 |
| IMG_5617.jpg by bridgetds |
Disappointed is one word that describes what Blues fans are feeling right now after a 5-0 loss last night in LA. The Blues were heavily outplayed, and they played with little effort. Overall this was their worst game of the season, and a terrible way to end this long road trip. The Blues posted a 1-3-0 record on a road trip that included the ever so tough trip to the West coast.
Honestly I don't have a clue. The Blues have a skilled team, big forwards, solid lines and yet nothing is working for them. Their Special teams are pitiful (1-24) and there appears to be no chemistry anywhere. Halak has been average recently, and I don't fault him for the last 2 losses. He will obviously have to get better but there is not much he can do if the team doesn't perform well in front of him.
Things that were obvious problems:
Sloppy Play
- Dump and Chase- Everyone knows the Blues game plan (including the other team) carry the puck to the Blue line, shoot it around the boards, and forecheck. Put simply, It's not going to work, and hasn't for the past 2 years. The Blues need to drive to the net and get creative with the puck. Which leads me to my next point:
- Passing- The Blues' passing this year looks terrible. Rarely do they complete anything more than an "average pass" and when they do pull one off, they cant control it or capitalize on it.
- No Quality Shots- Enough said
Special teams
Ive already elaborated on this so I will get right to the point. What the Blues are doing isn't working. The Blues work on their special teams play every day, and it is not improving. The Blues need to simplify their play and start executing or this season could turn very ugly. In all fairness, the Powerplay looked better last night, but did not execute, and the PK was still disappointing. Keep in mind that while it is improving, the PP has only scored 1 goal in 24 opportunities this season.
Halak
Halak has come under heavy scrutiny that started in his pre-season performances. Halak has done nothing to show that he is a number 1 goaltender, but at the same time he is not the sole reason the Blues are losing. Halak no doubt needs to be better, but so do the players that are playing in front of him. Last night Halak allowed 4 goals on 18 shots, which is far from being considered a decent performance, in fact he was pulled from the game but it makes no difference who's in net if the Blues cant score. I'm not ready to give up on Halak, until I see a good team out on the ice perform well in front of him and he's still bad.
So who should the blame fall on?
Every single player and member of the coaching staff is to blame. This is a team game, and no one is really standing out as a player that really wants to win. One thing Ive always loved about the Blues was their determination, and this year this is the biggest let-down. This team has always played their hearts out even when they were tired, hurt, and didn't have anything to play for, but I have not seen that same determination this year and quite frankly, its the biggest let down of them all.
Changes to be made?
The coaching staff is under heavy criticism, and it is definitely something to watch. Two coaches that really stand out as being the obvious changes if they are in fact needed, are Davis Payne (obviously) and Corey Hirsch (goaltending coach).
Thoughts on Payne...
Payne is the head coach so obviously the majority of blame will fall on him, but Payne doesn't seem to be helping his cause. The Blues strategies (in above "sloppy play" section) are not working. So change is necessary, but all Ive seen changed so far are the line combinations. The Blues need to change their play style and add creativity by utilizing their talent, and by doing this they will become less predictable. So what does this have to do with Payne? If in fact it is Payne that keeps the current strategy the same night in and night out then he is in fact a big part of the Blues' losses.
Thoughts on Corey Hirsch...
Hirsch came to St Louis in 2010 after spending 2 years with the Maple Leafs. He was replaced in Toronto and of course hired by the Blues. Hirsch has not improved anything with Halak and areas that we should be seeing improvement in are still not coming together to make Halak the goaltender he could be. Is this all Hirsch's fault? I would like to say no, but I honestly don't know. What I do know, is that Halak is not showing improvement and it may be time to look for a new goalie coach to change it up a little.
What to expect as far as changes go...
I don't expect changes to be imminent, due to new ownership coming in, but Hulsizer (if he does purchase the Blues) has great hockey sense and will not hesitate to make the necessary "changes" to get this hockey team deep into the playoffs.
Conclusion: As I pointed out before, this team has talent, but it is my belief that the coaching staff is not utilizing the talent in the best possible way. Needless to say something has to change (lines, strategy, etc.) but then again this has been the "motto" for the Blues for the past year and nothing is any different from last season. To avoid ending this article on a negative note, I want to point out that it is still early in the season and this team has to much skill and potential to be held down all year. I still believe the Blues will be in the playoffs and while its OK to be frustrated try not to give up on this team just yet.
Injury update(s)
- Perron- Armstrong said that Perron can hopefully begin practicing with the team next week or the following week. This is a good sign that Perron is definitely improving and slowly working his way back. The November return that was hoped upon may be realistic.
- Colaiacovo- Is improving and could possibly return as early as Friday says Blues GM Doug Armstrong
- Crombeen- Does not need surgery, but it will still be a while before his return