teams but if you play solid defense and get good goaltending (see 2019) you've got a chance.

They had the best backend in the world in 2019.

They did, and they still have Parayko who is in his prime still. Fowler has another 6 game point streak going and can run a PP in a way that JayBo couldn't. I've been focused on RHD as the #1 thing this team needs. They're not super far away. I've actually found Broberg to be one of the brighter spots this year. He is skating with more force IMO and I'm comfortable with him defensively, also Parayko and Fowler. Faulk of course is Mr Up and Down but is a fading part.

They quite obviously know they are weak at RHD and they tried to do something about it. Thus far the trade looks brutal, and all of this baby Pronger baby Parayko nonsense is delusional, and was delusional. At least Jiricek on RHD can supply much stronger natural offense than Faulk, and he's larger and a much better skater. Right now the Blues better hope Jiricek has a consistent year. He's off to a good start, he was highly involved again yesterday and I'll watch him today. Real physical this year. We may have to wait, the NHL roster was supposed to compete at least for a playoff spot. To bridge the gap and give these younger guys another 1-2 more years to develop.

The good news is we know they're not this bad, and you know how hockey ebbs and flows, and suddenly a team can come together. You haven't liked Buch but have backed Kyrou. At least in 21-22 and 22-23 Buch was a top player, but he has really allowed the flaws in his game to start to define his game a lot more the past several seasons and it looks to continue. Kyrou I always saw as a "you have it or you don't" guy with true next level competitiveness. In fairness to him he has a 6 game point streak going and has looked dangerous and to my eyes better offensively this year in a sustainable way ... however, it's alarming he doesn't seem to have the bear-down that the top competitors on other teams have. When they were up 4-0 and he was in the slot with a golden chance he kind of flipped it casually backhand as a shot, like "the game is won, let's scrimmage a bit" sort of energy and it immediately caught my attention. Like I said in a thread last night I thought maybe I was being too harsh at first thinking "that is not a Game 7 type game on the line effort for that golden slot opportunity" since they were up 4-0 and he'd contributed. And then I saw it again. I started thinking maybe I would have to take back vouching for him to his major vocal hater Harry.

And as the game progressed you could just feel once that second goal went in and definitely once the third went in they were going to possibly and then definitely lose that game. And just knowing that the team craters like this right after a whole offseason supposedly spent stewing about having cratered in May, and right after cratering three times on home ice to division opponents who did not make the postseason last year, it was going to crater ... that is an indictment of their character. I don't think this falls on Monty tbh. Hofer really has hurt the team badly with an unacceptable terrible performance so far, and a lot of this wouldn't look as bad without this, and Binnington looks like he doesn't want the Canada net this year. When the going gets tough it exposes who you are. And the going is tough right now and they're exposed.

[theograce]

If they can't win games when they score 4 goals it's going go be a loooooong season! In my opinion this team was built to win games 2-1, 3-2, etc. I hope they get their act together soon because I thought at the beginning of the season that they were a playoff team. I'm pretty sure that they can't compete with the upper echelon teams but if you play solid defense and get good goaltending (see 2019) you've got a chance.

They had the best backend in the world in 2019.

They did, and they still have Parayko who is in his prime still. Fowler has another 6 game point streak going and can run a PP in a way that JayBo couldn't. I've been focused on RHD as the #1 thing this team needs. They're not super far away. I've actually found Broberg to be one of the brighter spots this year. He is skating with more force IMO and I'm comfortable with him defensively, also Parayko and Fowler. Faulk of course is Mr Up and Down but is a fading part.

They quite obviously know they are weak at RHD and they tried to do something about it. Thus far the trade looks brutal, and all of this baby Pronger baby Parayko nonsense is delusional, and was delusional. At least Jiricek on RHD can supply much stronger natural offense than Faulk, and he's larger and a much better skater. Right now the Blues better hope Jiricek has a consistent year. He's off to a good start, he was highly involved again yesterday and I'll watch him today. Real physical this year. We may have to wait, the NHL roster was supposed to compete at least for a playoff spot. To bridge the gap and give these younger guys another 1-2 more years to develop.

The good news is we know they're not this bad, and you know how hockey ebbs and flows, and suddenly a team can come together. You haven't liked Buch but have backed Kyrou. At least in 21-22 and 22-23 Buch was a top player, but he has really allowed the flaws in his game to start to define his game a lot more the past several seasons and it looks to continue. Kyrou I always saw as a "you have it or you don't" guy with true next level competitiveness. In fairness to him he has a 6 game point streak going and has looked dangerous and to my eyes better offensively this year in a sustainable way ... however, it's alarming he doesn't seem to have the bear-down that the top competitors on other teams have. When they were up 4-0 and he was in the slot with a golden chance he kind of flipped it casually backhand as a shot, like "the game is won, let's scrimmage a bit" sort of energy and it immediately caught my attention. Like I said in a thread last night I thought maybe I was being too harsh at first thinking "that is not a Game 7 type game on the line effort for that golden slot opportunity" since they were up 4-0 and he'd contributed. And then I saw it again. I started thinking maybe I would have to take back vouching for him to his major vocal hater Harry.

And as the game progressed you could just feel once that second goal went in and definitely once the third went in they were going to possibly and then definitely lose that game. And just knowing that the team craters like this right after a whole offseason supposedly spent stewing about having cratered in May, and right after cratering three times on home ice to division opponents who did not make the postseason last year, it was going to crater ... that is an indictment of their character. I don't think this falls on Monty tbh. Hofer really has hurt the team badly with an unacceptable terrible performance so far, and a lot of this wouldn't look as bad without this, and Binnington looks like he doesn't want the Canada net this year. When the going gets tough it exposes who you are. And the going is tough right now and they're exposed.

Far away from what though? The level they played last year? Perhaps. But people underestimate the trio they had in 2019. They will never have something near that imo in our lifetime. I just think it was really special. Look at Elliott, Allen and Hslak’s numbers. It’s funny stuff

[seattleblue]

Sorry ... I mistakenly said Fowler had a 6 game point streak I think the Detroit broadcast may have said that? I didn't really think about it. He has no goals 2 assists in 8 games, so his production from last season hasn't been there. That said I don't think he's the problem

Also in reply to Elliott, he set an NHL record his first year here for save percentage. .940. His best years were in STL. He had been very bad for prior teams in the NHL after winning the college championship. Elliott would get locked in for long stretches. He turned around one season while Halak floundered in October. We don't need the current team woes to be about goaltending from a decade ago though, that's a side tangent to the current issue which is this team.

[Bluesbacker]

At least we now know the reason Monty is hellbent on getting Looch into that locker room.

AbsoPuckenlutely ! These clowns should be ashamed to accept a paycheck.

[dhsux]

We can talk about what's happened up until today til the cows come home but the real question is what's going to happen going forward. And I'm not discounting what's happened so far.

Posters here rightly pointing out poor play from most of guys that led the way in the second half last season.

This could be poor management/coaching, could be a total lack of cohesion or overconfidence coming into this season or a lack of leadership on ice or it could be a team actually disgruntled with locker room issues or it's the players themselves not being capable any longer, which I doubt.

Unless the players have given up or are in revolt you know they are not happy campers with any of this and are looking for a fix. And they need to stay together as a team to do it.

A lot of these issues can blend into one bigger mess but for now I will maintain confidence in the coach and the players to sort their issues out and get back to the hockey we saw them play 2nd half of last season. This team might need to air some sh11t out like big boys and realign their responsibilities to each other.

[moose-and-squirrel]

waiting on the inevitable 'players only meeting'

[Bluesbacker]

They quit !!

[dhsux]

waiting on the inevitable 'players only meeting'

Ya better start somewhere!

Probably already had it.

[blackinkbiz]

I've seen plenty of NHL teams blow a 3-0 lead, but 4-0, halfway through a game and unable to pick up a single point on both the scorecard and standings ... that might be the first.

Completely pathetic.

[Frank Underwood]

I've seen plenty of NHL teams blow a 3-0 lead, but 4-0, halfway through a game and unable to pick up a single point on both the scorecard and standings ... that might be the first.

Completely pathetic.

Especially when the opposing goalie sucks. That was the really irritating thing…..we just stops shooting on a struggling goalie. One shot over the last 10 minutes of the 2nd period and first 10 or more minutes of the 3rd? That was embarrassing.

[theograce]

Sorry ... I mistakenly said Fowler had a 6 game point streak I think the Detroit broadcast may have said that? I didn't really think about it. He has no goals 2 assists in 8 games, so his production from last season hasn't been there. That said I don't think he's the problem

Also in reply to Elliott, he set an NHL record his first year here for save percentage. .940. His best years were in STL. He had been very bad for prior teams in the NHL after winning the college championship. Elliott would get locked in for long stretches. He turned around one season while Halak floundered in October. We don't need the current team woes to be about goaltending from a decade ago though, that's a side tangent to the current issue which is this team.

Elliott was never a starting goaltender in the NHL. That’s the point. That backend could make bad goaltenders look incredible. People underestimate just how special that backend was. I miss it.

The current woes are in large part defensive. Lost suter’s stability and threw in a guy who’s not nhl ready. The pairings have been in flux.

Are there other issues? Yes

[skilles]

We can talk about what's happened up until today til the cows come home but the real question is what's going to happen going forward. And I'm not discounting what's happened so far.

Posters here rightly pointing out poor play from most of guys that led the way in the second half last season.

This could be poor management/coaching, could be a total lack of cohesion or overconfidence coming into this season or a lack of leadership on ice or it could be a team actually disgruntled with locker room issues or it's the players themselves not being capable any longer, which I doubt.

Unless the players have given up or are in revolt you know they are not happy campers with any of this and are looking for a fix. And they need to stay together as a team to do it.

A lot of these issues can blend into one bigger mess but for now I will maintain confidence in the coach and the players to sort their issues out and get back to the hockey we saw them play 2nd half of last season. This team might need to air some sh11t out like big boys and realign their responsibilities to each other.

The truth is when you get to this level the problems are almost certainly the exact opposite of what most people think because these guys don't think and function like most people.

Not trying or caring is not A thing and its far more likely they are to tight, pressing to much, overthinking etc. I'm guilty of it to at times while coaching and thinking you didn't want it bad enough or you quit, didn't try hard enough etc. but that is just never the case. Saying those things to this level of athlete will work until it doesn't. They will respond but you better be picking your spots and that is why there is a shelf life.

What does happen at these levels is they are still human, barley but they are human with emotions that they don't choose. Ups, downs, feel good, feel bad etc. You can say "you are a pro, handle it" and they do that very well (way better than most) and that is why they are there but its still a thing. They are elite for sure but not robots.

The thing is they are competing against the very best so ANY slip will be piled on you in a hurry and it is relentless. These guys committed their whole lives to hockey when it cost them money and many sacrifices to do so for years and years...they are not uncaring or lazy but they are also not robots(close but not)

Its so so hard to find the right mindset between anxious/headcase/to much and not enough. You try really hard to go out and be relaxed and let your work habits and instincts do it then it goes bad because the opponent is a monster and made you look sloppy then you try to go all in and its to much, you are to tight and overthinking etc. and you super elite opponent makes you pay for that to. Then you find that sweet spot and you are the predator for awhile and hopefully at some point you get it figured out and become a fraction of a % of the top % then your to old and its over.

It is tough tough tough

The truth is when they went on that streak last season they were not working harder, trying harder, or caring more at all. They were simply clicking, it came together for awhile, they found that sweet spot between overthinking/pressing and letting their instincts do the job/confidence etc. and it is extremely difficult to capture that.

[skilles]

What most people think is about equivalent to telling a struggling MLB hitter he is just not swinging hard enough or with enough passion.

While I'm not at all a fan of the LM trade the kids life is on the line, there is no trying harder or wanting it more....he is all in.