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by wannabebluesplayer
You can't hide Pietrangelo having a bad year. However, I don't think he's faltering under pressure. Triplets, new forwards, his 3rd coach in 3 years, a new defensive coach for the 3rd time in 3 years, and the first bad season of his career are all compounding issues but who the leadership of the team is woulnd't have changed the outcome of this season. Pietrangelo being the captain or not wouldn't change this team. Giving the C to O'Reilly or anyone else and trading Pietrangelo probably wouldn't galvanize this team into anything special. Pietrangelo and his leadership aren't the problem with this team. They are far from it. I know he struggled the last game, but look at this season as a whole. There has been so much turmoil, no one is having a consistent season. Also, where was this wilting under pressure during the playoffs those 6 years when he was arguably the best player on the ice for all of them and wearing an A for most? I really don't understand this narrative that he's the one faltering. Maybe...just maybe, he's being undermined by a bitter teammate?
This team needs a culture change in a bad way and it starts with the coach and staff, and arguably the GM. Hitch might have been a bear and had a boring system, but it was a winning system. His assistants new how to win, Shaw, Muller, Bennett, etc. That's all gone now. Yeo and Berube were students of Hitch but didn't have his knack for motivating players, even if those players hated him. Armstrong needs to find a coach that can inspire and lead these players again. He's had one miscue with Yeo hiring. Giving Berube the interim seemed only natural and a longer coaching search needing to be conducted instead of the rushed ham job that was Hitch and Yeo as coach in waiting. If the Blues get a coach who can reach the players again, I think you'll see a huge turn around, especially from some of the core. Also, that new coach has to have a strategy that aligns with the types of players this team has. The other part of the equation is the continued evolving of the roster. You don't just trade off pieces of your core thinking a shakeup will fix the team. If you're giving up on Tarasenko or Pietrangelo, then you need to be sure the guys coming in to replace them are a perfect fit and can play the role the others are vacating because as of right now, Parayko is close but not ready to replace 27 and no one on this roster can replace 91 when he's fully healthy.
As far as the Calgary trade, I have a sneaking suspicion it was Steen and not Pietrangelo. Armstrong seemed dead set on moving many of the struggling veteran forwards off this team, and you can argue Steen shouldn't be among them but I would bet he was the one who wouldn't waive. I couldn't stand the Steen extension. I still can't stand when he gets talked up. The dude is a cancer, a problem here, and a giant baby if the rumors are to be believed. To this day, I'm sad Armstrong signed that extension with him. If Steen isn't traded or off this roster before 91, 27, or practically anyone not named Bouw, Gunnarsson, or Maroon, then I'll probably stop being a Blues fan until Armstrong is gone.
I know I sound crazy and obsessive on Steen, but I never understood the love affair with this guy, but he's one of those "blue collar, hard-working, less skilled" athletes that St. Louis seems to love.