Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Bluenotes: Another Preseason Loss, Seven Cut, & Hitch on Morrow

September 26, 2013, 12:42 PM ET [8 Comments]
Jeff Quirin
St Louis Blues Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Follow me on Twitter, @HockeybuzzBlues, and Like the Hockeybuzz - Blues Facebook page.



Minnesota Runs Wild on Blues

Inconsistency and old trends continue to be a predominant themes for the St. Louis Blues in the 2013NHL preseason. A strong start and fading finish led to a 3-1 loss at the hands of the Minnesota Wild Wednesday night.

The goaltending tandem of Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott split time and combined for 20 saves on 23 shots. Halak seemingly rebounded from his lackluster previous start and stopped 12 of 13 he faced. Elliott allowed two goals on just 10 shots.

From a possession perspective the Blues were right where they should be. Winning 32 of 60 faceoffs and out-shooting the home team 34 to 23. Conversion to production was lacking. Only Jaden Schwartz, once again labeled by Ken Hitchcock as the best player on the ice, was able to get the puck behind Niklas Backstrom and that didn’t happen till half way through the third period. The counted on core, Backes, Berglund, Oshie, and Steen were a combined Minus-3 with 8 shots on goal. Four of which came from Steen.

The battle for 7th defenseman was front and center last night as Ian Cole and Ryan Whitney, still on a PTO, started off on the same pairing. With the Blues down late Whitney shifted to Kevin Shattenkirk’s left. Cole managed an Even rating and three blocked shots in 16 minutes of ice time where Whitney was a Minus-1 with two shots in a little more than 14 minutes.

Is there cause for concern? Not yet.

Both Halak and Elliott are notorious slow starters. For their careers both have GAAs above 2.50 (2.59 and 2.69 respectively) and medicate save percentages (.899 and .912) in October. While the calendar hasn’t turned yet, it does show that they don’t get up to full speed till November. In that month both have GAAs below 2.30 (2.31 and 2.02) and much stronger save percentages (.915 and .931).

Backes’s early season struggles are well known and documented. Just 8 goals in 51 games played in October versus 15 goals in 56 November games. Relying on traditional Plus/Minus to gauge effectiveness isn’t advised, but a Minus-4 to Plus-15 swing between those two months says a lot.

Bottom line, don’t blow a gasket that goals aren’t coming in bunches right now. They usually don’t for the Blues. The team and system have been constructed in a way that they don’t need to score four or more goals a night to win. Just two or three. If you must worry, direct your anxiety towards the goaltending situation. Halliott needs to keep the pucks out to ensure success.

Next Round of Cuts

Seven players have been given their marching orders. Leave St. Louis and head up I-55 to Chicago. They are forwards Ty Rattie, Dmitrij Jaskin, Sergey Andronov and Keith Aucoin. Defenseman Jani Hakanpaa, Joel Edmundson, and goalie Jake Allen are traveling north as well.

This leaves the Blues with a roster of 25. Two more cuts will need to be made, pending any injuries sustained in the last preseason game or in practices, to get down to 23.

It will be two of the following four: Adam Cracknell, Chris Porter, Ryan Reaves, or Whitney.

It’s been reported that contract talks with Whitney have not started. He may be set free from his PTO and that way only one forward is put through waivers instead of two.


Hitch on Morrow

Following the game last night Hitchcock was asked about the likelihood of Schwartz staying on Derek Roy’s line. The other winger flanking the new center is Chris Stewart.

The response isn’t suprising, but potentially disappointing.

“Depends… we’ll see where Brenden [Morrow] is first.”

The Blues top pick in the 2010 draft has methodically worked his way up the pecking order since leaving Colorado College early and burning a year of his ELC in the tail end of the 2011-12 season. As one of the top performers in the preseason he’s spot would seem assured, but as Hitch has said recently, there are no free spots awarded. Morrow presents a reliable option on a line that is potentially not the most reliable. At least in terms of managing the puck.

New ways of thinking may have worked their way in to the coaches mentality, but he’s still a veteran's coach that’s in place to win games and playoff series. Not develop young players at the expense. Don’t misunderstand though. He is expected to get Schwartz performing at a higher level than he has in the past, but not at all costs.

That said, at this stage in his career Morrow is not what most would consider a legitimate top 6 option. Parallels to the first year Jamie Langenbrunner was in town can and should be drawn. His ability to skate, participate in possess and transition, and contribute offensively at even strength are not his strong suits. The proverbial veteran presence/mentor role that’s entrusted with tougher minutes protecting leads and killing penalties is more in his aging wheelhouse. Especially considering the offensive talent posses by Schwartz and Vladimir Tarasenko that should be nurtured and exploited in that type of role.

In that light it would appear that Hitch is taking a page out of his boss’s book. He’ll say something may happen because in all reality, it could. But, because it could doesn’t mean it will. Wait and see how the lines look a week from today before being panicking about employing grinders over skill on skill lines.


Thanks for reading!
Join the Discussion: » 8 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Jeff Quirin
» Game 15: Pens @ Blues - Olympic Subplots & Measuring Sticks
» Serenity in Stability
» Shaky finish after a strong start, but Blues win 3-2.
» Game 14: Flames @ Blues – More Things Change the More They Stay the Same
» Not Broken? Don’t Try to Fix it. Blues Win 3-2 (SO)