Around the Western Conference: Focus on St. Louis
To say the St. Louis Blues had an up-and-down year in 2001-02 would be an
understatement. High points included a team-record ten-game winning streak during
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January and the complete domination of division rival Chicago in the opening
round of the playoffs. Low points included coughing up three goals in less than
a period in a come-from-behind overtime loss to those same Blackhawks in March.
Other low points included being lit up by the scoring attack of fellow division
rival Detroit in the postseasons second round and the overall lackluster
play of Brent Johnson and Fred Brathwaite, the teams top two goaltenders.
The consistency simply wasnt there for the Blues last season; star Edmonton
center and captain Doug Weight was brought in as an upgrade over the departed
Pierre Turgeon; coming off a 65-assist, 90-point season, Weight was immediately
given a big-money deal. Out went promising youngsters Jochen Hecht and Marty
Reasoner. Out went crucified goaltender Roman Turek in a trade with Calgary.
In came Brathwaite and the promising yet proved Sergei Varlamov. In other moves
made at the trade deadline in March 2001, largely viewed as moves bringing in
new players for the 2001-02 season, GM Larry Pleau scored a coup by landing
gritty winger Scott Mellanby and traded for talented scorer Cory Stillman, also
of the Flames, dealing popular center Craig Conroy to Calgary. In what was the
biggest score of the trade deadline, Pleau pried star power forward Keith Tkachuk
from the Phoenix Coyotes, sending skilled youngsters Michal Handzus and Ladislav
Nagy to Phoenix, along with the Blues first-round pick in the upcoming
Entry Draft, and left-wing blue-chipper Jeff
Taffe.
Tkachuk, playing on a newly-formed first line last season with Mellanby and
Pavol Demitra, enjoyed a phenomenal year; in 73 games, Tkachuk scored 75 points,
including a team-high 38 goals. Mellanby enjoyed a solid season on the first
line, scoring 15 goals, adding 26 assists, and providing invaluable leadership
and clutch goals down the stretch. Weight, however, struggled finding chemistry
with Scott Young, a 40-goal scorer while playing next to Turgeon the year before,
and, soon after his second line with Young and Stillman began clicking, Young
went down with a severe eye injury. Several games later, Weight suffered a severe
pelvis injury that essentially left him at half-capacity when he returned for
the postseason. Stillman struggled to find consistency throughout the season
despite scoring 23 goals. Brathwaite had numerous opportunities to establish
himself as the teams number one goalie and failed to do so.
Eventually, Johnson established himself as the number one goaltender late in
the year and led the Blues through a first-round shellacking of Chicago in the
playoffs. In the second round against Detroit, however, despite the continued
brilliant work of the Tkachuk-Demitra-Mellanby unit, the Blues were simply outclassed.
Captain and number one defenseman Chris Pronger went down in Game 4 with a torn
ACL, and its likely he wont return until the end of this regular
season. Weight was forced to play at half-speed, and no viable scoring threat
emerged outside the top line. Veteran blueliner Al MacInnis simply ran out of
gas in the second round, and the defense as a unit was unable to keep up with
the Legends of Hockey the Wings fielded.
This off-season, Quenneville did some retooling from within. Young, a free-agent,
signed with the rival Dallas Stars to be reunited with Turgeon. Ray Ferraro,
the former Atlanta captain dealt for at the deadline last season, retired. To
replace Young and Ferraro, Pleau brought in Czech import Petr Cajanek, a nifty
combination of skills and smarts, over from Europe, and encouraged a myriad
of players-Varlamov, AHL MVP Eric Boguniecki, free-agent acquisition Jason Dawe,
and AHLers Justin
Papineau, Jeff
Panzer, and Mark
Rycroft-to battle for a scoring line position. Despite several free-agent
goaltenders on the market-Curtis Joseph, Ed Belfour, Byron Dafoe, and Mike Richter
among the notables-Pleau and Quenneville stuck with Johnson. Pleau also drafted
two-time reigning Finnish Elite League top defenseman Tom
Koivisto to add to the bluelines depth.
In the past week, however, the club has signed free-agent goaltender Tom Barrasso,
37, a former Stanley Cup winner, and scoring winger Martin Rucinsky, formerly
of Montreal, Dallas, and the New York Rangers. Its widely assumed Pleau
will attempt to dump Brathwaite either via trade or the waiver wire, planting
Barrasso behind Johnson once the latter returns from his groin injury. Behind
the top line of Tkachuk, Demitra, and Mellanby, Weight and Stillman have sparkled
together through the teams first seven games, leading the club in points
with nine and seven, respectively. Boguniecki, after being sent down initially,
returned and was placed on Weights line. In six games, hes scored
six points. Cajanek will likely center Mayers and either Boguniecki or Rucinsky,
and last seasons effective checking line of Dallas Drake, Mike Eastwood,
and Shjon Podein will continue to play together.
With Quenneville finally able to roll three legitimate scoring lines, the Blues
could realistically be an offensive powerhouse come December. The club has gone
5-1-1 through the first seven games, and neither Demitra nor Mellanby has contributed
much offensively yet.
The blueline is a slightly different story. Despite their depth, Pronger has
been missed. The penalty-kill, of which Pronger was a staple, has been nothing
north of awful. The defensive corps now boasts just blue-chipper Barret Jackman
and youngster Bryce Salvador as its physical players. MacInnis will likely continue
to garner upwards of 27 minutes a night. Khavanov and Koivisto, both handy with
the puck, will earn 20 minutes a night, and veteran Jeff Finley will play 15-18
and be used frequently on the penalty-kill. Second-year man Mike Van Ryn, Prongers
partner last season, will be expected to step up and improve upon his fine rookie
season. There simply isnt room for Christian LaFlamme, and he could be
used as trade bait come the March 19 trade deadline. Rich Pilon suffered an
early-season injury last year and likely wont play for the Blues again.
If he decides to stay in the NHL, hell be traded unless a plethora of
injuries on the blueline occur.
Johnson will once again be given the assignment of shouldering Pleaus
$57 million payroll. Unlike Marty Turco of Dallas, who has similar inexperience,
Johnson hasnt shined in net over the past two years. This year, he must
establish himself as a viable, number one, game-stealing goalie. Barrasso could
probably carry this team into the second or third round of the playoffs, but
its unlikely he could compete with Joseph or Patrick Roy.
Weight will probably continue his torrid early pace, and Tkachuk and Demitra
will each top 70 points. Stillman should score between 60-70, and both Rucinsky
and Cajanek should be expected to score near 50. In short, the Blues should
have no trouble scoring goals. Mayers, Boguniecki, Drake, and Mellanby will
all chip in offense, as well. The defense, once Pronger returns, should be rock
solid with the additions of Jackman and Koivisto. MacInnis will be strong in
the playoffs if his minutes are reduced during the regular season; the problem
is, however, the Blues, minus Pronger, lack a legitimate number one defenseman
to take not only Prongers, but also some of MacInnis, minutes. Johnson
should improve greatly, and Barrassos veteran presence and tutelage will
go a long way in restoring his confidence. Can he beat the Roys and Josephs
and the offensive attacks their respective teams bring to the ice? With improvement,
certainly.
In short, this Blues team, given the scoring depth and defensive strength (once
Pronger returns, of course), could be a true Stanley Cup contender come spring.
Several things must happen, however. The club must continue to field a three-line
attack. Doug Weight absolutely has to return to the 90-point form of his Edmonton
years. Its imperative either Johnson or Barrasso grabs the reins early
and establishes himself as the number one goalie. Quenneville has to find a
way to cover for Pronger in his absence and continue to encourage stifling defensive
play. Finally, the team must play with heart in the playoffs, similar to the
Conference Finals team of two years ago. If this list of things is met by the
Blues, their season may not end in April again.