A Game Time Airing of Grievances

If it’s good enough for politicians, it’s good enough for Game Time. I know, that’s not exactly a high bar/excuses all sorts of awful behavior, but it’s also Festivus. If there’s a not-a-holiday that that does a better job of perfectly encapsulating hockey fans in general and Blues fans in specific, I can’t think of one.

I don’t have many grievances to air here, because this season I’ve found myself being lulled into a sense of “whatever happens, happens.” Maybe it’s just residual 2016-itis, but I’ve found it difficult to drum up many huge qualms that I feel like I need to vent loudly and with much frustration. But here are a few. Please, add your own in the comments.

Remember, we love this team, but that’s not what Festivus is all about. Get in the spirit.

Jori Lehtera

His numbers are awful despite consistently playing with one of the best players in the game. This isn’t exactly a glowing advertisement for the dude, and the Blues need depth down the middle (and they probably won’t get it in return for him). Somewhere along the way he needs to get off of the pot, because I think this season he’s proven he can’t shit.

“(Not) Playing A Full 60”

Just when you think the Blues have overcome their annual hurdle - this year it seemed to be that stretch where they were contractually allowed to score only one goal a game - they go and they find a new one. There’re too many games to list here where it looked like the team was in control, and it turned out that they weren’t.

Defense/Goaltending

I don’t feel like I can fairly call out the goaltending without calling out the defense, so here - I’ll do both at once. What the heck, guys? Carter Hutton’s posting career-worst numbers and Jake Allen isn’t playing up to expectations, but it just doesn’t look like the defense is aware of what is happening on-ice at times.

The Mystery Of The Missing Stastny

Sure, I know where he is right now (the IR), but where is he during three-on-three OT play? The shootout (when the Blues get to one)? The lines (not with Tarasenko)? He’s paid like a top-line center and he’s the closest thing that the Blues have to one. What gives?

On-Line Forums/Facebook Groups

I know, it’s rich for a blog to try to call out on-line forums, but man. If you have criticism, that’s cool. Try to be a) rational and b) offer an analysis of the problem and how to fix it. There’s neither of that in this post since it’s Festivus and the holidays and rationality doesn’t apply right now, but I think that everyone who posts on GT as either an author or a commenter does a good job of not being a Chicken Little about the team. Optimistic? Not always, but there’s a difference between SSDD and “holy shit the sky is falling.”

So, what grievances do you folks have to air? After this year, I’m sure everyone can find something - hockey or not. Get it out of your system.