So what's the deal?

[Kilokaai]

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.

[Kariyadog]

Those are all good assessments. Ad in Hofer’s horrible play and some seasoning of young guys Mailloux, Snugs, and just overall lack of the guys being mentally sharp. I lol’d at seeing the stats during the game last night that said Hofer’s goals against average were 7 and some change! Wow!

[Old_Goat]

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.

You see very well.

[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.

[callitwhatyouwant]

The Blues are a team of inconsistent periods. Hofer has basically gave us 3 games that were next to nothing. 2/3rds of hockey games are won by the team that scores 1st. And Hofer has given up a goal on the 1st shot 3 out of 4 games. So unless the goalie play changes, it doesn't really matter what happens with the skaters in front.

yesterday had one of the nhl stats guys on 101. He said the shocking thing with the goals given up is that the blues are top 5 in almost every expanded metric that's a defensive stat. The only one that we are bad at is goals against which is last or 2nd. So they dug in and on non traffic shots, Binner is 41st in the league and Hofer is dead last. And then our offense is in the middle of the pack.

We are getting historic levels of bad goalie play to start the season.

[theograce]

We are getting historic levels of bad goalie play to start the season.

Kinda like the Jets against the blues I guess.

[stlblue06]

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.

[Harry S Deals]

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.

Yes, well stated sir

[BluesDom]

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.

[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.

[Kilokaai]

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.

Agree with everything here. Other than the Blackhawks game, I thought the Blues played good enough to win when the game was close. The poor goaltending is getting into my psyche so I assume the players gotta be feeling that too. I'd like to see a bit more play "on top" of the opposing team where we are always on the defensive side looking to cap their ability to exit the zone more. I feel that is the biggest difference from last season, some might call it checking but I am more talking about the side of the puck you are on when you don't have it.

It seems to me that we are looking to swipe/angle people off more rather than impede their progress.

[blackinkbiz]

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.

Okay, first of all, when idiots make these "not a contender" statements, well, for the most part, they're just being asinine idiots. Unless your team is in a full-blown tank-blow-it-up-rebuild, there's always a chance of contending. In every sport, every year, without fail, there is at LEAST 1 team that no one thought would "contend" and ends up making a postseason push.

TBS, this team was 1.5 seconds away from being one of the final 8 teams in the NHL playoffs last season. They made several aggressive roster changes this offseason (some look awful at the moment, some okay) but they are most definitely playing with intentions of "contending" NOW.

[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?

[BluesDom]

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.

[Aesa]

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.

Very reasonable post, but it doesn't care about reason. It is a troll and nothing more. Has been since the days if CA. Don't waste your time, just ignore it.

[steve li]

The Foe button is your friend.