The Blues, who did not see their first three-game winning streak until a 2-1 shootout win over the Calgary Flames on December 23, are currently posting a 17-17-5 record, placing them twelfth in the Western Conference and eight points out of a playoff spot. The record itself is not the biggest problem; it is the lack of production from the core of the lineup. Before being injured Sunday against the Sabres, left-wing Paul Kariya, who also happens to be drawing $6 million in the final season of his contract, has racked up just eight goals and 19 points in 38 games. For a former six-time 30 goal scorer, the numbers can speak volumes for the lack of effort the team is seeing from Kariya.
Brad Boyes seemed to be a Godsend for the Blues after being acquired in 2007 for struggling Blues defenseman Dennis Wideman. He scored 43 goals in his first full season as a Blue and 33 the next season. The team relies on Boyes to take the big shots and pick the corners; pretty hard to do when you have just three shots on Sunday and one shot Tuesday night. Boyes' scoring well seems to have dried up. His nine goals this season is nothing to write home about.
With this lack of production from the Blues' veteran stars, the young players and grinders must be getting plenty of playing time, right? In a game that he did not produce anything offensively, Paul Kariya played 18:12 in the Blues' win over Calgary last week. Brad Boyes finished second of the Blues' forwards with 19:47 played Tuesday night against the Predators in their 4-3 losing effort. It does not end there though.
Captain Eric Brewer does not have the numbers in his favor either. Being a -10 on the season, he is currently tied for 249th in plus/minus out of 265 NHL defensemen. Yet, he is also the Blues' leading average ice-time getter. Constantly being played against the top lines, Brewer has a -69 in five seasons with the Blues. Brewer should be happy that the NHL does not recognize turnovers as an official statistic.
Brewer gets the same treatment as the rest of the roster, right? Just ask Erik Johnson, who watched the Blues get booed off their home ice Tuesday as a healthy scratch. Johnson, who is tied for fourth on the Blues with 21 points, has struggled with his play as of late. He has missed defensive assignments and has iced the puck more than usual, but has still been a bright spot for the club. As a paid NHL player, it is within the organization's rights to sit the young defenseman. That is not where the argument lies though. Why do the veterans get special treatment?
Head Coach Andy Murray was brought in to help the Blues get back to their winning ways and bring a Stanley Cup to the Gateway City, something that has eluded them in their 42-year history. Things do not seem to be going in the right track.
Team President John Davidson has preached to Blues fans that the team is building from within and that they are in a youth movement. To counteract his promises, Davidson has brought in a coach who favors veterans over youth.
Youngster Patrik Berglund has definitely hit a snag on his road to success. His six goals and six assists are not what the team is expecting out of him, but he is not the only forward who has struggled this season. In fact, David Backes had 31 goals just one season ago; now, he has just nine. So anyone can see why it is confusing that Backes has played in all 39 games and Berglund has been a healthy scratch for six games.
This team obviously needs a shake-up for the better, which Murray refuses to do. When Kariya went down with the injury, the team decided to just go with the current roster and not call up anyone from Peoria, the Blues' AHL affiliate, to the big squad. Cam Janssen was dressed instead for Tuesday's game. His 4:00 played made a real impact for the Blues. A gifted scorer (Eller, Drazenovic, etc.), that is wasting away in Peoria could not match what Janssen brought to the table.
A term often heard in sports nowadays is “Its easier to fire a coach than to get rid of the players.” So do something about it. This coach is not right for this team. His decisions are clearly to benefit veterans, which does not need to be the mindset in the organization now.
If this club chooses to hold onto Murray for the duration of the season, the Blues will be a shoe-in for a top five draft pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
But more youth is a good thing. Rivermen fans and people that sit in the Blues' press box would be happy to welcome more young players.
Keywords: andy murray, brad boyes, cam janssen, dennis wideman, eric brewer, erik johnson, john davidson, lars eller, nhl, nicholas drazenovic, Patrik Berglund, paul kariya, st louis blues
