The offensive side of the red line is not the one that aged Blues fans may be used to.
The days of Adam Oates or Pierre Turgeon are over in St. Louis. It is hard to find which Blue may stand out from the rest, much like the start of last season. Brad Boyes and David Backes took that spot over with relative ease during the Blues' amazing playoff run.
Boyes, the Blues goal-scoring leader from 2007-08, picked up where he left off last season when he notched 33 goals and 72 points to lead the team. The 27-year old right-winger has the ability to get open more often than not and can one-time the puck as good as anyone else on the team. If Boyes is going to be a point-leader yet again, he is going to have to hit the net more often and continue to utilize his hard shot. Being in the prime of his career, the former Bruin still has to prove he is a number one forward in the NHL
David Backes busted onto the Blues' scene last year, scoring a surprising 31 goals and 54 points in all 82 games played. Backes is expected to be a 20-25 goal-man throughout his career, but really showed some added finesse and grit to help lead the team in their second-half comeback. Backes was a force in front of the net last season, working until every whistle. If Backes can continue his success, the young man will be a top-3 forward yet again.
The Blues got a jolt in their offense when Andy McDonald returned from a severe broken leg injury mid-last season. The top-center on the squad has been nothing short of a blessing for Blues fans, considering all that was given up was aging center Doug Weight in the trade with Anaheim. The 5'10” center works hard every shift, usually playing on the first power-play unit as well. McDonald can pass the puck through a rock and a hard place every time, and will be expected to put up a good amount of points this season.
The “Kid Line” as it has been nicknamed, contributed for 136 points last season. David Perron, Patrik Berglund and T.J. Oshie were impressive throughout 2009, once Berglund and Oshie fully recovered from their injuries. All 3 of these players were dazzling Blues fans with their brilliant puck-cycling along with their willingness to work the puck in front of the net. Perron is known for his speed and puck-handling skills, but has been criticized in the past for his small stature and the inability to hold onto the puck when hit. It seems that he worked on that over the summer though, as rumors are swirling that Perron bulked up a bit and put on about 10-15 lbs.
Oshie won over the fans in a home-and-home series with Columbus last season, when the 5'10” center knocked the 6'4” Rick Nash to the ice twice over both games. Patrik Berglund did not notably take out any opposing players, but was stellar on the puck, especially during the power-play and in the corners. The only worry for the two young prospects is that they both accumulated 0 points and just 9 shots on goal in all four playoff games. This is being brushed off as a learning curve by St. Louis media, but can the two rebound and be a force for the Blues in the regular season?
When it comes to rebounding, no one on the Blues' roster needs that more than winger Paul Kariya. After being signed in July of 2007 to a 3-year, $18 million contract, Kariya put up just 16 goals and 65 points in 2007-08. The Blues thought that Kariya had found his scoring touch yet again, when he ignited 15 points in the first 11 games of 2008-09. As everyone knows, injuries took a toll on the Blues shortly after that, and Kariya was no exception. The veteran left-winger suffered a severe hip injury, which required numerous surgeries throughout the rest of last season and over the summer. He has returned beautifully this pre-season, scoring 2 goals and 2 assists in 4 pre-season games played.
In a somewhat surprise announcement after the Blues were ousted from the playoffs, forward Keith Tkachuk announced that he wanted to return to the Blues for one more season. Blues President John Davidson was happy to oblige.
“Keith is a veteran leader who played a key role with our club’s success this past season,” said Davidson shortly after announcing the signing.
Tkachuk is expected to be used in more of a third-line role in 2009-10, since his age has become a factor. But the 37-year old still impressed the NHL last season, as we was the only Blue named to the NHL All-Star Game. He also racked up 25 goals throughout the season.
If the Blues have a definite strength, it is checking forwards.
Acquired in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs for Lee Stempniak in late 2007, Alexander Steen was a nice fit for the Blues last season. Steen dropped off from his original analysis of being a pure goal scorer shortly after joining the NHL, but he still shows flashes of brilliance offensively. The strongest part of Steen's play is his penalty-killing, seeing time on the top line with center Jay McClement. Steen has a smart eye when it comes to poke-checking and stripping the puck.
The top penalty-killer for the Blues last season was center Jay McClement. The 26-year old was willing to lay down in front of shots and block the passing lanes at every chance he was given. His 12 goals was not too shabby for a fourth-line center either.
The Blues bulked up throughout last season, especially when they claimed forward B.J. Crombeen and called up winger Brad Winchester from Peoria. Crombeen is known as a scrappy-young winger with a slight scoring touch, but really showed St. Louis what he was made of when he scored a hat-trick against Nashville on December 9th in a 6-2 win. He will definitely add grit to an already feisty checking line.
Winchester was signed last summer mostly for being a top-player in Peoria, but got his chance to make the big club when the team could not stop getting riddled with injuries. Winchester did not disappoint, fighting his way to the middle of the depth chart. By the end of the season, Brad was being used on the power-play and close-game situations. His 13 goals was not something that Blues management expected to see, but it was a pleasant surprise that has most likely earned him a full-time spot with the club this upcoming season.
The most astonishing thing for the checking forwards is that Crombeen and Winchester are not even the tough guys on the squad.
Local boy Cam Janssen and “King Kong” D.J. King round-out the tough Blues fourth line. Janssen was a fan-favorite last year, recording 131 penalty minutes and hitting everyone in sight. Janssen does not exactly resemble the most graceful of skaters but does possess decent speed. King is not a quick as Janssen, but owns better hands and a quicker shot. His 100 penalty minutes and reputation as one of the best fighters in the league was one of the few bright spots for St. Louis in 2007-08. Both players are going to be used sparingly this season, as the Blues are looking for more skill than grit.
There are two hopefuls to make the team. The Blues added center Derek Armstrong to the mix over the summer, who is a former Los Angeles King. Armstrong, 36, adds depth to the Blues roster. The second hopeful is young star Lars Eller. The 20-year old was expected to be a dynamic rookie this season, but reportedly has been diagnosed with mononucleosis. He will remain inactive for about another 4 months.
The Blues will look at their roster very closely before opening day on Friday in order to put the right lines together to play against the Red Wings in Sweden. Here is how the lines may look:
Paul Kariya – Andy McDonald – Brad Boyes
David Perron – T.J. Oshie – Patrik Berglund
Alexander Steen – Keith Tkachuk – David Backes
Cam Janssen – Jay McClement – Brad Winchester
Scratched: D.J. King, B.J. Crombeen
Sent to Peoria: Derek Armstrong
The Blues do have a pretty well rounded offense. When the coach has to consider putting a thirty-goal scorer (Boyes, Backes) or a young rising star (Perron, Oshie, Berglund) on his third line, chances are that the roster looks pretty solid. The only thing that may be missing from the Blues lineup is a proven all-star goal scorer; this is something that the Blues have been lacking since Brett Hull. Even with a well-balanced offense, that one superstar can help tremendously with defensive zoning of the opposing team.
But how will this team stack up to other Western Conference foes?
The Blues seem like they can play almost any type of game. When playing against the San Jose Sharks, the team has a few young defensemen who may be able to shut down Dany Heatley and Joe Thornton. If Erik Johnson can prove that he is NHL-worthy, he may be able to get in the face of Thornton and keep him on the perimeter. Plus, the Sharks have a very fast-paced, quick-passing style of play. If the “Kid Line” is in full-swing, they can control the puck with the best of them.
When the Blues play a rough defensive team like the Calgary Flames, the St. Louis squad has very good checking forwards and tough guys to keep the gritty Flame forwards in line. With Jay McClement hovering Jarome Iginla and Cam Janssen taking care of Brian McGratton, the Blues could match up well with a team of Calgary's caliber.
Even though the Blues are mostly young and inexperienced, they do have a lot of guys that do their jobs on a nightly basis. If the team can pick up where they left off at the end of the 2008-09 season, they will be a force to be reckoned with.
A low playoff seed will not be good enough for this team. Look for them to make a push into the top five of the Western Conference.
Miss Part I? Read it here: http://www.nhlhockeyonline.com/jeffponder/weblog/8538/the-official-200
Keywords: adam oates, alexander steen, andy mcdonald, brad boyes, brad winchester, brett hull, brian mcgratton, cam janssen, d.j. king, dany heatley, david backes, david perron, derek armstrong, erik johnson, jarome iginla, jay mcclement, joe thornton, john davidson, keith tkachuk, lars eller, nhl, patrik berglund, paul kariya, pierre turgeon, st louis blues, t.j. oshie, western conference
