Jason Millen: Blues vs. Stars Game 2 Recap Blues vs. Stars Game 2 Recap

Great recap. You guys have been so much fun to watch this post season.

Anyone else continuing to notice that the scoring is being driven from the Blue line a lot?

As much of a ghost fan as I am I would have given a Calder nomination nod to parayko over him. They will just never not look at points as the determining factor

As much of a ghost fan as I am I would have given a Calder nomination nod to parayko over him. They will just never not look at points as the determining factor
- Just5

Gibson
Gost, Parayko
Panarin, MacDavid, Eichel

One heck of an all-rookie first team. No?

ETA - already had it in my mind he would be 5th or so in voting. I'll take his long term potential over Gost imho but I'd be happy to have either on the team I route for.

I would give Parayko the nod over any rookie whose team failed to even make the play offs making such rookies contrbutions and game style not as relavant. Trade offs have to be made to won hockey other than driving up one's point totals.

So Ghost he changed the Flyers complexity and did so while getting a lot of points. No shame in that,

McJesus, as good as he is, got there more on hype than reality. Sorry part of playing the game is being able to play the game imho. And really he could go play as offensive as he liked and no one would bother to look and see how he played in his own end based on hupe and his team utterly sucking and not even seeming to care and play for pride.

Gibson
Gost, Parayko
Panarin, MacDavid, Eichel

One heck of an all-rookie first team. No?
- Jason Millen

No. Two of those players are really good but they did make their respective teams win. Parayko and Ghost were a big, big reasons for their teams winning. Parayko especially because of all the injuries to top players.

Gibson
Gost, Parayko
Panarin, MacDavid, Eichel

One heck of an all-rookie first team. No?

ETA - already had it in my mind he would be 5th or so in voting. I'll take his long term potential over Gost imho but I'd be happy to have either on the team I route for.
- Jason Millen

I do not know how Gibson qualifies as a rookie as much as he had olayed over the previous two seasons, especially in the post season.

No. Two of those players are really good but they did make their respective teams win. Parayko and Ghost were a big, big reasons for their teams winning. Parayko especially because of all the injuries to top players.
- BluemanGuruu

You don't like that as a first line and goalie (set of 6)? Probably the best rookie 6 in a long, long time.

I do not know how Gibson qualifies as a rookie as much as he had olayed over the previous two seasons, especially in the post season.
- BluemanGuruu

Not my rules, lol.

You don't like that as a first line and goalie (set of 6)? Probably the best rookie 6 in a long, long time.
- Jason Millen

I did not say that. I just mean I think the awards a lot of horse crap. The Norris should not be for the best defenseman it should just state the highest scoring dman. I mean come on points are great and all but one has to be able to be a top end defender and Karlsson just is not good defensively. Getting better but not someone on a deep team who I send out against a team's top line unless my top line is top quality and I figure I can play in their zone the entire time.

I think MVPs and best players should come from top teams. Yes you should be punished for playing on a bad team because though a player is only what roughly 5% of the team, they can make poor teams better and achieve more and sometimes, they kind of make sacrifices for their team by not making a risky offensive play so their team can win.

And so individual awards are often more about marketing now a days than reality. McJesus should have never sniffed a nod for top rookie because he missed most the season and because his team sucked.

Those are more ponts and my rant is now over. I stopped paying attention to awards when players like Doughty and Keith did not win and Karlsson did. They need a Paul Coffey award or something for highest scoring dman and then maybe the Norris can be the MVP award for dmen.

As well as the Vienza. Holtby was great for a large chunk of the season than just better than average in the weaker conference. He tied a record in a weak conference whoopdi doo. That in itself should not be a qualifying factor. It should be simply of all the goalies who played this season who would you most want as your goaltender. That might have been Luongo. Crawford. Hell it would be Crawford.

I did not say that. I just mean I think the awards a lot of horse crap. The Norris should not be for the best defenseman it should just state the highest scoring dman. I mean come on points are great and all but one has to be able to be a top end defender and Karlsson just is not good defensively. Getting better but not someone on a deep team who I send out against a team's top line unless my top line is top quality and I figure I can play in their zone the entire time.

I think MVPs and best players should come from top teams. Yes you should be punished for playing on a bad team because though a player is only what roughly 5% of the team, they can make poor teams better and achieve more and sometimes, they kind of make sacrifices for their team by not making a risky offensive play so their team can win.

And so individual awards are often more about marketing now a days than reality. McJesus should have never sniffed a nod for top rookie because he missed most the season and because his team sucked.

Those are more ponts and my rant is now over. I stopped paying attention to awards when players like Doughty and Keith did not win and Karlsson did. They need a Paul Coffey award or something for highest scoring dman and then maybe the Norris can be the MVP award for dmen.

As well as the Vienza. Holtby was great for a large chunk of the season than just better than average in the weaker conference. He tied a record in a weak conference whoopdi doo. That in itself should not be a qualifying factor. It should be simply of all the goalies who played this season who would you most want as your goaltender. That might have been Luongo. Crawford. Hell it would be Crawford.
- BluemanGuruu

I'm the least objective person here to be commenting on Hawks players, but agree on Crawford. This was his best season in the NHL. Some really good goaltending happening in these playoffs -- Elliot, Murray, Jones

I'm the least objective person here to be commenting on Hawks players, but agree on Crawford. This was his best season in the NHL. Some really good goaltending happening in these playoffs -- Elliot, Murray, Jones
- etchtech

Murray is really amazing given the shooters against him and his relative lack of NHL experience. Amazing run this "kid" is on.

Alright time for the blues to play a complete game

Lets Go

The Blues have not won a second round playoff game at home in fourteen years.

Anyone else continuing to notice that the scoring is being driven from the Blue line a lot?
- Jason Millen

Everything starts from the blue line for the Blues. As a Hawks fan, during the last series any time the puck came up to Parayko or Pietrangelo I shuddered. A lot of the scoring you generate 5 on 5 is from the blue line (aside from some Backes greasy goals - Gm 1 vs Hawks )

I would give Parayko the nod over any rookie whose team failed to even make the play offs making such rookies contrbutions and game style not as relavant. Trade offs have to be made to won hockey other than driving up one's point totals.

So Ghost he changed the Flyers complexity and did so while getting a lot of points. No shame in that,

McJesus, as good as he is, got there more on hype than reality. Sorry part of playing the game is being able to play the game imho. And really he could go play as offensive as he liked and no one would bother to look and see how he played in his own end based on hupe and his team utterly sucking and not even seeming to care and play for pride.
- BluemanGuruu

McDavid was a over a point per game player! Yes, he was injured and yes, that should hold some weight, but what he did when he was on the ice was awesome. I don't even like the guy all that much but still respect what he was able to do.

I understand you're all wah wah about Parayko not getting a nod. He is extremely talented, but he didn't change the Blues any more than McDavid changed the Oilers, to play on your metrics. I would say his impact on the Blues was less than McDavid's on the Oilers, because the Blues obviously have more depth and talent than the Oil.

Parayko will be a great player for many years to come. May even contend for the Norris a few times. I think the NHL got it right with the best three rookies. And because I know this is coming since I called you out for being a homer: Panarin is a rookie in the NHL's eyes. Their rules, not mine. If the rules were to disqualify Panarin for playing professional before the NHL, then Auston Matthews will never have a rookie season and never contend for a Calder Trophy! Interesting to think about.

Until they change the rules for the Calder it will never be relevant to me

Panarin can play 7 years in a professional league and come over and win the Calder is a bit salty for me.

He is a great player but he is not a rookie

So give it to Panarin and change the rules that you have to have less than 3 years of experience in any professional league

KHL AHL

Alright its time

Kris Letang is a dirty player

His hit on Johannson last night was needless and textbook interference and he should be sitting

It wasn't to the head but it was to a defenseless player as the puck was no where near the play

Letang should sit but he wont as he is a Penguin

We need to get Vlady going tonight. We cannot afford to have him go on one of his cold streaks now!

Alright its time

Kris Letang is a dirty player

His hit on Johannson last night was needless and textbook interference and he should be sitting

It wasn't to the head but it was to a defenseless player as the puck was no where near the play

Letang should sit but he wont as he is a Penguin
- sycsam

IMHO, the league needs to re-think hits and discipline overall. The hit he made was bad and shouldn't be in the game anymore imho.

On a side note, that series is making the Blues/Hawks series look tame. Just last night, Letang's hit, Letang getting kneed while down, Williams getting speared, Williams swinging his stick at Letang at the end of the game, etc.

We need to get Vlady going tonight. We cannot afford to have him go on one of his cold streaks now!
- cuethenoise

As long as they win, he can stay cold this series to heat up later in the playoffs.

As long as they win, he can stay cold this series to heat up later in the playoffs.
- Jason Millen

Yup

All I care about right now is the W

IMHO, the league needs to re-think hits and discipline overall. The hit he made was bad and shouldn't be in the game anymore imho.

On a side note, that series is making the Blues/Hawks series look tame. Just last night, Letang's hit, Letang getting kneed while down, Williams getting speared, Williams swinging his stick at Letang at the end of the game, etc.
- Jason Millen

Agreed

Letang needs to sit for sure he is playing out of control

They can beat themselves up all they want

I'm ready for tonight!