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So as some of you will know, I've been real high on the Blues for a while now. I think this is the year they take it to the next level. They've got such a strong, deep, diverse core of forwards that's been in for a while now, but they've never had forwards with elite offensive potential. I thought Oshie might, but Oshie was never quite the level of prospect Schwarz or Tarasenko have shown themselves to be. Both have not just top 6 potential, but elite scoring potential. And with a half-season of NHL hockey already under their belts, they should be able to step in and contribute immediately. There will be no sophomore slumps for them this year, as they're insulated by St. Louis' depth; if other teams start to focus on them, Backes and Oshie wand Stewart will start finding openings.
The fact that they've got tough guys throughout the lineup, including Backes and Stewart who can play on the top six, bodes well for them not getting pushed around by bully teams like Boston or Toronto. The bottom six is finally starting to shape up nicely too, with a good mix of grinders (Lappy, Morrow) tough guys (Stewart, Reaves), defensive forwards (Sobotka, Steen when he plays there) and skill (Stewart, Roy)
That's not to mention the defense, where Pietrangelo now has a legitimate top-pair defenseman to play with. Bouwmeester is mr. stability, so this could allow Pietrangelo to run rampant offensively, especially since Bouwmeester's elite skating allows him to get back and fix mistakes. I think they will be the bottom pair for Canada's Olympic team this year too. Oh, and then there's the second pair, featuring Kevin Shattenkirk, perennial 40 point defenseman.
As for the goaltending, Halak has already shown that he can be as good as any goalie in the world for stretches in the playoffs...
The fact that they've got tough guys throughout the lineup, including Backes and Stewart who can play on the top six, bodes well for them not getting pushed around by bully teams like Boston or Toronto. The bottom six is finally starting to shape up nicely too, with a good mix of grinders (Lappy, Morrow) tough guys (Stewart, Reaves), defensive forwards (Sobotka, Steen when he plays there) and skill (Stewart, Roy)
That's not to mention the defense, where Pietrangelo now has a legitimate top-pair defenseman to play with. Bouwmeester is mr. stability, so this could allow Pietrangelo to run rampant offensively, especially since Bouwmeester's elite skating allows him to get back and fix mistakes. I think they will be the bottom pair for Canada's Olympic team this year too. Oh, and then there's the second pair, featuring Kevin Shattenkirk, perennial 40 point defenseman.
As for the goaltending, Halak has already shown that he can be as good as any goalie in the world for stretches in the playoffs...
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