Post-Deadline Blues

I predict we will win the odd game here and there but lose most of them. And I’m sorry, but I’m really not O.K. with the trades. We got a player for Peoria and a 4th round draft pick for two of our regulars. That’s not a step forward, it’s -at best- a sideway step.

Do anyone actually believe that with a coach like Andy Murray, Cam Janssen will be able to make ANY difference on this team? He better be defensively PERFECT and work his tail off in practice, because if he don’t, or if he just happens to frown a little bit, there’s no way in hell he’s playing.

JD: You should have held on to Bryce Salvador. 20 games of Sally is better than 20 mins (total) of Janssen.
AM: You should start playing David Perron. Soon you’ll have the players, management AND fans against you. That’s a good way to get fired.

Oh, and Brad, Gallagher and the rest of you: Good work on the paper, this blog, the NY Times stuff and the rest last night.

The Online Editor wrote

“A lot of fans are fed up with David Perron being scratched — including Tuesday night. There’s a growing sense that Andy Murray will not play young players in significant roles. That’s got to change as Perron and Erik Johnson and T.J. Oshie and Patrik Berglund need to play significant roles for this team to succeed as early as next season but 2-4 seasons out — when they’ll still be pretty damn young.”

==

Count me among those who are fed up with Perron being scratched, and who feel that Murray has no trust in young players.

All you have to do is read “The Perron Factor” in last night’s GT to see how I feel about the whole thing. While I concede that it MIGHT be good for Perron to be eased gradually into the NHL, it’s also good for him to play against teams that might rough him up a little, the Anaheims and Dall-ASS-es of the world.

He’s never gonna grow into complete NHL readiness unless he gets exposed to something like this, and for Murray to continue to sit him with the excuse that, “we needed more physical players out there against Team X” is just that.. a #$%^ing excuse.

Clearly the Blues are a better team when Perron plays, and they are especially better when he makes a significant contribution, scoring goals and setting them up with hustle and youthful enthusiasm.

None of the great French-Canadian players — from Rocket Richard to Gilbert Perreault to Mike Bossy to Pierre Turgeon — could do all that from the press box…

The Green Goblin needs to get over himself, because he’s got a whole passel of kids coming up in the next year or two that are going to have to play significant roles.

Either he learns to use them, and play them, correctly… or he can take his Katharine Hepburn voice and Mike Keenan attitude elsewhere so that Dave Baseggio — a coach that knows how to work rookies into his lineup, and how to mix them with veterans for maximum effectiveness — can take the reins here.

B.

I also am disappointed whenever I see Perron listed as a scratch. Perron has been playing at least as good as Kariya has been the last couple weeks. Probably better, as Perron actually completes passes, and his shots usually get on goal.

For me Kariya has been the biggest disappointment this season.

I don’t know what the deal is with David Perron. Andy Murray must be worried that he isn’t covering the opposing forward in the defensive zone, or the kid is a raving egomaniac in the locker room (which I don’t feel is the coach’s issue—it’s up to the veterans to put him in his place.) Unlike Pagan, I’ve seen a pretty consistent presence from the kid when he plays. He needs to get used to the speed of the NHL game (his shooting window is a LOT smaller than in juniors,) and he’s showing a bit of a mean streak of late. He’s also willing to go into the corners and behind the net and work.

Like most rookies, he makes mistakes and his enthusiasm can lead to unfocused play. He’s 19 and immature, both as a person and a player. The team management still saw fit to put him in the NHL at that age. But he’s not going to get any better if he only plays in practice. Now that we’re finished with the playoff run, it’s time to let the kids grow up. Put EJ on the penalty kill. If this means that you need to sit him an occasional game to catch his breath, do it. Get Perron into the lineup on the second line. He’s NEVER going to be a third line player. Put him on the PP-he’s not going to be any worse than Marty Rucinsky, who stands in the face-off circle for ten seconds posing for his fathead picture while the rest of the team waits for him to DO something. You want to make him pay attention to defense and get some discipline? Put him on the PK. if nothing else, any mistakes the opponent makes at the blue line stand a decent chance of winding up as a shorthanded goal.

There’s no reason to play Rucinsky at this point. No team is going to pick him up (Really, Glen, we would have thrown him in with Backman for nothing), and I have had enough of his one-lazy-hook-per-game shit.

It’s not that I’m that disappointed in the team not making the playoffs; as I’ve said, I thought they were a year away even in May when I signed up for season tickets, and I didn’t expect Kariya to change that by himself. I’m disappointed in that I haven’t seen improvement in the power play; by the offensive decision-making in general; and by the inconsistency of the team’s effort. I can still see the talent gap between the Blues and other teams-it was evident last night, and had Dallas really given a shit, it would have been much worse, but there is still no excuse for this team to give less than its best effort.

Finally, one of the reasons that Murray was hired was that he was a good teacher. Like any coach, he and his message eventually gets old, but the reason he was hired was to help this team rebuild around a young core. If he’s looking for the veteran-laden days when rookies didn’t get their shot until their mid-20’s, it’s not going to happen because vets are too expensive, and so you will have to play younger, more inexpensive players. I think the Blues have some talent down below, and if they aren’t allowed to grow up with the team, this franchise will miss an opportunity to create a solid cup contender within 4 years.

Perron should be in every game from here on out. The Blues aren’t competing for anything this season. Let him get beat up, let him learn, so that when the games matter again next October he’ll be that much better.

Hey GG, I’m not knocking Perron. I like him a lot, I was just making the point that I’m not one of those rabid Perron supporters who overlooks his lapses. He has floated some this year, but when he plays now I notice improvements.

Here’s something JD and Checketts should think about for the rest of this season — Are the fans going to pay good money to come out to a game the remainder of this season when they believe guys like Hinote and Ruchinsky will get the nod to play over Perron? I want to see him play and I refuse to go to any more games this year until I know there’s a good chance that will happen.

Here’s my vent – I’m so freakin tired of having a shitty power-play – surely (stop calling me Shirley) we could have found ONE player since Big A to quarterback the PP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m sure teams now go, “Oh well, we got a penalty, not like the Blues will score or shoot on net that is quality”. I hate the 4 Forwards and One Capt Roboto PP unit – it doesn’t work – STOP it! Roboto forgets that he can’t pinch in completely behind the net, because noone else is there to stop it from getting out of the zone.

Also, think I finally put my finger on my hatred of Roboto, too many times I see him just have a look of “I’m too tired” look, he doesn’t hold his stick up like he’s ready for something to happen, several times last night he just skated in circles and didn’t pay attention to where the puck was with his stick dragging around with him. Almost got caught in sleepy land once that stands out and happened to get the stick up to knock down a Dallas pass, but if he would have had the stick up to begin with, would have been a much better save of the puck that the forwards could have done something with.

Yes, I’m sad today Salvy is gone, but I think JD did him a HUGE favor in trading him (albeit to the Satan) to a team where he will fit in very well to the system and he gets to play in front of Marty B. I wish him all the success in the playoffs because don’t think we will be there and I can’t afford the tickets anyway……

I sincerely hope that all the “defensive depth” that we have been hearing about are the Real thing because they now have an awful lot to prove in the BIG game.

Will be interesting to see what AM does with Perron the rest of the season, at this point I’d be surprised to see him play 50% of the games remaining. Then again, we don’t really know what the hell is going on inside the team, so maybe there is some logical explanation??

Ok, think I have the vent out of me now – although I still miss Dougie too much. It’s still funny to me that in the “new montage” before the game NOONE took on the “Leadership” role – they added Andy & Brad as Mechanics or whatever that is but to me the fact that no label as “Leadership” appears also, anyone else notice Roboto is NOT seen at all in the entire thing?

Before I forget on a totally different note – Jess – the Sharks Hockey Odyssey writer will be in the Scotch Trade on Saturday night – he has been out doing the East Coast tour – NYI, NYR, NJ, Philly, PIT, hit’s CBJ and Dead Wings before ending here on Saturday night. He’s using up some of the many miles he made last season.

Still writing the blog – here’s the latest! Sharks fan or not – He is one hell of a devoted fan!

http://sharkshockeyodyssey.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.html

(Does this thread have a minimum words requirement, or is this just the frustration of missing the playoffs pouring out of everybody?)

The Sharks Hockey Odyssey……is that the guy who did a tour last year and actually somehow got college credit for it??? If so then he is my idol!!! And if there is a word minimum I apologize for not reaching it as I am quite depressed right now.

They replaced Doug Weight’s LEADERSHIP in the opening video montage with Boyes and MacDonald’s DYNAMIC.

I can’t believe they couldn’t get more for Salvador either. I would’ve rather kept Salvador and then let him walk for nothing as a UFA since I equate Janssen with nothing. Hopefully he’ll prove me wrong, but I seriously doubt that happens. I just can’t understand why they traded for yet another 4th line player. Grit isn’t this team’s problem. We’ve got too much grit as it is. We need scoring, and I fail to understand how Janssen helps us there.

I get more and more pissed at Murray every time he scratches Perron. I did listen to the post game show on my way home from last night’s game though. One of the first callers asked about Perron. According to Chase and the other radio guys, Perron is being scratched because he’s not playing defense well enough. Apparently the other players in addition to Murray have been on him about it too. I don’t know if that explanation changes anyone’s mind, but I’d still rather see them play Perron more. He’s not going to improve by sitting in the press box, and I’m sure the same thing has been said about plenty of offensive minded players before Perron, and plenty of them turned out just fine. Perron certainly gives you a better chance of scoring goals than a bunch of the guys we’re running out there each night in his place, and in my book, that would be a good thing.

BlueNoteExpress said:

“According to Chase and the other radio guys, Perron is being scratched because he’s not playing defense well enough. Apparently the other players in addition to Murray have been on him about it too.”

This can’t be all there is to it. Yes, the Blues do need all of their scorers to focus more on defense, as they keep losing shootout-style games 6-5, 5-4, 7-6, etc. Isn’t the problem that they CAN’T SCORE GOALS?! That’s what’s wrong with Kariya I guess: he’s concentrating too much on the D.

I sure hope Oshie’s been concentrating on his backchecking.

My expectations were and remain low, so I don’t have much to vent, apart from saying that I absolutely HATE the Stars and losing to them always annoys me, but the way we did last night was nauseating.

One goal won’t win many games.

We need the same thing we always have [scoring], so I would accept Perron’s defensive shortcomings in exchange for offense. I’d also bring up Rivermen forwards for a look one by one.

I never expected the team to do more than threaten to qualify for extra games in the 8th and final playoff slot. As that fades into the remotest of possibilities, my attention turns to a possible bottom three finish in the overall standings, an OK draft lottery probability and picking what’s-his-name first overall.

apparently our defense can’t pinch in offensively… and our forwards can’t pinch in on defense OR produce offensively.

what exactly is the great teacher teaching?? he needs to be an assistant coach

Perron’s song:

"When I was just a rookie,
I asked Murray, what will I be
Will I be shifty, will I score quick
Here’s what he said to me.

Que Sera, Sera,
You’ll sit on the bench, you see
The future’s not yours, to see
Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be."

Stats – yes that’s him. We met Jess at All Star in Dallas last year. Good kid, great fan and crazy as hell for pulling off that tour last season. Every single Sharks game, pre-season, home, away, All-Star and home & away playoff games and most of the time traveled by himself, just made new friends along the way in each city. :)

just a horrible horrible trade. imo you keep salvador and let him walk if all you can get is yet another player incapable of scoring.

how can we get a fourth rounder for backman and not get at least that or a third rounder for salvador? and the new jersey blues fuck us in the ass yet again.

i’ve heard people say there’s something bigger to the trade but it hasn’t happened yet.

glad to see jackman’s staying. i know i said to trade him but that was when he was asking for crazy money.

imo trade brutal brewer and give walker what he wants and then keep sallie and bring up another kid.

brewer was horrible last night. i booed the shit out of him every time he touched the puck in the third. he kept trying to carry the puck eating up power play time and then making those give aways once again.

brewer amazingly plays better a month and half before the trade deadline and once it passes starts playing like shit again.

walker? wtf is with this guy. he’s playing on the right side and a guy comes in the zone and moves to the right side and walker goes to the left next to the other defensemen. and presto an easy goal.

walker sucks. he’s slow and can’t skate.

i am sad. the whole logic the blues organization pisses on us trying to feed us shit and tell us it’s chocolate ice cream. like this. last year when resigning mayers the blues said that they resigned him especially because of his connection to the community and his st. louisian wife.

so they trade salvador this year and no mention of st. louis. until they get a shitty player who happens to hail from here.

look i love legace and kariya neither of whom are from st. louis. but i’m not going to like a guy just cause he’s from st. louis, he also needs talent.

last year the blues drafted peluso in the late rounds. the next player drafted was st. louisian pat maroon who has torn up the ohl this year.

so what gives? what’s the truth? why is the smoke being blown up my ass giving me a rash?

seriously, since when have we become mindless idiots adn the blues can say whatever they want and we smile and spend more money.

join me thursday with signs saying we should have kept salvador and traded brewer.

um….IF PERRON IS A DEFENSIVE LIABILITY THEN WHY DOES HE LEAD THE BLUES IN PPLUS/MINUS?

murray should be fired if paddock is fired.

Chris D: I’m not trying to start anything, but why do you love Kariya? He’s been a big disappointment so far in my opinion. I’m not always the most perceptive analyst though.

And personally I think that every coach deserves 2 full seasons before being fired unless there are special circumstances.

“join me thursday with signs saying we should have kept salvador and traded brewer.” — Don’t know about that, but I may bring a big “Where’s #57?” sign.

How about t-shirts reading “57, bring on the sauce.”

that’s fair. but how’s kariya been a disappointment? he leads the team in scoring. the blues need an offensive dman on the point on the first pp and brewer is not that man.

but that was more about the silliness of saying a talentless player b/c he’s from st. louis deserves my appreciation for that fact. i appreciate talent and skill and hard work. anybody can fight. not everybody can score or make great plays.

i would normally agree about coaches but obviously this guy is a bad fit. jd says perron should play more and yet….the coach does what he wants.

Look, you don’t hire Murray and expect Lindy Ruff …. Murray is exactly as advertised. You can complain about his choices, but it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. JD is a smart man, and knows better than to fire a coach so soon.
JD can’t back-seat coach, but the influx of kids next year will force Murray’s hand…. too many young’ns to NOT play them.

I’m frustrated with the lack of Perron, as well, but it will all bear out in the end. Like has been said before, this was not a playoff caliber team to begin with (8th-seed, at best). Let’s continue the plan as it stands – develop the talent we have, accumulate as much youth as possible, and let nature take its course.

Personally, I’m a little chagrined that the new schedule will start next year.
With Toews and Kane in our conference, it would have been pretty nifty to have those guys in our building 4 times a season. As Chi rebuilds, and St Lou, a real nice division rivalry should develop. I’m excited about that, more than anything.

along those lines, check out this classic hockey vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0j7oN5KGuU

OK, it’s pretty obvious that the team management has heard us. There’s more coverage in the P-D today than there is after games. Most notably, the columns are about Perron.

Don’t think for a moment that nobody from the organization looks at this web site. The Blues chats on the P-D are all well and good, but full of knee-jerk fans with simple reactions. The folks here are all passionate, knowledgeable, and for the most part realistic. They also put their money where their mouth is (except for our long distance commuter in Sweden-but his effort is worth his weight in gold. Hey Marcus-when I win a big lottery prize, I’ll bring ya over for a few games.)

Thanks, Goalie! I’ll… I’ll… I’ll help you put your IKEA furniture together! Least I could do, really.

Dop you have an IKEA in St Louis? If you do, say hello from me.

We do not have Ikea in St. Louis. Chicago is the closest, I believe. Sorry.

And if Marcus ever visits from the land of Backman, it will be a splendid time. I might even rent him a room at a very reasonable price.

i don’t know if too smart to not fire so soon. look a lot of people felt like this was an eighth seed team at best during the prediction time. the fact is this team is not so much an eighth seed team. maybe a seven and at best five.

there have been so games where this team has utterly dominated the other team. but consistency was the hobgoblin that could. there hasn’t been consistent play, consistent lines, consistent benchings nor consistent coaching.

i love how i was able to hire murray and think he was lindsey ruff.

oh boy. well i didn’t hire anybody unfortunately. and no matter how drunk i could get i don’t think i would be able to mistake the two.

but what i do notice is a pattern in murray’s coaching career. and what that pattern tells me and where and the pockets of success he has had all tells me is that he’s a super assistant and for a short span of time a great head coach and over time his teams fade away, year after year. his power plays rank in the bottom of the league.

patterns like these are the very same way say a shrink might say here’s a problem in your life. of course good ones will guide you to the realization and not tell you but simply echo the statement. and will murray needs a shrink to see he has issues.

if he was the same murray that came here last year great. look how he worked with backes last year. sat him out a game told him to watch it and slow his game down. the next game backes is flying and scoring but much more composed. the murray we had last year was understanding, the murray this year is a tyrantical. while it’s all good to know when the other team’s flight comes in, passing notes under players’ doors(on the road) and all that shit. stuff an assistant does.

anybody know what it’s like to have a boss that micromanages? yeah doesn’t work so well. maybe jd should be smart and set a bar, set a standard of expectation and realization of goals. the blues’ goals was to make the playoffs and they didn’t think it wouldn’t happen. the coach’s team failed.

the last few years some good teams have fired coaches during the season in only the coach’s first years to make a statement. but then again, which team do you wan t to be rooting for? temas like ottawa and new jersey or a team that finds it exceptable to lose year after year—like our blues.

ChrisD: The main exception I have with your post is in the last part; I don’t think the team finds it acceptable to lose. Before the fire sale in Laurie’s last year, this team was a perennial cup contender; the only thing we lacked was a Stanley Cup-caliber goalie, and it wasn’t for lack of trying. People tend to forget that we offered Domenic Hasek a small fortune to come to St. Louis but he chose Detroit for less money.

This is the second year of a near-complete rebuilding project. I think the way they played at the end of last year, combined with the signing of Kariya, raised expectations, and we’re all disappointed. I think Murray has earned the chance to turn the ship around, and I don’t think getting rid of him now is the answer. A rebuilding project needs some stability at the top, and a rebuilding franchise needs to establish some sort of identity on and off the ice. I give the team decent marks for the off-ice identity, other than the mascot-I keep hearing Tom hanks’ voice, “MASCOT? There’s no mascots in hockey.” On ice, the early season Blues were a team that not many teams wanted to play-they got a lot more respect from the opposition, and pretty much it was the same cast of characters we have now-except Brewer was playing worse. Whatever Murray preached then hasn’t changed.

This does not mean that I think Murray has done the best job out there, and that he is the best alternative, nor do I think he should have this job for 5 or 10 years no matter what. Judging from what I’ve heard (I’m not connected, so I have no scuttlebutt other than what is reported in the media) team management has chosen this, and they’d like to see it play out some more before making any judgments. They’re willing to take their lumps now, while building a successful franchise for the long-term, instead of using say, a Florida Marlins approach.

Successful franchises aren’t built overnight; you get the flash Stanley Cup, and then teams drop out of contention or sit firmly on the fringes of contention for years. This management seems to get that, and they are hoping that the fans do, too.

Amazingly, Chris, the Ruff comment was not directed at you.
Goalie Guy pretty much summed up my thoughts. Coach Murray hasn’t been here long enough to make these type of final judgements.

Brad: soon Sweden will be known as the “land of Berglund” by Blues fans all over the World. Yay, country!

bergland is going to replace the swedish bikini team? i think NOT!