This is by Andrew Allsman, owner of True Blues (http://www.truebluesblog.com). You should check it out! It's a great read!
Christmas Wishlist: St. Louis Blues
By: Andrew Allsman
https://twitter.com/#!/TrueBlueBlogger
The Blues have already received an early christmas present with the return of David Perron who before returning, missed the last 97 games, but what other presents are the Blues looking for?
- Stay Healthy- I don't think I can emphasize how key this really is, especially for a team that has been plagued by injuries the past 2 seasons. The Blues (as mentioned above) now have a healthy David Perron, and only 3 key players remain injured (McDonald, Huskins, and Crombeen). If the Blues remain healthy, they are as dangerous as any team in the Western conference.
- Get the PP going- The Blues powerplay has been dreadful this season, and its the main reason why they are not at the top of the Western conference. The Blues sit dead last in the entire league with a pathetic 10.4% conversion rating on the PP. Under Hitchcock the Blues have remained inconsistent on the PP execution, but in recent games they appear to be getting more chances and eventually those chances will convert to goals.
- Finalize deal with a new owner- Whether that new owner will be Matthew Hulsizer or someone different, this is a huge step for the Blues organization moving forward. The Blues are playing their best hockey in, well, a long time. So its great to imagine the kind of record they could post with the funds to sign another "big name" player. The deadline for Hulsizer to buy the club is December 31st, and its speculated that a deal will be done before than so this could truly be a "Christmas present" for the Notes.
- T.J. Oshie remains consistent- T.J. Oshie has arguably been the most consistent Blues player of late with 9 goals, 10 assists, and 19 pts. in this still young season. If he keeps up his tenacious checking and his stellar puck handling then he will make the Blues that much better.
The Blues have a lot to be thankful for, and with the addition of these "gifts" they could be one of the most dominant teams in the league. Hopefully the holiday season remains kind to the Blues as they embark on their journey to the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the ultimate prize, Lord Stanley's Cup.
