Will St Louis Blues win the Stanley Cup?
Katy, George & Jonathan will be, in a new regular feature, debating a hot topic from the NHL. This week, the tri ponder on “Will St Louis Blues win the Stanley Cup?”
Surely, the Blues have been the surprise package this season and have topped the Western Conference over such teams as the Red Wings and the Canucks. They have overturned an 11th place finish in last year’s conference table and have a fabulous home record. Furthermore, they’ve reversed an inauspicious 6-7 start to the season resulting in head coach Davis Payne losing his job. Replacement Ken Hitchcock has got the Blues playing the right tune on the ice and consistently winning. Perhaps the key to their success has been a miserly defence that refuses to give up goals. Let’s see what the group think….
Katy: I’m going to say yes, with a substantial side dish of ‘BUT’. Let’s deal with the positives first. Whilst the teams around them have been busy making headlines and star players such as Malkin, Lundqvist and Giroux have been stealing column inches all season long, Blues coach Ken Hitchcock has been quietly going about his business, building a seemingly unstoppable force which is currently demolishing everything in its path. The Blues have crept to the top of the Western Conference with a diligent, all-around style of hockey, not heavily reliant on any stars, not a defensive machine, not a brute-force wrecking ball. They go about their hockey as a close-knit team, and one that has an amazing understanding within it of what is expected of a winning group of hockey players. They are potential winners, there’s no doubt about it.
Now onto the negatives. The ‘BUT’. And it’s a big one. It’s basically the Eastern Conference, which, without wishing to overstate things, I firmly believe once again contains the Stanley Cup winner within its impressive ranks. Talking points in the NHL this season have largely arisen from the Eastern Conference and going into the business end of the season it’s hard to argue against sides like the resurgent Pittsburgh, whose attacking flair is back in force and with all eyes on returning Captain Sidney Crosby, looks set to get even better. Philadelphia have raised their game of late, and despite recent stumbles the New York Rangers are still a force to be reckoned with. And then there’s the small matter of the reigning champions to contend with.
I am positive that St Louis can make the Stanley Cup final. And on paper they CAN win the Cup. But will they? I don’t think so. There are in control of their own destiny to a point, but whether or not they can be strong enough to outlast whichever of these great teams comes out on top in the East, is another matter entirely.
Jonathan: It would obviously be silly to say that they couldn’t because almost anything can happen in sport. However, I would say that it is unlikely that Lord Stanley will be on its way to Missouri this year.
The team has only qualified for playoff hockey once since the lockout and that ended in a 4-0 loss in that series. The last two seasons have both resulted in a 4th place finish in the Central Division. This lack of playoff experience may tell against teams like the Red Wings and the Canucks. Furthermore, the Eastern Conference has teams like the Penguins, Rangers and the Bruins who would be a stern test to lift the trophy.
Currently, the Blues are the top team in the league and could well win the Presidents Trophy for the best record. As good an achievement as this is, history is not kind on the trophy holders going on to lift the Stanley Cup. Looking over the last 10 seasons, only 3 teams (Avalanche and Red Wings twice) have prevailed. Over the last 6 seasons, in fact, the Trophy holder has fell in the first round three times. The Blues themselves fell foul of this curse in 2000 when they won the President’s Trophy and then lost to San Jose.
One factor going for the Blues is their coach Ken Hitchcock (‘Hitch’). Hitch is a Stanley Cup winner with the Dallas Stars and took them back to the finals the following season. He’s got the team working defensively well and being difficult to beat at the Scottrade Center. These two factors are critical to the Blues success.
Ultimately, I think the Blues will fail but deserve loads of credit for being successful this season.
George: It has been a truly remarkable season for the St Louis Blues under the guidance of Ken Hitchcock, who is in his first season with the team. Having not qualified for the playoffs in five of the last six seasons, the Blues have already sealed their place in the post season this time around with over 100 points to their name. So, can they go all the way and lift their first ever Stanley Cup? I firmly believe they can make franchise history for a number of reasons.
Firstly, the Blues have made the Scottrade Center a fortress, recording a record of 29-4-4 there, which is the best home record in the NHL. It seems certain that the Blues will have home advantage in the playoffs and it will be very hard for any team to go there and get a positive result in front of the great support that St Louis have. When you look at the St Louis roster they are lacking the big name such as a Stamkos, Malkin, Giroux or Toews, but this makes their achievement that even bit better. Their top goal scorer, David Backes, has just 21 goals, which emphasises the point that the Blues have really worked as a team this season without looking at one player for the points.
If you are considering the Blues to lift the cup, you also need to consider the obstacles that they will need to overcome. They will most likely take on a Pacific division team in the opening road of the playoffs who all pose several threats. Detroit and Chicago are the teams I am tipping from the West to go far in the playoffs, so the Blues will definitely have their work cut out if they want to go all the way.
In summary, I am saying that Blues have got what it takes to lift the Stanley Cup. With a solid defence, a balanced roster with youth and experience and a very good goaltending unit, it is hard to bet against them. However, they have to beat some sublime teams to get there which will create some mouth-watering encounters.
Katy: Jonathan thinks the Blues will fail through lack of playoff experience, and George thinks they will succeed despite some very tough competition – I fell somewhere in between, asserting that they would make the final but would be beaten by a team in the East to the cup. I maintain this view having seen them increase their dominance over the Western Conference in recent days; I don’t think a lack of experience will hold them back given their current form and I agree with Jonathan that Ken Hitchcock will be key to carrying them through. However I can’t shake that feeling that the cup belongs to the East this year – it’s not the Blues turn just yet. But credit to them for an amazing effort and I still believe they will go deep in the post-season.
Jonathan: I’m still convinced that the Blues will fail to win the Stanley Cup. Under the pressure of playoff hockey, I can see them dropping a game at home. This is where they will ultimately fail as road games have been far less successful. Everyone knows if you have home ice advantage and you win your home games, you progress. However, lose at home and you need to win on the road to get through. As I write, St Louis’s road record is only the 13th best in the league. Not good enough, in my opinion, for David Backes to be holding the cup aloft in June. I agree with Katy and think that an Eastern Conference team will prevail again.
George: After reading Katy’s and Jonathan’s responses, it seems as if I am the only one pretty confident that the Blues can lift the Stanley Cup. Katy thinks that they can make the final but feels certain that an Eastern Conference team will lift the cup this time around. Jonathan thinks they should be given a lot of recognition for what they have accomplished this season but their lack of playoff experience will show in the latter stages of the season. They have stuttered of late, winning two of their last six but I remain confident that the St Louis Blues can make headlines and win their first franchise Stanley Cup.
