Just wanna say that I love reading your blogs, randal. I especially like your lack of bias. You point out the good AND THE BAD. Lots of fans are too afraid to do that.

However, before we just trash Lindstrom, we should realize a couple things. He did win Swedish Elite League MVP last year.... He also led his team to a second consecutive title last year. That's no coincidence. He definitely has talent. If we recall, in the first couple games this season, against new york and calgary, he was all over the ice, making plays.

Yes, yes, just because he can perform in the swedish elite league doesn't mean he can be as effective in the NHL. But, he is skilled. It was no coincidence that he was the 41st overall pick in 2002.

That being said, he has looked very lost since the beginning of the year.

Plus, with the depth this team has, he's forced to play on the 3rd and 4th line when he's put in the lineup. - Not a recipe for impressive offensive numbers...

I do think he would benefit better from playing with better linemates, even if he does appear to be a bit lost, but that's the way it goes. The better players are on the top lines.

There's just no place for him anymore in St. Louis. However, I think that he could serve as an asset for a rebuilding team, looking to add a top 6 forward with some skill. Maybe he and a first or second rounder could buy us some rental players that can help us on our cup run. Personally, I think our offense AND ESPECIALLY our D need to get bigger and more physical to beat chicago, Anaheim and LA (yes, I think LA will make the playoffs, despite their struggles). Lindstrom is trade bait at the deadline...
- yglassman

LA has a 23% chance of making the play offs and I would say less than that. There are four teams in front of them. Their sos is high, they play more n the road then at home and they suck on the road. They will not make it it this year.


We do not need overly ohysical dmen. Teams that think that way are not winning the Cup. Who is Chicago's big burly dman? No one. LA? No one comes to mind there either. In fact Chicago is looking to add a tough forward.

Most of the big bruisers in the league are slow or are elite, meaning they will cost your team big time to have them. So it makes little sense.

You want hockey olayers with toughness of character not toughness with fists. If you end up killing penealties most of the best teams will bury you.

It's been working pretty good so far. We'll see if it works in the playoffs.
- cuethenoise

No kidding. The Blues are only in the midst of their longest point streak all-time for Christ sakes. As soon as that guy seriously mentioned trading Petro, you know right off the bat he knows precious little about hockey. Watch literally any game in the league against any two teams and see how many times you see it end scoreless with no defensive breakdowns and no top line players making incredible individual plays. It doesn't happen. It's no longer the 90's when you could clutch and grab your way to a 0-0 tie.

Wow, how many bad luck goals can Blues give up this game?

Wow, how many bad luck goals can Blues give up this game?
- Antilles

Yeah, Petro sure looked great on the Bluejackets 2nd goal. Can he at least lean into someone from the other team instead of just watching them take multiple whacks at the puck from just outside of the blue paint? I know throwing an actual body check is asking way too much.

Yeah, Petro sure looked great on the Bluejackets 2nd goal. Can he at least lean into someone from the other team instead of just watching them take multiple whacks at the puck from just outside of the blue paint? I know throwing an actual body check is asking way too much.
- Blues65

You're mad at Petro for that goal? What exactly was Petro's fault? The fact that the guy Lindstrom was supposed to be covering managed to get a single swipe at the puck out of mid air? The location the puck bounced off the top of the net towards? The fact the player Petro was covering had the puck deflect off his helmet and land on top of the net? Do you think Petro should have left Hartnell uncovered right in front of the net on the side the puck was on, to be on the side of the goal the puck wasn't and a forward was responsible for covering if someone came into?

wow this game is terrible. bad coverage, lucky bounces, what i have seen from this team for about 2 monts almost and yet we still managed to win games. female dog at me all you want but i saw a game or 5 like this happening if our goalies did not make key saves and puck luck went the other way. The Blues have been sloppy as poop in our own zone and trying to break out of our zone. We have been getting hemmed in our zone. its just been bad to watch lately cause i know what this team is capable of.

Gunnar missed a check after Steen broke his stick on the face off and the high forward did not immediately jump and get the puck, was caught watching, and that led to the rush up the ice. back coverage in our own zone and not clearing the net allowed 2 goals. Bouwmeester must be playing injured cause he looks terrible out there. Why we keep putting cross ice passes out there and trying to force the puck THROUGH players is beyond me. Backes a terrible pass into a player led to Johansens breakaway.

Bad luck for elliot on 2 goals, but if he could control a rebound or just smother the puck and not allow a rebound then those goals don't happen


Mcelhenny was the difference in this game as if he did not make 2 great saves that changes this entire game


is that enough to convey my feelings?

another terrible pass by captain fool that lead to yet another breakaway

does Hitch have any other face than "gee i wish i had a turkey sandwich, maybe with some pickles, lettuce and tomato. I do like some chips as well"

he looks like the fat kid that had his lunch money stolen

does Hitch have any other face than "gee i wish i had a turkey sandwich, maybe with some pickles, lettuce and tomato. I do like some chips as well"

he looks like the fat kid that had his lunch money stolen
- BluesDroogie

They looked flat and tired like they had played six games in eight days or something.

Shattenkik is good but he is not that good. Lazy passes doomed most of the power plays and the one thing I hate worst about this team is the backing in and giving time and space instead of making the other team earn it. How far can you back before the other team is in side the circles and you are providing an excellent screen?

Elliott did not look good on some of those goals plain and simply. Hitch stared him down after the fourth or maybe he spied a fan nachos in the back ground?

I do not know why Lindstrom plays at all. The game was not his fault but he is not hungry enough to want to be an NHL player. If he were he would think about attacking the net or driving the net every once in a blue moon.

I am not sure the point of messing around with the top two lines. The problem was the lazy passes and the hesitation, drifting towards the play. How can those kids be in such great shape and be so tired???? Youth is wasted on the young to be sure.

Oh well it was bound to happen. It was a good run, now they need to show up on Sunday afternoon a day and a half from now.

So the fathers come to games and they show heart and then most of the team figures they can take a night off.

Bright spot of the game for me was Jaskin's play.

As a side note my god how long can you hold another player's stick for before it is called a penalty? Steen gets turned around and pulls a guy two feet and they score. Not worth a penalty apparently. Not saying that doomed them but geesh what a perfect storm--terrible officiating, lucky bounces, bad goaltending, and lazy play all in one game. Amazing.

Yeah, Petro sure looked great on the Bluejackets 2nd goal. Can he at least lean into someone from the other team instead of just watching them take multiple whacks at the puck from just outside of the blue paint? I know throwing an actual body check is asking way too much.
- Blues65

Yeah, Petro sure looked great on the Bluejackets 2nd goal. Can he at least lean into someone from the other team instead of just watching them take multiple whacks at the puck from just outside of the blue paint? I know throwing an actual body check is asking way too much.
- Blues65

What are you going to trade Petro for, wise guy?

I haven't watched many Blues games in a few years. However, I don't remember Backes turning the puck over in the offensive zone like he did so many times last night. I saw 3 or 4 passes that were taken by the Jackets for breakaways.

Has this been an issue with Backes all season or the last couple seasons? Or is this just a one off/bad game by Backes last night?

It was an off night, for the entire team.

It was an off night, for the entire team.
- carcus

that is putting it very mildly. its a new day and i'm still ticked off. i can't wait to see how they respond on sunday morning, that should tell us a lot about this team.

I haven't watched many Blues games in a few years. However, I don't remember Backes turning the puck over in the offensive zone like he did so many times last night. I saw 3 or 4 passes that were taken by the Jackets for breakaways.

Has this been an issue with Backes all season or the last couple seasons? Or is this just a one off/bad game by Backes last night?
- Trust In Jarmo

its really been a thing with the whole team, Steen(on the pp), Backes, Bouwmeester, JACKMAN, and a few others. Now that the Blues have talented players they think they can pull off stupid moves that they can't. Trying to pass through the opposition when they are the last man back. I am tired of it. 3 out of 10 times it is successful but the other 7 times its costly and detrimental.

I LIKE THIS TEAM BUT THEY MAKE ME VERY ANGRY

stupid passes and plays that everyone was taught not to make in hockey as a kid they try to pull off cause they think they can. WRONG

its really been a thing with the whole team, Steen(on the pp), Backes, Bouwmeester, JACKMAN, and a few others. Now that the Blues have talented players they think they can pull off stupid moves that they can't. Trying to pass through the opposition when they are the last man back. I am tired of it. 3 out of 10 times it is successful but the other 7 times its costly and detrimental.

I LIKE THIS TEAM BUT THEY MAKE ME VERY ANGRY

stupid passes and plays that everyone was taught not to make in hockey as a kid they try to pull off cause they think they can. WRONG
- BluesDroogie

They try more seam passes but everything last night was slow and lazy. Bad choices. He does not usually make such bad oasses as he did last night. Just an off night for the most part. THEY HAVE BEEN PLAYING TIRED FOR A WHILE NOW. oops the cap button was on.

They also have the same tendency this core group has always had minus Tarasenko and Schwartz, and that is they become overconfident. They dominant games playing a certain way and then it seems easy they seem to think they can get away with making pretty passes across the ice surface without it being stolen in the NHL. Even the ECHL team, the Sabres, could steal those passes and did.

Looks like two streaks ended, the Blues winning and ur blogger doing his job.

At bluemanguru-------We may not need a big bruiser on D, but we DO need dmen who at least challenge the forwards, and don't let them skate in freely. Petro IS offensively talented, but 6.5 mill isn't enough to even make him throw a purse at someone. He's too soft. I don't wanna trade him, but we MUST be more physical to have a long playoff run.

We give up WAY too many goals around the crease and on screens because our D lets those big forwards park themselves in front of our goalie.

Last year, we let Andrew Shaw park himself in front of Miller and he killed us. How did we answer? We traded our most physical dman, polak, for another purse thrower, gunnarsson. Jackman and Cole are the only dmen who show ANY signs of physicality.

Plus, petro and bouw are having overall, below average seasons on defense. It's no coincidence that before this point streak, Petro had the worst plus minus on the team......-10!!!! Bouw was also like a -4 until that streak. Theyre too soft.

And although chicago may not have big bruisers, they definitely challange the forwards...Hjalmarsson is very physical, Seabrook is physical (just ask david backes), Keith is a dirty slasher, but at least he challanges the forwards and is a pest to deal with!

And LA has physicality on D from matt greene and doughty, and their forwards just crush every opposing player in the playoffs. The average size of that tem is like 6' 1' 210!! That's where their success comes from-their physicality. And the first time they won the cup, they also stunk until they went on a nine game win streak that awarded them a playoff spot. THey can win when they decide to play. They are only 5 points out. Quick is the best goalie in the world when he wants to be. Expect them to steal the 8th seed and face us in round 1.

Im skeptical about our cup chances if we're still this soft, despite the fact that our offense and our pp are much improved since last year..

At bluemanguru-------We may not need a big bruiser on D, but we DO need dmen who at least challenge the forwards, and don't let them skate in freely. Petro IS offensively talented, but 6.5 mill isn't enough to even make him throw a purse at someone. He's too soft. I don't wanna trade him, but we MUST be more physical to have a long playoff run.

We give up WAY too many goals around the crease and on screens because our D lets those big forwards park themselves in front of our goalie.

Last year, we let Andrew Shaw park himself in front of Miller and he killed us. How did we answer? We traded our most physical dman, polak, for another purse thrower, gunnarsson. Jackman and Cole are the only dmen who show ANY signs of physicality.

Plus, petro and bouw are having overall, below average seasons on defense. It's no coincidence that before this point streak, Petro had the worst plus minus on the team......-10!!!! Bouw was also like a -4 until that streak. Theyre too soft.

And although chicago may not have big bruisers, they definitely challange the forwards...Hjalmarsson is very physical, Seabrook is physical (just ask david backes), Keith is a dirty slasher, but at least he challanges the forwards and is a pest to deal with!

And LA has physicality on D from matt greene and doughty, and their forwards just crush every opposing player in the playoffs. The average size of that tem is like 6' 1' 210!! That's where their success comes from-their physicality. And the first time they won the cup, they also stunk until they went on a nine game win streak that awarded them a playoff spot. THey can win when they decide to play. They are only 5 points out. Quick is the best goalie in the world when he wants to be. Expect them to steal the 8th seed and face us in round 1.

Im skeptical about our cup chances if we're still this soft, despite the fact that our offense and our pp are much improved since last year..
- yglassman

we will not play the kings in the 1st round if they make it. we will finish either 2nd or 3rd in the division and play either chicago or nashville. we will not take the top seed this year, it is possible but unlikely with anaheim and nashville playing so well. i see us with a 1st round chicago match up

Elliott sucks. Weak goal..

Elliott sucks. Weak goal..
- BluemanGuruu

Not sure if he sucks, but he hasn't seen the puck well in a month or so

Elliott sucks. Weak goal..
- BluemanGuruu

I agree it was a weak goal. Horrid officiating as well. Missing the 4 minute high stick on Reaves, then calling Reaves for interference when he isn't moving, TT skates into Reaves stick?

I agree it was a weak goal. Horrid officiating as well. Missing the 4 minute high stick on Reaves, then calling Reaves for interference when he isn't moving, TT skates into Reaves stick?
- Antilles

He hit his skates but that was a classless dive that esulted in an injury. It should have been four minutes on the Hawks. Terrible call.

Damn Steen has been so lazy with the puck. He needs to be taken off of the point on the power play without Shatty you cannot correct for Steen's terrible power play decisions, which have been there all year long.

You do not need four forwards out there period. You need the right balance of forwards who move with the play. That is they do not cheat to a certain area unless the flow of the play looks for it.

He hit his skates but that was a classless dive that esulted in an injury. It should have been four minutes on the Hawks. Terrible call.

Damn Steen has been so lazy with the puck. He needs to be taken off of the point on the power play without Shatty you cannot correct for Steen's terrible power play decisions, which have been there all year long.

You do not need four forwards out there period. You need the right balance of forwards who move with the play. That is they do not cheat to a certain area unless the flow of the play looks for it.



- BluemanGuruu

Reaves stick wasn't moving. He isn't responsible for getting out of the Blackhawks way, despite the refs calling it as such.

Blues might need to start throwing dirty checks and taking dives like the Blackhawks do in order to beat them.

Elliott is just not that good. I do not want to rely on him in the play offs. Nice giant rebound to the slot and then no real reaction to not that great of a shot.