Certainly possible. They have to maintain a clip of about 10 points every 7 games the rest of the way (4-1-2 or 5-2-0). Their schedule is quite hard. Granted they are playing well, but their current 14-2-3 run is filled with softies. There's a good road win in Pittsburgh last night and one against Vancouver but there's a whole lot of dreck in that run too. Their schedule in March is very tough and the rest of this month is mostly on the road. Because they have deceptively far to climb still, I still think they're on the outside looking in but probably 9th and no worse than 10th. They could definitely finsih 8th especially if LA continues to not score. Every game they're in is 1-0 in one direction it seems.
I skimmed their schedule the other day, and a lot of the games that stood out to me was against the teams they are chasing. I will have to go look at that schedule a little closer.
1. Detroit
2. Vancouver
3. San Jose
4. St. Louis
5. Nashville
6. Chicago
7. Phoenix
8. Los Angeles
1. Detroit over 8. Los Angeles (4-1)
2. Vancouver over 7. Phoenix (4-1)
6. Chicago over 3. San Jose (4-3)
4. St. Louis over 5. Nashville (4-3)
1. Detroit over 6. Chicago (4-2)
4. St. Louis over 2. Vancouver (4-3)
1. Detroit over 4. St. Louis (4-2)
Unfortunately, I don't think The Blues will have the stuff left to beat Detroit in The Western Finals, after two long series, and having a relatively young team, with little playoff-winning experience. That will have to wait for next season.
I hope I'm wrong, and The Blues go all the way, but I won't hold my breath until it happens.
Blues face Nashville in the first round. Let's not fool ourselves. Nashville will eliminate us.
Hoping for Dallas and Blues #1. Not only so we got to round 32 but so I can see a few games.
you also have to take into account that our goalies will be fresh compared to rinne who for our intents and purposes will have played pretty much the entire season. that will gas him out. lets have some confidence in our boys. if we get steen back before the playoffs, then i say its game over.
Why will Nashville eliminate the Blues? Because Rinne's so dominant in shootouts?
No, because simply put, so far we are 0-4 against Nashville. and their management has made it clear that they are working to make their team better at the deadline while our management is still playing wait and see.
Thusday will be a good test since things are shaping up for this to be our 1st round matchup.
No, because simply put, so far we are 0-4 against Nashville. and their management has made it clear that they are working to make their team better at the deadline while our management is still playing wait and see.
Thusday will be a good test since things are shaping up for this to be our 1st round matchup.
You're really using two shootout losses to say "simply put" Blues are "0-4" so the Blues will lose in the playoffs? Are you just venting or something?
You're really using two shootout losses to say "simply put" Blues are "0-4" so the Blues will lose in the playoffs? Are you just venting or something?
I said simply put because they lost. nevermind how they lost, stripping away who outshot who, who was injured, the end result was a loss. Ultimately, thats what matters.
Also, their management is working to make the team better, but ours is standing pat with the roster we have and hoping for people to return from injury. (granted, with the ownership situation as it is, its understandable.)
I just don't get a good feeling coming into the playoffs playing a Nashville team that has had our number all year. However, if we win the next two meetings, then that changes quite a bit. Thats why I said that Thursday will be a good test for us.
I said simply put because they lost. nevermind how they lost, stripping away who outshot who, who was injured, the end result was a loss. Ultimately, thats what matters.
Also, their management is working to make the team better, but ours is standing pat with the roster we have and hoping for people to return from injury. (granted, with the ownership situation as it is, its understandable.)
I just don't get a good feeling coming into the playoffs playing a Nashville team that has had our number all year. However, if we win the next two meetings, then that changes quite a bit. Thats why I said that Thursday will be a good test for us.
There is simply no way around the shootout issue being irrelevant. A shootout loss is essentially a tie. So I will grant you two losses and two ties.
Nashville added Hal Gill. With the deadline still a week away, the Blues haven't made any move. If they don't then the consequences are on Checketts, particularly for this year. But adding a depth defenseman with playoff experience is not the issue with Blues-Predators games. The issue is the Blues have created plenty of scoring chances but haven't put pucks in open nets, lifted pucks an extra two inches over pads, etc. That strikes me with two reactions. One, frustration on an emotional level. Two, on an intellectual level the fix is very simple. They either figure out HOW to lift pucks an extra two inches or bury their earned golden chances better or they won't win.
Nashville and the Blues are very closely competitive teams. Even home ice isn't super relevant with how intense the games are played in both buildings. Either could win a playoff series. What I'm pushing back on is what seems like your frustration being funneled into an insupportable conclusion, that the Blues "can't" beat the Predators. Go back through their GDTs if you want evidence that their fans know the Blues can play extremely strong hockey against them. Only a foolish Predator fan would just assume the Blues could hold disticnt scoring chances edge and a 152-95 shots advantage (discounting the 2-for-2 on empty nets) and feel comfortable that their team would automatically win the series.
And it IS a big deal in a long series that the Blues have two scoring lines instead of one. Weber and Suter can play about half the game and most of it will be against the Blues' best scoring line, but the two top Blues lines combined are out there for not quite 40 minutes. Not to suggest those are the only good defensemen the Preds have but they're far better with those two on the ice. A second scoring line that can finish makes a major difference over a series.
It may be safer and be better defensive emotonal strategy to prepare oneself in advance for a possible loss (see, I said before they couldn't beat this team so at least I was girded in advance) but the truth is neither one of us knows what the outcome of a series with Nashville would be because it's so close. And losing in the playoffs is always painful and there's no way around it. There were 25 years of painful losses which highlighted the importance of having guys who can perform in the clutch when the games changed in overall intensity. One of Nashville's clutch guys last year was Joel Ward, who they don't have any more. Blues added guys like Arnott and Langenbrunner for exactly this purpose, and they've been keeping them fresh with lower minutes all season. Will it pay off? We don't know and that's what makes sports so compelling.
I don't care what happens in the remaining two regular season games. Win or lose those two regular season games, it makes no difference to what's upcoming this spring. The Blues and Nashville will have a brutal, closely fought, classic playoff matchup that will cement the long-building rivalry for years. I hope we win but I don't know and neither does anyone else. Embrace the unknown and root for the best.
I don't think Nashville really has our number. The games I have watched, the Blues out played them 5v5 by a large amount. Rinne stood on his head a couple games. The key will be getting HMA against them. The 4 seed in crucial. Win round 1, then hope for Van or SJ to be upset so the Blues can avoid Det until the conference finals.
Actually, I think Vancouver is going to edge Detroit for the one seed at this rate....so the Blues may be hoping for NO upsets in the first round (if they want to be assured of missing the Wings).
Actually, I think Vancouver is going to edge Detroit for the one seed at this rate....so the Blues may be hoping for NO upsets in the first round (if they want to be assured of missing the Wings).
As a 4-seed they could get anybody. But yeah, it's pretty much Detroit w/o home ice that's the biggest worry, followed by Nashville (regardless of home ice as neither has a particular home ice edge even historically). Not saying the other teams would be easy, as the only really easy playoff matchup you could ever see a mile away was the one against the Blackhawks in 2002. But the Blues would have legitimate confidence against every other team.
They will have confidence even against Nashville, but Nashville will also have confidence against them. The rest of the West would want to avoid the Blues if possible.
Phoenix, guys. Keep an eye on Phoenix. They could climb into the discussion about 5th if Nashville stumbles. Calgary has a longshot chance too.
As a 4-seed they could get anybody. But yeah, it's pretty much Detroit w/o home ice that's the biggest worry, followed by Nashville (regardless of home ice as neither has a particular home ice edge even historically). Not saying the other teams would be easy, as the only really easy playoff matchup you could ever see a mile away was the one against the Blackhawks in 2002. But the Blues would have legitimate confidence against every other team.
They will have confidence even against Nashville, but Nashville will also have confidence against them. The rest of the West would want to avoid the Blues if possible.
Phoenix, guys. Keep an eye on Phoenix. They could climb into the discussion about 5th if Nashville stumbles. Calgary has a longshot chance too.
The Blues would have an easy time with either Phoenix or Calgary. But, I doubt if either of those flawed teams can really pass Nashville. Maybe a super hot streak will push them over the top. We'll have to hope for that.
The Blues would have an easy time with either Phoenix or Calgary. But, I doubt if either of those flawed teams can really pass Nashville. Maybe a super hot streak will push them over the top. We'll have to hope for that.
It would require Nashville stumbling against their tougher schedule and both Smith (PHX) and Kiprusoff (CGY) continuing to play well. Calgary has a very soft schedule the rest of the way and Phoenix is next on that list.
Phoenix just went through a stretch of beating a bunch of tougher opponents, Vrbata is having one of the league's best under the radar seasons, that D is coming together nicely (they've got their 2006 1st rounder Summers playing well on D, another LD btw). Both Phoenix and Calgary have strong veteran leadership and Tippett is a good coach. Iginla and Doan are veteran captains, they should both be playoff teams. The question is how high can they climb.
Actually, I think Vancouver is going to edge Detroit for the one seed at this rate....so the Blues may be hoping for NO upsets in the first round (if they want to be assured of missing the Wings).
If they were looking for that assurance, wouldn't the logical hope be for the Wings to be upset by the team facing them?
I could see Phoenix being the dark horse team in the West. They are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games played(same as Detroit and Jersey), and looking at their schedule...I think they really have a chance to gain some ground.
Predictions:
1st Round
Detroit vs Calgary(or LA)
Vancouver vs Chicago
San Jose vs Nashville
St.Louis vs Phoenix
