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St. Louis Blues: Is it time to panic??

By Massimo Baruffa

St. Louis Blues head coach Craig BerubeMandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
St. Louis Blues head coach Craig BerubeMandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Torey Krug/Colton Parayko 

ST LOUIS, MO – OCTOBER 26: Torey Krug #47 of the St. Louis Blues skates against the Edmonton Oilers at Enterprise Center on October 26, 2022 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
ST LOUIS, MO – OCTOBER 26: Torey Krug #47 of the St. Louis Blues skates against the Edmonton Oilers at Enterprise Center on October 26, 2022 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /

The final one is a combination of two players. They are two of the highest-paid defensemen on the team. Their play has not been up to what the fans expect of them, nor their coaches.

The Blues signed Torey Krug to replace former captain Alex Pietrangelo(who should have been locked down long-term before he had a chance to leave in free agency). Krug has been decent so far since signing as a Blue, but he has not been as good as he was in Boston.

I still believe the team should have given Pietrangelo whatever he wanted. But that is a story for another day.

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – OCTOBER 19: Colton Parayko #55 of the St. Louis Blues skates in his 500th career NHL game during the first period against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on October 19, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – OCTOBER 19: Colton Parayko #55 of the St. Louis Blues skates in his 500th career NHL game during the first period against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on October 19, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) /

Colton Parayko was thought of by the Blues as the team’s next number-one defenseman when they allowed Pietrangelo to leave after the 2019-20 season. He has not been able to live up to those expectations.

Parayko has been either first or second in minutes played the last three seasons.  His goal totals have gone down.

His point totals have not made the jump most would have thought would happen with the boost in ice time.  The Blues need him to eclipse his career high of points of 35, but he hasn’t.

Next. Blues best American players of all time. dark

Parayko and Krug combine for a minus-16 so far, which can not be happening with two of your better defensemen. Their point total has not been what is expected of them, especially for Krug being primarily an offensive guy.

The team’s defensive group as a whole, barring Justin Faulk, needs to be better.  It has to start with these two guys.

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