Are the Blues Cursed?

[opti mist]

Ever since the overtime loss to Winnipeg last year, you just know that even with a two-goal lead, once we get inside 5 minutes the Blues seem to panic. Six overtime loses this year, and the meltdown tonight just feel like a curse to me.

Once the opposing team pulls the goalie the whole atmosphere changes instantly.

It has got to be in their heads every night.

What do they need to do to get beyond this?

Opti

[MandatoryDenial]

Six overtime loses this year, and the meltdown tonight just feel like a curse to me.

No they aren't cursed. Bad years happen to all franchises. Our team is a strange combination of aging and youth. Our aging stars are decreasing in their production and the young guys aren't ready to shoulder the entirety of the burden. I also think that the Blues as a franchise makes bad decisions. We really need more young talent and in my opinion when you have bad years like this one the proper thing to do is to be selling assets high but for some reason we don't do that. Our fan base is also very willing to excuse bad performance out of the front office and we are too tolerant IMO when the front office just isn't making good decisions. Its a bad combination.

[theograce]

Six overtime loses this year, and the meltdown tonight just feel like a curse to me.

I also think that the Blues as a franchise makes bad decisions. We really need more young talent and in my opinion when you have bad years like this one the proper thing to do is to be selling assets high but for some reason we don't do that. Our fan base is also very willing to excuse bad performance out of the front office and we are too tolerant IMO when the front office just isn't making good decisions. Its a bad combination.

Yes to this. And they think they are being good fans lol

[netboy65]

Ever since the overtime loss to Winnipeg last year, you just know that even with a two-goal lead, once we get inside 5 minutes the Blues seem to panic. Six overtime loses this year, and the meltdown tonight just feel like a curse to me.

Once the opposing team pulls the goalie the whole atmosphere changes instantly.

It has got to be in their heads every night.

What do they need to do to get beyond this?

Opti

Kind of an odd time for this post. They did win, so that’s something

[opti mist]

Ever since the overtime loss to Winnipeg last year, you just know that even with a two-goal lead, once we get inside 5 minutes the Blues seem to panic. Six overtime loses this year, and the meltdown tonight just feel like a curse to me.

Once the opposing team pulls the goalie the whole atmosphere changes instantly.

It has got to be in their heads every night.

What do they need to do to get beyond this?

Opti

Kind of an odd time for this post. They did win, so that’s something

"Playing under a curse" is a mental thing, something that is in the players' and coach's head. So, despite the win last night, it still felt like a loss very similar to all the others. Definitely the Blues once again panicked and but for the disallowed goal could have been headed into overtime. Did the win feel like a "lifting of the curse" or simply a delay? What the Blues need is a win with 2 or three goals in the last minute, one where they go into the last minute with a 2-goal lead and end up winning by 4 or 5 goals. Then they need to go out and do it again. Only then will they get that Winnipeg game out of their heads.

Opti

[dhsux]

Ever since the overtime loss to Winnipeg last year, you just know that even with a two-goal lead, once we get inside 5 minutes the Blues seem to panic. Six overtime loses this year, and the meltdown tonight just feel like a curse to me.

Once the opposing team pulls the goalie the whole atmosphere changes instantly.

It has got to be in their heads every night.

What do they need to do to get beyond this?

Opti

Kind of an odd time for this post. They did win, so that’s something

"Playing under a curse" is a mental thing, something that is in the players' and coach's head. So, despite the win last night, it still felt like a loss very similar to all the others. Definitely the Blues once again panicked and but for the disallowed goal could have been headed into overtime. Did the win feel like a "lifting of the curse" or simply a delay? What the Blues need is a win with 2 or three goals in the last minute, one where they go into the last minute with a 2-goal lead and end up winning by 4 or 5 goals. Then they need to go out and do it again. Only then will they get that Winnipeg game out of their heads.

Opti

That win did not feel like a loss like the others to me.

Rather, it was rather incredible really.

[netboy65]

Ever since the overtime loss to Winnipeg last year, you just know that even with a two-goal lead, once we get inside 5 minutes the Blues seem to panic. Six overtime loses this year, and the meltdown tonight just feel like a curse to me.

Once the opposing team pulls the goalie the whole atmosphere changes instantly.

It has got to be in their heads every night.

What do they need to do to get beyond this?

Opti

Kind of an odd time for this post. They did win, so that’s something

"Playing under a curse" is a mental thing, something that is in the players' and coach's head. So, despite the win last night, it still felt like a loss very similar to all the others. Definitely the Blues once again panicked and but for the disallowed goal could have been headed into overtime. Did the win feel like a "lifting of the curse" or simply a delay? What the Blues need is a win with 2 or three goals in the last minute, one where they go into the last minute with a 2-goal lead and end up winning by 4 or 5 goals. Then they need to go out and do it again. Only then will they get that Winnipeg game out of their heads.

Opti

I believe it’s the opposite. Sure, all those things still happened but they came away with the win anyway so now a giant weight is lifted and the next time we’re in that situation they’ll know that they actually can get through it.

[zamadoo]

Ever since the overtime loss to Winnipeg last year, you just know that even with a two-goal lead, once we get inside 5 minutes the Blues seem to panic. Six overtime loses this year, and the meltdown tonight just feel like a curse to me.

Once the opposing team pulls the goalie the whole atmosphere changes instantly.

It has got to be in their heads every night.

What do they need to do to get beyond this?

Opti

Kind of an odd time for this post. They did win, so that’s something

Yeah, get Jake back, right back on the 1st line, and they manage to hang on to one without eventually going to 0-7 in OT.

But they did it with Dvorsky's line scoring the opening goal with his first assist (and Buch primary assist to Schenn), and they have looked dangerous and solid in all zones. Good move by the coach to give them another game. After playing 18min in PHI, dalibor played 14min against NYI. Schenn, 18 in PHI, 15:34 at NYI.

We won with Bjugstad at 4C and no Sunny in the lineup. Still no Joseph. Texier is off the team.

Suter is all over the place, especially in front of the net, getting rewarded with goals that the opponent swats in their own net, but had a nice one last night for the game winner. 6g5a 11pts through 22 games 16min TOI last night.

Kyrou played 12min and had an assist, bringing him to 6g7a 13pts on the season. He had some good chances.

Walker was solid in all 3 zones. He and Toro played 13min last night, with Bjudstad at 10min of ice time.

Binner was rock solid.

Broberg covers a lot of ice. He can be a Bo type of player next to Parayko defensively. 27:58min of ice time in a non-OT game that we won fighting to hang on to the lead at the end. Colton with 24min TOI. Fowler 19min. Faulk 20. Tucker and Kessel 13min each. And we hung on for the W.

Holloway contributed to that line with 14min of ice time, also with an assist. He does some of the work for Kyrou and has speed to match.

Worth noting is Snuggerud's 12:49 TOI. Neighbours with 15:35min. Thomas at 19:20. The TOI numbers seem to indicate which players were on PK/4on4 duties, and who were in at the end of the third for defensive prowess and trust in clutch situations. Oh, and who wasn't in the penalty box.

It is possible we were once cursed, until the blessed year of 2019. Maybe the City paid its dues with the 2004 World Series, amongst other events. We can speculate. One might even speculate that since March 2020, we have been cursed. Army has been bringing in guys all over the organization who are in some way trying to rebound from on or off ice issues. Charitable works? Perhaps with this context and factors such as roster turnover, young/inexperienced players, injury, and line juggling, we can come to some reasoning as to how the team that ended last season the way they did could start this season the way they have. But then it's the question of how are the Thunderbirds also in such a rut? Such questions may indeed raise questions of an organizational curse. Why wouldn't they? A local curse, perhaps a product of the systemic curse granted to us, perhaps as part of the price for 2019, late in the 19-20 season when we were on a roll for the repeat. But, on the eve of a gutsy afternoon win over a hot team, having witnessed that and the past several games with critically observant eyes, looking for the determinator of internal acceptances regarding playoffs or tanking, one might also have seen a sobering ray of hope. With clearer vision, one might find reason upon which to speculate further. Dalibor's presence has no doubt changed the NHL lineup, and I wonder about the Springfield lineup? If he's a 2C here, what is he for them? It's good to see that Stancl is back in for them, and perhaps Texier might add to that forward group, as he for some reason could not for the Blues. Rosen and Skinner will help their defense settle down. Mailloux/Tucker/Kessel for 13min a night should be able to figure it out if the overall team D has more structure, which has been the case recently. Having Jake back in the lineup has no doubt helped. It seems the roster construction is pretty set for a while, so we can expect more consistency moving forward, as already evidenced in a 2+ game span. They went to the 70s look. We've seen the results at home. A curse indeed? To break on the road? As did the '19 team? I could see your point. Without proper education into the matter, it is difficult to surmise how such a curse could be broken, but by individual effort. The great hockey coach, Chief, said once "Simplicity and Work Ethic," which would be my antidote for this issue of panic and turmoil late in games. But, as I said, my knowledge is limited in these matters, and these players rode Chief out of town due to their lack of belief in the antidote. But then...Snuggerud, Dvorsky, Lindstein, Stenberg, Pekarcik, Stancl, Fischer, Carbonneau, Jiricek, Kaskimaki, Ralph, Burns...Broberg, Holloway, Neighbours...probably a few others to add to this list... A curse, a rebuild, or both? Local, Systemic, or both? What connections to the past have we, or what other reasons could there be for such a curse of lacking fortitude in crucial moments? Dare I even ask...

[TAFKAP]

Ever since the overtime loss to Winnipeg last year, you just know that even with a two-goal lead, once we get inside 5 minutes the Blues seem to panic. Six overtime loses this year, and the meltdown tonight just feel like a curse to me.

Once the opposing team pulls the goalie the whole atmosphere changes instantly.

It has got to be in their heads every night.

What do they need to do to get beyond this?

Opti

No, but we were. Both by the NHL and Scotty Bowman. Did you ever notice that after Bowman left in 1971 we never made it further than the WCF?? Did you notice that we only made it to the WCF EXACTLY every 15 years??? Bowman left in 1971, Blues in the WCF in 1986,2001,2016.

We were also cursed as the only expansion team to make the finals in their first year. Wasn't it odd to win the Cup ONE YEAR AFTER Vegas became the second???

These things to me feel like "curses".Things that have patterns or affect a team over multiple years, and different players.

I think the Blues are trying too hard, clutching the stick too tight, and are thinking too much, rather than playing with confidence.

[a smell of green grass]

Six overtime loses this year, and the meltdown tonight just feel like a curse to me.

No they aren't cursed. Bad years happen to all franchises. Our team is a strange combination of aging and youth. Our aging stars are decreasing in their production and the young guys aren't ready to shoulder the entirety of the burden. I also think that the Blues as a franchise makes bad decisions. We really need more young talent and in my opinion when you have bad years like this one the proper thing to do is to be selling assets high but for some reason we don't do that. Our fan base is also very willing to excuse bad performance out of the front office and we are too tolerant IMO when the front office just isn't making good decisions. Its a bad combination.

I would say that the Blues are cursed by a fan base that is unaware of what fans in other NHl cities enjoy. Imagine seeing Ovechkin or Crosby every game for 20 years. We have no stars to watch. It’s pathetic. Kids don’t even have a good name to put on their jersey.

[zuck698]

Six overtime loses this year, and the meltdown tonight just feel like a curse to me.

No they aren't cursed. Bad years happen to all franchises. Our team is a strange combination of aging and youth. Our aging stars are decreasing in their production and the young guys aren't ready to shoulder the entirety of the burden. I also think that the Blues as a franchise makes bad decisions. We really need more young talent and in my opinion when you have bad years like this one the proper thing to do is to be selling assets high but for some reason we don't do that. Our fan base is also very willing to excuse bad performance out of the front office and we are too tolerant IMO when the front office just isn't making good decisions. Its a bad combination.

I would say that the Blues are cursed by a fan base that is unaware of what fans in other NHl cities enjoy. Imagine seeing Ovechkin or Crosby every game for 20 years. We have no stars to watch. It’s pathetic. Kids don’t even have a good name to put on their jersey.

Man you must be a blast at parties! Geesh

[Boomac]

Ever since the overtime loss to Winnipeg last year, you just know that even with a two-goal lead, once we get inside 5 minutes the Blues seem to panic. Six overtime loses this year, and the meltdown tonight just feel like a curse to me.

Once the opposing team pulls the goalie the whole atmosphere changes instantly.

It has got to be in their heads every night.

What do they need to do to get beyond this?

Opti

No, but we were. Both by the NHL and Scotty Bowman. Did you ever notice that after Bowman left in 1971 we never made it further than the WCF?? Did you notice that we only made it to the WCF EXACTLY every 15 years??? Bowman left in 1971, Blues in the WCF in 1986,2001,2016.

We were also cursed as the only expansion team to make the finals in their first year. Wasn't it odd to win the Cup ONE YEAR AFTER Vegas became the second???

These things to me feel like "curses".Things that have patterns or affect a team over multiple years, and different players.

I think the Blues are trying too hard, clutching the stick too tight, and are thinking too much, rather than playing with confidence.

I fully believed in the curse of Scotty Bowman and I too believed it was broken the year Vegas went to the cup in their expansion year (I thought they were going to be blessed by the curse of Marc Andre Fluery, I was wrong on that one).

It was almost poetic justice seeing the Blues win the very next year.

[blackinkbiz]

Ever since the overtime loss to Winnipeg last year, you just know that even with a two-goal lead, once we get inside 5 minutes the Blues seem to panic. Six overtime loses this year, and the meltdown tonight just feel like a curse to me.

Once the opposing team pulls the goalie the whole atmosphere changes instantly.

It has got to be in their heads every night.

What do they need to do to get beyond this?

Opti

Every issue they have is self-inflicted. They NEVER take a shot at trying to score an empty netter. Yet, once the tables are turned and Blues' goalie is pulled, what seems to happen almost every time?

They're playing too afraid to make a mistake rather than being focused and tenacious to make a great play.

For most of the season, they've played that way far too much of each game. Yesterday was one of first times (at least that I've seen this season) where guys were patient and held on to the puck to make plays rather than trying to force things or freak out in fear of making a bad play.

[Hazelwood72]

Unlike other participants on Blues Squawk, I don’t constantly rag on the team. But it doesn’t mean I approve of what’s going on. To enumerate:

1). Armstrong has NOT made many good decisions since the Cup team. I think he should have done more to keep Maroon. Should have negotiated better with Petro. Botched the Seattle expansion draft and lost both Dunn and Schwartz. Bad longterm contracts for Krug, Faulk, and Buchnevich. Misunderstood the importance of big mobile defensemen who can clear the D Zone.

2). Whoever in the front office OK’d not resigning John Kelly has no business in marketing. This was a total failure.

Hell, when you consider how cash strapped the Blues were in the 1980’s, Nutty Professor Ron Caron made better deals and got more out of nothing than Armstrong. Armstrong is riding the coattails of a Cinderella season in 2019.

This team isn’t cursed. It’s just not that talented and it’s not strong mentally.

[somni]

Ever since the overtime loss to Winnipeg last year, you just know that even with a two-goal lead, once we get inside 5 minutes the Blues seem to panic. Six overtime loses this year, and the meltdown tonight just feel like a curse to me.

Once the opposing team pulls the goalie the whole atmosphere changes instantly.

It has got to be in their heads every night.

What do they need to do to get beyond this?

Opti

Kind of an odd time for this post. They did win, so that’s something

"Playing under a curse" is a mental thing, something that is in the players' and coach's head. So, despite the win last night, it still felt like a loss very similar to all the others. Definitely the Blues once again panicked and but for the disallowed goal could have been headed into overtime. Did the win feel like a "lifting of the curse" or simply a delay? What the Blues need is a win with 2 or three goals in the last minute, one where they go into the last minute with a 2-goal lead and end up winning by 4 or 5 goals. Then they need to go out and do it again. Only then will they get that Winnipeg game out of their heads.

Opti

You should consider changing your user name.

[Hazelwood72]

Ever since the overtime loss to Winnipeg last year, you just know that even with a two-goal lead, once we get inside 5 minutes the Blues seem to panic. Six overtime loses this year, and the meltdown tonight just feel like a curse to me.

Once the opposing team pulls the goalie the whole atmosphere changes instantly.

It has got to be in their heads every night.

What do they need to do to get beyond this?

Opti

Every issue they have is self-inflicted. They NEVER take a shot at trying to score an empty netter. Yet, once the tables are turned and Blues' goalie is pulled, what seems to happen almost every time?

They're playing too afraid to make a mistake rather than being focused and tenacious to make a great play.

For most of the season, they've played that way far too much of each game. Yesterday was one of first times (at least that I've seen this season) where guys were patient and held on to the puck to make plays rather than trying to force things or freak out in fear of making a bad play.

To be fair to the Blues, people criticize them when they ice the puck to try and hit the empty net and the subsequent play in our own zone results in the tying goal. I’m still pi z z ed at Buchnevich’s icing in Game 7 in Winnipeg last season which was the lowest IQ play I’ve seen in years.

Personally, I think the reason we give up too many empty netters is that we don’t have a strong forecheck in the O zone and we cough the puck up too much, especially when entering the O zone. That makes it easier for opposing teams to shoot for the empty net from the neutral zone.

I agree with your other points that the Blues play too timidly. I also feel they need to shoot more. If I were Monty, I’d tell Parayko to blast it every chance he gets and set up some greasy rebounds off that hard shot. (Ask Ben Bishop about getting a Parayko blast up high. Ain’t fun.) Colton is too nice and needs to play with more fire. I’d also tell Thomas to shoot more.