St Louis Blues

The Portland Winterhawks are making their presence known in the Western Hockey League and the city of Portand. The Winterhawks currently stand with a record of 18-9-1-1 and are in second place behind the Tri-City Americans, who hold a two point differential.

As the season began on Sept. 23, many fans were looking to have their hopes raised this with this years team. They are looking for them to erase the memories of the Winterhawks collapsing in the 2011 Western Hockey League Championship where the 2010-11 Portland Winterhawks team dominated throughout the later ends of the season and into the early rounds of the playoffs. However, in the championship round they lost four games to one, only to see them collapse almost as bad as the Boston Red Sox did this past September. Even with the bitter taste of last years defeat, this is still a new squad, new season, and new goals. As the season is only 10 weeks old, I would say that fans of this team can put their worries on the back burner, with how this has not disappointed anyone one bit.

The Hawks have won eight straight games at home, with their last win coming Friday (Dec. 2nd) with a 5-1 win over the Everett Silvertips. This game marked the return of Peter Gaberial who was a much anticipated addition for the Winterhawks. He returns as one of the oldest members of the team at 20 years old. Last time he laced up his skates and hit the floor at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, he scored 11 goals with 21 assists for 32 points in 44 games. However, he was sidelined with a season ending shoulder injury. Gabriel was drafted by the Columbus Bluejackets in 2010 and played 11 games with the Springfield falcons the American Hockey League team of the Blue Jackets. 

As Portland is still in the early stages of its season, the team has a lot of promise with other members of their squad being a huge offensive force as forward Ty Rattie is blowing up the awards. Rattie scored his first hat trick of the season against Swift Current where he fired in four shots, received Western Hockey League Player of the Week and Canadian Hockey League Player of the Week honors. He was also invited to the Canadian Junior Championship games. 

Now if we want to talk about the team in the matter of standings you can count on Rattie to lead the way. Currently he is in a first place tie with Emerson Etem (Medicine Hat Tigers) with 27 goals.

As the Winterhawks get set for their annual Teddy Bear Toss game tonight (December 3rd) against Interstate-5 rivals, Seattle Thunderbirds, they will look to not only get three points with the win but also continue their dominant season thus far, erasing fans fears of a collapse that happened only a mere few months ago. 

Now over a quarter of the way through the 2011-2012 season, the hockey world has already seen its share of big names being tossed around in trade speculation.

Rumors of star forwards Zach Parise and Bobby Ryan have kept us all excited for the possible moves in advance of the trade deadline in February. 

Corey Schneider of Vancouver is also starting to get more attention, as many believe that Vancouver will trade their second netminder. With the struggles of Luongo and the success of Schneider, Schneider's stock has raised dramatically around the league.

In the next few months, we will hear plenty of names being flung around and hockey fans everywhere will be posting dream trades for their teams to make or throwing out ideas.

How about I start?

This season, young forwards seem to be a trend on the trade market. I believe the next one we'll hear about is Chris Stewart of the St. Louis Blues. 

The 6'2", 230-pound power-forward was traded to St. Louis from Colorado very close to last season's deadline. 

The Blues also received rising star defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk in return for former-No. 1 overall pick Erik Johnson and veteran Jay McClement. 

After a hot start with St. Louis, Stewart has fallen down to Earth. In his 26 games with the Blues last year, Stewart had 23 points and just 15 penalty minutes.

This year, Stewart has just seven points in 21 games and already has 44 penalty minutes. 

Regardless, the Blues are playing well. Currently fifth in the West, the team is the best in the league defensively and it appears that this is no fluke. 

The St. Louis Blues should trade the 24-year-old winger for two reasons. 

First, Stewart is going to be a restricted free agent after the year. His salary ($2.8 million) is surely going to be increased. He is worth it, but T.J. Oshie and David Perron are more valuable. Oshie and Perron will both need new deals after the year and are key to the young nucleus in St. Louis. 

The Blues could realistically afford Stewart as well, but that would limit the team's ability to re-sign defensemen Carlo Coliacovo, Barrett Jackman and goalie Brian Elliott. 

Second, there will undoubtedly be a team that overvalues Stewart's services and would award the Blues nicely. A young team like the Islanders could be in the market for the power-forward. 

General Manager Doug Armstrong should try to get whatever he can for Stewart, as his absence would by no means cripple the organization. 

The team will still have Kevin Shattenkirk from last year's deal, and he has been phenomenal alongside potential All-Star Alex Pietrangelo. Also, the Blues could quickly replace Stewart. The team is plentiful in the forward department, excluding whatever they would get in return for Stewart. 

The smart move would be to deal the forward and get what they can before his presence hampers the Blues' ability to re-sign the rest of their young, key guys.

Personally, I really don't believe Chris Stewart will see March in a Blues jersey and won't be surprised if we start hearing his name on the rumor mill sooner than later. 

Steven Conklin is a contributing writer for the Bleacher Report and a student at the University of Central Missouri. He joined B/R in October 2011 and will be a B/R intern starting in January. Any comments, questions or suggestions are more than welcome.

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NHL First Quarter Awards

Bobby Ryan Fitting for Blues

Perron's Return Will Boost St. Louis

The Anaheim Ducks are off to a horrid 6-13-4 start and haven't done much to make NHL news. Until now. 

Monday night, Sportsnet's Darren Millard tweeted that Nick Kypreos discovered the Ducks are shopping star forward Bobby Ryan around. 

While it is hard to believe Anaheim would want to deal the 24-year-old winger with three years left on his deal, it certainly isn't crazy. 

Anaheim has lost 16 of its last 19 games and if this continues, it would have reason to shake things up by dealing Ryan. The Ducks are lacking both offensive and defensive depth. With these rumors now circling, many teams have and will continue to be brought up as suitors for the 2005 first-round pick.

The St. Louis Blues would be a team to watch for if there is a war for Bobby Ryan. 

Since hiring Ken Hitchcock as head coach, the Blues are off to a 8-1-2 start. They now look like a team who could crash the playoffs if they keep it up. 

St. Louis is tops in goals against (2.00) and shots against (25.6). The defensive play has been spectacular and both Brian Elliott and Jaroslav Halak have been hot in the crease. 

However, the offense is still a concern for the Blues. The young squad has the worst power play in the league (8.8 percent) and is 21st with 2.46 goals per game. If the Blues want to continue playing at the level they are, the offensive game must improve.

Bobby Ryan could be the answer in St. Louis.

Attaining Ryan would be no easy task for Doug Armstrong and the Blues. The Ducks will probably be hesitant to deal the him to another team in the West, since he could then come back to haunt them two-to-four times a year. 

If Anaheim moved past this hurdle, it'd be asking for a king's ransom in a Ryan deal. The Blues would certainly have to deal two top-six forwards, prospects and/or draft picks.

However, I don't believe this would halt St. Louis.

There is no question the Blues would have to part with either Chris Stewart or T.J. Oshie. They received Stewart last year from Colorado in the Erik Johnson deal. After a great start, it is fair to say Stewart hasn't been what they had hoped in the Blues' system.

Oshie, meanwhile, is the heart and soul of the Blues. His gritty, high-motor style of play has made him a fan favorite, but the addition of Bobby Ryan would do more for St. Louis at this point. He is a much better offensive threat than Oshie. 

The Ducks will undoubtedly want prospects. Although St. Louis isn't loaded with talent right now, it has enough to get a deal done. 

Anaheim would likely ask for prospects Evgeny Grachev and Ian Cole. Both are prospects who have seen NHL action this year. They are physical, defensive-minded players who would help the Ducks' defensive depth. 

St. Louis must pursue Bobby Ryan if he is indeed being shopped. 

Trading either Stewart or Oshie, another forward like Matt D'Agostini, two prospects and a couple of picks would be worth having Ryan in a Blues uniform.

A line of captain David Backes, Ryan, and Alex Steen would become one of the best in hockey and help launch St. Louis back into the postseason.

Steven Conklin is a contributing writer for the Bleacher Report and a student at the University of Central Missouri. He joined B/R in October 2011 and will be a B/R intern starting in January. Any comments, questions or suggestions are more than welcome.

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Perron's Return Will Boost Blues

Hitchcock a Perfect Fit for Blues

Brian Elliott or Jaroslav Halak?

Not only are the St. Louis Blues 4-0-2 under new coach Ken Hitchcock, but winger David Perron also continues to progress and could lace up in the near future.

The 23-year-old sniper has missed the last 90 games dating back to November 4, 2010, when Perron suffered a major concussion after being blind-sided by San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton. Thornton was suspended two games and lost over $77,000 in salary. Over a year later, Blues fans have yet to see Perron back on the ice.

However, the Canadian youngster took a huge step Friday.

After being given clearance for full participation by doctors, Perron threw off the red no-contact jersey and took a big stride towards a long-awaited return. There is no timetable in place, yet he could return as soon as his conditioning is on par with the rest of the club.

Perron will provide a huge boost for the St. Louis Blues when he puts on the No. 57 sweater.

After being drafted 26th overall by St. Louis in 2007, Perron is often referred to as the most promising player on this young squad. In 235 games, the Blues forward has 53 goals and 131 points.

Perron was off to a racing start in 2010 before the concussion, netting five goals and seven points in his 10 games.

Hopefully, the Canadian can pick up where he left off over a year ago.

Since hiring Ken Hitchcock, the Blues have played aggressively and moved quickly down the ice to put the puck on-net. Perron, known for his speed and quick wrist shot, should fit into the new Hitchcock system quite well.

It is likely that Perron could join a line with T.J. Oshie or David Backes. The combination of Oshie and Perron was an exciting one before the setback and would certainly continue to be once Perron sees playing time.

He should return December 6 at the latest, barring any setbacks such as returning post-concussion symptoms. Perron's reappearance would then spell trouble for the rival Detroit Red Wings.

The Blues are currently one point behind Detroit in the standings with 22 and are tied for ninth in the West with Edmonton.

Steven Conklin is a contributing writer for the Bleacher Report and a student at the University of Central Missouri. He joined B/R in October 2011. Any comments, questions or suggestions are more than welcome.

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Hitchcock a Perfect Fit for Blues

Should Halak or Elliott be No. 1?

Russell-Nikitin Deal Won by Blues

The St. Louis Blues' sluggish 6-7 start to the season certainly called for internal change, and the hockey world should not have been surprised by the firing of head coach Davis Payne.

The third-year coach compiled a record of 61-48-15 during his tenure with St. Louis. Unfortunately, that was no where near good enough, especially with a club that has young, gritty, talented players.

Shortly after Payne was axed by the Blues, the team signed a very seasoned veteran coach in Ken Hitchcock. He received a deal through the 2012-13 season with the team hoping he could bring out the best in the young corps of the Blues.

It's fair to say he has done just that.

"Hitch" is off to an impressive start with St. Louis. In his first four games, the Blues are 3-0-1 and have dominated both of their rivals: the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings. While four games under the 59 year-old Hitchcock is a small sample size, don't think this isn't a representation of what the Blues will accomplish under his reign.

This is Hitchcock's 15th season as a coach in the National Hockey League. He has also coached the Dallas Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, and the Columbus Blue Jackets while accumulating 537 wins. That is good for 14th on the all-time list.

In 1999, Hitchcock coached the Stars to a Stanley Cup title and the next season he led them to the Cup where they fell in six games to the New Jersey Devils.

Along with his successes as a coach, Hitchcock has also earned the reputation of a hard-nosed, in-your-face coach. This parallels his style of coaching, which is emphasizing a tight defensive game, managing the boards, and shooting up to the red line.

His coaching strategies have worked well for the Blues and will continue to do so.

Under Davis Payne's conservative hockey style, the Blues had problems with offside calls and icing more than most other teams. The players in St. Louis are a group who needed a faster style of play that allows them to gain space on the forecheck and get around defensemen.

Hitchcock's style is just that. Since implementing his game, the young Blues are getting to show their speed and physicality, especially players like T.J. Oshie and Chris Stewart. Stewart recently received a three-game suspension for a vicious hit on Niklas Kronwall.

The way the Blues are playing under Hitchcock is reminiscent of their playoff days and the decades of success the Blues had in St. Louis. Fans should expect them to keep this up.

Ken Hitchcock is a perfect fit behind the bench at Scottrade Center.

Steven Conklin is a contributing writer for the Bleacher Report and a student at the University of Central Missouri. He joined B/R in October 2011. Any comments, questions or suggestions are more than welcome.

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Should Halak or Elliott be No. 1 in St. Louis?

Russell-Nikitin Deal Won By Blues

Brian Elliott is technically No. 1 already; Jaroslav Halak wears No. 41 on his jersey. But, that's not the question.

The right question is: Should Elliott or Halak be the starting goaltender for the St. Louis Blues?

Since the summer of 2010 when the Blues traded for Jaroslav Halak of the Montreal Canadiens, there has been no question about it, Halak is the go-to guy for this hockey club. However, the Slovakian has never been challenged in St. Louis like he has by newcomer Brian Elliott recently. 

The Blues are off to an underwhelming start this year, with an 9-7-1 record, but Elliott has been in net for seven of those wins and has only lost once. His .947 save percentage is among the league's best and he has turned coming up with remarkable saves into a habit.

Halak, on the other hand, holds a record of 2-6-1 and has a save percentage of just .882. He has looked awful at times and doesn't look like the goalie who led the Canadiens to the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2009-10 season.

Even though Elliott is shining and stealing the hearts of Blues fans everywhere, the hockey club has remained loyal to Halak and considers him the top net-minder. When the club brought in new coach Ken Hitchcock, many thought things would change. They haven't. Early into his Blues reign, Hitch has addressed the issue and backs the Slovakian.

It's simple. It's all about the resume. 

Both goaltenders are just 26 years old and were drafted in the ninth round of the 2003 NHL Draft, but Halak has a much better history than Elliott. Before this season, there would never be any comparison at all.

Halak burst onto the scene for Montreal during the spring of 2010. After replacing an underachieving Carey Price, the Slovakian was brilliant in the playoffs until being ousted by the Philadelphia Flyers, in the Eastern Conference Finals.

He impressed the Blues so much they traded Lars Eller, their top prospect at the time for his services and quickly signed him to a four-year, $15 million deal.

Elliott has had a different path. He spent his first two seasons with the Ottawa Senators and played well, posting a 45-26 record and a .906 save percentage. However, the 2010-11 season was a disappointing one for him. After an awful start with Ottawa, he was shipped to the Colorado Avalanche for goalie Craig Anderson.

Elliott continued to have troubles in Colorado and was not re-signed. The Blues signed him this summer for $600,000 on a one-year deal and no one could have expected his performance thus far. He has become an All-Star caliber goalie.

For now, the St. Louis Blues must keep giving Elliott playing time. Halak did have a shutout performance against the rival Blackhawks, but more must be seen from him before coach Hitchcock can keep Elliott on the bench.

In order to win and continue the recent success they've been having, the Blues must split starts between the two and let them decide who will come out on top under the arch.

Steven Conklin is a contributing writer for the Bleacher Report and a student at the University of Central Missouri. He joined B/R in October 2011. Any comments, questions or suggestions are more than welcome.

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Kris Russell a Steal for Blues

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The last seven days have been phenomenal for the St. Louis Blues.

After an underwhelming 6-7 start to the NHL season, the St. Louis Blues fired head coach Davis Payne and replaced him with the seasoned Ken Hitchcock. In their first game under "Hitch," the Blues dominated and shut out the Chicago Blackhawks, 3-0.

The victory Tuesday came on a night in which the Blues held a pregame ceremony to honor Pavol Demitra and Igor Korolev. The former Blues were involved in the tragic September plane crash which carried the KHL's Yaroslavl Lokomotiv team in Russia. The crash killed them along with 42 other people, leaving just one survivor.

Thursday, St. Louis hosted the slumping Toronto Maple Leafs and fell 3-2 in a shootout. However, the Blues recovered from being down 2-0 after the first period and finished strong to force the overtime.

After the loss, rumors circulated of a deal involving the division-rival Columbus Blue Jackets. Friday morning, the details were released and the deal was officially announced. In the defenseman swap, the Blues acquired Kris Russell for Nikita Nikitin.

Overall, the St. Louis Blues should be ecstatic about this deal.

Russell, 24, has played in 288 NHL games while amassing 79 points with Columbus. This season, Columbus is off to a horrible 2-12-1 start, but Russell has played well. He has three points and 13 penalty minutes in 12 games.

Nikitin, 25, has much less experience and hasn't met the Blues' expectations since being drafted in 2004. The native Russian has played in 48 games and has just nine points. In seven games this season, Nikitin is pointless and achieved a minus-five plus/minus rating.

If you compare the two, Russell is a much better fit for the Blues. A bit more offensive-minded than Nikitin, Russell is a fast skater with great puck-handling skills. The Blues already have a duo of defensemen like this, featuring youngsters Alex Pietrangelo and Kevin Shattenkirk. Both have had success in St. Louis.

The concerns about Kris Russell are his plus/minus and his size.

At just 5'10" and 174 pounds, Russell is much smaller than the average defenseman. This has led to disbelief in his defensive ability, but the Blues have a large defensive corps in tact and will allow Russell to use his size and speed effectively.

The biggest red-flag on Russell has been his plus/minus rating. In Columbus, the 2005 third-rounder collected a frustrating minus-29 total. However, Russell has played on one of the worst teams in the league. Blues fans should not be concerned.

An important aspect of this deal is Russell's experience with new head coach Ken Hitchcock. Hitchcock coached Russell in Columbus and has a lot of faith in the youngster. Grabbing him after just two days in St. Louis really says something.

Getting a younger, faster defenseman like Kris Russell in this deal will prove to be a smart choice in St. Louis. Expect the Blues to make more deals like this as the season progresses.

Steven Conklin is a contributing writer for the Bleacher Report and a student at the University of Central Missouri. He joined the B/R in October 2011. Any comments, questions, or suggestions are more than welcome.

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The St. Louis Blues are practically an invisible franchise.

They aren’t bad enough to pity, but they aren’t good enough to take notice of, either. They have made the playoffs just once in the last six years, and although they have looked at times like they may have turned a corner, they consistently return to mediocrity and, essentially, irrelevance.

That might sound harsh, but honestly, when was the last time you spent any significant time thinking about this team?

How many players can you name on this squad? Can you think of a single Blues fan? They are the Golden State Warriors of the NHL.

St. Louis Blue Offseason Moves

The magic number this offseason, it seems, was 36 for the Blues.

They added several players to try and mix up the chemistry, and three of them were 36 years old. Jason Arnott, Jamie Langenbrunner and Scott Nichol were all useful players, but they are all past their prime.

It remains to be seen how much they have left in their tanks.

The team also decided to be the latest team to take a gamble on Jonathan Cheechoo, hoping he will rediscover his lost form. He had 93 goals in two seasons between 2005 and 2007.

He has just 40 goals in four seasons since, and he spent all of last year in the minors. He lost his confidence like few before him, and many people don’t think he can find it again and perform like he once did.

The 31-year-old will start the season in the minors, but could be an intriguing call up for the team. At the very least he is one to watch.

2011-12 St. Louis Blues NHL Outlook

The goaltender position is one to watch with this team.

The Blues made what seemed to be a major gamble when they acquired Jaroslav Halak from the Canadiens last year, signing him to a new four-year deal.

The distinguishing element of Halak’s career up to that point was a strong playoff run right before he was traded. While he wasn’t bad last year, he also didn’t establish himself as a strong No. 1 in his new surroundings.

He has the potential to be a top goalie, but he has yet to realize that potential. If this team wants to be relevant then they will need more from Halak.

What the team does have is a nice core of young talent.

David Backes had 31 goals and 31 assists last year, and was the best player on the team. He should be able to provide a similar year, and he’ll have more young talent around them if they can stay healthier this year than they did last year.

David Perron, Andy McDonald and T.J. Oshie all missed big chunks of time last year. If they can stay healthy then there is at least a decent chance that the team will be better than they were last year when they fell 10 points short of a playoff spot.

The addition of all the veteran talent should be a positive influence on the youngsters.

Center Patrick Berglund is a player to watch closely because he could be poised for a nice breakthrough.

The 23-year-old Swede was a pleasant surprise last year with 22 goals and 52 points. He showed considerably more promise than his total suggested, and if he can find some chemistry he has a chance to be a big piece of the offensive picture this year.

The Blues were top 10 in the league last year in goals scored per game, so increased performance from Berglund, the returning youngsters, and the new veterans has the potential to provide a nice boost.

2011-12 St. Louis Blues Schedule

One of the biggest factors working against this team is their division.

They play in the hardest grouping there is.

The Red Wings and Blackhawks are both recent Cup winners who will again be strong. Nashville is a strong team, and no team was more aggressive in the offseason than Columbus. There will be no such thing as an easy divisional game.

St. Louis Blues NHL Futures Odds (from Bodog)

The Blues are fittingly placed in the futures odds—at 35/1 they are the 17th most likely Cup winner according to oddsmakers. Since only 16 teams make the playoffs, this team is viewed—accurately—as not much more than a fringe playoff contender.

Similarly, they are tied for eighth in the race to win the Western Conference at 18/1, according to NHL odds.

2011-12 St. Louis Blues Predictions

If everything worked out for this squad there is no reason that they couldn’t finish in a playoff spot—perhaps sixth to eighth. After the last couple of years, though, it is hard to have faith that everything will work.

Though I like this team more than some of the other contenders for those playoff spots—like Calgary, for example—I would not confidently predict that they will make the playoffs, and even if they do I would expect little from them in the playoffs.

This team will not remove their cloak of invisibility this year.

Doc’s Sports is very excited for this upcoming NHL season. Visit our home page to access all team previews, as well as more sports articles, betting odds and full coverage on the 2011-12 NHL season.