St. Louis Blues Don’t Need to Win the Division to Win the Cup

After a dramatic and turbulent season which has seen one key player after another sidelined by injury. The St. Louis Blues don’t need to get caught up in an exhausting race to win the Central division.

I love this time of year. After the long grind of winter we are beginning to see some light at the end of the St. Louis Blues tunnel. The days are getting longer, the temperatures are creeping upwards, and most importantly the playoffs are just around the corner.

This is when things really start to get interesting. Many teams will be thrown into desperation mode as they do everything possible to earn a playoff spot. Every game will become crucial as teams fight to either gain or maintain a playoff position.

Despite having one of the most trying seasons in the NHL the St. Louis Blues have managed to assert themselves firmly into a playoff position. In fact as I write this they are only two points behind the division leader. Even though a number one seed would be impressive the last thing the St. Louis Blues need is to get caught up in a race for the Central division title.

After all, as history has shown us time and time again, the St. Louis Blues regular season record does not determine how well they will perform in the playoffs. In fact in recent years it seems more like a curse than a blessing.

Last year I think that the team became so determined to win the division that they exhausted all their energy trying to achieve that goal and lost sight of the bigger picture. By the time the playoffs started they had ran the well dry. Although I think if they had managed to get past Minnesota they would have been able to right the ship, the fact is they just didn’t have the determination to make that happen.

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This year, instead, I would like to see us stay exactly where we are. Let Chicago and Dallas wear themselves out trying to win the division. The St. Louis Blues will just keep plodding along like they have all season long.

Instead of becoming obsessed with winning every point possible we’ll spend our time working on our game. Giving our players time to mesh with on another. Learning what works and what doesn’t. And gaining confidence in ourselves every step of the way.

Some are worried that this strategy would mean facing Chicago, or to a lesser extent Dallas, in the first round. But lets face it, we are going to have to face Chicago eventually no matter what we do, so why not get it out of the way right off the bat.

Let’s just accept the fact that the road to the cup runs through Chicago and that we can, and will, defeat the defending champions. Instead of worrying about who we are going to have to play, let them worry about having to play us.

Yes it will be a hard fought series that will test every aspect of the St. Louis Blues game but it could also be one of the greatest confidence boosts imaginable. After moving past one of the two best teams in the conference there will be no stoping us. Every team after that will feel like a lesser opponent, whether they actually are or not.

Next: St. Louis Blues Face a Tough Stretch

This season it seems as though the deck has been stacked against us since the very first game. If the St. Louis Blues are going to reach the cup finals it will not be because of a lucky break or a bunch of fortunate bounces. It will be because this team has fought tooth and nail every step of the way. Rolling with the punches and never giving in. Honestly, I can’t think of a better way for a team to win their first championship.