St. Louis Blues 2010 Regular Season Thread

[MrCrowesGarden]

Enjoyed watching the game last night (finally had the opportunity to watch it on DVR). I won't try to make too much of a single game, but Halak was everything he was advertised to be. My man crush on Alex Steen grows with every game.

[TheoSqua]

Yeah, I have no idea how good this team is going to be this year. Anything from 80 to 110 points would be well within my expectations. I do think this management team is doing a phenomenal job gathering up talent though. There's not really anyone on this team who doesn't have the potential to be the best in the league at their potential skill set.

T.J. Oshie could become one of the best 2-way players in the game. Brad Boyes could be one of the best goal scorers. Halak could be one of the best goalies. Erik Johnson could be one of the most dominating players in the game. Perron could be one of the best offensive threats in the game. On and on, even players who have regressed like Burglund and Backes still have the talent and potential to well outperform their career years.

[thrill]

There's not really anyone on this team who doesn't have the potential to be the best in the league at their potential skill set.

What is a potential potential skill set?

I'm 99% sure I disagree with this statement but I need clarification.

[TheoSqua]

There's not really anyone on this team who doesn't have the potential to be the best in the league at their potential skill set.

What is a potential potential skill set?

I'm 99% sure I disagree with this statement but I need clarification.

Everyone on the team plays a specific role, as an agitator or #3 defenseman, PK guy, goal scorer, passer, etc. No one on the team has the skill set of a Sidney Crosby or Alex Ovechkin who can dominate multiple facets of the game, but that doesn't mean David Perron can't be one of the better LW goal scorers in the game, stuff like that.

[thrill]

There's not really anyone on this team who doesn't have the potential to be the best in the league at their potential skill set.

What is a potential potential skill set?

I'm 99% sure I disagree with this statement but I need clarification.

Everyone on the team plays a specific role, as an agitator or #3 defenseman, PK guy, goal scorer, passer, etc. No one on the team has the skill set of a Sidney Crosby or Alex Ovechkin who can dominate multiple facets of the game, but that doesn't mean David Perron can't be one of the better LW goal scorers in the game, stuff like that.

Ok, but the idea our players could potentially become the ideal #3 defensemen or the ideal #2 LW doesn't mean we could potentially be the best team in the league.

[TimeForGuinness]

Berglund... he had balls when he was a rookie, but he's been playing too conservatively since. Guy, you're bigger than everyone else out there. Go hard on that beast with some swagger for God? Amirite Hawksworth?

++

[TheoSqua]

This year? Definitely not, every point over 100 this team earns will be a pleasant surprise. But I think they absolutely have the potential to be one of the best teams in the league a few years from now. There's a lot of IFs and Maybes involved in it happening....but:

IF...Halak proves to be one of the best goalies in the league

IF... Our young defensemen hit their potentiel with Erik Johnson being one of the best defensemen in the league and Peitrangelo, Polak, and Cole all being above average.

IF... players like Oshie, Perron, Berglund, Steen, Backes all develop a solid offensive side

IF... The Blues are able to put more money into payroll, better utilize it, and sign a few solid players to both offense and defense

and IF.... Management doesn't utterly misread development and overpay the wrong players.

Then MAYBE this can become the best team in the league.

I'm sure some of those IFs will pan out, some of them wont and this team will peak as a solid-but-not-spectacular top 5 team that will hit 105 or so points or so and make a few runs in the playoffs. I just hope they get hot/lucky and one of those runs returns a Stanley Cup.


Btw, much appreciated that you waited to get more info from me before telling me that I was wrong on the internet

[Swirls]

...and they'll still lose to the Red Wings.

[phins]

...and they'll still lose to the Red Wings.

Drive-by buzzkill!

[MrCrowesGarden]

Up 4-1 on the Ducks right now. I really hope D'Agostini can keep his offensive game moving forward and take Crombeen's spot on the 3rd line. Steen-McClement-D'Ags would be a heck of a line.

That said, both he and Crombeen have goals tonight.