Question:
St.Louis Blues in 1st place
Answer:
Not only that, the Blues did it with patience. They didn't flash any cash and buy
players, and looky looky their in first place while the Rangers are still
scratching their heads wondering if they should just become an ahl team and start
winning there.
I am a firm believer that the goal of this season was crappy. You dont
strive to make the playoffs, you STRIVE to win the cup, each and every
season. This holds true NO MATTER what happened the season before.
The Fat Lady has not sung her song yet (granted, she is warming up). We
still have ~10 games left, which means we can make the playoffs, and with a
little luck, be the shocking team who defeats NJ. Wouldnt that be a hoot!
Anyway, it isnt over, and our COACH (MUMMY) should light a fire (we have
been saying this all year) under the players asses so we can get the one of
the final spots.
I think St. Louis is just a good regular season team, who won't go far in
the playoffs. Sort of like the '90 and '91 Rangers playing Roger Neilson's
system.
How long were the Blues a laughingstock though? They had some very bad years
before they got to be good again. In fact, they suffered from many of the
criticisms of the Rangers. Too old, too overpaid. And we all remember how
dreadful Chris Pronger was early in his career. He would have been run out
of town if he was a Ranger.
Keep in mind that Quenneville is also a great coach who
would be welcomed on any team in the league. There's no
denying Pleau and Keenan did their jobs. The Blues also have
superior talent to what the Rangers ice.
Think about it. Who currently on the Rangers is among the best in the
league? MacInnis, Turgeon, Pronger, Courtnall, Finley -- none are necessarily
"the best" but they all work hard and work well with one another. Their team
(meaning the on-ice version) plays hard every night and has the talent to win a
lot of games. Who on this current Rangers team strikes you as being near the
top of the league based on their performance this season? Seems to me that you
have to have the talent to take advantage of decent/good coaching.
BTW, is Phoenix playing any better under their new guy, or are they pretty
much middle-of-the-road as they were last season? It's one thing to turn over
the entire roster, it's another to move the coach out. However, keep in mind
that after a certain point, the players have to take responsibility either way.
