barnburner wrote: Mon May 24, 2021 9:08 am
It was simply a mismatch. You can't match up against the offensive talent of the Avs, when half of your starting dman corps is not playing. Time after time, the Avs forwards were parked in the crease while the nearest dman was 15 feet away. I hope Chief stays. His style of hockey, should be Blues hockey, and should be reflected in our scouting, and minor leagues, so we have players that fit our game. Army has work to do.
Tarasenko - Needs to go. His flashes of skill and effort, just dont cut it anymore. Thomas? I'm really wondering if, despite his skill, can he succeed in playoff hockey?
The replacements for important players, just couldn't get the job done.
The downside of finally winnng the Cup - - Nothing less will ever be good enough.
I think Berube is definitely safe for another year. I don't like using injuries as an excuse, but I think it's clear the front office is aware he wasn't dealing with a full deck most of the season. The only think I didn't like out of Berube this year was the public whining about the officiating during the playoffs. The refs were not great, but compare that with how he handled the hand pass against San Jose.
There are going to be some familar faces playing elsewhere next summer. I can go either way on Tarasenko. His inconsistency and propensity for injury are frustrating, but when he's on he is one of the few guys on the roster that can give you easy goals, as seen yesterday. He's also got that big cap hit, which if gone, frees up a lot of options. Hoffman is toast. He gives you easy goals like Tarasenko, but never gives you the effort which Tarasenko does at times. He's also a turnover machine. I was never comfortable when the puck was on his stick unless he was shooting it. The guy I wonder about most is Schwartz. He's a really good hockey player that does all the right things, but is his age curve going to lineup with his contract? I think we may have already seen his best hockey. In 2019 and in 2020 before the bubble, this team was dominant in terms of possession at 5 on 5. This year they got their assess handed to them all year long. I don't know what the fix is, but Armstrong is going to have to get his scapel out this summer. Question is if he's going to have to do a quick outpatient procedure, or a major organ transplant.