Recap:
Blues have taken 23 pts from 20 GP with a record of 11-8-1; on pace for 94 pts.
4th in the Central
7th in the West (1st WC spot)
60 GF (22nd)
62 GA (15th)
The Good:
Well they didn't split their Jekyll and Hyde nature perfectly across the 10 game samples, but this was a better stretch of hockey for the Blues than the first 10... although the 6-4-0 record wasn't much different from the 5-4-1 record over the first 10 (thank you Jordan Binnington). Overall, the numbers still show room for improvement but at least they have now shown the ability to outshoot, outscore, outplay opponents. Given how lousy the other central teams are playing, the playoffs are not out of the question.
Robert Thomas has really elevated his game with a nice point streak and a ton more confidence shooting the puck. Love to see it.
Jake Neighbours has 5 goals in his last 5 games and has earned a promotion to the top line.
The Bad:
Going down 5-0 early vs the poverty Sharks was a low point. Stinkers happen. But more importantly, the response to that stinker was... going down 5-0 early vs the Kings two nights later. That was a really bad sign. You want a team that gets up after being punched in the mouth. Yes, LA is a very good team and it was always going to be a tough game but I really didn't like that effort. Then after a wild game in Arizona, they immediately fall behind 6-1 to NSH and lose 8-2. Consistency has been a major concern and at this point it's anyone's guess as to which team is going to show up on any given night.
Jordan Kyrou is having all sorts of trouble handling pucks and making plays at speed. Since it's what his game relies on, the results have been mostly frustrating and he has now been bumped down to the 3rd line.
The Ugly:
The "power" play is still near the bottom of the league - 6 for 61, 9.8%, 3rd-worst in NHL. Didn't think it could possibly stay this ugly for this long but here we are.
The Hard Truth: Failing to identify Buchnevich as a stellar trade piece at this deadline, and instead considering him part of the future, could be a setback to the club. He is an amazing player at a bargain cap hit for this year and next, but the Blues are in no position to add another 30+ yr old to a long-term deal. No rush, but they need to test the market for him.
My Verdict:
Armstrong on Seravalli's podcast gave some more clues to his quiet rebuild, but he also faces more questions. He says the team can still be competitive but he's not going to "slap a band-aid" on a bigger issue. I say make the rebuild a little louder. He said he likes the LA Kings rebuild model. He doesn't it want it to drag out too long. Maybe he is forgetting the part where the Kings drafted 5th overall, 2nd overall, and 8th overall during the turnaround years. The better the picks, the shorter the rebuild. So why is he targeting 16th place?
It's because he says you can't bottom out with Thomas and Kyrou. But look at a team like the 2017 Avalanche. They were historically bad - 22-56-4, 48 pts - with Mackinnon, Duchene, Rantanen, and Landeskog on the roster. (Guess how they got Makar?). If the Blues trade Buch they probably have 2 players that would get over 55 pts. Goaltending started out hot but SV% is now .908... if it goes lower and injuries hit (and/or Buch is moved) this could be a bottom tier team. Not sure why Armstrong is afraid to step back even further. Better draft picks will get them out of the rebuild quicker. So will more draft picks (deadline sell).
Not gonna be upset if the Blues find themselves in the playoffs but I'm hoping the plan involves more tearing down and drafting in the top 10. Otherwise the rebuild will become what Armstrong says he wants to avoid.
McDavid, Connor
250 000 $)
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