If you want insight into Chris Stewart, go to NHL.com and
look at video of all his goals. (When he's not scoring, he's not doing much that's useful, I think we can all agree. He's not a playmaker.) His Colorado goals start on page 4.
Watch his Colorado goals. You'll notice he scores a fair number of goals standing in front on the PP and banging ones in from a few feet away. Otherwise he scored lots on the rush – slapshots after being fed on right wing with lots of room to shoot. So many goals off the rush.
Plenty of flying the defensive zone early to get an early step so he can use his speed. Notice what you don't see much of in Colorado? Goals scored off a cycle unless he's on the PP. Most of his PP goals are tips or knock-ins standing in front of the goalie. He likes parking down low by the goalie's right shoulder and cleaning up rebounds that come from the half boards to the goalie's left.
So unless the Blues fire Hitchcock and they switch systems, Stewart's goals in St. Louis have to be much more hard nosed, rebounds in and around the slot. He also competely needs space that the PP brings. He really likes the slapshot even off the rush. That just won't happen much because the Blues demand their forwards not cheat racing out of the zone. Again, not going to change.
There are teams that will play this way, and his numbers will go back up when he's on one.
