Mr. Observer
Oct 09, 2009 Nov 02, 2010 6 53
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Brad Lee is (almost) my hero!
by Mr. Observer on Aug 10, 2010 7:20 AM EDT
on St. Louis Game Time
First off, let me say Brad, this is for you.
It takes real guts to go against the flow. In fact, I'm absolutely astounded your article didn't get more of this type of response:
If for some reason you haven't read Mr. Lee's article, go here and do so.
The mere fact that SLGT readers aren't beginning impeachment proceedings against B.Lee or demanding his immediate resignation tells me in the back of their mind, a teeny tiny part of them knows what he's saying is true.
There was some speculation in the comments after Mr. Lee's article that suggest the Blues are not a big market team - never have been, never will be. I would not argue that. I don't think many people would. Chew on these questions then.
Did the current group of owners think that St. Louis was a big market?
If so, they are stupid.
Did the current group of owners think that St. Louis could become a big market?
If so, they are naive.
Is it possible that the current group of owners knew full well that St. Louis wasn't a big market, had little market growth potential, and, as a franchise, would have very little money to spend but figured they could throw together a cheap team that finished over .500 and hopefully made the playoffs?
Absolutely.
It would appear that many Blues fans are content with simply making the playoffs. That fits perfectly into the master plan of the Checketts regime. They did their homework. They knew they couldn't come in here and bring in high priced free agents. They knew what they had to do to be profitable. They don't have to build a great team, certainly not a Stanley Cup contending team. They just have to make it look like they are. What better way to make it look like they are building a potential Stanley Cup team than to just have a bunch of rookies on a team with a scattering of 2nd and 3rd year players and an old vet for shits and giggles? Claim every year that we got better with the draft, build up the hype to the fans, who are more than willing to buy it, and everything works out great - if you're the owner of the Blues. I have a feeling the Blues will be "building from within" as long as Checketts and crew are in control.
The only question I have is whether or not Al MacInnis is part of the lie or if he was duped like the fans. For our sake, I hope he was duped.
52 comments
After going on life-support, Blues pull plug on Murray
by Mr. Observer on Jan 2, 2010 11:48 PM EST
on St. Louis Game Time
“I don’t think he [Murray] was on the same page with everybody... I think guys didn’t know where they stood with him, and I think that’s not a good thing to have in the locker room. I had no idea where I was with him and I couldn’t understand what he was trying to tell me." - Cam Janssen (R.B. FALLSTROM, AP Writer)
The million dollar question is why couldn't Janssen understand Murray? Has Janssen taken one too many shots to the head? Did Murray's crackly, barely audible, Darth Sidious, death voice not resonate loud enough? Or is it a little from column A and a little from column B?
Be confused no more, Cammer. Murray is gone, and the Blues can now begin their "rebuilding phase" within the rebuilding phase. Davis Payne may not have been at the top of many people's list, but upon further review, I think it makes pretty good sense. This guy has already been with our kids. He knows how they play, he should have no problem relating with them. He should also have a pretty good idea of which guys in the minors should be brought up to the NHL. I like the youth move. Young players should have a young coach, someone the players can relate to. Besides, how cool would it be to put a big ass sign on the front doors of Scottrade that says, "Welcome to the House of Payne". Talk about intimidation!
I sincerely hope that Mr. Payne can bring a new style of play to the current Blues team. Getting rid of Murray was a long time coming. Hopefully we have seen the end of the dump and chase era. I don't really know much about Payne's style of play. If anyone knows about his style I'd like to hear it.
On an unrelated note, does anybody know if there are any plans for Jean-Guy Trudel to play with STL or Peoria when he's done screwing off in Switzerland?
BTW, bonus points to Cam Janssen against the Nux Thursday night. Bating Rick Rypien into a fight, and ultimately a game misconduct, was pure genius. I'm going to pretend that Cammer knew Rypien was taped up. One of the few positives of the game.
Time to take a good hard look in the mirror
by Mr. Observer on Nov 12, 2009 11:09 AM EST
on St. Louis Game Time
I, for one, have seen enough. This is not a good team. The players are certainly to blame, but let's not overlook Andy Murray and upper management. Yes, yes, I know. The Blues just won 6-1! Let's not overlook the fact that they scored 4 of the 6 goals against Raycroft, a viable backup, but still, not Luongo. Also, the Nux were down a Sedin and a Demitra. Ya, ya. Demitra sucks. Although, he did have 53 points last year. There were only 3 Blues players to reach 50 points last year. So, if he sucks, so does the majority of the Blues' roster.
It's odd how, for some fans, one win makes the Blues "good" again. Let's not forget this is a team that lost to Atlanta and Phoenix, twice each, and for good measure, dropped a game to Florida. This is a team that is near the bottom in the standings and goals for. In fact, the Blues have been one of the lowest scoring teams in the NHL over the past several years. Players are under-performing... or are they? Let's take a little more critical approach to how we view this team.
For starters, Tkchuk and Kariya are great guys. Fan favorites. But they are past their prime. Their cups are beginning to runneth dry. Walt should not have been resigned. I know there is a ton of people who say I'm crazy, but the guy is not what he used to be, not even close. Kariya may have one year left in him, this year, but that's about it. The Blues need to be smarter about who they keep. True, fan favorites help sell tickets and fill the arena, but how many tickets is Tkachuk really selling? Especially when compared to Kariya, Oshie, Perron, Berglund?
To count on David Backes as a legitimate goal scorer is to be naive. He is not a goal scorer. He will likely never match, much less surpass, the numbers he put up last year. Last year was a fluke. At best, he is a slightly less talented Tkachuk. Not that there isn't room for him on the team. If he can consistently play with intensity, he makes a great 3rd liner.
Brewer and Jackman are extreme liabilities to the current team. Brewer has lost his ability to play as a big, physical, puck-moving defenseman. That is assuming he ever possessed those attributes as a Blue. Jackman, while playing slightly better than last year so far in this abbreviated year, does not fit the current team. He seems to think he is a playmaking D-man, when at best, he is a Rick Zombo or Murray Baron. He does not have an impressive offensive repertoire, and when he tries to play the part of Bobby Orr for the Blues, he hurts the team.
Cam Janssen is a wasted roster spot, as is D.J. King. When D.J. King is actually healthy enough to play, he gets 5 or so minutes of ice time. The same can be said for Janssen. What is even more alarming, is that both of these players are viable options for Andy Murray instead of playing guys like Lars Eller. Now, I am not saying that fighting isn't a part of hockey, but the Blues should be first and foremost, a hockey team, not a boxing team. The Blues have plenty of scrappy players who will drop the gloves to defend their teammates, if need be.
Brad Boyes is lost. The guy is totally lost. From the first game I saw him play as a Blue, I didn't like his work ethic. He didn't skate hard unless he was carrying, or within a stick's reach of, the puck. I was able to look beyond those flaws because he was producing very good numbers on a very lackluster roster. This year, much of the same, but without the production. Is it a slump? Hopefully. I think he also over-estimates his ability. I lost count of the number of times he has tried to make a sneaky move or tricky play, only to get slammed to the ice or humiliatingly robbed of the puck by a simple poke check.
Oshie and Berglund are experiencing the sophomore slump. Which unfortunately, the "really good" players don't seem to get (i.e. Crosby, Ovechkin, Datsyuk etc.). So, perhaps Oshie and Berglund are good, but, the Blues will need better to do anything this year and beyond. Don't get me wrong, I love both guys, but I don't see them as the saviors of the Blues teams in the future.
It may seem as though I am bashing the entire team. Almost. The Blues do have talent, though. Andy McDonald, Erik Johnson, David Perron, Ty Conklin, and Chris Mason have played exceptionally well to date. Guys like Jay McClemment, Brad Winchester, B.J. Crombeen, and Roman Polak have done exactly what is expected of them.
Now, let's move on to Andy Murray. Since the beginning of last year, I was convinced Andy Murray was not the right guy for the Blues. I am not, and never will be, a fan of dump and chase. Aside from being absolutely boring to watch for fans, it is an unreliable way to win. The Blues have enough skilled players to move the puck and score goals. They need to watch tapes of the Redwings of yesteryear or the Sedins and take notes.
When Murray benched Perron last year and Berglund this year, it only reinforces my belief that Andy needs to go. It won't be long before he decides to bench Oshie as well. I understand the need to bench players at times, but not your rookies. Put them in the lineup, and sit them on the bench if they aren't playing well, but don't take them off the game day roster. The Blues don't score enough goals to be able to do something like that. Murray's track record with the Blues is average. The Blues fans don't want an average team.
Which leads me to upper-management. If JD and crew think they are doing well, they are sadly mistaken. The Blues, as I have already stated, have no offense, and have been one of the lowest scoring teams in the NHL for years now (even with Brad Boyes). So, why then, do they waste a 1st and 4th overall pick on defensemen? Not to take anything away from EJ, I think he is turning into a great player, but a team must be able to score goals if they are going to win games. Additionally, the method of getting players NHL ready is seriously flawed. Look at it this way:
The current plan: Player X is drafted 4th overall, for example, and is immediately sent to the minors. Player X spends 2 years in the minors, is called up to play a handful of games in the NHL, then sent back to the minors for a 3rd year. Finally, year 4, Player X has an NHL roster spot. It will take Player X at least a full year to get up to speed with the rest of the NHL. By year 5, Player X is finally a viable NHL player for the Blues.
My plan: Player X is drafted 4th overall, for example, and is immediately put into the NHL roster. The only way to learn how to play in the NHL is to play in the NHL. Year one is a learning year. Year two is better than year one, and by year 3, assuming the player was good enough to be chosen 4th overall, Player X is a viable member of Blues roster. I just cut 2 years off the learning curve, helping both the player and the team in the process.
My 4th overall example may remind you of Alex Pietrangelo. It should. That was my point. I hate the fact that he was our 4th overall pick when the team is in desperate need of goals. I hate the fact that if he was good enough to take 4th overall that he is spending his time in the minors or in the press-box. You can't have it both ways. He's either a great 1st round pick who should immediately be inserted into the lineup or he isn't good enough to be in the lineup, therefore, he wasn't worth a 4th overall pick. My hope is that Pietrangelo will play like EJ, stay on the NHL roster for the Blues all year, or be traded away for a legit goal scorer while his trade value is still high.
I don't know how the rest of this season will play out, but from the looks of things now, it won't be good. And to hold out hope that somehow the Blues will rally late in the season to storm into the playoffs just doesn't cut it for me. So yes, you can blame the players for the Blues unimpressive start to the year, but, realistically they can't be expected to produce as much as we are anticipating. The men in charge aren't giving Murray much to work with right now, and Murray isn't using what he has to work with the way he should. I am certain, however, that if the Blues lose to Nashville tonight, Blue fans should be calling for the resignation of Andy Murray and questioning the methods of upper-management. Good enough isn't good enough, at least not for me.
You tell me, who's to blame for what we are seeing from the Blues this year?
Observation #4 - Blues 1 vs Kings 2 - Broken Record
by Mr. Observer on Oct 11, 2009 12:14 AM EDT
on St. Louis Game Time
The Blues are playing like a broken record. Fall behind by two goals, and try to claw their way back into the game. Someone should tell them it's easier to play with a lead. For the fourth straight game, the Blues trailed by two goals and put fans on the edge of their seats with a late game push to tie it up. The Blues played much better against the Kings than they did against the Thrashers, but the end result was the same. After opening the season with back to back wins against Detroit, the Blues have dropped consecutive games to teams they could have, and should have, beaten.
In the first period, the Blues put themselves behind the eight ball, taking three penalties. Los Angeles entered the game 5 for 12 on the power play, and on their first opportunity with the man advantage, LA's Ryan Smyth capitalized, collecting a rebound off the boards and flipping it over an outstretched left pad of Chris Mason for his fourth goal of the year. To Mason's credit, he stopped the first shot by Smyth, but was unable to stop the rebound. Smyth never should have gotten that second chance, as the Blues penalty killers dozed off for a bit. LA would receive five more chances on the power play, ultimately going 1 for 6 on the night.
The Blues fell behind by two in the second period on somewhat of a fluke goal credited to Michal Handzus. David Perron tried to block a shot/pass across the crease, but instead, inadvertently deflected the the puck through the pads of Mason, who was moving from his right to left. Mason played very well for the Blues, again making huge key saves keeping his team within comeback distance. While on the powerplay, LA's Drew Doughty, who collected his fifth point of the season in the game, carried the puck into the Blues end, started to go behind the net, and then quickly centered the puck to a trailing Frolov. Frolov tried to put the puck in the far side of the net, but Mason snared the shot with his glove.
At the other end of the ice, Jon Quick played a brilliant game, when needed. Similar to the past three games, the bulk of the Blues onslaught took place in the third period. Quick made a highlight reel save on Alexander Steen in the third period, sliding from his right to left and stacking the pads on a shot labeled top shelf. The Blues power play looked sharp, but they were unable to beat Quick, going 0 for 5 on the night. Even strength, the Blues again looked timid. At times, possible shots were ignored and passes were made instead, like Crombeen's chance, just outside the crease in the third. Crombeen was perhaps a foot outside the crease, a wide open lane in front of him and players piled up on either side, and instead of taking the shot, he elected to pass the puck across the ice to a well covered teammate. Reluctance to shoot and a brilliant save by the post, kept the Blues from lighting the lamp more often.
The Blues finally got on the board late in the third period when Steen circled around the back of the net and came out the other side, sending a laser beam over a sprawling Quick and just under the crossbar. The puck was in and out so fast play continued on. At the next stoppage, the referee reviewed the play and the goal was awarded. Many fans will say they wish the Blues would play every game like they did in the final minutes of tonight's game. I don't. In the final minutes, the Blues definitely played better, but also more frantic. Instead, I would like to see the Blues play an entire game with the intensity of the final minutes of the game versus LA.
On the bright side, Erik Johnson once again played well, this time showcasing his defensive skills by stopping several LA rushes with a simple, yet effective, pokecheck, reminiscent of a former Blues giant, Chris Pronger. In addition to Johnson, Perron, Steen, and Winchester worked hard on every shift. Perron and Winchester drew 3 of the 5 penalties taken by the Kings. Alex Pietrangelo played well in his first game of the season. Didn't see or hear much about him during the game, and like they say, no news is good news. In the waning minutes of the game, it would have been nice to see Berglund, a healthy scratch, out on the ice. Nothing against Cam Janssen, but was it really worth sitting Berglund so Janssen could see 5:02 worth of ice time? Then again, who am I to second guess Murray?
The Blues are off until the 15th, when they will head out to the desert to play the new and moderately improved, 2-2, Gretzkyless Coyotes. The Blues cannot overlook this team like they did the Thrashers and Kings. Phoenix has shown a lot of determination in its first four games this season, a team the Blues could take notes from. The schedule doesn't get any easier after the 'Yotes. Anaheim, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, and Dallas round out the next two weeks of games for the Note. I don't believe it's time for Blues fans to hit the panic button, abandon ship, or eject just yet. After all, it is only game four. But, certainly, Murray needs to get his troops together and somehow find a way to get them as pumped up and ready to play every game like it's against Detroit. The Blues need to find a way to play a full 60 minutes of tough, hard-fought hockey, the same kind of hockey which propelled them into the playoffs six months ago. Surely, at some point, this team will turn it around and get on track. When they do, look out NHL.
Pre-Game: Blues vs Kings - Who's it gonna be?
by Mr. Observer on Oct 10, 2009 3:54 AM EDT
on St. Louis Game Time
The Blues and Kings square off tonight at Scottrade. Although those are the scheduled teams, many hockey fans are wondering which teams will actually show up. Will the Blues arrive as the Blues of Sweden or the ones that lost to Atlanta? Will LA arrive as the Kings of the past two or three years, or will they be the team that has scored an average of five goals in their first three games of the season? Hopefully for us spectators, the best of both teams show up to bring us, what should be, one hell of a hockey game.
The Blues obviously turned some heads in their first three games this year. Beating Detroit once is quite an accomplishment, and beating them twice in back to back games is something most teams can't brag about. The Blues certainly showed some resiliency, coming back from two goal deficits in both games, and then being able to hold on to that lead. It is somewhat alarming, however, that the Blues are playing catch-up in all three games this early season. Chris Mason has looked sharp at times in his first two games, but at other times a bit sluggish. He had several key saves in the first game in Sweden, saves that proved to be game changers and game savers. And against Atlanta, after giving up three goals, he shut the door and gave the Blues a chance to come back. Watch for Mason to shake off the pre-season rust and return to last year's form, sooner rather than later. The more games he plays, the stronger he gets, evidenced last year with the Blues' playoff run.
The Blues defensive corps will have to step up their game with the absence of Barret Jackman. The Blues have done a pretty decent job of keeping the puck out of their own net; only five teams in the Western Conference have given up less goals, and they didn't have to face the high octane Redwings offense in back to back games. With Jackman out, Alex Pietrangelo will get his chance to show he's ready for the NHL. Last year in eight games with the big squad, Pietrangelo had a powerplay assist, two penalty minutes and seven shots on goal. He didn't do anything to separate himself from the pack in the eyes of Andy Murray and upper management - other than the fact that he was an 18 year old rookie who, at the very least, held his own against some of the top players in the NHL. Pietrangelo is slated to be on a line with Erik Johnson.
The Blues have also scored their fair share of goals to start out this young season. Keith Tkachuk has started off on a strong note, just like last year, with six points in three games. Paul Kariya has also picked up where he left off prior to last year's injury. In his past 14 regular season games, Kariya has 19 points. The Blues currently have six players averaging a point per game. That must be a comforting feeling for fans and management. That means the scoring is spread out and isn't placed solely on any one player's shoulders. In fact, all but five players on the Blues roster have at least a point in these first three games. Contributions from all around make for a happy team.
The Kings' achilles heel continues to be goaltending. So far this year, Jon Quick is sporting a 4.34gaa and .850sv%, certainly nothing to write home about. Quick has one career game against the Blues, a 2-0 loss last year, where he stopped 21 of 23 shots. But LA feels Quick could be the man to lead their team, and are going to give him every opportunity to prove it. Last year Quick played 41 games, going 21-18 with four shutouts, a 2.48gaa, and .914sv%. If he can duplicate or improve on that this year, coupled with the Kings offense, LA could find themselves fighting for a playoff spot in April.
LA's offensive firepower mainly consists of Anze Kopitar, Ryan Smyth, and Alexander Frolov. But so far this year, even guys like Dustin Brown, Drew Doughty, and Justin Williams have joined in the fun. Kopitar, who just turned 22 in August, is one of the league's bright young stars. He has just begun his fourth full year, tallying eight points in three games. Ryan Smyth (3 goals, 6 points) hopes to put up solid numbers again like last year, entering his 16th year in the league and first with LA. Frolov has been another bright spot for the Kings, hoping to return to the 70 point plateau with a strong start this year.
If the Blues of Sweden show up to face the Kings of 2009-10, fans are in for a treat. Scottrade will be rockin'. Expect lots of hits, great saves, and most importantly, a Blues win.
My prediction: Blues 4 Kings 2
Observation #3 - Blues 2 vs Thrashers 4 - Imposters
by Mr. Observer on Oct 9, 2009 1:28 AM EDT
on St. Louis Game Time
The game I saw had a team wearing the Blue note, but it wasn't the Blues. The St. Louis Blues I have come to know and love overcame ridiculously outrageous odds to make the playoffs last year. The Blues I have come to know and love swept last year's Western Conference Champs in a two game series a week ago in Sweden. I don't know who this team was that stole our beloved Blues' jerseys, but I don't think they'll show up again any time soon.
Early on in the first period, it was plainly evident that this wasn't the Blues team who could rally from a 2 goal deficit. As I tried to get comfy on my couch, I found myself somehow sliding back to the edge of my seat. It was as if I was trying to get to the puck before the Thrasher players FOR the Blues, because the Blues players seemed to be moving in slow motion. A race for a loose puck usually resulted in an Atlanta player skating harder and coming away victorious. The Blues players seemed to be coasting. They appeared... timid? They weren't finishing checks, which up until the third period, were few and far between, and the checks they did deliver seemed weak. Who was this team and what did they do with my Blues? Being the eternal optimist that I am, I shrugged off the slow start after Big Walt put the good guys up by one. Surely this would spark the team.
It didn't take long for that optimism to wear off, however. Atlanta answered with three goals and given the Blues team that showed up, there was no comeback a'brewin'. The Blues players did pick up their game in the third period, but still not to the level that we witnessed against Detroit. Of course, not every player on the Blues roster was slow. T.J.Oshie delivered a few heavy hits and wowed the fans when he danced around the Atlanta players at center ice, worked around more Thrashers in their own end, and tried to roof a shot over Atlanta goalie Ondrej Pavelec. I, for one, took full advantage of my DVR and watched that sequence four or five times. There was only one other player, perhpas two, that I felt played well; Erik Johnson and Tkachuk.
True, Big Walt showed up to score a nice goal, but after that, I think he got sucked into cruise control along with the rest of the team. Just ask Detroit, that type of hockey won't work very well against most NHL teams. Erik Johnson, however, played well throughout the game. Numerous times he took control of the puck in his own end, deked some Thrashers and charged up ice. And he didn't just cross the red line and dump the puck in. Instead, he crossed the red line and fired, ney, blasted shots at the net. This was wonderful to see because it would result in one of three possible outcomes; A goal, a faceoff deep in the opposition's end or a rebound for the Blues forwards to recover. I haven't seen a defenseman for the Blues take that kind of initiative since the days of Chris Pronger and Al MacInnis. If EJ can keep up that kind of play, he will be quite a force to have on our team.
Am I scared the Blues have reverted back to the team we saw three or four years ago? Of course not. Andy Murray wouldn't let something like that happen, nor would JD. Yes, pre-game I could feel it in my gut that this was a game the Blues could, should and would win. Yes, it stung a little to see the puck enter the empty net and squash my hope for a Boston-like miracle comeback. But, I firmly believe what we Blues fans are witnessing is the beginning stages, the birth, of a team which will follow in the footsteps of our hated rivals, the Redwings. Soon, beginning perhaps even this year, the Blues will be winning the division annually, and soon, the Blues will be the team that the rest of the NHL hates to play. Every good team begins somewhere, and just like a baby learning to walk, the Blues will fall down. Fortunately, the Blues are a resilient group, and they will pick themselves up and start again. When the Blues play the Kings Saturday, we won't see the same team we saw play Atlanta. We will see a dominant team - the St. Louis Blues.
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