Heads up boys! Season starts in less than a month!

What are your thoughts for the upcoming season? Your hopes and concerns? What are you looking forward to seeing this season not just for the blues but also the NHL? Let's get this train rolling


Also Google has us 1st in the central!

How in the world did I miss the fact that the game on October 9 at NYI is a noon Central start?!?! I hate those!

Good thread title, I like it.

For the Blues I'm hoping we see a healthy Fabbri move to center and excel under Yeo's system and for Dunn to beat out Gunnar in camp for the 3LD spot. As for the NHL as a whole, I hope we see better implementation of the offside video review and some more consistent reffing (both of which are highly unlikely I know).

My main concern is who will be our other top 6C. Will it be Fabbri? Schenn? is Barbashev good enough? or is Steen our best option? Hoping for Fabbri, Schenn, Barbs, Steen in that order. My other concern is who will step up and play 3RW. Not convinced PRV, Bennett, Sundqvist, or Jaskin will stick but I'm sure that will become more clear once camp rolls around. Maybe it will be a rotation all season long but only time will tell.

Overall, very excited for this season and hoping that this is finally our year (as is the yearly tradition).

LGB!

MissouriMook wrote:How in the world did I miss the fact that the game on October 9 at NYI is a noon Central start?!?! I hate those!

That is Columbus Day. Blues seem to always have an afternoon game that day. Hopefully that ends soon.

MissouriMook wrote:How in the world did I miss the fact that the game on October 9 at NYI is a noon Central start?!?! I hate those!

A Monday game at noon? Who's throwing out the first pitch?

Doug Glatt wrote:

MissouriMook wrote:How in the world did I miss the fact that the game on October 9 at NYI is a noon Central start?!?! I hate those!

That is Columbus Day. Blues seem to always have an afternoon game that day. Hopefully that ends soon.

I thought it was in hono(u)r of Thanksgiving Day in Canada. Robb will be excited.

JMC-STL wrote:

Doug Glatt wrote:

MissouriMook wrote:How in the world did I miss the fact that the game on October 9 at NYI is a noon Central start?!?! I hate those!

That is Columbus Day. Blues seem to always have an afternoon game that day. Hopefully that ends soon.

I thought it was in hono(u)r of Thanksgiving Day in Canada. Robb will be excited.

Doesn't Canada know that Thanksgiving is November 23rd?

Doug Glatt wrote:

JMC-STL wrote:

Doug Glatt wrote: That is Columbus Day. Blues seem to always have an afternoon game that day. Hopefully that ends soon.

I thought it was in hono(u)r of Thanksgiving Day in Canada. Robb will be excited.

Doesn't Canada know that Thanksgiving is November 23rd?

They have so little to be thankful for, they like to get it outta the way early.

Im hoping Schenn turns out to be that cog that just makes all the other cogs work together better. I know hes not an uber elite talent but he could end up being just what this team needs. They're making a smooth transition into becoming a young fast team that has some high octane offensive talent. Im also hoping Parayko and Edmundson continue to improve and step up to take more control of the overall defense. Id like to see Parayko's bomb of a shot get used on the PP more like Al MaCinnis used his. They havent had a guy that can shoot as hard as Al since Al. Parayko's pretty close. Start using that bomb. Id also like to see Sobotka actually take control of a line and show that he was actually worth all that bs he put the team through when he went to Russia for 3 years. Sobotka, Berglund and whoever(Barbashev, Jaskin, Paajarvi, Bennett) could be a decent 3rd line. Our 4th of Thorburn, Brodziak and Sundqvist should be fine.

HighStick wrote:Im hoping Schenn turns out to be that cog that just makes all the other cogs work together better. I know hes not an uber elite talent but he could end up being just what this team needs. They're making a smooth transition into becoming a young fast team that has some high octane offensive talent. Im also hoping Parayko and Edmundson continue to improve and step up to take more control of the overall defense. Id like to see Parayko's bomb of a shot get used on the PP more like Al MaCinnis used his. They havent had a guy that can shoot as hard as Al since Al. Parayko's pretty close. Start using that bomb. Id also like to see Sobotka actually take control of a line and show that he was actually worth all that bs he put the team through when he went to Russia for 3 years. Sobotka, Berglund and whoever(Barbashev, Jaskin, Paajarvi, Bennett) could be a decent 3rd line. Our 4th of Thorburn, Brodziak and Sundqvist should be fine.

And, maybe Walman's bomb of a shot will be added later this season, if all goes well.

HighStick wrote:Id like to see Parayko's bomb of a shot get used on the PP more like Al MaCinnis used his. They havent had a guy that can shoot as hard as Al since Al. Parayko's pretty close.

To be totally fair, though, there have only been a handful of players EVER who could shoot as hard, and as accurately, as MacInnis!

I wish I could actually predict or start to say I know anything about the Blues. But the only thing I've learned about the Blues over 30 years of being a fan: the more I think I know, the more I realize I know nothing.

Hope for the season: Good hockey, win a damn cup already!

Can't wait for any hockey, was streaming a rookie game between PHX and SJS the other evening. I'll be watching the first game in the NHL app on the 16th, even if it's not the Blues, just ready for some NHL play.

Got a chance to meet Coach Yeo last night at an event at the MAC. During the Q&A he was asked about Schenn and Fabbri, and spoke about both of them being given an opportunity at C in the pre-season. It was pretty evident from how he described the opportunity that he has higher expectations for Fabbri sticking there than Schenn, specifically referring to the enticement of Fabbri's speed through the neutral zone being a weapon.

He also spoke about Schenn getting a chance to center Tarasenko and seemed reluctant to get excited about that duo because he described Schenn as a "goal scorer" and reminded the audience that "there is only one puck."

Finally, he talked about some specific prospects (Thompson, Kostin and Walman from a specific question from the audience) and clearly felt that Thompson had a good chance to make the team out of camp. He praised Kostin's skill, but reminded everyone how young he is and that he missed most of last season and is still learning the NA game. On Walman, he talked about his offensive game in the context of being something that we don't really have on the team right now, and how having veterans who have been there is helpful, but that sometimes teams need an injection of youth to keep moving forward and the coaches need to learn to live with some mistakes while allowing the young players to be who they are. He was quick to point out that the top prospects will be playing with "good players" during the preseason.

All in all, I left feeling like he will be much more open to giving young players more opportunities and responsibilities. I feel really good about where this team is headed.

MissouriMook wrote:Got a chance to meet Coach Yeo last night at an event at the MAC. During the Q&A he was asked about Schenn and Fabbri, and spoke about both of them being given an opportunity at C in the pre-season. It was pretty evident from how he described the opportunity that he has higher expectations for Fabbri sticking there than Schenn, specifically referring to the enticement of Fabbri's speed through the neutral zone being a weapon.

He also spoke about Schenn getting a chance to center Tarasenko and seemed reluctant to get excited about that duo because he described Schenn as a "goal scorer" and reminded the audience that "there is only one puck."

Finally, he talked about some specific prospects (Thompson, Kostin and Walman from a specific question from the audience) and clearly felt that Thompson had a good chance to make the team out of camp. He praised Kostin's skill, but reminded everyone how young he is and that he missed most of last season and is still learning the NA game. On Walman, he talked about his offensive game in the context of being something that we don't really have on the team right now, and how having veterans who have been there is helpful, but that sometimes teams need an injection of youth to keep moving forward and the coaches need to learn to live with some mistakes while allowing the young players to be who they are. He was quick to point out that the top prospects will be playing with "good players" during the preseason.

All in all, I left feeling like he will be much more open to giving young players more opportunities and responsibilities. I feel really good about where this team is headed.

Good stuff, thanks for sharing Mook. Until the prospect tournament I would've been very skeptical that Thompson had a legit shot to stick after camp, but he seems to be generating a lot of buzz a la Fabbri/Parayko a couple years ago, and that RW spot does seem pretty thin after Tarasenko...

Tarasenko/Schenn seems like a pretty good RW 1,2 punch. Both of them puck hungry and wanting to score. I hope they play on different lines. Fabbri and Steen like to do some scoring too. Could make the 1st line sweat a little.


Schwartz/Staz/Tank
Steen/Fabbri/Schenn
MPR/Sobotka/Barbashev/Berglund/Bennette
Thorburn/Brodziak/Sanford/Jaskin/Sundqvist

Sooo many interchangeable pieces. And next season it will only be better......

LGB!

HighStick wrote:Tarasenko/Schenn seems like a pretty good RW 1,2 punch. Both of them puck hungry and wanting to score. I hope they play on different lines. Fabbri and Steen like to do some scoring too. Could make the 1st line sweat a little.


Schwartz/Staz/Tank
Steen/Fabbri/Schenn
MPR/Sobotka/Barbashev/Berglund/Bennette
Thorburn/Brodziak/Sanford/Jaskin/Sundqvist

Sooo many interchangeable pieces. And next season it will only be better......

LGB!

Sometimes I think we could use another thumper in the top 9. It would be nice if Jaskin hits the score sheet early this yr and wins a 3rd line role. 15 goals, 30 points and 175 hits would be awfully nice to have on the 3rd line.

BillP wrote:

HighStick wrote:Tarasenko/Schenn seems like a pretty good RW 1,2 punch. Both of them puck hungry and wanting to score. I hope they play on different lines. Fabbri and Steen like to do some scoring too. Could make the 1st line sweat a little.


Schwartz/Staz/Tank
Steen/Fabbri/Schenn
MPR/Sobotka/Barbashev/Berglund/Bennette
Thorburn/Brodziak/Sanford/Jaskin/Sundqvist

Sooo many interchangeable pieces. And next season it will only be better......

LGB!

Sometimes I think we could use another thumper in the top 9. It would be nice if Jaskin hits the score sheet early this yr and wins a 3rd line role. 15 goals, 30 points and 175 hits would be awfully nice to have on the 3rd line.

Ive been waiting on Jaskin to do that for 3 years now. Im tired of Jaskin, now Im demanding someone else. To me, this is his final year to either bring it or get traded. He should have made those #s easy but has yet to even secure an actual spot on a line. I'm done with him. I hope Bennett/Barbashev brings it in camp and Jaskin is fighting for a 4th line spot.

JMC-STL wrote:

Doug Glatt wrote:

JMC-STL wrote: I thought it was in hono(u)r of Thanksgiving Day in Canada. Robb will be excited.

Doesn't Canada know that Thanksgiving is November 23rd?

They have so little to be thankful for, they like to get it outta the way early.

That made me lol for real. Good one!

Mook hit the nail on the head saying that Yeo is more open to young players, Barbashev saw some quality ice time towards the end of last year. As always, this is the Blues year. LGB.

Stay healthy!!!!