Considering how poorly the Blues played, and that Edmundson gave the biggest gift wrapped playoff goal by a Blues D since Bergevin; the fact it even went to OT is probably a good omen.

Considering how poorly the Blues played, and that Edmundson gave the biggest gift wrapped playoff goal by a Blues D since Bergevin; the fact it even went to OT is probably a good omen.
- Antilles

Yup it was a lot like game 1

Blues need to play a ton better to beat Dallas

Considering how poorly the Blues played, and that Edmundson gave the biggest gift wrapped playoff goal by a Blues D since Bergevin; the fact it even went to OT is probably a good omen.
- Antilles

To yours and Guruu's points - I'm this way as well.

I wasn't blown away by how great Dallas played, I thought they were vulnerable. I just thought the Blues fell back into their old bad habits.

I felt the lack of finishing on all of the early scoring chances were going to be problematic.

I'm going to give Edmundson's awful mistake a partial-pass as he's a rookie and I trust he's never going to do that again. I will not give a pass to Bouwmeester and Pietrangelo who basically did the same thing, the only difference was the puck didn't end up in the back of the net.

I guess David Backes couldn't live with all the praise being heaped on him. Last night was the old David Backes. No physical presence and took a stupid penalty that led to a PP goal.

Coaches also mailed it in last night. I'll deal with Hitch in my next post.......

Championship teams bounce back

are the blues a championship team? That is the question

This series could be over if the blues played anywhere near their best in games 1 and 4

Instead we are where we probably should be 2-2

This series is going to be tough to win for the blues if they do not pick up their play

Championship teams bounce back

are the blues a championship team? That is the question

This series could be over if the blues played anywhere near their best in games 1 and 4

Instead we are where we probably should be 2-2

This series is going to be tough to win for the blues if they do not pick up their play
- sycsam

They have this.

They should have won last night. But we can still get to their goalies at any moment. And will.

They have this.

They should have won last night. But we can still get to their goalies at any moment. And will.
- carcus

Had the opportunity to bury them in the first and were just a bit off

...time to deal with Captain Kangaroo.....

So he was on the other day with Kevin Slaten and they were discussing Game 2 which the Blues sat back on a 3-1 third period lead and let Dallas come and tie. We all remember this.

Kevin made the point that you don't specifically tell the players to go out and play cautious and sit back like that, that's not a coaching philosophy they're preaching.

Hitch's take was when the players get in a funk like that, they basically need a line to get out there and get back on the forecheck and the line that usually does that????

The fourth line, the Brodziak line. Hitch's exact words were, "yeah, some of that is probably my fault...." for not tossing them out there regularly in the third to try and ramp up the forecheck once again.

He was trying to roll with his three skill lines and basically forgot about those guys.

*Do you smell what I'm stepping in??*

Anyone wanna take a look at the Brodziak line's time on ice numbers last night?

Anyone remember seeing them more than a shift, maybe two after two periods last night or were they trying to roll three lines?

It's not just the players that fall into old habits.

If he's such a great coach, he has to own a big part of the loss last night as well as the players.

To yours and Guruu's points - I'm this way as well.

I wasn't blown away by how great Dallas played, I thought they were vulnerable. I just thought the Blues fell back into their old bad habits.

I felt the lack of finishing on all of the early scoring chances were going to be problematic.

I'm going to give Edmundson's awful mistake a partial-pass as he's a rookie and I trust he's never going to do that again. I will not give a pass to Bouwmeester and Pietrangelo who basically did the same thing, the only difference was the puck didn't end up in the back of the net.

I guess David Backes couldn't live with all the praise being heaped on him. Last night was the old David Backes. No physical presence and took a stupid penalty that led to a PP goal.

Coaches also mailed it in last night. I'll deal with Hitch in my next post.......
- bcallaway

I am with you. I give passes to Edmundson, even though he did his best Jackman impression, and Parayko because they are rookies and have done a lot of good.

I will not JayBo off the hook. That pp goal is because he is back to be as physical as a wet noodle. If he did what the tiny Dallas dmen would do he would have taken his man. It was obvious he was going to be beat Petro was caught between. And Elliott is just Elliott, a really good back up playing too many games. Elliott is compensating his lack athleticism by being as agressive as possible, except on the last goal. He has become a rebound machine. The pp goal was just that, shoot low, get him to freeze, collect puck move to the side. A lot like how Quick was and relied on the post and his dmen to clear the puck from going into the emoty net.

...time to deal with Captain Kangaroo.....

So he was on the other day with Kevin Slaten and they were discussing Game 2 which the Blues sat back on a 3-1 third period lead and let Dallas come and tie. We all remember this.

Kevin made the point that you don't specifically tell the players to go out and play cautious and sit back like that, that's not a coaching philosophy they're preaching.

Hitch's take was when the players get in a funk like that, they basically need a line to get out there and get back on the forecheck and the line that usually does that????

The fourth line, the Brodziak line. Hitch's exact words were, "yeah, some of that is probably my fault...." for not tossing them out there regularly in the third to try and ramp up the forecheck once again.

He was trying to roll with his three skill lines and basically forgot about those guys.

*Do you smell what I'm stepping in??*

Anyone wanna take a look at the Brodziak line's time on ice numbers last night?

Anyone remember seeing them more than a shift, maybe two after two periods last night or were they trying to roll three lines?

It's not just the players that fall into old habits.

If he's such a great coach, he has to own a big part of the loss last night as well as the players.
- bcallaway

He has his warts to be sure.

What I do not get is that that line is not bad. But if you worry about them getting overwhelmed why not shift them with other lines, to get players a rest, inject their energy while not putting them all out there.

Reaves can be at times frustrating but he can also be very effective. He just skates near a Dallas player and they are moving the puck and trying to avoid contact. He has not looked slow in this series. It is obvious by statements Shattenkirk made at the start of the season that the Blues feed off of Reaves.

The last time we played the Kings we went up two games because of the CPR line was dominant. Sutter said that line was killing him. Hitch said it was a good line olaying great. So for the rest of the series their ice time went down when they were the line scoring. When they had good ice time they won.

So after one loss no change, after two in a row no change, after three and finally a fourth......

To be honest if the Blues lose it is not the end of the world. But I hate seeing terrible coaching, subpar goaltending and weak efforts. If they lose giving it their all, it does not suck so much. Tip of the hat to the victors. When you allow a team that is playing afraid to stay in a game and then win....in the play offs......

Why is Steen out with Stastny and Brouwer when Fabbri and them are so good?

7pm Monday.

7pm Monday.
- Jason Millen

What, no 8:40 game?

Seguin didn't skate today but Eaves did

Not sure that means anything

Just now saw that Seguin did skate but he is not ready to play

We shall see tomorrow

...time to deal with Captain Kangaroo.....

So he was on the other day with Kevin Slaten and they were discussing Game 2 which the Blues sat back on a 3-1 third period lead and let Dallas come and tie. We all remember this.

Kevin made the point that you don't specifically tell the players to go out and play cautious and sit back like that, that's not a coaching philosophy they're preaching.

Hitch's take was when the players get in a funk like that, they basically need a line to get out there and get back on the forecheck and the line that usually does that????

The fourth line, the Brodziak line. Hitch's exact words were, "yeah, some of that is probably my fault...." for not tossing them out there regularly in the third to try and ramp up the forecheck once again.

He was trying to roll with his three skill lines and basically forgot about those guys.

*Do you smell what I'm stepping in??*

Anyone wanna take a look at the Brodziak line's time on ice numbers last night?

Anyone remember seeing them more than a shift, maybe two after two periods last night or were they trying to roll three lines?

It's not just the players that fall into old habits.

If he's such a great coach, he has to own a big part of the loss last night as well as the players.
- bcallaway

Those are some good points. Who hired Hitch?

I will not let JayBo off the hook. That pp goal is because he is back to be as physical as a wet noodle.
- BluemanGuruu

And we all knew he was that type of player in Calgary. So why trade a 1st round pick and give him almost $6 million a year?

That move by Armstrong hurt your team much more then just last nights loss.

And we all knew he was that type of player in Calgary. So why trade a 1st round pick and give him almost $6 million a year?

That move by Armstrong hurt your team much more then just last nights loss.
- Trust In Jarmo

It's more like 5.5mm and unfortunately the answer to your question is because he had few options thanks to Jarmo's terrible D drafting sans Pietrangelo who I could have drafted in that spot and Johnson who was the consensus #1.

Shawn Belle (1st) was probably the worst but him, Scott Jackson(2nd), David Rundblad (1st), Brett Ponich (2nd), Ian Cole (1st - at least is a NHL regular), Jonas Junland (3rd), and Zack Fitzgerald (3rd) didn't exactly set the world on fire.

Jarmo drafted 2002-2009 (8 drafts), produced Cole and Polak as far as NHL somewhat regulars from non-lottery picks. Not sure how to factor in Nikitin who still got paid well by Edmonton but was never really a NHL regular for any real duration on any sort of winning club.

2010-1013 drafts (4 drafts) - Edmundson, Parayko and Lindbohm have already made more of a contribution with Schmaltz hoping to crack the lineup in a year or two.

Jaybo was filling a need which sometimes costs more than you want.

Those are some good points. Who hired Hitch?
- Trust In Jarmo

Your mother.

Now that we've broken our first round losing streak it's time to break our game 5 losing streak when the series is tied 2-2. We have shown bounce back ability this post season and I think we take a big one on the road tomorrow. LGB

So Shania Twain tweeted Benn for the NHL#17 cover. I responded "that don't impress me much"

So Shania Twain tweeted Benn for the NHL#17 cover. I responded "that don't impress me much"
- Jason Millen

Those are some good points. Who hired Hitch?
- Trust In Jarmo

Yeah, if he were smart he would have beat Jarmo to the punch and gave up that second rounder for Torts.

It's more like 5.5mm and unfortunately the answer to your question is because he had few options thanks to Jarmo's terrible D drafting sans Pietrangelo who I could have drafted in that spot and Johnson who was the consensus #1.

Shawn Belle (1st) was probably the worst but him, Scott Jackson(2nd), David Rundblad (1st), Brett Ponich (2nd), Ian Cole (1st - at least is a NHL regular), Jonas Junland (3rd), and Zack Fitzgerald (3rd) didn't exactly set the world on fire.

Jarmo drafted 2002-2009 (8 drafts), produced Cole and Polak as far as NHL somewhat regulars from non-lottery picks. Not sure how to factor in Nikitin who still got paid well by Edmonton but was never really a NHL regular for any real duration on any sort of winning club.

2010-1013 drafts (4 drafts) - Edmundson, Parayko and Lindbohm have already made more of a contribution with Schmaltz hoping to crack the lineup in a year or two.

Jaybo was filling a need which sometimes costs more than you want.
- Jason Millen

Excellent points which have been stated in one form or another before, but the little troll is impervious to reason.

J bo is not perfect but for a guy who can eat up the minutes he does, his deal is not terrible and still has trade value. If Edmundson is capable of stepping into the top 4 by the end of next year, I could easily see J bo getting traded before the expansion draft. Better to protect Edmundson, and if you're going to lose a D man, better to trade him first for younger assets that don't need protection.

So Shania Twain tweeted Benn for the NHL#17 cover. I responded "that don't impress me much"
- Jason Millen

Is she Jamie Benn's mother?!

He has his warts to be sure.

What I do not get is that that line is not bad. But if you worry about them getting overwhelmed why not shift them with other lines, to get players a rest, inject their energy while not putting them all out there.

Reaves can be at times frustrating but he can also be very effective. He just skates near a Dallas player and they are moving the puck and trying to avoid contact. He has not looked slow in this series. It is obvious by statements Shattenkirk made at the start of the season that the Blues feed off of Reaves.

The last time we played the Kings we went up two games because of the CPR line was dominant. Sutter said that line was killing him. Hitch said it was a good line olaying great. So for the rest of the series their ice time went down when they were the line scoring. When they had good ice time they won.

So after one loss no change, after two in a row no change, after three and finally a fourth......

To be honest if the Blues lose it is not the end of the world. But I hate seeing terrible coaching, subpar goaltending and weak efforts. If they lose giving it their all, it does not suck so much. Tip of the hat to the victors. When you allow a team that is playing afraid to stay in a game and then win....in the play offs......

Why is Steen out with Stastny and Brouwer when Fabbri and them are so good?
- BluemanGuruu

Exactly this! The Stars came out looking like they were almost resigned to their fate. The Blues had a chance to go for the kill(metaphorically speaking). Instead they played a safe somewhat passive game that was filled with mental errors. If they lose the series this team and coaching staff have no one to blame but themselves. It was there for the taking.

It's more like 5.5mm and unfortunately the answer to your question is because he had few options thanks to Jarmo's terrible D drafting sans Pietrangelo who I could have drafted in that spot and Johnson who was the consensus #1.

Shawn Belle (1st) was probably the worst but him, Scott Jackson(2nd), David Rundblad (1st), Brett Ponich (2nd), Ian Cole (1st - at least is a NHL regular), Jonas Junland (3rd), and Zack Fitzgerald (3rd) didn't exactly set the world on fire.

Jarmo drafted 2002-2009 (8 drafts), produced Cole and Polak as far as NHL somewhat regulars from non-lottery picks. Not sure how to factor in Nikitin who still got paid well by Edmonton but was never really a NHL regular for any real duration on any sort of winning club.

2010-1013 drafts (4 drafts) - Edmundson, Parayko and Lindbohm have already made more of a contribution with Schmaltz hoping to crack the lineup in a year or two.

Jaybo was filling a need which sometimes costs more than you want.
- Jason Millen

I was a fan of Jarmo's when he was here. I bought into all the hype that he was a draft guru and all that, but honestly prospects and player development isn't really my thing. I'll admit that easily. I don't have any idea who is going to be the best players in the draft other than what I hear from the "experts". I just don't pay enough attention to lower level hockey. But since we have now had time to see how all of Jarmo's picks have developed and panned out I have to say I'm really not very impressed. The points you brought here are testament to the fact that the guy was absolutely nothing special. Most of the hits he had were top end talent that everyone knew about and were first round material. The Blues drafting has been infinitely better since he left actually. Jarmo is and was overrated.