The Blues haven't said it, but when a guy's status is described the way Perron's is -- he could be back, might be back, maybe on this trip -- a concussion is the obvious assumption
Nope. You haven't missed that one. He hasn't spoken on the record to anyone.
I don't know that the system is different as much as the commitment is different. Much as a team looks faster when it passes the puck well, a defense looks better when it's on the puck more. The Blues have been better at getting rebounds out of danger and skating the puck out of the zone. That's what they were supposed to be doing all along. They've just figured out how to do it. Hockey cognoscenti may noticed more than I have.
I was trying to find some to support that without grinding the chat to a halt and I haven't, but I'm sure they're out there and will keep looking. But the eye test is certainly valid here. Maroon has been very strong on the puck and his ability to hold on to it has allowed for line changes while the Blues kept the puck in the offensive zone which has created more scoring chances as fresh legs start going against tired legs.
Last call for questions before I start writing for tomorrow's paper. Anybody got anything?
The game earlier this season was a mess. The Blues gave Arizona four power plays in the first period. The easiest way to go broke would be to follow my game predictions, but the way the Blues are playing, there's a good chance they could turn it around and get a win. The New Jersey game showed they're not getting complacent.
Nothing big, but I also don't see them unloading players. If things stay as they are, I think Bouwmeester, Gunnarsson and Maroon will finish out the season. I think the players would be OK with them standing pat because the team is finally playing as well together as they were expected to do so it's a fairly tight group. And any acquisition who would significantly add to the team would cost either a draft pick the Blues don't have or a prospect they don't want to part with. Pietrangelo said today that he didn't think most of the players knew when the trade deadline was. (I would think the pending UFAs might know.) If there's someone the Blues can get for a mid-round draft pick, they would probably take a chance on that, but a Panarin type would cost way more than they are prepared to pay. I don't see the Blues outbidding for anyone in a trade situation.