Jason Millen: Blues slay the Knights, look to tame the Wild Blues slay the Knights, look to tame the Wild

A Blues blogger...

Regarding Allen, 3 things.
1- any given night, the goals against can be argued that they are not easy saves, and justify the goals scored against. However, some nights a good goalie makes those saves. My opinion, you can't have a goalie giving up goals in that volume, and a couple of "he probably could've had that", every night.

2- he did have a good 3rd period. I just want to be able to say he had a good game.

3- start of game, Blues looked good, outshooting 7-1. After the sequence where Allen gave up the first goal (shot #3), they went 12 minutes without a shot and looked like a mess. To me, it is a sign of the confidence issue they have with the goalie as well.

I would love to see if a new goalie would help stabilize the defense.
I am sure it is too early to start that level of controversy though, and they have to give Allen more time.

Regarding Allen, 3 things.
1- any given night, the goals against can be argued that they are not easy saves, and justify the goals scored against. However, some nights a good goalie makes those saves. My opinion, you can't have a goalie giving up goals in that volume, and a couple of "he probably could've had that", every night.

2- he did have a good 3rd period. I just want to be able to say he had a good game.

3- start of game, Blues looked good, outshooting 7-1. After the sequence where Allen gave up the first goal (shot #3), they went 12 minutes without a shot and looked like a mess. To me, it is a sign of the confidence issue they have with the goalie as well.
- Mph6689

Allen sucks. That game should have been a shutout. Maybe I'll give them 1 goal. He stops what should be goals and gives up what should be routine saves

Wow this game sucks. Are they even trying??

I am so sick of the appologias concerning Allen. I have watched the Blues dominate in the offensive zone with numerous high danger shots and not score on the majority. Not all such shots go back to the goaltender.

The nottom line is he isn't making many saves. You are going to give up break aways. How come the opposing goaltenders stop them but Allen only stops it if the shot is flubbed?

No more of this nonsense. No, he's not the only problem but I have seen bad goaltenders cause the teams in front of them to over play and give up on games. I know one season we had a terrible goalie and we would dominate, try to play goalie in front of our goalie go up a few goals only to watch the lead slip away, along with our play. Half way through the goalie quit and we got a better goalie. Suddenly we went undefeated and destroyed teams.

Hell in another league at a different level we didn't have the goalie show up. It caused the other team to screw up. We won 17-14 or something like that. The pyschology of the players is affected by goaltending period.

If you have a goalie battling, you battle harder. If you feel confident in your goalie, you are more confident in the chances you take.

Allen is getting screened by his own players who are making awkward shot block attempts bc, frankly they don't trust him to do his job.

Regarding Allen, 3 things.
1- any given night, the goals against can be argued that they are not easy saves, and justify the goals scored against. However, some nights a good goalie makes those saves. My opinion, you can't have a goalie giving up goals in that volume, and a couple of "he probably could've had that", every night.

2- he did have a good 3rd period. I just want to be able to say he had a good game.

3- start of game, Blues looked good, outshooting 7-1. After the sequence where Allen gave up the first goal (shot #3), they went 12 minutes without a shot and looked like a mess. To me, it is a sign of the confidence issue they have with the goalie as well.
- Mph6689

This is exactly correct.

i agree it is time to get rid of or replace Allen with a goalie that can make saves in key situations.

Allen hasnt been able to do that all season or maybe a couple times but overall he has been garbage this season. I think he is better suited as a backup or in a the 1a 1b like when we had Elliott or even to a degree with Hutton.

I haven’t seen any St. Louis games this season before last night, but the Blues look like a much different team from what we’re used to seeing from a Wild fans perspective.

To blame your goalie is ridiculous when the team in front of you gets that badly outshot game in and game out. The high percentage chances against Allen are unbelievable, screening him out by own players is the norm. Why do you not look at other areas such as Schenn, Schwartz, Perron, and mostly Pietrangelo who looks like he is blind on the ice and stickhandles the puck like it is a grenade. Mike Yeo will be canned soon if this keeps up. If not for O'Reilly this team would be winless and for what it is worth Tarasenko is just as much of a problem as Allen. I am tired of watching that Fackers smiling and farting around when his team is down a few goals. His demeanor is unacceptable.

You can not blame Allen entirely but if you want a bonafide starter that may be available and under the radar, try C. Pickard who the Leafs waived and the Flyers picked up. If Neuvirth ever comes back from his latest injuries Pickard may become available again. Chad Johnson is not the answer nor is anyone actually playing in front of this current team.

I haven’t seen any St. Louis games this season before last night, but the Blues look like a much different team from what we’re used to seeing from a Wild fans perspective.
- MnGump

Totally agree and not sure what it is. Pietrangelo started last year on fire and this year he is right out of it offensively and defensively. Ditto Schwartz and Schenn

How many coaches has this core now had?

Andy Murray Davis Payne Ken HItchcok and now Mike Yeo

at some point its not the coaches

These players lack testicular fortitude

Shut up and start playing hockey again Saturday was ridiculous from start to finish the only thing that surp4ised me is that there wasn't a goon it up moment

This team is ridiculous right now and changing coaches wont fix that Trading Allen wont fix this

between the players ears will fix this

The team has too much talent

How many coaches has this core now had?

Andy Murray Davis Payne Ken HItchcok and now Mike Yeo

at some point its not the coaches

These players lack testicular fortitude

Shut up and start playing hockey again Saturday was ridiculous from start to finish the only thing that surp4ised me is that there wasn't a goon it up moment

This team is ridiculous right now and changing coaches wont fix that Trading Allen wont fix this

between the players ears will fix this

The team has too much talent
- sycsam

The answer to your question would be 1 - Mike Yeo.

The cores were very different under all of those coaches with a few crossovers for each.

Changing coach, and then buyout, sit, trade or whatever with Jaybo, and trading Allen is where I would start.

We can tell them to play harder all we want but changes have to made. That is the reality in sports when you get to a certain point and I think most agree we are at that point.

The answer to your question would be 1 - Mike Yeo.

The cores were very different under all of those coaches with a few crossovers for each.

Changing coach, and then buyout, sit, trade or whatever with Jaybo, and trading Allen is where I would start.

We can tell them to play harder all we want but changes have to made. That is the reality in sports when you get to a certain point and I think most agree we are at that point.
- bluenote31

Fine trade Allen for what? Don't have the cap for an upgrade so it would have to be for a G making around the same or less money that would be an upgrade. Name that G?

Trade jay bo for what? You cant waive him you cant buy him out he is on this team until his contract is up 6/30/2019

Fire Yeo replace him with who? Mike Van Ryn?

Seriously you all think it is so easy to fix this team.

Fine trade Allen for what? Don't have the cap for an upgrade so it would have to be for a G making around the same or less money that would be an upgrade. Name that G?

Trade jay bo for what? You cant waive him you cant buy him out he is on this team until his contract is up 6/30/2019

Fire Yeo replace him with who? Mike Van Ryn?

Seriously you all think it is so easy to fix this team.
- sycsam

I'm not saying that's the fix. I'm saying those are the most obvious places to start. Your solution is to tell them to grow a pair and play harder? I'm pretty sure Yeo is screaming that at them daily.

One of us is being constructive here and the other is just using talking points.


As far as your above points then I don't know get creative. Maybe Allen, Jaybo, Kostin, and 1st for Bobrovsky. Just throwing something crazy out there but sitting idly and watching this is just as crazy if I'm Armstrong.

From nhltraderumors website:

Blue Jackets frustration with Bobrovsky continues
Chris Nichols of Nichols on Hockey: Elliotte Friedman was on Sportsnet 960 and was talking about the Columbus Blue Jackets and pending free agent goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.

Friedman notes that Blue Jackets frustration with Bobrovsky dates back to the offseason when Bobrovsky blew off a meeting with GM Jarmo Kekalainen and Artemi Panarin to talk about the upcoming season. Bobrovsky was upset with some things that were said about the past year or two.

The Blue Jackets would like to keep Panarin but they realize he’s not going to re-sign.

Friedman believes they like to keep Bobrovsky but it’s obvious he doesn’t want to stay in Columbus. They have been frustrated with his focus level and attitude.

Bobrovsky has a no-movement clause and it’s believed he’s provided them with some teams that he’d consider a move too.

From nhltraderumors website:

Blue Jackets frustration with Bobrovsky continues
Chris Nichols of Nichols on Hockey: Elliotte Friedman was on Sportsnet 960 and was talking about the Columbus Blue Jackets and pending free agent goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.

Friedman notes that Blue Jackets frustration with Bobrovsky dates back to the offseason when Bobrovsky blew off a meeting with GM Jarmo Kekalainen and Artemi Panarin to talk about the upcoming season. Bobrovsky was upset with some things that were said about the past year or two.

The Blue Jackets would like to keep Panarin but they realize he’s not going to re-sign.

Friedman believes they like to keep Bobrovsky but it’s obvious he doesn’t want to stay in Columbus. They have been frustrated with his focus level and attitude.

Bobrovsky has a no-movement clause and it’s believed he’s provided them with some teams that he’d consider a move too.
- bluenote31

Sounds fantastic lets just trade all of our problems for Bob

To blame your goalie is ridiculous when the team in front of you gets that badly outshot game in and game out. The high percentage chances against Allen are unbelievable, screening him out by own players is the norm. Why do you not look at other areas such as Schenn, Schwartz, Perron, and mostly Pietrangelo who looks like he is blind on the ice and stickhandles the puck like it is a grenade. Mike Yeo will be canned soon if this keeps up. If not for O'Reilly this team would be winless and for what it is worth Tarasenko is just as much of a problem as Allen. I am tired of watching that Fackers smiling and farting around when his team is down a few goals. His demeanor is unacceptable.
- joegreif17

That is pure ignorance to suggest the Blues get "badly" out shot game in and game out; they don't.

How many coaches has this core now had?

Andy Murray Davis Payne Ken HItchcok and now Mike Yeo

at some point its not the coaches

These players lack testicular fortitude

Shut up and start playing hockey again Saturday was ridiculous from start to finish the only thing that surp4ised me is that there wasn't a goon it up moment

This team is ridiculous right now and changing coaches wont fix that Trading Allen wont fix this

between the players ears will fix this

The team has too much talent
- sycsam

Well this being a new core I'm not sure you can count Murray nor Payne.
Secondly, coaches can regress. Quenville was great here and then he got stuck in a certain mindset. How do you judge whether he had learned from his past, how much was having superior talent etc.... he faired terribly on his return to Colorado. Sometimes mistakes are made, you either accept it and correct them or continue.

In this case it's hard to fairly judge Yeo bc Allen has had a negative affect on this team. In some instances he has been great. But if you read comments of former players regarding coverage schemes you have questions.

Fine trade Allen for what? Don't have the cap for an upgrade so it would have to be for a G making around the same or less money that would be an upgrade. Name that G?

Trade jay bo for what? You cant waive him you cant buy him out he is on this team until his contract is up 6/30/2019

Fire Yeo replace him with who? Mike Van Ryn?

Seriously you all think it is so easy to fix this team.
- sycsam

Nearly any goalie at average replacement level is an upgrade over Allen. Hard to move him though. I think they wanted another year out of him before a buyout while hoping he'd do good enough to interest a desperate team.

well Quenville now available!

well Quenville now available!
- MnGump

is he really though? Don't the Hawks still have him under contract for another year so the Blues would have to compensate the Hawks for letting him out of the remaining year?

Coaches really aren't fired usually (i.e. contract terminated). They are just relieved of their coaching duties (i.e. we'll pay you to do nothing to very little).