Armstrong Season Ending Press Conference

[xweazel75]

When Army basically said: 'Organizationally, we hung onto some things for too long". It lasted into two games, three games.

I wonder what he means here? Its not players IMO. This is something else entirely. Almost that the team was having trouble adjusting to the data in real time. Strategy was off, personnel groupings not ideal. The team analytics was there, but the subsequent moves were late?

Anyone else have a read on this?

-x

I would guess he’s talking about going from zone defense to man to man. The team D was horrible to begin the season and switching to man to man didn’t happen quickly enough for Army. I tend to agree. I also think Monty held on keeping Tucker and Maiiloux together to long.

Sounds to me like he was also calling out Monty there.

But I would also call out Army. He should’ve signed a veteran 5-6-7 dman to compete and help teach. That was a major problem in my opinion.

Agreed about Mailloux. They needed to pull him from the lineup earlier. It was a bigger wound than it should have been. Happy he fought through it. Ultimately the AHL move was the correct one. Really missed a veteran in that spot where he would have been a 7th man.

Texier too. Remember him? He just never meshed, but they kept penciling him in the lineup. Organizationally, I feel like Army and the Blues held onto a lot of things too long.

In October and into November, the team chemistry was putrid and the scheme wasnt working, nor did the players look bought in. Coaching was definitely an issue there. Injuries to Neighbors and Thomas didn't help. Team defense was nonexistent. Was that man coverage, or was it something else?

It has been talked about how Binner and Hofer didnt look great early, but man, I remember many others. Buchy was so off and couldnt buy a goal, Schenn always seemed to be on the ice when the other team scored, Faulk was scary with a minute to go, and Bjugstad was the Blues leading scorer for a while. Posters were commenting about how Monty kept juggling the lines, but Im not sure the organization had an answer?

The team looked poorly constructed, poorly coached, and poorly managed. The players looked lost.

Ultimately, in January, I think Army finally said, enough. Veterans werent delivering, the coaching staff, the core, the current captain, everyone was underperforming. Ott got sent to the AHL, some easy to hide players were gone or going (Joseph and Texier waived, Bjugstad traded). Trades moved Faulk and Schenn, good team players, but they made too many bad plays with the game on the line (especially faulk). It looked like the beginning of a full teardown.

At the time, the Blues kept losing, but kids got bigger roles, lines got solidified, some waiver claims injected some life. Thomas got healthy with Hollywood and Snuggerud made the team finish look respectable. Parayko lost his top pairing to the much improved Mailloux. Hofer became the new number 1, replacing Binner who seems to have been trending downward for a while now. Organization was late though. We missed the playoffs.

But for Army and Steen, the first half was the warning shot. The kids did help and the future is brighter, but they cant be expected to carry the 2nd and 3rd lines. There wasnt a lot of fight for one another when they needed it. The team defense got much better but the dirty goals in front of the other teams net is still missing. The powerplay never became a weapon. The new core has major question marks - is this the foundation for a Stanley Cup team? Or is this a teardown on pause?

Watching the playoffs. I fear the Blues have a long, long way to go. Rebuilding stinks, it's painful and takes longer than most want to admit. I cant imagine where this team would be in their retool without the Broberg and Holloway signings. I hope management shows that level of courage this off-season and doesnt hold back. The organization should turn the page quickly on this season and swing for the fences. Theres no need to hold onto anything for too long.

-x

[a smell of green grass]

I cant imagine where this team would be in their retool without the Broberg and Holloway signings.

I've been saying this for more than a year.

I believe that the question everyone should be asking about this is....

If Armstrong is so good at the NHL draft, why are Broberg and Holloway head and shoulders above everything that the Blues have drafted on the roster?

[ManitobaBlues]

I cant imagine where this team would be in their retool without the Broberg and Holloway signings.

I've been saying this for more than a year.

I believe that the question everyone should be asking about this is....

If Armstrong is so good at the NHL draft, why are Broberg and Holloway head and shoulders above everything that the Blues have drafted on the roster?

I can’t keep up with your points, half of what you’re saying makes sense, and the other half feels like it’s coming out of nowhere.
Give credit where it’s due though, the Blues staff, along with Doug Armstrong, have actually done a solid job drafting. Even outside of bringing in guys like Broberg and Holloway, their draft picks have been pretty strong overall.

[a smell of green grass]

I cant imagine where this team would be in their retool without the Broberg and Holloway signings.

I've been saying this for more than a year.

I believe that the question everyone should be asking about this is....

If Armstrong is so good at the NHL draft, why are Broberg and Holloway head and shoulders above everything that the Blues have drafted on the roster?

I can’t keep up with your points, half of what you’re saying makes sense, and the other half feels like it’s coming out of nowhere.
Give credit where it’s due though, the Blues staff, along with Doug Armstrong, have actually done a solid job drafting. Even outside of bringing in guys like Broberg and Holloway, their draft picks have been pretty strong overall.

The Blues prospects look really wonderful, until the minute that you compare them to Broberg and Holloway. Only Snuggerud has a chance to be as top notch and impacting.

The Blues may draft well given their position, but that doesn't change the fact that their roster reflects very poorly on their ability to acquire LINE1 talent in the NHL draft. as well as their ability to find the most important and rare positions, Center and RHD. Who is their RHD? Mailloux, a guy drafted by Montreal. Who are their Centers? Buchnevich and Suter and maybe even Finley are just as good as Dvorsky.

[ShakeyWalton]

I cant imagine where this team would be in their retool without the Broberg and Holloway signings.

I've been saying this for more than a year.

I believe that the question everyone should be asking about this is....

If Armstrong is so good at the NHL draft, why are Broberg and Holloway head and shoulders above everything that the Blues have drafted on the roster?

I can’t keep up with your points, half of what you’re saying makes sense, and the other half feels like it’s coming out of nowhere.
Give credit where it’s due though, the Blues staff, along with Doug Armstrong, have actually done a solid job drafting. Even outside of bringing in guys like Broberg and Holloway, their draft picks have been pretty strong overall.

The Blues prospects look really wonderful, until the minute that you compare them to Broberg and Holloway. Only Snuggerud has a chance to be as top notch and impacting.

The Blues may draft well given their position, but that doesn't change the fact that their roster reflects very poorly on their ability to acquire LINE1 talent in the NHL draft. as well as their ability to find the most important and rare positions, Center and RHD. Who is their RHD? Mailloux, a guy drafted by Montreal. Who are their Centers? Buchnevich and Suter and maybe even Finley are just as good as Dvorsky.

You lost every ounce of credibility saying Finley is as good as Dvorsky. Most embarrassing thing I’ve ever seen a human type.