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This is SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NHL. Each week, SB Nation sends out questions to the most plugged in St. Louis Blues fans, and fans across the country. Sign up here to join Reacts.
The success or failure of any team is dependent on a number of factors. Not only do the players need to be at the top of their game, but coaches and the front office need to put them in the best position to win.
According to the most recent SB Nation Reacts survey, 64 percent of St. Louis Blues fans are confident the team is headed in the right direction. That number has held steady since last week, but is down from 83 percent two weeks ago. Obviously, the team’s had hiccups in consistency, especially their inability to finish up the second game of two game series, but they’re still in playoff seeding and there’s a lot of season left to go.
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Despite the dip in confidence, Blues fans believe the leadership is in place to push the team in the right direction.
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Obviously, Doug Armstrong is still riding a wave of popularity. Getting Ryan O’Reilly and then winning the Stanley Cup will do that to a guy. Losing Alex Pietrangelo this off-season was mitigated by the move to get Torey Krug, the second best free agent defenseman on the market after Petro. If Armstrong hadn’t’ve had that move in his pocket, maybe fans would’ve been a bit less confident.
There’s no way that Blues fans are going to blame Berube for the team’s hiccups right now. The Blues have five players on the IR right now and a couple others who are questionable. They’re almost a taxi squad at this point.
From a national perspective, confidence is very split. Just over half of hockey fans around the league said they are confident in Gary Bettman as NHL commissioner. The mark has dropped a few points from 56 percent over last summer.
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Bettman’s never going to not be the most divisive GM in professional sports, and he wouldn’t want it any other way.
To vote in the Reacts surveys and have your voice heard each week, sign up here.