St. Louis Blues: Central Division To Return To Toughest Division Status
By Todd Panula
St. Louis Blues
Last, but definitely not least, we come to our own St. Louis Blues. The Blues are right where they usually are. Lost in the mix.
As a fan, that’s fine. Players enjoy being the underdogs and it suits the Blues personnel better anyway. The team doesn’t have a bunch of alpha-dogs, so taking it a game at a time is more in their wheelhouse.
People forget that the Blues can beat anyone on any night. Predlines is over there chirpin‘ that the Blues aren’t flashy. I see you there Predlines. I’m watchin’ you.
The Blues might not be flashy. They get the job done though. Only Pittsburgh has more playoff wins and/or regular season wins over the last five years than the Blues.
For whatever reason, St. Louis can never find that last bit of energy to get them over the hump. However, I disagree with this assessment that the Blues were too inactive during the 2017 summer.
They added a top-six forward in Brayden Schenn, who will definitely help a woeful Blues powerplay. If the Blues do anything on their powerplays in the playoffs, Nashville might have been signing a different tune.
People also forget that it took a truly awful stretch in December and January to put the Blues as low as they were in the standings. Some could argue it took as good a stretch to get them back in, but the Blues are not usually a hot and cold team.
If you even things out in the winter days, the Blues are in the mix with Chicago and Minnesota to take the division last year.
St. Louis does not have the first through fourth-line talent of some other teams, but each line performs its role well. With a full offseason to implement Mike Yeo’s style, the Blues will definitely be in the mix this year.
They do still have one of the best scorers in the league with Vladimir Tarasenko too. He might not have improved at the clip the Blues fans want, but he’s gotten better just about every year in one aspect or another.
Next: Early Guess At Blues Forward Line Combinations
The trouble for St. Louis, as with man other teams, is the PGA effect as I call it. In golf, you can have a great tournament and still finish out of the money if there are too many players to leap over.
That could be the case with the Central Division. You might have a really good season, but with six of the seven teams potentially being playoff quality, you might have too many to leap over to get to the top.
One thing is for sure, it is going to be an exciting season. That is the one good thing about the summer for a hockey fan. We all have hope.