Will Returning Players be the Difference?
It might just be a Blues fan’s hope, but the return of the three players that the Blues are missing right now are more crucial than any stats will show.
It started with Jackman, a defenceman that wont find the scoresheet very often, but seems to have a steadying influence on the entire defence. His work on the PK can’t be understated. His return to the lineup should not be rushed however, as the dreaded high ankle sprain can reappear rather quickly, ala TJ Oshie last year.
Speaking of Oshie, all Blues Fan’s understand the importance of this player to the team. His constant energy seems to trickle through the lineup whenever he plays. He’s an ideal winger for a player such as Berglund. Yet another piece of the PK unit that is sorely missed.
Staying with another huge part of the PK unit is Alex Steen, possible our best forward before he got hurt. His all-around game was as good as it ever was at the beginning of the year, being part of arguably the best shutdown line in the league with Jay McClement and BJ Crombeen.
The combination of missing these types of players who really bring that level of intangibles to the team can’t e understated. Cam Janssen has improved his game, but the sooner these forwards return and force him out of the lineup, the better the Blues will be.
It can be argued that Yan Stastny is making a case for taking Brad Winchester out of the lineup. Winchester seems to have taken a step back last year. You see flashes last years play, but not in long stretches. The talk of him improving his skating over the summer doesn’t seem to have translated into early season success. It’s a shame, because as he showed last year, he has the tools to be a very effective player. He’s a player that also is a great team player and quickly comes to the defence of any fellow Blue is necessary.
One would hope that this can be turned around without the return of these three, and this team definitely still has the available resources to play winning hockey without them, but the boost of these type of players returning could be huge.
Brewer’s Return
It sure was good seeing Eric Brewer on the ice again this past week. You could see some rust in his game in the last 2 games, but having him back was good. More suited to a shut down role, Brewer really should use his skating ability to get up in the play more often. Whenever he joins the rush, he seems to have the sense to put himself in the right position where the puck finds him. Doesn’t have the best finishing hands, but the more chances he creates, the better. I really liked when they paired him with Erik Johnson last game. They seemed to work fairly well together. If that pair sticks it would allow a pairing of Jackman, when healthy with Alex Pietrangelo. A partner like Jackman would serve Pietrangelo well, much like it did the Roman Polak last year, and Erik Johnson the year before. This pair wouldn’t be set in stone and in close games a player like Polak would be slotted in with Jackman. As has been discussed by many, there are decisions galore to be made on the Blues back-end in the coming weeks.
