We  all know that the Blues are hoping to take a step forward and back into the playoffs this season, but what will have to happen if the team is going to take that next step? Here are a few things that have to happen if the Blues are going to head back to the promise land in 2010-2011.

1. Goaltending- I’m not one of those guys who wants to blame Chris Mason for anything that happened last season, and actually I think he did a pretty good job overall. With that being said, I think Jaroslav Halak has the potential to do something that Mason couldn’t consistently: win games in the third period. The blown leads certainly weren’t all Mason’s fault, but sometimes a young team like this needs a goalie who will step up to that next level late in the game. Halak proved last season that he is at his best under pressure, and if he wins a couple of those games for us, this team could be much better this season.

2. Front-line Scoring- It’s imperative that someone on this roster steps up as a major goal-scorer in the upcoming season. There has to be a player on this team that everyone else can rely on to score a big goal when it’s needed. You have to look at two players for this role: David Backes and Brad Boyes. Both players have done it in the past, and both guys have the potential to do it again. I’m especially looking to Backes to have a major year in 2010-2011.

3. Youth Maturity- This team is still young, but it’s getting to a point where we can’t blame the youth anymore. These guys have been around, and it’s time for everyone to be held accountable. Guys like Patrick Berglund, TJ Oshie, and Erik Johnson all need to ascend to the level we expect them to play at. I’m not saying these guys were bad last year, but i think they can all be better. I really think this could be the year Johnson becomes an elite NHL defenseman, and if he does we could see a completely different squad.

I will discuss another potential rule change in my next post, but I thought I’d give you a few links to check out before I get back into that area. These should be of interest to any Blues fan, so I encourage you to check out both links.

First, we get a sneak peek at new goalie Jaroslav Halak’s glove he will be using for the upcoming season. I like it, especially the fact that it is mostly white. I haven’t seen the rest of the equipment just yet, but I’m sure he’s going to look sharp as he tends goal for the Note this season.

Jaroslav Halak’s Glove

David Perron also did a live chat on stlouisblues.com recently, so here is the transcript from his session. He is very well spoken, and I thought he did a great job answering the questions. He wasn’t one of those guys who gave short, one sentence answers. It felt like he really gave each question some thought, and his answers reflected that. My favorite moment was probably when he was asked if anyone on the team gives TJ Oshie a hard time because so many Blues fans have named their dogs after him. Perron replied that he has quite a few dogs named after him as well, so he can’t really say anything.

David Perron Chat Transcript

The NHL met this week to discuss some possible rule changes, and I have to admit that a few of the issues had me pretty excited. Since there isn’t much going on these days, I have decided to discuss each issue individually throughout the week, so make sure to check back every day to read about the issues and put your two cents in the comments section.

The first rule that I will touch on is a possible hybrid icing. For those who don’t know, the rule would essentially make icings no-touch unless the fore-checker is in a better position to play the puck by the time the competitors reach the face-off circle. I have long been a proponent on no-touch icings, and this rule is even better because it allows the competition for the puck to continue while still eliminating the potential career-threatening injuries of players getting hit from behind.

Defenseman are often defenseless (no pun intended) on icing plays, and I can’t tell you how many times I have held my breath as a player was sent head-first into the boards on just such a play. The hybrid icing call could protect these players, and in my opinion it also speeds up the game if players don’t have to chase the puck all the way down the ice on obvious icing plays.

I don’t know if any of these rules have a serious chance to be changed, but I would fully support a hybrid icing rule if the league were to implement it in the coming seasons. If anyone has an opinion on the issue, let it be known in the comment section.

Nothing is really going on in Blues’ Nation right now unless you count the fact that GM Doug Armstrong has said that this roster will be what the team heads into the season with barring any unforeseen trades. With that being said, I thought I’d have a little fun and talk about the Top Five NHL teams I just can’t stand. I set up a poll on the right side of the page, so scroll down and cast your vote for Blues’ fans most hated NHL rival. Here is my list.

1A. Detroit Red Wings — The obvious choice for most St. Louis fans as the most hated team in the NHL, the Red Wings have pretty much walked all over the Blues during their period of dominance. I will never forget Stevie Y’s goal in double overtime past Jon Casey in ‘96, and that’s where my hatred for the Wings began. Now, some of you may not know this, but in addition to being a huge Blues fan, I am also a huge Colorado Avalanche fan. Needless to say, I despise the Wings.

1B. Vancouver Canucks — The Canucks have to be listed as 1B because, although my hatred for the Wings is permanent, I currently despise the Canucks more than any other NHL team. The first-round sweep of the Blues two seasons ago was the tipping point, but let’s be honest… does anybody outside of Vancouver really like Roberto Luongo or the Sedins? The only thing I love more than watching the Wings lose is watching the supposedly great Luongo choke in another big game.

3. Chicago Blackhawks — The storied rivalry of Blues-Blackhawks is great, and one of my first great hockey memories was joining in with the crowd for the BEL-FOUR chants when the Hawks came to town. It was brutal watching the Hawks lift the Cup at the end of last season, but it was at least a little better than if it would have been Detroit or Vancouver.

4. San Jose Sharks — This one goes back to the 1999-2000 season when the Sharks shocked the NHL by taking out the President’s Trophy-winning Blues in the first round of the playoffs. That Blues team finished the regular season with 114 points, and they looked like a good bet to get the franchise its first Cup. The Sharks also took out the Avs in the first round of last year’s playoffs, so I am not a big fan.

5. Columbus Blue Jackets — This is a more recent one, as the Jackets have finally come close to respectability in the last couple of seasons. Two years ago when the Blues were fighting to get into the playoffs, some of the biggest wins came at the expense of the Jackets. The highlight for me was TJ Oshie’s hit on Rick Nash (video below), and I remember jumping out of my chair and yelling at the TV when it happened. The Blues and Jackets are on about the same level right now, so this could develop into a rivalry in the coming years. 

Honorable Mention: Calgary Flames, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild.

In another low-risk/low-reward move by the Blues front office, the team inked veteran defenseman Dean Arsene to a two-way deal earlier today. Arsene is a career minor leaguer who saw his first NHL action at the age of 29 last season with the Edmonton Oilers. He had 11 points (2-9) to go along with 100 penalty minutes in 56 AHL games at Springfield last season, and he tallied 41 more penalty minutes in 13 games with the Oil.

This is another depth move by the team, but don’t expect Arsene to make any kind of impact with the big club this season unless the Blues’ blue-liners are ravaged by injury. He does provide some fairly decent size and he obviously isn’t afraid to mix it up if you look at his PIM totals, but there are too many players in front of him right now for him to make an impact. In his AHL career, Arsene has totaled 58 points (10-48) and 868 penalty minutes in 373 games, and he will likely be adding to those numbers for most of all of this coming season.

In other Blues-Oilers news, the Note is apparently still interested in former Edmonton forward Ryan Potulny, but they are only talking a two-way deal. It sounds like Potulny is waiting them out to try to get an NHL contract for next season, and the Blues don’t appear to be interested in that course of action.

While news has been slow on the Blues signing players, which we expected, plenty of former members of the Note have found new homes and at least one more looks close to moving on. Defenseman Mike Weaver inked a 2-year deal with the Florida Panthers worth $900,000 a year. I have to say, I think the Panthers got a great deal here. Weaver is a solid blue-liner, and he is a steal for that price. With that being said, I’m glad Weaver moved on. It’s time to give some young defensemen (COUGH Alex Pietrangelo COUGH) a chance to play at this level. This team is committed to the youth movement, so we need to do just that.

Jamal Mayers also got himself a new deal, as he will suit up for the San Jose Sharks in 2010-2011. Mayers got a one-year deal worth $600,000, which is another nice price tag. Mayers isn’t a huge impact player on the scoreboard, but he is a guy you like having on your team. I was always a Mayers fan, and I think the Sharks got a nice player.

Moving on to Paul Kariya, who appears to be extremely close to heading back to his old stomping grounds in Southern California. Reports are that Kariya and the Ducks are close to a deal, which would send him back home and put him on the same team as his buddy Teemu Selanne. What is this, 2001? I mean, I like both of these players, but do the Ducks really think these guys will give them a better chance to make the playoffs? I have to admit, I’m kind of a Ducks fan. I blogged for them for a bit last season, and I really grew to like them. While this move works from a P.R. standpoint, I just don’t see it making them a better team. At any rate, I still like Pauly and I hope he has a nice season wherever he ends up.

Things are pretty slow around Blues camp these days, but the team has made a few minor moves over the last few days. First, the team signed veteran forward Dave Scatchard to a two-way deal for the upcoming season. Scatchard posted 30 points (20-10) in 36 games for the AHL Milwaukee Admirals last season, and he added 59 penalty minutes in that time. He also posted five points (3-2) in 16 games with the Predators. Scatchard formerly played for the Canucks and the Coyotes. He will likely start the season in Peoria, but expect to see him in St. Louis at some point this season.

The team also made a trade, as they sent defenseman TJ Fast to Florida in exchange for forward Graham Mink. Mink had 37 points (20-17) and 86 penalty minutes in 67 outings for the AHL’s Rochester Americans. Mink has spent the last nine seasons in the AHL, and he is well-traveled, playing for four teams in that time. He is a big boy at 6-3, 220 pounds, and he should add some toughness to the minor league squad.

In other news, the team has expressed some interest in former Edmonton Oiler forward Ryan Potulny. He had 15 goals for the Oil last season, so we will keep you updated if anything comes of this. Also, the team promoted Bill Armstrong to the head of amateur scouting. The entire staff is still in tact with the exception of Jarmo Kekelainen, so it should be an easy transition.

Stay tuned for a prospect update later in the week, as I will take a look at some Blues yougsters who are preparing for this year’s World Junior Classic.

The St. Louis Blues have announced today that they have re-signed defenseman Erik Johnson to a two-year contract. The deal is reportedly worth $5.2 million. Johnson was the number one pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. While Johnson and his agent were looking for a long term contract, the Blues have said they want their young guys to earn a long term deal. I am thrilled that Johnson will be wearing the Note for the next two seasons, but I am also worried to see what kind of money it will take to re-sign him in two years. Scoring defenseman can be pricey which is why I would have liked to see a longer contract that was backloaded a bit and would pay around $2.75 million the next two years and steadily increase over a four year period. I cannot complain though, the Blues have a great defenseman for the next two years and hopefully sometime down the road Johnson will earn that long term deal from the Blues. For now though, we here at Bleedin’Blue congratulate Erik on his new contract and hope for another great season from the young defenseman.