Blues media kept fans on the edge of their seats early this summer when there were constant talks of Chris Pronger returning to the blue and gold. Those discussions came to a crashing halt on the first day of the NHL Entry Draft when he was shipped from Anaheim to Philadelphia in the first blockbuster deal of the summer. Draft day was still exciting for the Blues though, when they selected defenseman David Rundblad at 17th overall in the first round. Rundblad is known for his smooth skating ability and offensive instincts, but worries some scouts with his defensive lapses at times. The Swedish defenseman reminds many scouts, including the Blues' Director of Amateur Scouting Jarmo Kekalainen, of Mike Green from Washington. It will take a few seasons to see that progression though.
The Blues then made their only splash into free-agency on July 1st when they announced the signing of backup goaltender Ty Conklin. As the backup to the Western Conference Champ Detroit Red Wings last season, Conklin stepped in many times to help the struggling Chris Osgood all throughout 2008-09. Conklin is best known for being a valuable backup goaltender who will keep your team in the game. He will not steal games nor will he be the reason that the team lost. He is the best you get from a solid number two goalie. So to pose another question on this muggy July day, can that really be considered a “splash?”
Chris Mason had one of the best finishes to his season that the Blues have seen in recent years. The problem is that Mason is yet to see a season as the clear-cut number one man since wearing a Blues jersey. The butterfly goaltender was brought in last summer to backup reigning all-star goalie Manny Legace. While playing spot-starts and coming in for Manny at certain points, Chris started his season just 3-14-1. He obviously came on strong at the end of the season finishing 27-21-7, but the Blues cannot rely on a mid-season comeback again. Mason's only season as the starter took place in 2007-08 in Nashville, when he posted a 18-22-6 record with a 2.90 GAA and a .898 save percentage. While these numbers are not horrid, they are not something that a quality starter should have. The jury is out on whether or not Mason can play off of his strong performance late last season.
The questions just keep piling on. What will the status of captain Eric Brewer be? While the team seemed to rally around his loss, Brewer is still paid a handsome sum and is needed for a tighter defense. Blues beat-writer Andy Strickland reported last week that Brewer may not be ready to return for training camp in time. His back surgery has caused him to feel better, but he is not on schedule to be skating by training camp. With a loss comes a better return though; Erik Johnson will be kept off the golf course and will be in a Blues uniform come September.
After one of the weirdest injuries in NHL history, Johnson will be playing in his second season. The 6'4” defenseman had a so-so rookie campaign, but is needed to come crashing out of the gate in 2009. Erik missed a year of development last season, but has been working hard all summer to earn back the precious time he missed while nursing his ACL tear.
Now what about that crazy offense? The Blues have a stockpile of third and fourth line wingers, so who will make the cut? Scrappers D.J. King and Cam Janssen are fan favorites, but can the Blues really afford to carry both skaters on their roster? Probably not, so one has to be moved or sent to Peoria. While Cam Janssen is a hometown boy and plays his game with an edge, D.J. King is a better puck-handler, better fighter and an overall better hockey player. The city of St. Louis seems to have a collective man-crush on Janssen though, so King will most likely be the odd-man out.
B.J. Crombeen and Brad Winchester were both re-signed this summer as well. Both checkers played big roles in the Blues' comeback year, so they most likely have a good shot of being back on the roster. Crombeen, known sarcastically to many Blues fans as “the hat-trick hero” since scoring a surprising 3-goal game on December 8th in a 6-3 win over Nashville, was a big part in clean hits and puck-cycling throughout last season. Finishing with 12 goals in his rookie campaign, the Dallas Stars were kicking themselves after they let him go on waivers early in the season.
Winchester was a bit streaky throughout the season, but was also instrumental in the lineup. Adding 13 goals, Brad fought his way into the lineup and was even included on many Blues' power-plays. His lack of speed and ability to connect on big hits remains to be a question mark in itself though.
Can T.J. Oshie and Patrik Berglund rebound from their dreadful playoff performances? Yet another query Blues fans are scratching their heads about. The players both combined for 0 points and 9 shots on goal in all 4 playoff games against Vancouver. The easy answer is that the two young phenoms were inexperienced and will bounce back with more experience next time around. But the flip side is how the poor performances has effected them during this long summer. April 21st to October 2nd is a long time to dwell on a tough loss...
With so many bright spots in the Blues' future, it is hard to get down on them anymore. They have come a long way from being dead last in the league. The Blues will see a tough test to start the NHL season, when they face-off with the Detroit Red Wings for two games in Stockholm, Sweden. If they can go in with the same mentality they had to end last season, next summer could be a lot more exciting for Blues hockey. Let's just stay off the golf course, okay guys?
Keywords: b.j. crombeen, brad winchester, cam janssen, chris mason, chris pronger, d.j. king, david rundblad, eric brewer, erik johnson, nhl, patrik berglund, st louis blues, stanley cup, t.j. oshie, ty conklin
