First off, congrats to the Blues for a great season, and there is no shame in losing to the defending champions. Unfortunately, these were two of the best teams in the league this year, both having the misfortune to bump into each other in the first round, and one of them had to go home. It is true what they say, that in order to win, you must first learn how to lose. As a Hawks fan myself, I saw the Hawks go through this very thing, as guys like Toews, Kane, Sharp, Hossa, Bufyglien, Campbell, Keith, Seabrook and Hjalmarsson, just to name a few, had to go through the growing pains before becoming the team they are today.

Two key things doomed the Blues this year. The first was gambling on Miller, who is only arguably at this point in his career, a small step up from the Halak/Elliot combo. They needed goal scoring, and did not go out and get it. Vanek was had for a song by the Canadiens...why did the Blues not get him? The second, was the losing streak at the end of the year, that took them from a possible match-up with the Wild, to a match-up instead, with the Hawks...no disrespect to the Wild either.

The Blues have dealt away a lot of picks, but they still have room to grow with the young guys on their roster now (Tarasenko and Schwartz), and with guys like Rattie still to come. The future is not all that bleak for the Blues, but they must be careful with their next set of moves. A new GM for sure, and possibly replacing Hitchcock, whose shelf life is now up in St. Louis. They must get some game breaking talent up front (Vanek?), and/or need some more heart and soul (Callahan?). Steen and Backes are good players, but they have already hit their potential.

At the end of the day, the Blues will kick themselves for being up two games in two straight years, and not closing the deal, but when they look back at their season after taking some time off, they should be proud.
- plyrs99

Good post and totally agree. Hats off to the Blues for a great season. Unfortunately the losing streak and facing a team that got on a roll hurt them. I like the bold move of getting Miller but my question at the time was can he win in the playoffs especially with a strong defensive team in front of him. I also thought as many on here did that they would get Vanek. I think this team has a lot of talent and are a legit number one center and wing away from being lethal. Tarasenko is a first liner and I think he'll continue to improve I like backes, steen and oshie as high quality second liners. Pietreangelo is a stud and future Norris winner. I think this team will continue to be a tough team in the regular season and if They can find those two pieces I think they can run the table.

Leadership is overrated. you win with talent.
- RogerRoeper

So you win with talent, and not leadership? So why do guys like Ovechkin for instance, never win a Stanley Cup? When you are done answering that, look no further than the Blues this year, with talent, but no leadership. When you are done that, take a gander at the Blackhawks roster, and talent aside, look at the leadership they get from Keith, Seabrook and Hossa, then factor in perhaps the best leader in the game today, Jonathan Toews. The only Blue I see who has leadership ability is Backes, but he does not always do it, as he lacks a little, okay, a lot, upstairs. Boston is another team with strong leadership.

So you win with talent, and not leadership? So why do guys like Ovechkin for instance, never win a Stanley Cup? When you are done answering that, look no further than the Blues this year, with talent, but no leadership. When you are done that, take a gander at the Blackhawks roster, and talent aside, look at the leadership they get from Keith, Seabrook and Hossa, then factor in perhaps the best leader in the game today, Jonathan Toews. The only Blue I see who has leadership ability is Backes, but he does not always do it, as he lacks a little, okay, a lot, upstairs. Boston is another team with strong leadership.
- plyrs99

Ovechkin isn't that talented, outside his shot.

Leadership is overrated. you win with talent.
- RogerRoeper

Hah... sounds like Nonis' MO...


*looks at the team you cheer for*


Ohhhhhh, that explains it. Carry on.

The boys have no one to blame but themselves for loosing to the hawks, when you have a 9 point lead and the division all but locked up with 1 freakin week left in the season and you blow it, you really don't deserve to win. A first round match-up with the Wild would have been a whole different ball game. We finished the season 2 and 10, EPIC FAIL !!![hey miller,don't let the door hit your ass on the way out ].

IMO the Blues should let Jake Allen have a roster spot on this team. The kid is good. I've watched him since he was 12 as I went to high school with him, his father Kurt Allen was my hockey coach in high school & phys Ed teacher as well. Miller couldn't get it done, plain & Simple. Hard to say where he ends up playing next season.


I really think Jason Spezza would be the offensive threat the blues need to take the next step towards contending for the cup. He's amazing on the power play, & I think a trade for a game changer like Spezz would set them up for a deep run at lord Stanely next season.

IMO the Blues should let Jake Allen have a roster spot on this team.
- Erik6Karlsson5

Allen is on a one-way deal for next season. I would have to think the Blues would have to carry him next season. I don't think he'd make it through waivers without some team putting in a claim on him.

Hah... sounds like Nonis' MO...


*looks at the team you cheer for*


Ohhhhhh, that explains it. Carry on.
- OzBolts

This is for Bluenote, Bluenatic, and others. Thank you for visiting us on the Hawk blog and posting some truly excellent thoughts on hockey and other things.

Just wondering where you've been since game 2...

The St Louis Blows.

.....................

So you win with talent, and not leadership? So why do guys like Ovechkin for instance, never win a Stanley Cup? When you are done answering that, look no further than the Blues this year, with talent, but no leadership. When you are done that, take a gander at the Blackhawks roster, and talent aside, look at the leadership they get from Keith, Seabrook and Hossa, then factor in perhaps the best leader in the game today, Jonathan Toews. The only Blue I see who has leadership ability is Backes, but he does not always do it, as he lacks a little, okay, a lot, upstairs. Boston is another team with strong leadership.
- plyrs99

When your leader's best quality is being a dirty POS thug...what is everyone else supposed to emulate exactly?

Dude's a loser. He will continue to lead the Blues to playoff loses as long as he's the Captain. He's also not a true #1 Center, and the offensively Challenged Blues will continue to struggle until they get one.

The St Lois Blows.

.....................
- Ersberg

Fixed.

When your leader's best quality is being a dirty POS thug...what is everyone else supposed to emulate exactly?

Dude's a loser. He will continue to lead the Blues to playoff loses as long as he's the Captain. He's also not a true #1 Center, and the offensively Challenged Blues will continue to struggle until they get one.
- Ogilthorpe2

This.

When your leader's best quality is being a dirty POS thug...what is everyone else supposed to emulate exactly?

Dude's a loser. He will continue to lead the Blues to playoff loses as long as he's the Captain. He's also not a true #1 Center, and the offensively Challenged Blues will continue to struggle until they get one.
- Ogilthorpe2

Dude, ease up. He brought a dog back from Russia.

IMO the Blues should let Jake Allen have a roster spot on this team. The kid is good. I've watched him since he was 12 as I went to high school with him, his father Kurt Allen was my hockey coach in high school & phys Ed teacher as well. Miller couldn't get it done, plain & Simple. Hard to say where he ends up playing next season.


I really think Jason Spezza would be the offensive threat the blues need to take the next step towards contending for the cup. He's amazing on the power play, & I think a trade for a game changer like Spezz would set them up for a deep run at lord Stanely next season.
- Erik6Karlsson5

Yeah Blues win games one and two Spezza with hatricks in both games, Hitchcock changes lines in game 3 sits spezza for reaves on the top line and holds optional practice blues lose game 3 hitchcock changes lines again puts the towel man at center with ott and reaves, they lose game 4 and hitchcock holds 4 hour optional practice clinic on the art of passing back and forth for two minutes from point to point blues lose game 5 hitcock says blues arent afraid they are focused for game 6. Blues put a miller jersey on a zamboni and park it in front of there goal and lose 10-0

Miller wasn't "the final piece" and it was all too predictable, that was written on 29 March and held up pretty well, despite Chicago being Chicago

http://sbcpuckstorming.bl...ve-in-st-louis-blues.html

Dude, ease up. He brought a dog back from Russia.


- HawkintheD

And proceeded to abuse it. bumhole.

I remember when Blues fans called for Joel Quenneville's head after the 2003 playoff collapse.

They fired Quenneville and never got to the root of the problem...Larry Pleau.

Quenneville now has 2 Stanley Cups.
Hitchock has 1 Stanley Cup.

Larry Pleau has ZERO Cups as a GM.
Doug Armstrong has ZERO Cups.

Yeah, focus on firing Hitchcock.

BRILLIANT! Got to love Blues fans...
- Trust In Jarmo

You can have Q back. He handed you guys the first two games with his joke lines.

Take that, Blues! javascript:emoticon('') Have fun playing golf!

The Blues will have to settle for golf.

Hah... sounds like Nonis' MO...


*looks at the team you cheer for*


Ohhhhhh, that explains it. Carry on.
- OzBolts

Says a fan of a team that got swept by the Canadiens' broom.

Obviously signing Miller didn't work out for this year, but saying it was a bad move is hindsight. Most teams took serious notice when they got him as they should have.

When your leader's best quality is being a dirty POS thug...what is everyone else supposed to emulate exactly?

Dude's a loser. He will continue to lead the Blues to playoff loses as long as he's the Captain. He's also not a true #1 Center, and the offensively Challenged Blues will continue to struggle until they get one.
- Ogilthorpe2

Ogilthorpe, I said Backes was the only Blue who possessed leadership qualities, did not say he used them. I also said he was lacking in the brains department. True, he definitely is not a number one center, but he is the guy on that team that they all look to, take that for what it is worth. I don't like the guy, but he definitely earned my respect by coming back from the Seabrook hit and not complaining about it. You live by the sword as he does, then you die by it as well.

Blues still obviously have a great core. They just added horrible complimentary pieces this season.

Lapierre, Roy, Morrow all need to go.

The Ott, Miller fiasco obviously failed and need to go. And will cost the Blues alot.

Still a power house team just need better tweaks next season.

Ogilthorpe, I said Backes was the only Blue who possessed leadership qualities, did not say he used them. I also said he was lacking in the brains department. True, he definitely is not a number one center, but he is the guy on that team that they all look to, take that for what it is worth. I don't like the guy, but he definitely earned my respect by coming back from the Seabrook hit and not complaining about it. You live by the sword as he does, then you die by it as well.
- plyrs99

Nice post. What about Petro? Don't know a ton about who the Blues would look to as leader but purely from what I see on the ice he may be a better choice.