The St. Louis Blues seem to have reversed plenty of trends this year. One such trend was their decent five-on-five play. It has gone the way of the dodo at times.
On the fifth day of Bluesmas, the blue note gave to us, five players who must do better. The St. Louis Blues have improved their special teams with the new coaching staff this season, but that has left their even strength play a bit lax.
As of right now, the St. Louis Blues have one of the worst even strength goal ratios in the league. That is saying something since they have scored 67 even strength goals as of writing this.
The problem is they are allowing way too many even strength goals. As good as their penalty kill has been this season – it was atop the league for quite some time until recently – they seem to be lost on how to defend when they have a full compliment of players.
It really doesn’t make much sense. You have an extra body on the ice when at full strength compared to a penalty kill (just in case you forgot).
So, how in the world can guys play their position so well and keep track of their assignments a man down and have it all fall apart when the extra skater is there?
The recent game against the Chicago Blackhawks was a prime example. The Blues shut down one of the better powerplays in the league three times. They allowed six goals at even strength.
OK, it was really five since the empty net ones don’t count and the Blues had six skaters. Even so, it’s enough to make one pull some hair out.
We have all made this point countless times, whether me in my articles or any of us between friends. The Blues are just weak defensively too much.
The idea of being a speed team works both ways. The focus is on offense because you must score to win the game. You have to keep goals off the board as well.
The Blues just don’t look fast at all on defense. It is hard to tell if it is coaching or a simple lack of old school fundamentals, but there is no strength to their game.
That isn’t a brush stroke that covers everyone every night. Even within a game there are brief glimpses.
Someone like Jay Bouwmeester or Carl Gunnarsson, players I singled out as being less than physically dominant, have taken people out. They are not above getting a little rough now and then.
Too often those guys and their larger compatriots try to use the stick. Instead of lowering the shoulder and taking someone off the puck, they try to jab their stick in or reach around.
Players are too fast and strong these days. There will always be a place for a good poke check, but hockey has been and will always be a physical game.
The Blues lack of that has cost them defensively. The funny thing is we were told the team would have more of an edge defensively under Rick Wilson.
Nothing could be further from the truth through a third of the season. If anything, the Blues seem to have lost an edge when playing five-on-five.
It is a team wide phenomenon too. It starts with the captain, who has been guilty of backing into his own net at times and spreads on out.
Even offensively, the Blues seem to struggle at times when compared to their past success. It’s good that the powerplay is thriving a bit more, but there are moments you can see the team is looking for a powerplay.
Also, the Blues have always passed too much. It’s one thing to pass with purpose, but there seems to be a need to set up the pretty play.
Everyone needs to go back to basics and keep things simple. Get pucks to the net. Put a body on a man and let him know you’re there.
It sounds simplistic and it is. Sometimes the things that would be most beneficial are simple. That’s not to say it is easily done.
It’s easy to say put a body on someone, but you or I could not do it. The guys on the other team get paid as well.
But the Blues must get better at even strength, especially defensively. As seasons go along, refs tend to let teams decide things, especially in the playoffs.
So, if the Blues get into a struggle to score and defend five-on-five, the way the game is meant to be played, it seems unlikely to win in the long run.
The Blues are too good for that. The goals aren’t as much of an issue. The goals against are worrying.
As of right now, the extra skater when compared to a penalty kill seems to only be good for screening Jake Allen. I think this team will shake it off, but their even strength play needs to improve or we’ll have a blue Christmas instead of five gold rings from a championship.
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