New Look for Blues Lines

Not only has he earned his place with his balls-to-the-wall play and his spicy attitude toward oppoents, but the dude is a wizard in the face-off dot. With as horrible as this team has been in that regard the last few years, that’s a vital role that can’t be kept in the press box. Unless, of course, he’s injured. That leads to another point . . .

It seems that every time someone comes back from injury (Perron, for example), someone tends to get hurt at about the same time or shortly after (in that case, Sobotka went down soon after . . . but has since returned). There are so many teams that would be just monsters if there were no injuries to their key players, but that never happens, which is why you have reserves. While it would be great if we could predict the future and tell you that everyone will be perfectly healthy down the stretch . . . that NEVER happens.

And let’s not forget about trades. The deadline is sooner than we all care to think it is (end of February? Somewhere around there.), and who knows what Army has in store for us in that regard (See: Stewart/Shattenkirk for McClement/Johnson).

Also, you left out Huskins. Dude was VERY good as a stay-at-home defenseman before his foot asplode. Who does he replace? That’s a good question. That may go trace back to the comment about trades, actually, in a roundabout way.

So, SO many unknowns here.

Perron-Backes-Steen
Stewie-McDonald-Oshie
Langs-Bergie-Arnott
Dags-Nichol-Sobe
Cola-Petro
Jax-Shat
Russell-Polak

Stewe-bergs-backes. why? stewie 5x better with backes, and berg needs SOMETHING. not suggesting it is a best line or anything, i just wouldn’t be shocked to see berg get some backes time, and hell why not tghrow stewie with bergs when it happens?

that would make a perron, steen, oshie line. which, i gotta say, wouldn’t suck.

i would really hate to see bergs drop to a 3rd center. not because he doesnt deserve a butt kick demotion or anything, more because andy is the present, maybe. bergie might be the present (if we get him going) AND the future.

Those two have wicked good chemistry on the ice. The did last year before Thornton’s attempted decapitation, and they showed it again with the highlight reel goal against Dallas.

Clipnotes version

Steen-Backes-Stewart
Perron-Berglund-Oshie
McDonald-Arnott-D’Agostini
Sobotka-Nichol-Langenbrunner

-Berglund and Stewart are on the top 6 simply to try to give us three effective scoring lines. If you just want your 6 best forwards on the top 2, bump McDonald to the wing on line 1 and Arnott to the C of line 2.

-Unlike most here, I’ve really liked Langenbrunner as a hard nosed 3rd liner that works well with Arnott. It came down to him and Dagger, who is up with Berglund as my favorite trade piece right now, and I had to go with the Dagger in that spot.

-No way do I sit Sobotka or Jamie, and Nichol’s hard work give him the edge over Crombeen and Reaves

Pietrangelo-Coliacovo
Shattenkirk-Jackman
Russell-Polak

-It’s 3 defensemen fighting for 2 spots here, with Cola, Russell, and Huskins fighting it out. Russell is our clear “3rd offensive D-Man” to me, and Cola wins out barely simply because Petro has been so hot in the same pairing as him. Still think Cola is trade bait though.

Closing thoughts: Anyone else think Berglund, Dagger, and Cola are the definition of trade bait right now? I think all 3 for a Parise or Ryan is overkill, but if we make a big trade, I think it involves those names.

like the zombie targets at the range Monday.

Rec’d just for the word Blackcocks being used, I like that tag.