Even though the St. Louis Blues are in the middle of their longest winning streak of the season some simple changes to their lines could elevate their still struggling offense
It’s hard to argue with results. Since Jaden Schwartz‘s return last Friday against the Florida Panthers the St. Louis Blues have been on an impressive 4-0 run, including two O.T. wins against the Dallas Stars and Los Angeles Kings. Despite missing some key players the St. Louis Blues are still finding ways to win.
However, other than the 5-3 win against the Florida Panthers, the St. Louis Blues are continuing to have trouble generating offense. For the moment solid defense and great goaltending are keeping the other teams in check therefore not requiring much offensive production. But come playoff time, they would be wise not to put their fate in the hands of their goalie. More goals will become a requirement not an added bonus.
This reality leads us to a glaring dilemma. What does Ken Hitchcock do to create more offense. One solution would be to look outside the team for help. Two months ago it seemed a trade to bring in some scoring talent was only a breath away. But since the injury to Alex Pietrangelo that seems less and less like a reality. Another answer (and probably the one most likely to happen) would be for coach Hitchcock to leave things the way they are. Hoping that as we get closer to April the offense will magically come to life and goals will come in bunches. While this may be a viable option, it’s still a gamble that may or may not pay off.
Another solution would be to reanalyze the St. Louis Blues line combinations. Is there some different pairings that will provide a much needed boost to their offense while still maintaining their strong defensive play?
Alex Steen – Jori Lehtera – Vladimir Tarasenko
Let me start by saying that I am not what you would call a Lehtera fan. Although this is mostly because of his overpriced and lengthy contract, it also has to do with the fact that I don’t believe he is a true top line center. Speed and scoring, should be a requirement, but they’re not his strong suit.
That being said, it’s hard to ignore the chemistry between him and Tarasenko. These two feed off of one another and elevate each other’s play. The simple fact, is Lehtera costs too much money for the coaching staff not to try and and get the most production out of him that they can. As long as he is on this team, Tarasenko will always be on his line.
Although the STL line has picked up right were they left off the replacement of Schwartz with Steen has more to do with elevating the play of the second line as it does with anything else. This is not to say that the top line would not benefit from the addition of Steen. Not only would it allow Steen to move back to left wing, a move that would no doubt free him up offensively, it would also bring a veteran presence to this line. Something that may prove vital in the playoffs.
Jaden Schwartz – Paul Stastny – Robby Fabbri
This would have to be the St. Louis Blues line that I am most excited about. Stastny has proven that he is a playmaking center who elevates everyone else on his line. If you need proof, you only need to look at Dmitrij Jaskin‘s stats from last year as opposed to the disappointing ones from this year. Last year Stastny was able to take the rookie Jaskin and the banged up Berglund and turn them into a serious scoring threat.
This year, because of the returned success of the STL line, it appears that Stastny has been again been charged with improving the third line. A chore that has surely become tiresome. I would instead love to see our coach give him a legitimate chance to become top tier center. And what better way would there be than to pair him with two of our best young goal scores.
Stastny has proven throughout his career that he excels when playing with young talent. It forces him to take charge and become an aggressive and tenacious center man. Not only does it require him to lead the rush, it doesn’t allow him the option to sit back and wait for the play to come to him.
This line combination also exploits the awesome stick-handling talent that young Fabbri posses. One requirement to be successful on Paul Stastny‘s line is to be ready for the pass when you least expect it and Fabbri has proven talented enough to handle it. It would also bode well for the rookie to spend time with the likes of Jaden Schwartz. Schwartz’s aggressive, physical play coupled with Fabbri’s scoring ability will make this a very dangerous line that will keep the defense on its heals.
The only glaring problem is having two left-handed shooters on the same line. But since Fabbri, a natural center, has been playing out of position the whole season a transition to right wing should prove fairly easy.
Patrik Berglund – David Backes – Troy Brouwer
This would be a very big, intimidating shutdown line. Capable of scoring in their own right, they would definitely have no trouble keeping the puck in the offensive zone. Not allowing their opponent to gain any momentum at all. All three are veteran players that will have no problem playing on the third line.
This, unfortunately, would require the banged up and aging Backes to move back into the center position. While this may not be beneficial to the longevity of his career, there is no doubt that our captain will do whatever is necessary to help the St. Louis Blues win.
Scottie Upshall – Kyle Brodziak – Ryan Reaves
This is a line that has proven successful in the past and will continue to be so in the future. Upshall’s aggressive play coupled with Reeves’s physicality will keep providing the St. Louis Blues with much needed energy as well as eating up minutes. There is no denying that this team plays different when Reeves is in the lineup. His attitude and character is infectious and promotes a great style of play.
Next: A Look at The St. Louis Blues Four Game Winning Streak
Of course, it goes without saying, if these changes were implemented then they would have to be given time to mesh. These changes could not be done hastily in the closing minutes of a game but instead allowed to remain the same over the course of several games. It is no secret that this is a highly talented team, that once completely healthy, will be a very formable opponent. However, it would prove beneficial for them to exhaust every option possible.