Too many misfits?

[Bluesfan1988]

Long time Blues fan here.

I see the questions about individual players all the time here, the culture, coaching.

I'm going to resonate what Chris Pronger said the other day. This team doesn't have an identity, and hasn't for awhile...since the cup.

By that, and my thread title is that I mean we have too many random pieces. All great players in their own right, but not a good fit for the Blues grinding, blue collar type of play we're used to, and is clearly expected by coaching.

Jordan Kyrou, great goal scorer, clearly, but also doesn't do the little things needed by a physical team. His game was improving last year, until he took that hit in the playoffs against Winnipeg. He has shyed off everything since then. He's scared to be hit and doesn't subscribe to the type of play asked by this organization. I think that contributes to his lacksidasical play. So he just floats mostly. He is a finesse player, not this teams identity.

Robert Thomas, decent player, decent passer, not the gritty make it happen center his contract warranted. He's good, but he's no Adam Oates. Would Thomas fit in here, absolutely, but he shouldn't be our #1C imo.

I'm going to go big group here....Neighbors, all day long Blues type of player. Holloway, absolutely, still recovering from injury but has the grit. Broberg, absolutely. Fowler, solid acquisition, Faulk, I know many don't like but he's usually solid but aging, Schenn, love the guy to death but he is markedly not who he was just a couple years ago, age catches us all. Tucker and Moli should never have been on the same line, they can grind but the skill isnt there for them to be paired together. Nothing to say about their talent, or lack thereof, just a poor decision imo by coaching, and I have a strong feeling it was pushed by the front office. Plus Suter is one of the best acquisitions we've gotten since the offer sheet for Broberg and Holloway. The kid is a solid 2 way player and his hockey IQ is on point. Joseph has oddly enough shown, imo, to be an integral part of this team in 3rd or 4th line, maybe higher. Sunny wnd Walker....key components, and no one wants to deal with their tenacity. Last but not least in this group is Buchy. He gets beat up, isn't fancy, but his stats with the Blues speak for themselves. I think he's trying to lift this team up with his play, but he just isn't that guy that can carry a team, he's a complimentary piece to better players, which he really doesn't have around him but still does well.

The youngins....Snuggy has proven a spot on this team imo. From what I've seen from DD in his games, he has too. Would love to see Carbo get a shot too. They've definitely interjected some energy into this team. Love Torpy's fire and drive, grind and physical play. Honestly would love to see Schenemann get some time over Kessel, Tucker, and Mali. Any time I've seen him in the lineup he's played solid D.

And finally the goaltenders...Binner, one of the elite imo when he's on. Hofer, great #2 but struggling although I feel he did well tonight.

In summary of my ramblings, we have many great players, just not players that fit into this system. You can't expect a round peg to fit into a square hole and I feel that's where the Blues are right now. Too many different shapes trying to fit into the same hole.

[SameOldBlues]

The loss last night, and every loss for that matter, is clearly Mailloux’s fault. To think otherwise is denying the blatant facts.

Sincerely,
Typical awesomely hockey knowledged Blues fan

[Frank Underwood]

The loss last night, and every loss for that matter, is clearly Mailloux’s fault. To think otherwise is denying the blatant facts.

Sincerely,
Typical awesomely hockey knowledged Blues fan

You’re right on the money. The guy was absolutely invisible last night.

[SameOldBlues]

The loss last night, and every loss for that matter, is clearly Mailloux’s fault. To think otherwise is denying the blatant facts.

Sincerely,
Typical awesomely hockey knowledged Blues fan

You’re right on the money. The guy was absolutely invisible last night.

[bluetunehead]

To suggest that Thomas isn’t worth his contract is preposterous. 8M isn’t some massive contract in 2025.

[dhsux]

Long time Blues fan here.

I see the questions about individual players all the time here, the culture, coaching.

I'm going to resonate what Chris Pronger said the other day. This team doesn't have an identity, and hasn't for awhile...since the cup.

By that, and my thread title is that I mean we have too many random pieces. All great players in their own right, but not a good fit for the Blues grinding, blue collar type of play we're used to, and is clearly expected by coaching.

Jordan Kyrou, great goal scorer, clearly, but also doesn't do the little things needed by a physical team. His game was improving last year, until he took that hit in the playoffs against Winnipeg. He has shyed off everything since then. He's scared to be hit and doesn't subscribe to the type of play asked by this organization. I think that contributes to his lacksidasical play. So he just floats mostly. He is a finesse player, not this teams identity.

Robert Thomas, decent player, decent passer, not the gritty make it happen center his contract warranted. He's good, but he's no Adam Oates. Would Thomas fit in here, absolutely, but he shouldn't be our #1C imo.

I'm going to go big group here....Neighbors, all day long Blues type of player. Holloway, absolutely, still recovering from injury but has the grit. Broberg, absolutely. Fowler, solid acquisition, Faulk, I know many don't like but he's usually solid but aging, Schenn, love the guy to death but he is markedly not who he was just a couple years ago, age catches us all. Tucker and Moli should never have been on the same line, they can grind but the skill isnt there for them to be paired together. Nothing to say about their talent, or lack thereof, just a poor decision imo by coaching, and I have a strong feeling it was pushed by the front office. Plus Suter is one of the best acquisitions we've gotten since the offer sheet for Broberg and Holloway. The kid is a solid 2 way player and his hockey IQ is on point. Joseph has oddly enough shown, imo, to be an integral part of this team in 3rd or 4th line, maybe higher. Sunny wnd Walker....key components, and no one wants to deal with their tenacity. Last but not least in this group is Buchy. He gets beat up, isn't fancy, but his stats with the Blues speak for themselves. I think he's trying to lift this team up with his play, but he just isn't that guy that can carry a team, he's a complimentary piece to better players, which he really doesn't have around him but still does well.

The youngins....Snuggy has proven a spot on this team imo. From what I've seen from DD in his games, he has too. Would love to see Carbo get a shot too. They've definitely interjected some energy into this team. Love Torpy's fire and drive, grind and physical play. Honestly would love to see Schenemann get some time over Kessel, Tucker, and Mali. Any time I've seen him in the lineup he's played solid D.

And finally the goaltenders...Binner, one of the elite imo when he's on. Hofer, great #2 but struggling although I feel he did well tonight.

In summary of my ramblings, we have many great players, just not players that fit into this system. You can't expect a round peg to fit into a square hole and I feel that's where the Blues are right now. Too many different shapes trying to fit into the same hole.

Your opinion is well stated.

What's kind of weird is even if you are correct on all points, of which I do not subscribe to all, it still doesn't describe a last place team with a 7 game losing streak.

They are what they are and right now they have mired themselves down by not playing anywhere near a 60 minute game of good hockey. If not one or two or three players on a night it's them on another night. The weight of each loss now compounding the next game challenge.

These guys are under perfoming at an amazing level.

[moose-and-squirrel]

The loss last night, and every loss for that matter, is clearly Mailloux’s fault. To think otherwise is denying the blatant facts.

Sincerely,
Typical awesomely hockey knowledged Blues fan

You’re right on the money. The guy was absolutely invisible last night.

Frank you nailed it again.. dude was literally unnoticeable last night.. what an embarassment

oh, and thomas is ' a decent passer'.. lolz

[ManitobaBlues]

The loss last night, and every loss for that matter, is clearly Mailloux’s fault. To think otherwise is denying the blatant facts.

Sincerely,
Typical awesomely hockey knowledged Blues fan

You’re right on the money. The guy was absolutely invisible last night.

Frank you nailed it again.. dude was literally unnoticeable last night.. what an embarassment

oh, and thomas is ' a decent passer'.. lolz

Mallioux needs time, I like the fact let him play.

Robert Thomas....OK I will say it the guy is way to inconsistent to be a #1 center, he will most likely be left off Team Canada for the Olympics AGAIN. He is all the tools, but for someone who lived with the Tkachuk family when he was a Blue....Obviously he did not listen or is Matt and Brady are better skilled players and more of a complete hockey player than Thomas?

I do not see any fire in Thomas at all, and not sure why, he does have the A on his sweater so he needs act like it and take control of this team. I am afraid that Thomas has no leadership in him at all....and this is our future captain.

[a smell of green grass]

The Blues have the wrong guys in the driver seats, signed to long-term deals.

Thomas is good, but good is not sufficient when you want to win the important games.

Same with Kyrou.

For an example of this, look at the Winnipeg playoff series. Both were non-factors.

The biggest misfit is Armsrong. He doesn't seem to know what guys to sign up long-term versus not.

Show me a Blues with a long-term contract, and I'll show you long-term mediocrity in a key position.

[ManitobaBlues]

Monty stated that St. Louis is a Blue Collar town and the Blues identity is a Blue collar team according to Monty...I do not think Armstrong is on the same page with the personal.

[billybaseball]

Thomas will be a top end #2 center but he doesn't take games over like you need from a #1 center. Unfortunately I think Dvorsky falls into that same range. Blues might need to rethink the rebuild and look to get that #1 center before they go all in.

[Cahokanut]

We are Only a "blue collar town" still. Because that's all Army knew. When the whole league went to speed. Army stayed coarse for another five years
Changed for two, then went right back to what he has only known.

What Army done from the beginning and still does to this day is bring in two or three third and fourth line vets, plays them on the first, second, and third line with our skill.
Trades for a vet defender. Gives them multi-year contracts to play above their pay grade. Because they seem stable.

With the teams skill. He wants them to grind. He spreads out the scoring. By putting them with his junkie Vets, and tells them about the, 'buy in. Which basically means, grind.

This is why he gets one cup. Ten years after the teams full rebuild produced all of our top six, a elite sniper, a elite goaltender and a elite defender. Not three or four Cups, like the rebuild built for us.

This Blue collar team thing only works here because fans accepted what past bad gms did, as hockey. Fans learned that hockey isn't to take a puck to the net and make a accurate shot. But hockey was/is to hit someone, grab on and wear them down. Goals come by corner work, point shots, and as many bodies between, as they can get. With this hockey, the puck needs to go to the corner. That's why Kyrou will always have a [shirt] tread.

Army is/was the same [shirt]ty gms we have had all along. He is just better at lying to those that only know blues hockey.

[moose-and-squirrel]

it's hilarious that some people go on about Army making up the lineup lol

[DawgDad]

On paper this team should have been a solid playoff team. Preseason paper projections didn't account for the Hofer meltdown, Mailloux antics, veteran offensive power outage, mindless defensive lapses, or the injuries to Neighbours and Thomas.

Simply stated, without Thomas this team is like a three-legged mule with one back leg stuck in a mud hole. Thomas cannot be replaced by any configuration of "next man up". If he were to be lost long term the ONLY hope in-house lies in the development of Dvorsky. Thomas is THAT important to THIS team. There is no Malkin or Draisaitl here to take the reins from Crosby or McDavid, there are only players who cannot fill the skates of a 1C.

It's sad to say, because he's been a true Blues warrior, but Schenn just is no longer capable of driving offense against top-6 matchups.

[ratonmono2]

Some good points in here and a glaring mistake that I'm still seeing despite all the evidence to the contrary. I can't for the life of me imagine what people are watching when they say Thomas isn't a number one center. Thomas is the one guy I'm willing to stick with going forward on this roster along with Neighbors. Everyone else is expendable. Thomas is that good. It looks like Lindstein might be joining that tier in a few years but otherwise this team is a collection of mediocrity. It baffles me that in that people would single out Thomas. Crazy.

[juan good eye]

Not enough great players…and yes the team identity has been an issue for years now. The direction of the roster is confused and the team isn’t really built to contend for a Cup now or later.

Regarding this season:

Things are never as good or bad as we think they are.

Good news: the Blues aren’t quite this bad (underachieving)

Bad news: the Blues aren’t as good as the team who finished last season on a unsustainable hot streak

There is a ton of parity in a cap league and the Blues have a decent team that should be battling it out to finish between 12th and 20th most points. Nothing new here.

If everything goes perfect they can slide into top 10 and if everything goes wrong they’ll remain in bottom 10. So far we’ve seen the latter.

It’s a long season that wasn’t intended to end with a SC.