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By ANDREW ALLSMAN
ALHAMBRA, IL-- Time to talk Blues!!! I will try to do a Blues news article once a week (usually Saturday's) where I will talk about most important Blues News (hence the name) also I will give you my 3 stars of the first few games, and some positives and negatives of the team through their first few match ups. Here we go!!
Injuries
- David Perron- Perron is still skating on his own, and is expected to let the coaching staff know when he feels ready to practice with the team. I'm not sure on how he looks, but there have been no setbacks, which is a very good thing. With his determination, it is likely he will be back sooner rather than later.
- Carlo Colaiacovo- Colaiacovo is still feeling concussion symptoms, and did not make the trip with the team. He must wait until at least Sunday (even if the symptom subside early) to play due to his being place on the IR. See full article>>>link
- Andy McDonald- Andy McDonald was hit on Thursday when the Blues played the Stars. He returned to play 3rd period, but reported that he didn't feel right the next morning. Due to his history with concussions he was sent back to St. Louis to be examined. Jeremy Rutherford said that they will update fans on Monday so stay tuned to True Blues for full article once all details are released.
Sale of the Blues may be close
Early this week, Andy Strickland reported that Hulsizer and the Blues may reach a written agreement very soon. Hulsizer supposedly reached a verbal agreement with the Blues not too long ago, and it has always been suggested that if he could agree on a deal, he could act quickly. It was believed that he possibly knew nothing of the oral agreement, but it is now confirmed that he has reached a verbal agreement and may be close to a purchase agreement somewhere in the range of $185 million. Hulsizer is a hockey fan, and we have all seen what Armstrong can do with very little money, so I love thinking about the possibilities with Hulsizer as owner.
Positives/Negatives
Another topic I will include in most "Blues News" will be positives/negatives which are things I think the Blues are doing well and things that need to be fixed.
Positives
- Puck Possession- I have noticed that the Blues have had better puck possession already this year than they did last year. The problem they are having is not controlling the puck, but not doing anything with it (I will elaborate later). They have been able to keep pucks in the opponent's zone and apply pressure very well so far.
- Oshie/Berglund/Stewart- This is one of the aspects of the Blues I couldn't wait to see, and so far I havent been disappointed. This line has the potential to score every time they are on the ice, and they always seem to have the puck in the opponent's zone. This line is very good at controlling the puck and they are spectacular at applying pressure every shift.
- Veteran Performance- The new Blues (Arnott, Nichol, Langenbrunner) are not showing their age. Arnott who already has 2 goals, is using his size, to get into the "dirty areas" and get rebounds. Nichol has shown his speed, and even though he is a small guy, he has already administered some big hits (also he is remarkable at taking face-offs). Langenbrunner is very good at "dishing" the puck and already has created some good scoring chances for his teammates. I think everyone is happily surprised at how these newly acquired veterans are performing, and it is nice to see that age is not a restriction for the guys.
Negatives
- Sloppy play- As I noted earlier, the Blues have been very good at controlling the puck, but at the same time they are not getting anything done when they have it. I have noticed that their passing has been terrible in the neutral zone, and turnovers at the Blue line are killing them. Regardless, I am happy to see the Blues keep pucks in, but that is simply not enough. They need to score some goals and not just pass, pass, pass in the offensive zone.
- Special teams- As Noted in an article during the offseason (view here) the Blues need to be good when their special teams are on the ice. So far this category has been a huge disappointment. The Blues are not generating enough scoring on the PP and are 1 for 13 when they have the man advantage. This percentage (7.7%) is far too low and will need to improve fast. As far as PK goes, the Blues are just as bad. They have allowed 4 PPG's during 12 times short handed, which gives them a far too low percentage of 66.7%. Overall the Blues have been very disappointing in this category and simply need to step it up in order to win.
- Halak- Ok this one is kind of obvious. Halak has performed below par in his first 3 games. In my opinion Halak is not to blame for the Blues losses, but he is obviously a big part. Put simply, the team must play better in front of him but at the same time he must improve. Halak is 1-2-0 so far and has posted an .857 sv% allowing 8 goals in the young season. Halak is trying to prove himself as a starting goaltender, but has done nothing this season to help his case
3 stars for this week
- Jason Arnott
- Patrik Berglund
- Andy McDonald
Tonight's Game Notes
- Elliot is starting in goal (first regular season start)
- Both Porter and Grachev are playing tonight (Reaves will sit out)
- Looks like no Niemi for SJ tonight as he is still day to day