Tuesdays With Hildy: Are the Exhibition Games in Europe Necessary?

Yes, I am more than perfectly aware of the fact that Sean posted something critical of the Exhibition games earlier.  But, it's my job as the resident wishy-washy fence rider to examine the other side of that argument.  Maybe, just maybe, it's not that bad of a thing that we're repr'sent'n (or however those wacky kids say it) all up in Sweden's joint, yo!

Long day so far... long day.

Anyway, what's the good in the trip?  Since Sean already dissected the bad, I'm looking at the other side.

Apparently the Blues are treating it like a middle school field trip with  fun matching outfits and cool teamwork games. This is probably the first chance a lot of these guys have had to go on a tour of Berglund's home, so there's the tourism aspect to look at.  Guys are havin' fun!  Guys are chilling out!  Guys are... um... hopefully preparing for the season!

Another thing that's enjoyable about the trip, especially for Blues fans, is the fact that we're playing Linkoping today at noon.  And the fact that Chicago killed the poor team that they played yesterday 9-2 bodes well for us, since I feel we're closer to their level than we are to the Panthers'.  Yesterday's game felt like the time I set up the East All Stars to pkay the Khazh team on NHL2K9 and just killed them 13-2.  And yes, Nik Antropov scored the two.  Because he's the only guy that they have not named "Left Wing" on that team.  I really usually hate seeing teams get blown out like that, but at the same time... come on.  It's funny, and it's basically a skills competition for our guys.  It's just a shame that NHL Network is showing the Victoria Cup game tonight and not ours.  Bah!

We Get to Embarrass the Red Wings at Home.

Everyone's focusing on this as a homecoming game for the obnoxiously Swedish Detroit Red Wings.  Frankly, between the PR for the Wings and the Hawks, you'd think that they were playing each other.  Frankly, though, when you think about it - half of the Central Division has been invited to be a part of this.  We were considered the toughest division in the NHL last season, and we're being considered that again this year.  It's nice that the league's recognizing it.

And, of course, nothing would be funnier than beating the snot out of Detroit.  Once'd be cool.  Twice would be hysterical.  Let's aim for two times.

It's All About the PR

Where were we in everyone's predictions at the last season?  Yep.  Dead last in the West, because no one took two seconds to actually pay any attention to who was on our team.  Apparently halfway through the year, someone in the high ups realized that hey... we're marketable!  We have young, fun kids!  We have Paul Bunyan as a goalie!  And, even better, we're actually rivals with the team that we're scheduled to play!

This is getting the Blues more free(ish) PR than about anything they've done in recent memory, short of that PR move last season when we made the playoffs.  Pundits have ignored us for too long. They get stuck behind a team being awful one year and predict it ad infinitum until everyone believes the non-hype.  Hey, if a trip to Sweden gets more people's heads out of their asses, I'm all for it.  Unless Sean's doomsday prediction comes true.  And then I'll be pissed.

Wow.  Being indecisive has it's perks.