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Wednesday, November 8, 2000
Blues mix roster looking for winner
By Nancy Marrapese-Burrell
Special to ESPN.com
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All of you looking for a job, please form a line to the left.
It's hard to
believe that after the Blues won the President's Trophy with a league-high 51
victories that there would be so many jobs open. But there are, and they're
likely to be filled with kids.
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Wed., Sept. 27
The Blues have to continue to be motivated toward the ultimate goal: Winning the Stanley Cup. They should be hungry, especially after playing so well in the regular season, then losing in the first round of the playoffs.
The continued good health of Al MacInnis is key. He's such a big part of stabilizing Chris Pronger. Pronger is going to be a great player in his own right some day, but MacInnis' presence in the locker room is immeasurable for guys like Pronger. MacInnis makes Pronger the great player he is. Also, Roman Turek is going to have to gear himself up for postseason play. He does so well in the regular season, he needs to keep that momentum into the playoffs. |
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The hope is the group of veterans and kids come
together to form a Stanley Cup contender that doesn't fizzle out in the first
round of the playoffs as St. Louis did last year in losing to the upstart Sharks in seven games.
The Blues will be younger this year, so they could be an interesting foe
for veteran clubs Colorado, Dallas and Detroit in the Western Conference.
Dallas Drake, Sean Hill and Reid Simpson all will contribute toughness,
experience and tenacity that should take some of the burden off defenseman
Chris Pronger. Add to that one of the best agitators in the league in Tyson
Nash, who looks to be given more ice time this season as a result of Scott
Pellerin's departure to Minnesota via the expansion draft.
Look for center Jochen Hecht, coming off his rookie season, to make some
good strides. Hecht was the club's leading scorer in the playoffs with 10
points in seven games.
Bryce Salvador, a 24-year-old defenseman, has impressed at training camp
and is expected to be on the club. Other new blood are defensemen Mike Van
Ryn and Vladimir Chebaturkin.
Add those to the veterans Al MacInnis, Pierre Turgeon and Scott Young
and it's a pretty balanced, yet formidable lineup.
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Bottom Line on the Blues
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Strengths
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Weaknesses
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Team defense
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Toughness
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Chris Pronger
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SEASON OUTLOOK: Look for this team, new names or not, to challenge for first in
the West and to be Cup contenders. |
Nancy Marrapese-Burrell of the Boston Globe writes a weekly national NHL column for ESPN.com.
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