Practice lines today:

[dhsux]

My truth says if Joel had come out and played a strong game things may well have gone differently last night.

From the git go, literally, he wasn't present.

With everyone out the goalies simply have to chip in with their best.

[DawgDad]

Fabbri-Thomas-Buchnevich
Neighbours-Dvorsky-Stenberg
McGing-Suter-Joseph
Toropchenko-Sundqvist-Luff
* Schenn not practicing today

Broberg-Parayko
Kessel-Faulk
Fowler-Mailloux
* Tucker

Binnington
Hofer


Let the Otto Stenberg era begin. At least this, with DD and Mailloux gives me something interesting to watch

Can you imagine going back to the year after the cup and be told that this would be the starting lineup in 5 years - ooof.

In near-term context I couldn't have imagined it this past summer!

In the big picture it was inevitable the Cup team would largely unwind. Right after the Blues won the Cup I posted that it was most likely NONE of the Cup team players would be on the next Blues Cup team. Lots of teams, hard to get to the top.

In terms of the roster Army tried to keep the veteran core intact and supplemented with other vets to keep the window open as long as possible. It worked until ROR, Tarasenko, Barbashev, and Mikkola were poised to go UFA at the same time (Pietrangelo, JBo, Edmundson, Maroon, Schwartz, Sanford already gone). This transition/rebuild was inevitable. What wasn't inevitable is the depth of the faceplant this season.

[callitwhatyouwant]

Fabbri-Thomas-Buchnevich
Neighbours-Dvorsky-Stenberg
McGing-Suter-Joseph
Toropchenko-Sundqvist-Luff
* Schenn not practicing today

Broberg-Parayko
Kessel-Faulk
Fowler-Mailloux
* Tucker

Binnington
Hofer


Let the Otto Stenberg era begin. At least this, with DD and Mailloux gives me something interesting to watch

Can you imagine going back to the year after the cup and be told that this would be the starting lineup in 5 years - ooof.

In near-term context I couldn't have imagined it this past summer!

In the big picture it was inevitable the Cup team would largely unwind. Right after the Blues won the Cup I posted that it was most likely NONE of the Cup team players would be on the next Blues Cup team. Lots of teams, hard to get to the top.

In terms of the roster Army tried to keep the veteran core intact and supplemented with other vets to keep the window open as long as possible. It worked until ROR, Tarasenko, Barbashev, and Mikkola were poised to go UFA at the same time (Pietrangelo, JBo, Edmundson, Maroon, Schwartz, Sanford already gone). This transition/rebuild was inevitable. What wasn't inevitable is the depth of the faceplant this season.

I think the biggest daggers for me post cup run was losing schwartz and Dunn. Schwartz was one of my favorite players and Dunn was exciting. Dunn did do some silly things like continual drop pass turnovers when he was with the Blues. The next dagger was ROR. Interesting that nothing came out about how ROR's contract negotiations went until literally just this week. ROR did say that Army approached him about extending him but they wanted to elevate Thomas' role to 1C. ROR apparently told Army he felt he still could play 1C minutes. That's a bummer for the Blues because ROR has proven to be a near 1C center since he left. He is averaging .77 PPG. And somehow makes it every day in the season.

Think of how much better the Blues would be if they would have signed ROR to a 4x5m contract. He carries a current cap hit of 4.5. We easily could have done that. Bummer. Was an all timer for the Blues. Clearly never slowed down like others said he would.

[Inglewood Jack]

Fabbri-Thomas-Buchnevich
Neighbours-Dvorsky-Stenberg
McGing-Suter-Joseph
Toropchenko-Sundqvist-Luff
* Schenn not practicing today

Broberg-Parayko
Kessel-Faulk
Fowler-Mailloux
* Tucker

Binnington
Hofer


Let the Otto Stenberg era begin. At least this, with DD and Mailloux gives me something interesting to watch

Can you imagine going back to the year after the cup and be told that this would be the starting lineup in 5 years - ooof.

In near-term context I couldn't have imagined it this past summer!

In the big picture it was inevitable the Cup team would largely unwind. Right after the Blues won the Cup I posted that it was most likely NONE of the Cup team players would be on the next Blues Cup team. Lots of teams, hard to get to the top.

In terms of the roster Army tried to keep the veteran core intact and supplemented with other vets to keep the window open as long as possible. It worked until ROR, Tarasenko, Barbashev, and Mikkola were poised to go UFA at the same time (Pietrangelo, JBo, Edmundson, Maroon, Schwartz, Sanford already gone). This transition/rebuild was inevitable. What wasn't inevitable is the depth of the faceplant this season.

I think the biggest daggers for me post cup run was losing schwartz and Dunn. Schwartz was one of my favorite players and Dunn was exciting. Dunn did do some silly things like continual drop pass turnovers when he was with the Blues. The next dagger was ROR. Interesting that nothing came out about how ROR's contract negotiations went until literally just this week. ROR did say that Army approached him about extending him but they wanted to elevate Thomas' role to 1C. ROR apparently told Army he felt he still could play 1C minutes. That's a bummer for the Blues because ROR has proven to be a near 1C center since he left. He is averaging .77 PPG. And somehow makes it every day in the season.

Think of how much better the Blues would be if they would have signed ROR to a 4x5m contract. He carries a current cap hit of 4.5. We easily could have done that. Bummer. Was an all timer for the Blues. Clearly never slowed down like others said he would.

That's just it. What "core" did Army keep? Schenn is pretty much it. Colt55 is good, but he was great with Pie and JBo in the lineup - such balance. Look at other teams that win the cup, they keep an all-star cast/core around, often to their detriment for long-term success. But at least one can identify with the team. The Blues recently are a revolving door and those that are "core", Thomas, Kyrou, Buch, Faulk, Parayko are not really guys that excite. Neighbors is one that I personally like - just has that aura. Need more of that personality in the team. Schenn has it too but is aging. The Blues lost not just talent but also identity. On D - Not easy to replace Pie AND JBo in short order, and after years, still have not. Army gutted the winners just like he did in Dallas.

[HighStick]

I think Armys biggest blunder post Cup was letting Mikkola, Barbashev and ROR go and signing Krug. They could have rebuilt the Defense on size and mobility like before but instead Army tried to rebrand the defense into an smaller more offensive minded defense and it never worked. They havent found the right system or defensive scheme since then. They used to be one of the best defenses in the league...for years. Both Faulk and Krug were touted as offensive defensemen. PP QB's they said. Neither has ever been even close to that and neither has been particularly good at defense. I will say Faulk has been sometimes serviceable throughout but rarely if ever outshines Parayko. Krug was a total disaster. I still think he got his contract off that 1 hit on Thomas during the run. Hes got spunk! They also never replaced ROR when he left. Schenn playing 2c has been painful to watch at times. Barbashev flourished as soon as he left. Armys had 6 years to fix the Defense and find a 2C and its only gotten worse...much worse.

[Inglewood Jack]

I think Armys biggest blunder post Cup was letting Mikkola, Barbashev and ROR go and signing Krug. They could have rebuilt the Defense on size and mobility like before but instead Army tried to rebrand the defense into an smaller more offensive minded defense and it never worked. They havent found the right system or defensive scheme since then. They used to be one of the best defenses in the league...for years. Both Faulk and Krug were touted as offensive defensemen. PP QB's they said. Neither has ever been even close to that and neither has been particularly good at defense. I will say Faulk has been sometimes serviceable throughout but rarely if ever outshines Parayko. Krug was a total disaster. I still think he got his contract off that 1 hit on Thomas during the run. Hes got spunk! They also never replaced ROR when he left. Schenn playing 2c has been painful to watch at times. Barbashev flourished as soon as he left. Armys had 6 years to fix the Defense and find a 2C and its only gotten worse...much worse.

And Army was "gifted" Edmonton's ineptitude! Imagine the Blues without Broberg and Holloway. It was a shrewd move, no doubt, but not one that is reliable to build a team. More like, Holy Cow, look what I found! And without that there would be (Donald Trump voice) "Hyuuuuuge, monstrous, really really big, super-duper BIG" gaps.

[Absolut]

Fabbri-Thomas-Buchnevich
Neighbours-Dvorsky-Stenberg
McGing-Suter-Joseph
Toropchenko-Sundqvist-Luff
* Schenn not practicing today

Broberg-Parayko
Kessel-Faulk
Fowler-Mailloux
* Tucker

Binnington
Hofer


Let the Otto Stenberg era begin. At least this, with DD and Mailloux gives me something interesting to watch

Can you imagine going back to the year after the cup and be told that this would be the starting lineup in 5 years - ooof.

Do you think other teams can lose half their forward lineup and still ice a group that looks impressive?

No. But I don’t accept this narrative, as much as that is now the party line, as the team was floundering before the injuries.