Blues Still Lacking

Barclay Poole
Mar 19, 2001

For Blues fans, the past year has been an emotional roller coaster. The end of the 1999-2000 season saw the "high" of first overall in the league and a President's Trophy. But fans came crashing back to reality as the San Jose Sharks gobbled up the Blues in the first round, eliminating hopes of the team's inaugural Stanley Cup.

This season has not been much different. Early on the Blues were once again among the best in the league. But as the playoffs rapidly approach, they have hit another low. Injuries to key players have decimated a defensive unit that seemed to suffocate opponents earlier on in the year and goaltending has become a major question mark.

Enter Keith Tkachuk.

The trade deadline acquisition of the league's perennial power forward has replenished optimism levels in St. Louis. Some very productive forwards such as Brett Hull, Pierre Turgeon and Pavol Demitra have recently worn the bluenote, but none of them have been able to carry the team on their shoulders. The Blues hope Tkachuk can do just that.

The deal could not have come at a better time for GM Larry Pleau. His team has been decimated by severe injuries to key players like Demitra, Al MacInnis, and Chris Pronger. The roster will get an immediate shot in the arm from Tkachuk.

Prior to the deal, Pleau had been receiving much criticism from fans and media for watching players like Blake and Selanne get away. Certainly understood, since the Blues have not sniffed a Stanley Cup since their entry into the league over 30 years ago. Tkachuk's acquisition has restored confidence in the team as a whole and more specifically, Pleau's ability to piece together a capable roster.

Is this restored confidence appropriate? Let's take a look back at last year's playoff series against San Jose. When the eighth seeded Sharks took a chunk out of first overall Blues, observers should have noticed three major problems.

First, the team lacked leadership. At times the team seemed lifeless against the energetic Sharks. Nobody stepped forward to carry the team. Captain Chris Pronger, while receiving the focus of the Sharks physical play, was lured into losing his composure and taking several reactionary penalties.

Tkachuk will be expected to help in this department. But does he have the ability to lead a team through desperate situations? As a member of the Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix Coyotes organization, Tkachuk never made it past the first round of the playoffs. Certainly the blame cannot be placed solely on Tkachuk, but a "choker" label will remain with him until he leads his team to victory.

The second major problem the blues faced against the Sharks was a lack of defensive depth. Twin towers Pronger and MacInnis logged 25-30 minutes of ice time each and every night during the regular season and into the playoffs. If they had much gas left in their tanks going into the series, it was quickly siphoned by the chippy play of the Sharks. Past these two all-world defenseman, not much remained to provide relief.

If depth was lacking against the Sharks, think of how it is now with both Pronger and MacInnis on the injured reserve list. Pronger is expected to be back for the playoffs but nobody is certain when MacInnis' eye will be healthy enough to resume playing, if ever. The Blues have tried to succeed with players like Sean Hill, Alexander Khavanov, Alexei Gusarov, Todd Reirden, Jeff Finley, Dan Trebil and a host of others. Not exactly an all-star group. Tkachuk certainly can't be expected to play defense as well.

The third problem the Blues demonstrated against the Sharks was insufficient goaltending. Everyone remembers the Owen Nolan slapper from outside of the blueline in game 7 that fooled Roman Turek. Overall, he seemed slow to react to the bounces of the puck. He was unable to steal a game for Blues, let alone a series, which is such an important part of playoff success.

Several rumors were flying about Pleau possibly acquiring a goalie at the deadline. Nothing materialized though, probably because available options didn't provide much of an upgrade over Turek or rookie Brent Johnson. Nonetheless, the Blues will be entering the playoffs with Turek as their number one guy. Like Tkachuk's stigma of not being able to lead a team to playoff victory, Turek's short career as a starter carries similar baggage. History clearly states that teams will go nowhere in the playoffs without a hot goalie.

Pleau's tenure to date has certainly seen some highs, but the Stanley Cup continues to elude the Blues franchise. The deadline deal to bring in Tkachuk no doubt helps the Blues. But holes such as a wafer-thin defense and at times, lackluster goaltending, provide problems Tkachuk cannot solve. Blues fans are desperate for a cup and the question remains whether or not Larry Pleau is the GM to take them there.

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