So what's the deal?

[TheJackBurton]

It really is that simple. Goaltending is the Blues 1st, 2nd, and 3rd main issues.

The eye test and advanced stats match. We are not hanging either of them out to dry. The Blues d is limiting the high danger chances yet the goaltending still can’t perform.

The offense is doing their job scoring 3 or more in 7 out of 9 games. Stats will show that your chances of winning are VERY high if you score at least 3 goals.

Last night's game?

Somewhat, but getting behind 2-0 in the first 55 seconds of the game kind of forces the hand.

[callitwhatyouwant]

It really is that simple. Goaltending is the Blues 1st, 2nd, and 3rd main issues.

The eye test and advanced stats match. We are not hanging either of them out to dry. The Blues d is limiting the high danger chances yet the goaltending still can’t perform.

The offense is doing their job scoring 3 or more in 7 out of 9 games. Stats will show that your chances of winning are VERY high if you score at least 3 goals.

Last night's game?

Somewhat, but getting behind 2-0 in the first 55 seconds of the game kind of forces the hand.

Back to my statement. You lose great than 66 percent of games when you give up the first goal. When that happens in the 3rd period it’s like 80 percent. What we have seen nearly every game so far is a slow start and down in the 3rd. You can’t win that way.


You have to figure out how to apply pressure to the other team. The only really big gaf that I would say is on the blues skaters and not their goalies this year would be the Kings game and then the red wings game. Kings game they were flat and Binner gave them a chance to win. Red wings they come out like gang busters and they have 0 response to any of the goals. Doesn’t matter how leaky your goalies are when up 4 goals. Should be able to pot 1 in the time it takes them to get 4.

But no one wins with bad goalie play. Currently the blues have bad goalie play. I like our goalies, but the new drinking game for this season is Hofer 5 hole. He gets beat there time to take a shot or finish your beer.

[a smell of green grass]

I'm not happy with "getting better". I know for a fact that they will get "better" in March when the rest of the teams are slacking up.

I want to see a real contending team that is fun to watch. Instead, I see mediocrity from now to forever. Our best players are locked in for 5 years, and they are not nearly as good as what most teams have.

I want to see a re-whatever that worked, and what I got is nothing to show for it. Army called it "over" before it even started. Not a single prospect acquired in the 23/24 drafts are close to being even a starter in the NHL. Forget about elite. That dream fizzled about a year ago.

Dvorsky, Stenberg and Lindstein are all close. Pekarcik as well imo. lots of bodies from those 2 drafts. All is not lost.
24's will be closer next year. Its early bro. Its not known whether these guys are top 6 yet? or top 4 yet.

What level player do you expect Dvorsky, Stenberg, Lindstein will be?
Before you answer, take a gander at Springfield's record this year.

My expectation: Average NHL talent at best. Maybe we would win 1 round in the playoffs. Maybe, if we are lucky. We will be nowhere close to elite level roster.

Its unknown. Why cant they be elite? Can we breathe and just chill on the hard and fast opinions? All these statements you make are just your opinions. Be patient and wait. There will be lots of quality serviceable NHL'ers.

We may be doomed--we may not. Its early to make rash judgments.

Stenberg looks like a very good 2 way player.
Dvorsky looks very good as well. So do Lindstein and Pekarcik imo. As do Jiricek and Carboneau.

It would be nice to have a top pic. But we dont. No sense and complaining about it. Its out of my control. Hope for the best. Stay positive.

What I see with the Blues is exactly what I saw with the Rams under Kroenke. Kroenke didn't run the team LIKE ALL OTHER TEAMS. You could clearly see that he was in it for money, and money only. I predicted the Rams departure about 2 years before they left. The RamsTalk people didn't want to hear it either. Very few believed me.

Do I think the Blues will leave town? No. However, when your team is NOT OPERATED like every other team -- IT IS BAD BAD NEWS. We shouldn't stand for it. Every other team in the NHL has a TOP5 pick. They want a TOP5 pick. They understand the importance of a TOP5 pick. Florida, Edmonton and Dallas have 2 TOP5 picks.

Not in St Louis, though. Nope. We don't have any TOP5 picks. We don't care to have any TOP5 picks. We don't understand the importance of a TOP5 pick, etc. We care only about "staying competitive'--so that the cash registers ring.

If the Blues don't run their team like everyone else, hockey will SUKKKKKK in this town forever. Mark my words.

[BluesDom]

BY sucking forever--did we win a Stanley Cup or no?
Is sucking forever--Your opinion? or a fact?
So Top 5 pick--that's what it all boils down to?

We could have used a total sucking to get a top pick--We only sucked enough to get Jiricek, Carboneu, Dvorsky, Lindstein, Stenberg, Neighbours and Snuggerud.

I guess we are stuck in middling hell.
Is there any hope? Should we stop cheering for the team? Should I be mad every day?
Since we didnt get a top 5 pick----What shall we all do?

[zamadoo]

So I am not nearly as dire as a lot of folks on the board seem to be, slow start would be getting close to an understatement. Are we really that frustrated at losing games in October of a year where we are not contenders?

I am not trying to understate the obvious issues, just trying to curtail some of the panic. There is no chance this team struggles this bad all year, it just isn't possible that Leddy, Faksa, and Bolduc were THIS important.

The primary issues that see almost every night:

1) Offensive play at the bluelines on the contested play is poor. If on our blueline, the dump outs have been off the glass/boards directly to opposing defensemen way too often (I assume we are doing this to avoid icing, but we are losing the battle to retrieve). Secondly, we are way too casual with the puck in the offensive zone with drop passes or short passes right at the blueline which get tipped and the other team is going full speed the other way quicker than we can stop and catch up.

2) Forcing passes that worked last year, teams have closed up a lot of the bumper position opportunities by shrinking the box with bodies/sticks against the blues. We keep trying to force it in there.

3) Dump ins are too early, we don't have enough bodies between the redline and offensive blueline when we are dumping it in so we almost never get there first and just turn over possession. This isn't a hustle thing, it's a physics thing and my guess is we are focusing more on being defensively responsible to help with that issue and it causing issues with us being unable to get back to pressure the defense when we are looking to change.

1) Seems like we've struggled to clear the puck out of the zone for years. The drop passes at the blue line were a major issue before, especially with Kyrou, going back two coaches. That was resolved under Monty towards the end of last year.

3) I've been trying to figure this one out. Why are our forwards, especially the fastest ones like Kyrou, coming with no momentum into the zone? They're either cherry picking or exiting the D zone and making their pursuit through the neutral zone too early. They like to do that pull-up play or at least have someone just step into the zone at the top and receive the puck to QB it. Once teams read that, it's over. Too often instead of going with the flow of play, or creating flow, they try to be cute and cause a lot of stops/starts and turnovers.

[dhsux]

Lots of dumping going on and not near enough chasing.

I view that as a very bad symptom that reflects a lack of confidence or perhaps it's the lack of desire or even intent to finish a play.

Part one so easy...part two is where the work is.

Lots of little mistakes adding up...clearing, passing, zone entries...right now there's no team in this team.

Hofer right now my biggest doubt the rest I have to believe will come around to play as they are capable. It's just a mess right now.

[a smell of green grass]

BY sucking forever--did we win a Stanley Cup or no?
Is sucking forever--Your opinion? or a fact?
So Top 5 pick--that's what it all boils down to?

We could have used a total sucking to get a top pick--We only sucked enough to get Jiricek, Carboneu, Dvorsky, Lindstein, Stenberg, Neighbours and Snuggerud.

I guess we are stuck in middling hell.
Is there any hope? Should we stop cheering for the team? Should I be mad every day?
Since we didnt get a top 5 pick----What shall we all do?

We won a Stanley Cup with a TOP5 pick, Pietrangelo.

There is no hope if St Louis has some sort of financial constraint that prevents them from acquiring the next Pietrangelo. In that case, the Blues will persist in operating like a lower-class mutt that will never run with the big dogs, and fans should run them and the NHL out of town IMO.

And first and foremost, the fans should rebel against the predictable and oft-repeated March miracles. If the team is mediocre on February 1, they are mediocre, and winning a few more games to close the season is nothing but a team profit move.

St Louis fans are the best. We support our team. There should be NO REASON for our team to eat at the kid table.

[Kilokaai]

Lots of dumping going on and not near enough chasing.

I view that as a very bad symptom that reflects a lack of confidence or perhaps it's the lack of desire or even intent to finish a play.

Part one so easy...part two is where the work is.

Lots of little mistakes adding up...clearing, passing, zone entries...right now there's no team in this team.

Hofer right now my biggest doubt the rest I have to believe will come around to play as they are capable. It's just a mess right now.

I was considering the “work” aspect of it as well but I am just not seeing it on rim around dumps. We aren’t even within 3-4 strides of the opposing defensemen when they dig the puck out (easy reverse more often than not). I assume we are either cherry picking and getting stuck at the blue line waiting on the dump flat footed or dumping it too quickly when the is a gap which we can’t make up on the forecheck. It’s weird for sure I haven’t seen us even really placing pucks that well where the forecheck would even be possible.

[Bubble4427]

I'm not happy with "getting better". I know for a fact that they will get "better" in March when the rest of the teams are slacking up.

I want to see a real contending team that is fun to watch. Instead, I see mediocrity from now to forever. Our best players are locked in for 5 years, and they are not nearly as good as what most teams have.

I want to see a re-whatever that worked, and what I got is nothing to show for it. Army called it "over" before it even started. Not a single prospect acquired in the 23/24 drafts are close to being even a starter in the NHL. Forget about elite. That dream fizzled about a year ago.

Dvorsky, Stenberg and Lindstein are all close. Pekarcik as well imo. lots of bodies from those 2 drafts. All is not lost.
24's will be closer next year. Its early bro. Its not known whether these guys are top 6 yet? or top 4 yet.

What level player do you expect Dvorsky, Stenberg, Lindstein will be?
Before you answer, take a gander at Springfield's record this year.

My expectation: Average NHL talent at best. Maybe we would win 1 round in the playoffs. Maybe, if we are lucky. We will be nowhere close to elite level roster.

Its unknown. Why cant they be elite? Can we breathe and just chill on the hard and fast opinions? All these statements you make are just your opinions. Be patient and wait. There will be lots of quality serviceable NHL'ers.

We may be doomed--we may not. Its early to make rash judgments.

Stenberg looks like a very good 2 way player.
Dvorsky looks very good as well. So do Lindstein and Pekarcik imo. As do Jiricek and Carboneau.

It would be nice to have a top pic. But we dont. No sense and complaining about it. Its out of my control. Hope for the best. Stay positive.

What I see with the Blues is exactly what I saw with the Rams under Kroenke. Kroenke didn't run the team LIKE ALL OTHER TEAMS. You could clearly see that he was in it for money, and money only. I predicted the Rams departure about 2 years before they left. The RamsTalk people didn't want to hear it either. Very few believed me.

Do I think the Blues will leave town? No. However, when your team is NOT OPERATED like every other team -- IT IS BAD BAD NEWS. We shouldn't stand for it. Every other team in the NHL has a TOP5 pick. They want a TOP5 pick. They understand the importance of a TOP5 pick. Florida, Edmonton and Dallas have 2 TOP5 picks.

Not in St Louis, though. Nope. We don't have any TOP5 picks. We don't care to have any TOP5 picks. We don't understand the importance of a TOP5 pick, etc. We care only about "staying competitive'--so that the cash registers ring.

If the Blues don't run their team like everyone else, hockey will SUKKKKKK in this town forever. Mark my words.

You never predicted the Rams would be leaving.
You joined the forum in August of 2024. The Rams have been gone for 9 years.
You’re so full of chit your eyes are brown.

[dhsux]

I'm not happy with "getting better". I know for a fact that they will get "better" in March when the rest of the teams are slacking up.

I want to see a real contending team that is fun to watch. Instead, I see mediocrity from now to forever. Our best players are locked in for 5 years, and they are not nearly as good as what most teams have.

I want to see a re-whatever that worked, and what I got is nothing to show for it. Army called it "over" before it even started. Not a single prospect acquired in the 23/24 drafts are close to being even a starter in the NHL. Forget about elite. That dream fizzled about a year ago.

Dvorsky, Stenberg and Lindstein are all close. Pekarcik as well imo. lots of bodies from those 2 drafts. All is not lost.
24's will be closer next year. Its early bro. Its not known whether these guys are top 6 yet? or top 4 yet.

What level player do you expect Dvorsky, Stenberg, Lindstein will be?
Before you answer, take a gander at Springfield's record this year.

My expectation: Average NHL talent at best. Maybe we would win 1 round in the playoffs. Maybe, if we are lucky. We will be nowhere close to elite level roster.

Its unknown. Why cant they be elite? Can we breathe and just chill on the hard and fast opinions? All these statements you make are just your opinions. Be patient and wait. There will be lots of quality serviceable NHL'ers.

We may be doomed--we may not. Its early to make rash judgments.

Stenberg looks like a very good 2 way player.
Dvorsky looks very good as well. So do Lindstein and Pekarcik imo. As do Jiricek and Carboneau.

It would be nice to have a top pic. But we dont. No sense and complaining about it. Its out of my control. Hope for the best. Stay positive.

What I see with the Blues is exactly what I saw with the Rams under Kroenke. Kroenke didn't run the team LIKE ALL OTHER TEAMS. You could clearly see that he was in it for money, and money only. I predicted the Rams departure about 2 years before they left. The RamsTalk people didn't want to hear it either. Very few believed me.

Do I think the Blues will leave town? No. However, when your team is NOT OPERATED like every other team -- IT IS BAD BAD NEWS. We shouldn't stand for it. Every other team in the NHL has a TOP5 pick. They want a TOP5 pick. They understand the importance of a TOP5 pick. Florida, Edmonton and Dallas have 2 TOP5 picks.

Not in St Louis, though. Nope. We don't have any TOP5 picks. We don't care to have any TOP5 picks. We don't understand the importance of a TOP5 pick, etc. We care only about "staying competitive'--so that the cash registers ring.

If the Blues don't run their team like everyone else, hockey will SUKKKKKK in this town forever. Mark my words.

You never predicted the Rams would be leaving.
You joined the forum in August of 2024. The Rams have been gone for 9 years.
You’re so full of chit your eyes are brown.

Bubs this complete clown has been around for a while.

He was NOT a NFL forum regular but he was trolling back then as he still is today.

I can guarantee he is very good at revisionist history so expect more bool sheeet from him on anything in his sad troll life.

[blues2112]

It really is that simple. Goaltending is the Blues 1st, 2nd, and 3rd main issues.

The eye test and advanced stats match. We are not hanging either of them out to dry. The Blues d is limiting the high danger chances yet the goaltending still can’t perform.

The offense is doing their job scoring 3 or more in 7 out of 9 games. Stats will show that your chances of winning are VERY high if you score at least 3 goals.

Last night's game?

Somewhat, but getting behind 2-0 in the first 55 seconds of the game kind of forces the hand.

I'm being imprecise in my point.

Last night's game was not on Hofer, and on four of the goals, one could make a reasonable argument Blues let "him hang out to dry." First was inner slot, second was tap in (Snuggerud covering behind the net!), third was slot deflection, fourth maybe/probably should have been stopped, fifth was Crosby scoring on rebound of breakaway.

[esp31]

The goaltending will not stay at the bottom of the league. It will revert to the mean.
29th in puck battles.
You're really slow down the middle.
Your quicker players are light.
They're not getting sticks when defending in the D zone.
Horrendous puck luck.
They're not this bad.
I thought they were a bubble team going in. I expect them to get it together when Thomas returns.

[a smell of green grass]

I'm not happy with "getting better". I know for a fact that they will get "better" in March when the rest of the teams are slacking up.

I want to see a real contending team that is fun to watch. Instead, I see mediocrity from now to forever. Our best players are locked in for 5 years, and they are not nearly as good as what most teams have.

I want to see a re-whatever that worked, and what I got is nothing to show for it. Army called it "over" before it even started. Not a single prospect acquired in the 23/24 drafts are close to being even a starter in the NHL. Forget about elite. That dream fizzled about a year ago.

Dvorsky, Stenberg and Lindstein are all close. Pekarcik as well imo. lots of bodies from those 2 drafts. All is not lost.
24's will be closer next year. Its early bro. Its not known whether these guys are top 6 yet? or top 4 yet.

What level player do you expect Dvorsky, Stenberg, Lindstein will be?
Before you answer, take a gander at Springfield's record this year.

My expectation: Average NHL talent at best. Maybe we would win 1 round in the playoffs. Maybe, if we are lucky. We will be nowhere close to elite level roster.

Its unknown. Why cant they be elite? Can we breathe and just chill on the hard and fast opinions? All these statements you make are just your opinions. Be patient and wait. There will be lots of quality serviceable NHL'ers.

We may be doomed--we may not. Its early to make rash judgments.

Stenberg looks like a very good 2 way player.
Dvorsky looks very good as well. So do Lindstein and Pekarcik imo. As do Jiricek and Carboneau.

It would be nice to have a top pic. But we dont. No sense and complaining about it. Its out of my control. Hope for the best. Stay positive.

What I see with the Blues is exactly what I saw with the Rams under Kroenke. Kroenke didn't run the team LIKE ALL OTHER TEAMS. You could clearly see that he was in it for money, and money only. I predicted the Rams departure about 2 years before they left. The RamsTalk people didn't want to hear it either. Very few believed me.

Do I think the Blues will leave town? No. However, when your team is NOT OPERATED like every other team -- IT IS BAD BAD NEWS. We shouldn't stand for it. Every other team in the NHL has a TOP5 pick. They want a TOP5 pick. They understand the importance of a TOP5 pick. Florida, Edmonton and Dallas have 2 TOP5 picks.

Not in St Louis, though. Nope. We don't have any TOP5 picks. We don't care to have any TOP5 picks. We don't understand the importance of a TOP5 pick, etc. We care only about "staying competitive'--so that the cash registers ring.

If the Blues don't run their team like everyone else, hockey will SUKKKKKK in this town forever. Mark my words.

You never predicted the Rams would be leaving.
You joined the forum in August of 2024. The Rams have been gone for 9 years.
You’re so full of chit your eyes are brown.

I was on CA and RamsTalk for years, and then when the Rams left, I left. During my many years absence, my ID expired. However, when I returned, I reclaimined my "a smell of green grass".

I definitely predicted the Rams leaving.

Just ask the folks on here that knew me from Current Affairs. I affectionately touched their lives, and they remember me.