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St. Louis Blues Morning Links: Second Half Begins, Hope Eternal

By Todd Panula

Jan 28, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith (2) , Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (8) , St. Louis Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko (91) and Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Justin Faulk (27) rest during the skills challenge relay during the 2017 NHL All Star Game skills competition at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 28, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith (2) , Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (8) , St. Louis Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko (91) and Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Justin Faulk (27) rest during the skills challenge relay during the 2017 NHL All Star Game skills competition at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Good morning Blues fans! Welcome to the official/unofficial second half of the 2016-17 season. Let us pray we see something better than what ended the first half.

The St. Louis Blues have had their little break and will get back to the real stuff tonight when they face the Winnipeg Jets at home. It is about as good a setup for this team as you could ask for.

The Blues just got waxed 5-3 by Winnipeg just before the All-Star break, so they have a revenge motivation. They also have the chance to put a little early rain on the Jets’ parade.

Winnipeg is still clinging to life as a playoff hopeful. The Blues own one of the final two wild card spots at this moment and the Jets are only three points behind.

The Jets do have four teams to leapfrog if they want one of those spots as well. Winnipeg also has the luxury of not currently having to look in the rear-view mirror since Arizona and Colorado are all but mathematically out of it.

So, it falls on the Blues to squash some dreams tonight. No, a win would not clinch anything for St. Louis or end any chances for Winnipeg, but it could send a strong signal.

If the Blues are to be believed, in their current incarnation, as both a playoff team and a contender, then they cannot let teams below them steal points. The Blues basically have to be everything they have not been since November. That’s a tough ask, but if these players want jobs in the Lou next year, they better get their butts in gear.

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Saying that, there is absolutely no chance of clearing house either at the trade deadline or in the summer. Still, players like certainty and when you are not winning you have none. There is always someone out there willing to work harder, be stronger and skate faster, so the Blues players need to show what they are made of.

St. Louis is going to need a ton from Vladimir Tarasenko and Jake Allen. It may seem a bit pretentious to ask for more from a guy with over 20 goals, but he has to be a killer. He has to lead this team and put them on his shoulders.

Allen is going to be the goaltender for this team whether you or I or anyone likes it. Trading for a goaltender puts a band-aid on a bullet wound right now. Allen can be better and must be. If we get the Allen from last season, this team will be OK. Even if he does play better, the defense must help a lot more, but it would be a start.

The Blues limped into the All-Star weekend. Their injuries are much less numerous than seasons past, but they might as well have had half the team out on IR with the way guys have disappeared anyway.

The break itself will likely have no affect on this team. They have a simple choice to make. Do they want to win or do they want to keep floundering like a fish out of water?

We may get a good indication tonight. Then again, we may not.

This team has a habit of having a game where they look like world beaters and then worse than an AHL team the next. It’s time to string together some positive play.

It starts shift to shift and period to period. However, the Blues don’t have the luxury of baby steps, so they better get it all together quickly to avoid a huge letdown coming off a Western Conference Finals berth.

Here are your St. Louis Blues Morning Links to get your day started off right.

The St. Louis Blues are already looking back to Jake Allen to be in net tonight.  The naysayers will whine that Hutton played well blah blah, etc.  Allen is saying all the right things though as he prepares to find his game again.  (Post-Dispatch)

In a move that was widely expected, the Blues have brought back Ivan Barbashev after spending the All-Star break back in the AHL.  How much time he sees is still in question.  (Fan Rag)

It’s disappointing to hear players come to a realization that they have not been hungry every single night.  However, realizing you have a problem is half the battle.  As coach Hitchcock put it, the team must now decide how bad they want it.  (STLToday)

The political process is always up and down, swaying with the wind.  Just a month ago, Scottrade renovations seemed an easy yes while the potential MLS stadium was dead in the water.  The fortunes of both have taken a turn and who knows how it will turn out.  (Post-Dispatch)

Next: Blues Fans Forced To See Same Problems In Central Division's Loss

The Blues and the rest of the Central Division may have had a terrible couple All-Star breaks, but not so for their minor leaguers.  The Chicago Wolves and the AHL Central have now won the entire competition for two years running.  (NHL)

The New York Islanders made headlines when they dumped former Blue Jaro Halak to the minors earlier this season.  They now went all in on Thomas Greiss with an extension.  (ESPN)

Have a great day Blues fans!

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