For some St. Louis fans that meant the possibility of Armstrong attempting to trade for a top 5 pick in the upcoming NHL draft.  With Jonathan Drouin and Nathan MacKinnon both looking as if they could be elite goal scorers in the NHL, the Blues could benefit greatly from their services, but the price won’t be cheap.  Sure, the Blues have a ton of free agents this offseason, but if they want a top pick in the draft they are going to have to move more than roster players to get it.  If Armstrong wants to send out some of the players he has drafted, he could probably make a top pick work, but after seeing his moves at the deadline you have to think he wants to retain all of their services.

What fans need to remember is that the Blues have more than enough talent and skill on this team.  The problem hasn’t been the quality of athletes for the Blues, but the quality of their performance.  Sure, the Blues have room to make some moves and probably will, but the future of the Blues is brighter than ever.

There was a time when the Blues hoped to have a 30 goal scorer in David Perron or maybe even Patrik Berglund, but those guys haven’t put the effort forth in the NHL.  They came to a team that was struggling and were praised for any success.  A change of scenery might be of help to one of these guys and with Berglund being a restricted free agent this offseason he may be on his way out.  A lot has changed since we waited to see guys like T.J. Oshie suit up for the Blues and the future is a lot brighter.

Mar 28, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Blues right wing Vladimir Tarasenko (91) is congratulated after scoring his second goal of the game against the Los Angeles Kings during the third period at the Scottrade Center. The Kings defeated the Blues 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports

Vladimir Tarasenko came out of the gate hot this season but then slowed significantly after his concussion.  Coach Ken Hitchcock had a valid point when he told the media that Tarasenko plays best when he is well rested.  After playing an almost complete season in the KHL, Tarasenko came over to the states and played a game almost every other night.  That type of schedule is hard on a young player trying to adapt to a different style of game.  With a season under his belt in the NHL, there is no telling how well Tarasenko will do next season, but he is sure to come out of his shell.

Jaden Schwartz is also on the rise for the Blues.  Toward the end of the season, Schwartz showed his true talent and he shined in the playoffs.  With more confidence next season and the strength training he is sure to have this offseason, Schwartz is set to come back strong and have a great season.  If he gets to play on a line with Tarasenko and possibly a younger, stronger centerman, there is no telling just how powerful he could become.

Coming up the ranks the Blues have two more incredibly skilled forwards.  Dmitrij Jaskin and Ty Rattie should both see some time at the NHL level next season.  Jaskin has a huge body but also comes with a lot of skill.  If Jaskin sees time on the fourth line he could be a big difference maker for the Blues giving them the extra punch of offense on that fourth line.  Rattie has a ton of skill and is setting records in the WHL left and right.  If he can use his hockey sense well and not let his size deter him, he could be an elite scorer in the near future.  While Rattie is sure to see more time in the AHL than Jaskin, when he is ready he is going to be a huge threat.

So while the Blues may be suffering now, and it may be hard to think about all the missed chances in the series against the Kings, the Blues have a very bright future.  I am excited for the 2013-14 season and think that our scoring issues may be something of the past.

Stay tuned for the most offseason coverage of your St. Louis Blues and follow us on Facebook to stay up to date and join in on all the discussions.

LET’S GO BLUES!

-AlexHodschayan

May 6 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings defenseman Robyn Regehr (44) checks St. Loius Blues right wing Vladiimir Tarsenko (91) into the boards in game four of the first round of the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs at Staples Center. The Kings defeated the Blues 4-3 to tie the series 2-2. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

All year, the St. Louis Blues have played with a perfect balance of physicality and finesse. In one instance, Ryan Reaves could pummel a guy into the boards, and the next line would have passing between TJ Oshie, David Perron and David Backes look as smooth and silky as a high-quality kimono.

Last night, we saw plenty of that same skill: Oshie tipping in a shot from Kevin Shattenkirk, Vladimir Sobotka’s sick drop pass to Jay Bouwmeester which led to the Backes goal, etc. Yet, for all that skill, the Blues lost. By the end of the third period, they didn’t even look like they deserved the win, getting completely dominated in every aspect of the game.

The tally in the “L” column came from a combination of two things: the Kings stepping up their own physical, hard-hitting play and the Blues sacrificing their own physicality for more goal-scoring attempts.

On paper, the Blues won in the hits department by a slim 46-42 margin, but in this case, the stats are a total red herring. the Kings often got two forwards deep on the forecheck and made key hits that stopped the Blues offense from ever getting started. Gassed by the time they got to the opposing blue line, St. Louis often had to peel off and start making substitutions for the next wave of Kings’ offense. Los Angeles forced the Blues into that defensive mindset after the Blues took a promising 2-0 lead.

Ken Hitchcock, for whatever reason, also broke up his CPR line (Adam Cracknell, Chris Porter and Reaves) that had proven a formidable force unafraid to make big hits. He sat Cracknell in favor of Vladimir Tarasenko, who has struggled to make plays since he exploded early in the season. Tarasenko’s a lot of things, but he’s not a heavy hitter that could replace Cracknell in terms of enforcing the Blues’ checking. Tarasenko also had the least amount of playing time last night (5:51), so if Hitchcock put him on the roster to make goals, he showed little confidence in putting him on the ice so he could do so.

Reaves and Porter had the next fewest on-ice minutes with 7:55 and 8:38, respectively. Although that’s more playing time than each of them has seen in any one game of this series, giving those big hitters more opportunities to get out there and lay down the law against the Kings will go a long way to giving players like Tarasenko, Andy McDonald and Perron more room to maneuver on the ice.

The veterans have to step up to an extent though, as well. Roman Polak missed his coverage, which led to the third Kings goal. He got caught looking at goaltender Brian Elliott, instead of LA’s assistant captain Anze Kopitar who had a clear shot from maybe ten feet out. Perron has to stop letting himself get bullied in front of the Kings’ crease. McDonald needs to play less scared when he has good chances.

Still, all of these games have been close and there’s a lot to be optimistic about, especially as the  series comes back to the ScottTrade Center. Youngster Jaden Schwartz has played some of the best hockey of his young career in the last week, Oshie looks stellar coming off of his injury, and even though four went past him last night, Elliott still makes a great brick wall in front of the net.

And now, a parting message from Olivia Newton-John to the notes. Let’s Go Blues!