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Forums :: Blog World :: Jason Millen: Blues best Canadiens as Binngton stars before facing the Stars tonight
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Jason Millen
St Louis Blues
Location: Saint Louis, MO
Joined: 01.28.2016

Jan 12 @ 2:06 PM ET
Jason Millen: Blues best Canadiens as Binngton stars before facing the Stars tonight Blues best Canadiens as Binngton stars before facing the Stars tonight
BluemanGuruu
St Louis Blues
Location: trustinjarmo knows nothing, MO
Joined: 06.28.2007

Jan 12 @ 3:34 PM ET
Good write up Jammer.

I hope Maroon sinks to the fourth line. I'd rather see M&M in his place to keep that line fast.
BluesDroogie
St Louis Blues
Location: St. Louis, MO
Joined: 06.12.2014

Jan 12 @ 8:47 PM ET
Who is m&m?
BluesDroogie
St Louis Blues
Location: St. Louis, MO
Joined: 06.12.2014

Jan 12 @ 8:51 PM ET
Nevermind Lets go BLUES!!!
eggsegan
Joined: 02.26.2007

Jan 12 @ 11:31 PM ET
I’d be interested in your analysis of Binnington’s game. It’s a small sample size, but it appears that the team is rallying around the kid. Maybe they’re finally gett8ng back to normal after offseason injuries and finding the rhythm with the new faces in the line up...

Binnington has looked good. His save on the Canadien penalty box breakaway was solid. He didn’t open up the shop...
eggsegan
Joined: 02.26.2007

Jan 12 @ 11:32 PM ET
Who is m&m?
- BluesDroogie


MacKenzie MacEachern
BluemanGuruu
St Louis Blues
Location: trustinjarmo knows nothing, MO
Joined: 06.28.2007

Jan 13 @ 1:21 AM ET
I’d be interested in your analysis of Binnington’s game. It’s a small sample size, but it appears that the team is rallying around the kid. Maybe they’re finally gett8ng back to normal after offseason injuries and finding the rhythm with the new faces in the line up...

Binnington has looked good. His save on the Canadien penalty box breakaway was solid. He didn’t open up the shop...

- eggsegan

I thought a few years back that he was better than Allen. Only he lacked confidence and after looking terrible it seemed like he didn't believe he coukd play at the NHL level. Well he tanked some preseason and a relief appearance and it appeared to affect his game so much he was sent to the ECHL and the Blues gave up on him. Last year he found himself. And he tanked in the preseason again. Something happened that changed that.

Now he looks like the kid I saw play in Chicago a few years back and said was better than Allen and he's doing it in the NHL.

What I want to see(but not right now, after the Blues rattle off some wins), is how he deals with adversity. A bad game, or bad luck game. I want to see how he comes back from one of those.
BluemanGuruu
St Louis Blues
Location: trustinjarmo knows nothing, MO
Joined: 06.28.2007

Jan 13 @ 1:22 AM ET
Tarasenko spotted looking like his old self.

I hope he proves me utterly wrong.

There's a chance.
Jason Millen
St Louis Blues
Location: Saint Louis, MO
Joined: 01.28.2016

Jan 13 @ 9:55 AM ET
I’d be interested in your analysis of Binnington’s game. It’s a small sample size, but it appears that the team is rallying around the kid. Maybe they’re finally gett8ng back to normal after offseason injuries and finding the rhythm with the new faces in the line up...

Binnington has looked good. His save on the Canadien penalty box breakaway was solid. He didn’t open up the shop...

- eggsegan


Sample size is too small imho but here is a general assessment of how he plays - He plays big, makes himself big both in stance and in aggressiveness in cutting off the angles. I think he needs to work on his explosiveness and recovery after the 1st save. The moves are there but I wonder if they are quick enough for the NHL speed.
Jason Millen
St Louis Blues
Location: Saint Louis, MO
Joined: 01.28.2016

Jan 13 @ 9:57 AM ET
Tarasenko spotted looking like his old self.

I hope he proves me utterly wrong.

There's a chance.

- BluemanGuruu


The 2nd goal release was the Tarasenko shot release of old. It's been missing most of the year which is why I have been wondering if maybe there is a lingering injury issue.

Most of his shots this year have been the more traditional sweeping follow through type shot that you would see less talented players make, not the quick snap release which is much harder to read as a goalie. The 2nd goal was the latter.
Jason Millen
St Louis Blues
Location: Saint Louis, MO
Joined: 01.28.2016

Jan 13 @ 9:59 AM ET
I thought a few years back that he was better than Allen. Only he lacked confidence and after looking terrible it seemed like he didn't believe he coukd play at the NHL level. Well he tanked some preseason and a relief appearance and it appeared to affect his game so much he was sent to the ECHL and the Blues gave up on him. Last year he found himself. And he tanked in the preseason again. Something happened that changed that.

Now he looks like the kid I saw play in Chicago a few years back and said was better than Allen and he's doing it in the NHL.

What I want to see(but not right now, after the Blues rattle off some wins), is how he deals with adversity. A bad game, or bad luck game. I want to see how he comes back from one of those.

- BluemanGuruu


Guru - he changed his hand positioning, particular the trapper. I wonder if the change in his game gave him a reason for the struggles which helped him compartmentalize those (think excuse and as to why they shouldn't continue) along with actually improving his game.

I agree with you on the adversity but he has kept them in the lead with strong saves in close games.
bleedblue2007
St Louis Blues
Location: MO
Joined: 06.30.2008

Jan 13 @ 10:06 AM ET
i would have to say this was an all around good game by everyone. It seems like everyone is getting on the same page and looking like that team that we were hoping to see from the beginning.

* Binnington has looked really good

* Tarasenkso is starting to look like the old Tarasenko over the last few games

* The kids are playing very well - sucks about Thomas i thought his game was coming along nicely

* Lets get 3 in a row on monday
Yeah Boyes
St Louis Blues
Location: Ekland, MO
Joined: 04.20.2009

Jan 13 @ 12:14 PM ET
Two wins in a row, here we go again....
Yeah Boyes
St Louis Blues
Location: Ekland, MO
Joined: 04.20.2009

Jan 13 @ 12:16 PM ET
Nolan and Kyrou are up. Very excited to see Kyrou play. Are you scratching Maroon tomorrow night after scoring?
bluenote31
St Louis Blues
Location: St. Louis
Joined: 09.25.2006

Jan 13 @ 2:10 PM ET
Id leave Nolan as a scratch for the next game or two. Put kyrou in for maceachern and move Sanford down with blais and barbeshev. Give kyrou a shot with o’reilly And Perron
Yeah Boyes
St Louis Blues
Location: Ekland, MO
Joined: 04.20.2009

Jan 13 @ 4:37 PM ET
Id leave Nolan as a scratch for the next game or two. Put kyrou in for maceachern and move Sanford down with blais and barbeshev. Give kyrou a shot with o’reilly And Perron
- bluenote31


Id love to see that
Firebrand
St Louis Blues
Location: St. Louis, MO
Joined: 05.24.2014

Jan 13 @ 8:45 PM ET
I’d be interested in your analysis of Binnington’s game. It’s a small sample size, but it appears that the team is rallying around the kid. Maybe they’re finally gett8ng back to normal after offseason injuries and finding the rhythm with the new faces in the line up...

Binnington has looked good. His save on the Canadien penalty box breakaway was solid. He didn’t open up the shop...

- eggsegan


I recall a Chicago-based someone on this thread saying "Binnington sucks" last year or year before in later stages of AHL season when he'd never had a sniff of the NHL and was at least decent or better in the A.

Happy he's getting a chance. Who knows if this superior play lasts, but the team does seem to be perking up. It'd be nice to learn if he has backup, at minimum, potential going forward.

My question is, do you tweak your roster in the off-season season, maybe move on from Jake as your main move because you think too many players just had tough years and the team was just snakebit, or is a larger shakeup necessary? I'm more inclined lately to chalk this season up to "one of those years"...but a few weeks ago was wanting to see what Schenn & Pietroangelo could fetch with 2 playoff runs remaining on their deals. This team still seems too inconsistent to land in the playoffs, but the unwise overreaction trade(s) hovers...

Still, if this team doesn't go 3-1 or 4-0 by end of Saturday's Ottawa game, time to auction off some pieces, especially UFAs, because you are just risking injuries to the healthy you might like to deal. Games in hand have lost their meaning now.
BluemanGuruu
St Louis Blues
Location: trustinjarmo knows nothing, MO
Joined: 06.28.2007

Jan 14 @ 9:38 AM ET
I recall a Chicago-based someone on this thread saying "Binnington sucks" last year or year before in later stages of AHL season when he'd never had a sniff of the NHL and was at least decent or better in the A.

Happy he's getting a chance. Who knows if this superior play lasts, but the team does seem to be perking up. It'd be nice to learn if he has backup, at minimum, potential going forward.

My question is, do you tweak your roster in the off-season season, maybe move on from Jake as your main move because you think too many players just had tough years and the team was just snakebit, or is a larger shakeup necessary? I'm more inclined lately to chalk this season up to "one of those years"...but a few weeks ago was wanting to see what Schenn & Pietroangelo could fetch with 2 playoff runs remaining on their deals. This team still seems too inconsistent to land in the playoffs, but the unwise overreaction trade(s) hovers...

Still, if this team doesn't go 3-1 or 4-0 by end of Saturday's Ottawa game, time to auction off some pieces, especially UFAs, because you are just risking injuries to the healthy you might like to deal. Games in hand have lost their meaning now.

- Firebrand


I think as of NOW, in this moment you are correct.

But the Blues are no where out of it, which is crazy to think. The games in hand don't matter unless they demonstrate they can at least win three or four in a row. Remember when Yeo came in and they had all those road games remaining and they needed to win 2 out 3 the rest of the way to get and did it? Then they shocked and won a play off series?

Figure it this way: terrible first half, but the ending was much better. After all that they're essentially only 3.5 games back, which could be shaved by the games in hand. They have not shown an ability to win something like 5 or 6 in a row, let alone 3 in a row, which is what they have to be able to do at some point.

If Thomas and Bozak aren't injured it makes Schenn a more palatable trade option. Question: Schenn, was last season an outlier or closer to his play when actualized?

If the GM has an honest feel or thought on that then the narrative of a snakebit keeps Schenn's value higher than otherwise.
If you feel team construction and chemistry are an issue then perhaps you look at moving Tarasenko(shoulder caveat still remains), get a good dman and forward prospect and then flip Petro. The end result should free cap, get a mix of good players, and at that point you hope create enough losses to draft in the top five.

Only this team just, even then, should have too much talent to sink that low. You would have to force bad players on the roster.
bluenote31
St Louis Blues
Location: St. Louis
Joined: 09.25.2006

Jan 14 @ 12:17 PM ET
In DC and going to the game tonight. Maybe finally 3 in a row. LGB