Beyond Checkerdome: Recent Episodes
Timothy Cron
St Louis Game Time's podcast about the St Louis Blues, The NHL, and the things that they drive us to drink...
Well, that's it folks. The season ends on a much different note than the previous one.
We mull over the loss, how we got here, and where we go now. There is some drinking involved - shocker, I know.
Well, that was a bit of a let down, eh? We took a few minutes to talk about that Game 5 loss, and what we saw in that game. Turns out, not as much as we'd have liked.
It's a double shot - of Victory! The Blues skate the back to backs of Games 3 & 4 to wins, tying the series and restoring the faith of Blues fans everywhere. The timing might be a pain in the ass, but that actually might be helping the team, too. We celebrate the 2 wins and look forward to what Game 5 has in store.
The Blues played better ... kinda? We discuss our mixed emotions about a team that looked better at times, but still fell short where it matters most. None the less, a gutsy effort that forced overtime is a positive. Still too many whistles, though, and not always at the right time. Down 2 games is not ideal, but the Blues know what to do.
Well, we finally got to see what the playoff version of the Blues look like. Though the team looked better, we still didn't get the result we wanted. Darn good thing this isn't a "best out of 1" series.
Well, the Blues go winless in the round robin tournament and end up facing Vancouver in the first round. Avenge 2009!! We take a quick moment to share our thoughts on what we've seen so far, and what we're thinking about the upcoming series. Playoff hockey begins... NOW.
Rumor has it that Hockey is back. The Blues are tuning up against the Hawks and then on to the Round Robin that means games matter once again (kinda). This gives us an opportunity to sit down and catch up on what we're doing/seeing/thinking during the global pandemic and to talk a little puck ... FINALLY.
Don't know if you've heard, but there's not much hockey going on right now. Nonetheless, we took the opportunity to sit down and chat about the handful of games that took place before CoViD took over the world. The win streak ended, but then the season did, too, so that seems less significant. We talk about hockey history, disease, and hockey players of the past and future .... and one that never existed! There are still a few things to discuss, and some fun along the way.
Welcome back! We got a chance to catch up on things, including the dramatic events in Anaheim and the relief over JayBo's recuperation. We talk a little about that and then the trade deadline acquisition of Marco Scandella, Other great stories have happened, including EBUG legend David Ayers and the return of Bobby Ryan. There's good news on the Tarasenko front, and we're looking forward to some particular games - both this year and next! All that and our usual tangents.
It's been a roller coaster ride lately, with a few highs and a lot of lows, but that's life in the NHL. We talk a little about All Star weekend, and what's happened since (note: recorded before the Anaheim game). Also there's Steen's 1000 game mark, and some bad news out of San Antonio. But, big picture-wise .... still a pretty good time to be a Blues fan.
Winning streaks come and go, and here we come again. We talk about the strangeness of it all, and how hard it is to be a happy hockey fan. Also, some new coach firings (again). The ASG is around the corner, with a healthy STL representation. And another thing - expanding on last episode's conversation about what gambling would bring to the NHL, what about the officiating? This and all of the other usual tangents.
The Blues season keeps chugging along, and so do we. Since we last talked, there have been several wins including some highly satisfying ones against the Hawks. We've had more changes amongst the coaching ranks, and we talk about what that means for "capital H" Hockey. We almost landed Taylor Hall, it sounds like, but is missing out all that bad? All this and a few random thoughts as well. That's just how we roll.
The season keeps going, and so do the St Louis Blues. A 5-2-3 run that included injuries, callups, a suspension, and a HECK of a news-cycle that keeps going. What happens when you trust your players? What happens when your trust in the coach is misplaced? How do you rebuild trust? Meanwhile, the games just keep coming.
A bit overdue on this one - listen as we celebrate the 7-game winning streak, as well as other 15s of yore. We send off the latest 15 and cover Fabbri's trade to Detroit. Winter Classic jerseys, 3-on-0s, roster moves, milestones, and drug use in the NHL are also covered.
Now that we have some more games under our belt ..... we're still not sure what to make of it all. Some problems remain, but we're still holding a top spot in the division. Worth noting: this was recorded before the news broke about Tarasenko's surgery, so feel free to disregard any optimism related to that.
We're back again - a little later than intended. We talk about the "meh" start that the Blues have had to the season, the banner raising and other Cup- winning activities, and what has changed as fans of this team. Also, a few odds and ends.
The offseason that was all too short is now at its end. Training camp is upon us, and the regular season is drawing nigh. But - just as we all thought the band was staying together- Army makes a big trade that says quite a lot. We got together to catch up on what's happened and the big news of the day. Welcome Back Blues Fans!
So ... how's your summer going?
Here's a bit of a catch-up episode, covering the post-parade celebrations all the way up to the RFA signings and the arbitration hearings. We talk about the add of Marc Savard and the rest of the offseason business dealings. Most of all... we're loving this offseason. Pay no attention to the fun police. Do your thing, boys.
OK, the last time was a bunch of sobbing messes. This time we still can't speak but it's because our voices were shot. Yelling a lot will do that.
Recorded with friends after the Cup parade and rally, it's time we finally closed the book on this season. And what a season it was.
It's a good time to be a Blues fan.
This is the raw feed - two grown men bawling like children over the fact that the 2019 St Louis Blues are Stanley Cup Champions.
Sounds good, don't it? Let's Go Blues
Every was set up perfectly for a Cup win in Game 6 .... perhaps too perfectly. For whichever reason (we have a few guesses), the Blues didn't get it done. However, there remains another chance in Game 7. The same prize awaits us there.
Onward to Boston. Let's Go Blues.
Is this reality? Or are we trippin' ?
The Blues just never stop leaving us dumbfounded. Every game is leading us to experiences we've never had before. This one is one more example. One more win down, and one more win to go.
Play Gloria. Let's Go Blues
That .... that was an emotional win. We can only imagine what it was like for the players ... but as a fan, that was SO deeply satisfying.
We try to put it into words, and at the same time knowing full well that words alone can't do justice to this moment.
Play Gloria
Let's Go Blues
A storm blew through St Louis, and dumped a lot of rain on what should have been a lot of fans watching the game outside on blankets. Instead, the Blues took a dump and was the wet blanket on tonight's excitement. It was not good.
Yet, it's important to remember that this is just one game. Game 4 awaits.
First Cup Final Win in Franchise History.
Soak it in ... and then get ready for the next one. The Blues finally played THEIR game tonight, and yielded a historic win. And, just as everyone predicted, the OT hero was ... Carl Gunnarsson? Of course it was. Play Gloria, and celebrate. This was a long time coming, and there's more to come.
Not the result we were looking for, but that was not a shock either. The Blues started off great but then found themselves in penalty trouble. Most of the problems were self-inflicted, which means they can be fixed.
To be continued. Let's Go Blues!
You know what happened.
Listen to us try to wrap our heads around this moment... and fail.Ya know ... that's a good problem to have right now.
Let's Go Blues
What a Game.
We're not there yet, but it's pretty damn close. After just scraping by in Game 4, the Blues take charge in Game 5 and leave with a hattie, a shutout, and a 3-2 series lead.
It's a good time to be a Blues fan.
That's more like it!
The Blues game out blazing in the first period and. built a lead that that allowed a win to tie the series. Now we head back to SJ for Game 5. Much love to the third and fourth lines. We wander off on a few tangents, but the bottom line is - Play Gloria.
LGB!
Imagine being speechless and also recording a podcast. Something like that. An otherwise pretty fantastic game that ended, well ... like THAT.
Regroup for Game 4. Let's Go Blues!
Now THAT'S more like it!
The Blues score 2 goals, then give up 2, but then pull things together to eventually secure the win and tie the series. We now bring things back to St Louis with a little more spring to our step... especially for Mr Bortuzzo. Who saw that coming?
Play Gloria!
Well, that wasn't the outcome we were looking for, to say the least. The Blues came up short in the 6-3 loss, but there are things we can take from this game and apply them to Game 2.
... which can't come soon enough.
We took a moment to look ahead at Round 3 and our opponent, the San Jose Sharks. Yep, them again. A lot is different about this current Blues team, though, and we talk about that. There are even some notable differences in the Sharks team as well. This is going to be a good test for the boys, and we are totally ready for it. #LGB!
Has your voice recovered yet?
Ours have, just barely. Just enough to chat about the series clinching Game 7 win in Double OT. Pat Maroon picked a great time to be chubby but effective, and the Blues are marching on to Round 3. Helluva series from the Stars, including that Bishop fella, but the Blues earned that ticket to the Conference Final. Now, we wait to find out who we play.
Are we nervous? Naaaaaah
Well, wasn't THAT something!
The Blues emerge victorious in Game 6, and force a Game 7 here at home. The Blues were already ahead 2-1 when they scored 2 quick ones to seal the win in the 3rd. One of those was a little controversial, but hell ... we'll take it. Also remarkable is the entry of Sammy Blais into the lineup. Seems to have paid off!
Let's Go Blues!
The Blues sure don't make it easy on themselves, do they? Like Tina once famously said, "We never, ever, do nothin' Nice And Easy". The main takeaway from this is "Thinking is bad" , so let us tell you what we think. See you in Game 6!
Well, the game started off OK, with the Tarasenko power play goal .... but it all went downhill from there. Another example of too little, too late from the third period as the Blues allowed the Stars to tie the series. We talk about this loss and how we saw things.
See you Friday !!
Well, there's nothing like a little playoff panic to get the heart racing, eh?
After a rollercoaster of a 3rd period, the Blues emerge victorious in Game 3. The Stars kept coming back, but the Blues took the hits and kept getting back up. That's what it takes to win. Maybe the Stars players should focus on getting up and not falling down so much, eh?
A little low energy in this one - due to the morning chat and also for the loss in Game 2. Not that it was all bad, but the Blues came up short where it counted most. We discuss the game and our reactions to it, and look forward to Game 3.
That's a helluva start!
We celebrate the 3-2 win over the Stars, and talk about the game overall. Strong showing by the Blues, but some room for improvement. How about that Fabbri and Tarasenko, eh?
LGB!
Are you ready for another round?
We take some time to note a loss in the family and then take a look at the NHL playoff picture. Round 2 should be quite the challenge.
Lets Go Blues!
Play Gloria!
What a way to wrap up a series, eh? The boys in Blue put up a solid defensive game, Jaden Schwartz provided ALL of the offense, and Binnington was (calmly, natch) ready to shut the door on the Jets. We talk about all the twists and turns that this game took, but we're ultimately just happy it ended the way it did.
Holy Crap! What an ending!
Believe it or not, you can be speechless and still crank out a podcast mini-episode. Here is living proof. Celebrate the gutty win, and prepare for a real tough test in Game 6.
You kinda knew that was going to OT, didn't you? That was a late one, so we waited until today to get our Quick Shot done for Game 4. An exciting game with a very unfortunate result, but that's part of what makes them entertaining. Can't wait til Game 5!
So, it turns out that we CAN lose a game after all. It isn't nearly as much fun though. They should probably try to not do that as much.
Regroup, and play better boys.
Despite it all, the Blues take game 2 as well. Some postgame thoughts and reactions from us, as well as a possible explanation for Binnington's success. Our boys come back to St Louis with a 2-0 series lead, and ... that's pretty good.
Well well well .... how about dem Blues, eh? Our boys pulled off a tough road win in Game 1. Jordan Binnington did NOT look nervous, and Tyler Bozak sealed the win with a late game-winner after coming so close earlier. One down, more to go!
Well, we've finally made it ... the end of the regular season and the beginning of the postseason. We got together and got caught up on the 4-1-1 ending to the season, including the 2 games on the East Coast that CCR got to see live. We talk about the trip and also the how the Blues closed the season. We also talk about the foe ahead, the Winnipeg Jets. They bring a lot to the table, but have they met THIS Blues team? It should be a fun series.
It's a family affair on this week's edition of Beyond Checkerdome, and not because DK's son wandered onto the podcast! (He didn't.)
We dive into a perfect Blues 4-game home stand which included Alexander Steen joining elite company with his father and Ivan Barbashev netting a hat trick in front of his parents and brother.
With our beers of the episode, we discussed sustainable six-pack holders.
We also covered the possible pending playoff spot the Blues could lock up soon, Jaden Schwartz's hat trick, how we were both wrong about when Vladimir Tarasenko was going to come back, Carl Gunnarsson's return to the lineup, a goal streak, some point streaks, how Steen and Jay Bouwmeester are "gray beards" without growing beards, CCR's upcoming trip to NY/NJ and so, SO much more . . . including our usual tangents.
It is indeed a great time to be a Blues fan.
Another week in the books, and not the results that we expected. We take a look at the 1-2-1 run of games with Arizona, Ottawa, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo. Even with that record, there were plenty of positives to take out of those games. Some of those positives were off the ice. We also speculate how long Vladdy's injury might last - and totally whiff. That'll happen.
This California road trip yielded better results than we expected: a 2-0-1 run through Anaheim, LA, and San Jose. We talk about the oddities of those games and the continuation of the injury woes. Also, another Best of/ Worst of conversation. This upcoming schedule could be either helpful or not, depending on a few factors. Either way, it's going to be grueling. Buckle Up!
It was a 1-2 stretch of games that we cover, but it sure doesn't feel like a 1-2 week did back in Oct/Nov. We talk about the Nashville/Carolina/Dallas games and a few observations about how the boys are playing. Learn why Colton Parayko could be hockey's Billy Jack, among other things. The schedule ahead has some quirks, and we bid farewell to Terrible Ted. Also, thank goodness we aren't Sens fans.
Well, the streak is over. This time around, we have a .500 week to cover, from Toronto to Dallas, Boston and Minnesota. All told, it's not that big of a deal. We talk about what this all means, and the roster moves over this past week. Not least of which is the HUGE splash the Blues made at the trade deadline. OK, not ours, but there were some moves made elsewhere to talk about.
We had a chance to talk on Monday about the amazing run the Blues had been on. Undefeated and almost completely unscored-upon: we cover the 4 game run against New Jersey, Arizona, Colorado, and Minnesota. We're all smiles over here. There's also a direct connection between this run and old friend Brendan Shanahan. We also take a look at the upcoming trade deadline and speculate what Army is going to do. It's a good time to be a Blues fan.
For the first time this season, we record a show without discussing a single loss. That has us as giddy as schoolkids. That, and the excellent suds provided by Enabler In Chief @BiologistRyan !
We have a great conversation about the 5-0 run since the ASG break, with those wins coming up against some good teams: Columbus, Florida, Tampa, and Nashville - twice! There are also a lot of tangents and the beginning of trade deadline speculation. And, another coach gets the can. #GoodOneRandy.
In the midst of the coldest weather in recent memory, we had a chance to catch up on the last of the Blues games before the ASG. A 2-2 run through Boston, Ottawa, LA and Anaheim had plenty to tell us. We talk about the All Star Game itself, and how ROR did us all proud as well. This also presents an opportunity to look ahead at the stretch run towards the ... playoffs?
Not a myth - the Blues CAN win 3 in a row! We cover a six-game stretch that includes Dallas twice , Philly, Montreal, Washington, and the NY Islanders. All in all, a 4-1-1 record, which ain't too shabby. We're excited for the first starts of Jordan Binnington's career, and the amazing streak from David Perron. Vladdi seems to be heating up, as well. This could all mean something, or nothing...
Happy New Year! We pick up with the Blues playing the Eastern Conference, yielding a 2-3-0 record against Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Washington and both New York teams. The weirdness continues with this team. We talk goaltending (again) and the organization's depth at that position. Also, how about that Oskar Sundqvist guy, eh?
It's been a while, so there's some catching up to do. We have an 8 game stretch for the Blues, from Winnipeg through the homestand and then the Western Canada trip before Christmas. In those games we went 5-3-0 , which is .... good? Can it be? We also talk about the frequent deep dives into the NHL rulebook and the strange case of Patrik Berglund, Also Also, a 3-year extension for Robert Bortuzzo, which is a heck of a reward for fighting in practice.
Yet another drama-filled week in the books. Here we talk about a 1-2-1 week of games, from Detroit and Colorado to Arizona and Edmonton. There's a little info about our broadcasters and some speculation about what Berube's done differently with this team. Also, we confirm the Ryan Reaves can leave his wallet at home in most NHL cities, especially St Louis.
What, so everything isn't magically fixed now? Guess not! We cover the last game of the Yeo Era and then the first games with Berube in command at the Starship Enterprise. The results are a 1-3 week against LA, Nashville and Patrik Laine. We suppose there's more work to do, and talk about that and the several "firsts" that happened this past week.
We hope everyone out there had a great Thanksgiving - now take a listen to two turkeys talking puck. This was recorded Sunday, so is already a little dated. We cover the 2-3 week that begins and ends with San Jose, with Minnesota, Vegas and Chicago in between. We'll speculate about when Yeo gets fired (ouch) and when Rob Thomas scores his first goal (ouch again).
We interrupt our usual podcast schedule to bring you our reactions to the Yeo firing after the brutal loss against LA. We all saw it coming, and now here it is.
Whaddya know .... back to back shows with Blues winning records. Here we cover the 2-1 run with the games against Vegas, Minnesota, and Carolina. Despite those wins, the crowds are getting even more anxious about coaching - almost like something happened to stir them up. Can't imagine what that'd be ....
It ain't easy being a Blues fan. We cover the 2-1-1 week of Blues hockey, beginning with the HNIC game against Toronto. That coupled with the Winnipeg, Columbus, and Chicago games gave us our first winning stretch of the season. Yet, at the same time, Yeo's seat has never been hotter. That's kind of .... odd, dontcha think?
... and the week started so well! We discuss the 1-2-1 week of games against Calgary, Chicago, Anaheim and Montreal. Who would've seen this coming ; David Perron leading the team in goals on the strength of a hat trick against the Flames? We celebrate that as well as a few of the youngsters and the returns of Joel Edmundson and Zach Sanford. All of that positivity is blemished by the blown leads and the lackluster offense. And that was before the Habs game.... Needless to say, we have questions.
There's nothing like starting off on the right foot at the beginning of the season, but of course the Blues never ever do things nice and easy. We break down the 0-1-1 start to the season with the Jets and Hawks games. We talk a bit about the Power Play and some things we've noticed. As usual, some things we liked, and some things notsomuch. It's still early, though.
We recorded this before the season kicked off, but that certainly doesn't mean that there wasn't much to talk about! We discuss the end of camp and the final roster decisions made by Doug Armstrong. We bid farewell to DJ and fume about the Tom Wilson hit. The injury bug is already biting the Blues, but that doesn't dampen our spirits any. Hockey is back!
Recorded just before training camp, we're just excited that hockey is right around the corner. We have a chance to catch up on the signings that happened since our last conversation, and also the beginning of camp brings us our first injuries. We talk about the shape this roster will take, and the best thing of all ... options. There's also some news of the day, including the monster Erik Karlsson trade. So Many Things happening! It might be camp for the Blues, but we are the ones pitching tents.
We're back to talk draft and the beginning of free agency. Hope everyone had a great Fourth. The Blues restocked the cupboards with a fresh crop of prospects. Blues fans didn't see The Big Trade that we expected, though. The kids look good, though. Then July 1 came around, and the Blues brought back David Perron, added Chad Johnson, and signed Tyler Bozak. That was a pretty good haul ... but wait - there's more! Army pulled off a pretty big trade that brought in Ryan O'Reilly in exchange for Patrik Berglund, Vladimir Sobotka, Tage Thompson and 2 picks. We say farewell to the departed and welcome ROR to the Blues family.
Hello! How is your summer vacation going?
Before Army makes a deal and renders the speculation moot, we thought we'd better get a show out there. We catch up with the offseason so far, including congrats for the Capitals for their Cup win, the remarkable Vegas run, and the nutty stories that came out of the Final. We also talk about the path ahead for the Blues, the rumors of who might be dealt to St Louis, and whether they make sense or not. The Blues have made two moves already with their coaching staff, and those are discussed. Whoever joins the team, we hope that they live long and prosper at the Starship Enterprise.
Well, the Blues wrapped up their season so it was time for us to do the same. We take a quick run through the last six games and then try to frame up what exactly happened. We have some thoughts about how the season ended, and where we go from here. We discuss the upcoming free agents, and also the great tragedy up in Saskatchewan.
Ya know, watching highlight packs to prepare for a recording is a heckuva lot more fun when it is a 4 and 0 week. Here we cover the gritty wins against Boston, Vancouver, Columbus, and San Jose. We discuss a little of what separates Coach Yeo from Coach Hitch, and what really goes into popular misconceptions of players. Congrats to Jake Allen for being named as 2nd Star for the week, and to Oskar Sundqvist for getting his first goal with the team. Some players are heating up, others are healing up. Also, we’re re-stocking the cupboards with some ELCs being signed recently. There are all kinds of playoff storylines to expect, but first we gotta make it to the dance. This past week was pretty darn good for those odds...
The Blues took a little extra time in these wins, and we took a little extra time to get this up. Here we take a look at the games that got us back on track - a 2-1 week of Colorado, New York, and Chicago. We get Edmundson back, but lose Tarasenko during this stretch. We celebrate a return to form by Jake Allen, and also the much-maligned Patrik Berglund. And about that goal review ...
ust in the nick of time, the Blues seemed to find their lost game - in California of all places! We cover the 2-1 stretch of games against San Jose, LA and Anaheim. All of those sweet, wonderful, beautiful goals. None were more fun than those from Robert Bortuzzo. We also celebrate a fine week from Ivan Barbashev. Not everything is sunshine and rainbows, but there are some definite highlights from this week. We also talk a little about local hockey and what else is happening in “Capital H” Hockey. But ... those goals! SO MANY GOALS!
....but not in a good way. We cover the 1-1-1 week of hockey games against Minnesota, Detroit, and Dallas. Along the way we try to assess the Blues current status, express dismay at how a potential injury situation was handled (or NOT handled), and float a new concept in roster management. We even find some nice things to say about the ultimate Hockey Nerd. And then there's the injury news. That's almost a whole show on its own!
Well, the Trade Deadline has come and gone, and with it goes the Paul Stastny tenure in St Louis. We talk about his trade to the Jets and yet another godawful 0-3 week of hockey. We try to find the bright spots where we can. Also, the rest of the league had their moves as well.
This week we take a look at the 0-1-1 week of Nashville and Dallas games, including the excruciating collapse against the Preds. Somehow that leads us to the topics of bad baseball dates and Keith Jackson. We also welcome the arrival of Nikita Soshnikov to the team. We have a few thoughts about this move and what else this team might do before the deadline.
Overdue, but here at last. A bit of a double-meaning, as the Blues and this episode's audio both have some rough going in places. We talk about the 2-2 week that included Minnesota, Colorado, Winnipeg and Pittsburgh. Some interesting things happened and we somehow end up advocating for more ice time for Thorburn.
Another week gone by, and another 2-1 record to show for it. We start with an odd game against Montreal that began slow, but finished well enough. We learn who the Tommy Boy of the NHL might be. Then, the boys took their dads on a trip out East. The Boston game was entertaining for all of the wrong reasons, and the Buffalo match was a complete snoozefest. We talk about the goal that shouldn’t have been, and also how Vince Dunn won the just-invented Dan Hinote Memorial Trophy. Lastly, this time of the year brings on the trade talk, so we discuss that a little too.
If Blues fans were a little mental after that Coyotes game, this last week was just what the doctor ordered. Our mind was a little more at ease for the All Star break after a 2-0 week against Ottawa and Colorado. Not only did the Blues win, but Steen seems to be heating up. The power play is showing signs of life as well. There was the addition of Jaden Schwartz to the lineup, but also the departure of Magnus Paajarvi via the waiver wire. With only 2 games to cover, we indulge in a little music trivia too.
Well, the Blues came off of their Bye Week and charted another 2-1 week. Big wins against Toronto and Ottawa and then an abysmal showing against Arizona. Blues fans took that loss with the usual grace and aplomb. We welcomed Vince Dunn back into the fold, but we also saw the loss of Mike Shanahan. There's also an important lesson about talking to strangers in the park...
Well, the New Year started off with a lot of promise, but seemed to lose momentum pretty quickly. In the stretch between New Year’s and the Bye Week, the Blues went 2-2-1 against New Jersey, Vegas, Philly, Washington and Florida. We recap those games and also highlight our baby blues in the World Junior tournament. There are some recurring themes among the goals the Blues scored. We were witness to not just one but TWO Butt Goals in this stretch. Unfortunately, they were both goals against. But at least we know who has the tightest ass in the NHL...
Happy New Year! The Blues polished off 2017 with two losses, but got a win at the very end to leave on a high note. We recap the losses to Nashville and Dallas, but at least we have the win against Hurricanes to finish with. We share some frustrations with the power play, and a couple of poor defensive showings. However, big picture, the team is doing better than we thought coming out of Deathcember. Doug Armstrong got a new contract, and we got Jay Bouwmeester back. You might say 2018 is looking better already!
Sorry for the late post, folks! The Blues edged closer to the end of DeathCember with a road trip to the Great White North, resulting in a 1-2-0 week against Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver. At least the win came at the end, so we could finish on a high note. We cover those games and float a small theory about neighboring hockey markets. We rave about Tage Thompson a little more, and also Kyle Brodziak. Stick around and you’ll find out why he’s our team’s JK Simmons.
Well, you can't say we didn't warn you - this was going to be a tough month. This week the Blues dropped 2 to the Bolts and Ducks, then split the home-and-home series with the Jets for a 1-3 week. We take a look at those games and try to find what's different about the Blues when they lose. There is some random trivia and the usual tangents. We also take the opportunity to laugh at Ottawa, and celebrate some "Good Missourah Boys" too.
What a difference a week makes. Once we were fretting over an 0-2-1 week, and the next week we are celebrating 4 straight wins over Montreal, Dallas, Detroit, and Buffalo. We cover those games with the usual tangents (of course), and also talk about the beginning of this wave of injuries. How will St Louis remember the Tyler Stewart era? We were amazed at a particular goal against, but also worked up over the Tarasenko goal that closed out the Buffalo game. Maybe we were a little too excited...
Well, I guess we all knew that the streak would end sometime, eh? We will cover the 0-2-1 week against the Ducks, Kings and Wild. We also talk about the impact of returning players like Bouwmeester and Berglund. There's some coaching news and rumors to share, and then there is the Mystery of the Lost Episode...
Who knew Meat Loaf was a Blues fan? For yet another week, we get to celebrate a 2-1 week that started off pretty rough, but got better as the week wore on. We discuss the loss in Calgary and the wins in Edmonton and Vancouver. We talk about a few of our favorite things as well as life lessons from gambling that also apply to hockey. There was a small news item that pertained to the Blues that we cover. Plus, all of the usual tangents you’ve come to expect from us.
Viva La Streak! Another week of winning hockey has passed, with the Blues going 2-1 against New Jersey, Arizona, and Brooklyn. While we celebrate that, we also have a loss off the ice that hit us all pretty hard. Another lesson that we still need to Fight Like Ari. There was also a trade last week that shook up the Central Division, so we cover that as well.
Another week gone by, and once again the Blues are winning at hockey. Sure, the home winning streak ended, but that was inevitable. The Blues still hold a good lead against their Western Conference competitors, and that is the important part. We celebrate the 2-1 week against LA, Philly, and Toronto. There was an interesting non-challenge in that last game that we question. Also, this new surge of defensive scoring might not be a fluke, but rather the New Normal. All that and more!
And the hits just keep coming! This week we try to balance out the happiness of a 3-0 week against the paranoia of when it will all end. The other shoe is gonna drop, right? In the meantime, we celebrate wins against Calgary, Carolina and Columbus. We see an improvement in the special teams, and wonder if that will stick. We also talk about how some folks read too much or the wrong thing into jersey numbers. Sure, there are things that we can worry about in the future, but try to stay in the moment, OK?
Another week of hockey down, and boy was it a doozy! Three games that all had crazy plays, reviewed goals, and the very rare NHL mea-culpa the morning after. We talk about those, and the rules involved in those reviews. We also gush over Vince Dunn and his growth as a player. There is also a loss in the family as Hockey mourns Gord Downie, and yet also celebrate his life. We talk about hats a little, and then the not-so-special special teams. All that, and more!
If you sat us down before the season started and told us that the Blues would start off with a 4-2-0 record, we would have been pretty skeptical. Yet here we are, and though the losses came back-to-back at the end, it still seems pretty good so far. Of course, it is a long season and there is plenty to happen up ahead. We take a look at the first few games of the season, and what has surprised us so far. How about that D? Special teams are looked at, as well as the roster moves brought on by those injuries. Some talk about coaching also. And how about that Ryan Reaves? Miss you, big guy.
This is definitely one for the record books. This episode began on 09/21, and we were set to talk about the Larry Robinson hiring, training camp, and all of those injuries. Then, Real Life came along. We got back together again just before the season opened to talk about the Upshall signing, the finalized roster, and what weâre expecting from this team and this season. Thereâs some rough audio in the beginning, but that settles down a few minutes in.
It's beginning to feel like Hockey season again - and not a moment too soon! As such, we're back as well. Here, we commemorate the Lokomotiv crash and the late Noel Picard. We also talk about the changes in the national media landscape - and the local effect with Jeremy Rutherford's move to The Athletic. Good on him, and welcome aboard Jim Thomas! Other changes include a new head of Department of Player Safety, as well as a few rules changes for the upcoming year. We have our first signpost of the hockey season - the Traverse City tournament - to talk about too.
It's time to stretch those podcastin' muscles once again. It's been awhile! We get a chance to share what we've done over the past few weeks (spoiler - one is much more fun than the other) and also to discuss what the Blues have been up to. We get a chance to sigh in relief that Colton Parayko was signed, and we cover the smaller moves in free agency. We welcome the San Antonio Rampage to the (future) Blues organization, and we also talk about the departure of one of the unsung heroes of NHL teams.
It’s been a fast-moving off-season. Hell, a lot has happened since we recorded THIS podcast (i.e. the free agent frenzy). Nonetheless, we soldier on and deliver you a recap of just some of the things that happened since the Stanley Cup was awarded.
Among our topics for Episode #160:
- Our beers.
- The Vegas Golden Knights selected their team and pried David Perron away from the Blues in the process.
- The trade of Jori Lehtera and two first-round picks to the Flyers for Brayden Schenn as well as the circumstances leading to that trade.
- The trade of Ryan Reaves and a second-round pick to the Penguins for Oskar Sundqvist and a first-round pick and how awesome of a trade that was.
- The drafting of Robert Thomas, Klim Kostin (!!!), Alexey Toropchenko, David Noel, Trenton Bourque and Anton Andersson into the Blues’ prospect pool.
- A small peek ahead into free agency (which hadn’t happened yet as of this recording).
There may not be a whole lot going on in the Blues world, but there IS a lot going on in the hockey world these days. And believe it or not, business is about to pick up. Things we discussed: * Alcoholic beverages, including the ones we were drinking. * The Stanley Cup Final, with a heavy emphasis on the Nashville Predators as well as their fan base and the national media attention both are getting. * The Blues hiring of Darryl Sydor and Steve Ott to be part of the coaching staff and Barret Jackman in a player development role. * The expansion draft . . . we even reveal who we would protect, with some explanations of why. * Some good old-fashioned rosterbation, including who the Blues might target in trades or free agency. We somehow kept all this under two hours!
At long last, we take a look at the season that just was. We find some positives from the 2016-2017 Blues season, and areas that will need some work. We talk about the assistant coaches that were fired, and also who might replace them. We answer an Enabler question, and speculate about what might happen in the offseason. The best news, though, is that there is an addition to the family on the way!
And that's how the season ends, at least this year. Plenty of shots, but not enough goals, and handshakes for the other team. There's a lot to unpack for this year, with all of the drama that happened, but that's for another time. The Blues played well, but just not well enough to win. There are plenty of what-ifs, but you know where that gets you. The Blues lose, and face an offseason with this lasting image. It's a long time until October.
Well, the Blues pulled it off, and in quite convincing fashion as well! The Blues losses have been while they weren't playing their best, but we have seen them gradually improve their game. In probably their best yet, the Blues held court for most of the game, continued to apply pressure, and got the goal scoring that they needed. You couldn't write the script better than Dmitrij Jaskin getting a goal, and Jaden Schwartz with the game-winner was perfect as well. Jake Allen continued to be big, but this time he didn't have to carry the whole load. What a difference that makes, eh? Now, if we could just do something about that power play...
Well.... that was a real crummy way to end the game. Obviously, the officiating takes up a portion of the conversation, as we both have spleens to vent on this. There were plenty of positives to take out of this, although it sure seems it was for naught at the moment. This was recorded right after the game, so we were still pretty salty at how it turned out. There's an interesting question about Parayko to consider, as well as an eye towards Friday night's match. Do you make more changes, or keep the same lineup?
Wouldn't you know it, the Blues put up a stinker of a game and it costs them. Funny how those two go together. The PP woes continue, and now we didn't even have the 5-on-5 advantage either. Couple that with too much time on the PK, and you get a result like today's. Now, we look to Yeo for a response to this game, and possibly (probably) some lineup changes. Tuesday should be intense.
Wouldn't you know it - the Blues stay out of the box, and get a better game result to show for it. Blues tie up the series with a 3-2 regulation win over the #Perds. Jake Allen was solid, but the stories of the night were Vladdy "Stella" Tarasenko getting his groove back, and the amazing resiliency of Colton Parayko. Oh, and Jori Lehtera played too.
Well, the scoreboard doesn't show what we'd like, but that's not to say that there weren't SOME positives to take from this Game 1 encounter. First of all, our thoughts are with Kevin Fiala. Get better, kid. We also talk about the handling of that injury versus Eric Staal's in Round 1. The game itself is discussed, and some of the highs and lows from the game. There's a lot there to give you some confidence for Game 2.
Welcome to Round 2! The playoff series that we've been waiting for has finally arrived - Blues vs #Perds, We enlist the help of our friend Dan Bradley from On The Forecheck to preview the upcoming series. Allen vs Rinne, Perron vs Arvidsson, Forsberg vs Tarasenko, fans vs sobriety ... all of these should make entertaining match ups.
Despite their best efforts to give it away, the Blues finally close out the series and advance to the second round of the playoffs. We talk about the sense of relief of finishing this round, and the apprehension of facing the Preds in the next. Also, the newly returned Jori Lehtera and Paul Stastny, and their impact on the game. Eric Staal took an ugly fall into the boards, and why didnât we see a stretcher? But, at the end - Blues Win !!!
On to Nashville and Round 2!
Well, you kinda had to know we were due for a game like this. Although the Blues lost, there wasn't a lot that the Blues did different. Minnesota is too good to let that happen. We commiserate over the loss and speculate about Game 5. Will we see the return of Paul Stastny. Too soon to say, but there’s a chance. But who comes out? Can the Blues close it out on the road? Onward to St Paul!
Once again the Blues pull this off, and in a much more convincing fashion. The Blues beat the Wild to take a 3-0 series lead, and it seems like the youngsters are leading the way. And as much as the kids are alright, the guy in goal is fan-flippin-tastic right now. While nothing has been decided yet, you canât help but be impressed by Jake Allen right now. Letâs go Blues!
Another one in the books and - whaddya know, the Blues win again! Joel Edmundson, -or as one savvy twitter user said, GOAL Edmundson- is on a playoff goal-scoring streak. Also, one-time couldn't-buy-a-goal-to-save-his-life guy Jaden Schwartz with the game-winner. Also also, Jake Allen once again playing big between the pipes. Today's win is apparently brought to you by the letter J.
Holy Shit. What a game. Pour yourself a #VictoryWhiskey and hear our post-game reaction to the Round 1 Game 1 win over the Minnesota Wild. 1-0 is a good start, but the Blues need to play a damn sight better to challenge the Wild for this series. Lately we’ve seen the Blues respond pretty well after a down game. So ... hope springs eternal, right?
It’s the mooooost wonderful tiiiiime of the yeeaaarrr!! First off, we take some time to wrap up the last games of the regular season. That’s a little mailed-in, though, because the highlight is PLAYOFFS. We had a wonderful chat with Tony from Hockey Wilderness about what we’re expecting from this first round matchup. Also, we talk about the coaching vacancies around the league, and the other hockey happenings going on. Hey, has anyone ever heard of this Vladimir Sobotka guy?
Another week of winning hockey has passed. This time around the record was 2-0-1, as we cover the Arizona, Colorado and Nashville games. We celebrate the first NHL point of Jordan Schmaltz, and the resilience of the Blues defense in spite of yet another injury. We discuss the mental health of Blues twitter, and how we all approach wins and losses. The postseason looms ahead, and we’re ready for whoever the matchup is with. Also, we share our thoughts on the NHL decision to pass on the Olympics.
Another week goes by, and another round of games that we can celebrate. Here we talk about a 3-0-1 stretch including Colorado, Vancouver, Calagary and Arizona. Now that the college season has ended, there are ELCs being signed. We also talk about how rewarding it is to see Magnus Paajarvi succeed, and what that could mean for Nail Yakupov. As predicted, March has been pretty good to the Blues - but that didn't come without a cost, as the Blues lost the services of Paul Stastny for a while. While the Blues can hold down the fort for a spell, what does this mean for the playoffs? Yep .. playoffs.
Like we say, the next best thing to 4-and-Yeo is to go 3-1 the very next week. This time around, we cover the LA, Anaheim, San Jose and Phoenix games. And like most fans, we probably spend a disproportionate amount of time on the one that we lost. We talk about the development of the younger players, and how that can cause problems like what we’re seeing occasionally now. Also, there’s been a lot of talk about women’s hockey lately. The Frozen Four was held here in the #HeartlandOfHockey, and the NWHL just crowned a new champion. There’s been a lot of struggle in the international hockey world, too.
This is coming to you all a lot later than intended. In this episode we cover the 4-0 week that snapped the losing streak and put everyone in a lot better mood. These are the games against the Avs, Wilds, Ducks and Islanders that all resulted in wins for the good guys. We have the observations like usual, but it’s hard to get too nit-picky with results like this. We take notice of the improved power play, and the incorporation of some of the youngsters into the team’s game plan. Also, we love us some fourth-line goals.
This was one nutty week. First the Blues ended their bye week with a tough match against the Hawks, which contributed to their losing streak continuing from where they left off. They went 0-3 in these games, and it wasn’t pretty. More significant than those losses, the Blues lost Kevin Shattenkirk to the trade deadline. We talk about him being sent to the Caps with Pheonix Copley, as well as the players we got in return. Also, there is some speculation about the Blues power play unit adapting to Shatty’s exit, and the callup of Jordan Schmaltz. Our ol’ buddy Patrik Berglund got a new deal, too! All this and more!
All streaks end, and the Blues’ winning streak was no exception. This week we cover the 2-2 week that saw some scoring from unlikely sources and the Blues finally give up a power play goal. Also, the trade deadline is approaching with all eyes on St Louis and especially Kevin Shattenkirk. There is a disturbing trend amongst teams coming off the bye week, and we talk about that a little as well. We’re noticing something about the Blues gameplay since Yeo took over, and so far it has been “not good”.
We may be old codgers, but we still succumb to peer pressure. If there’s a little extra rambling this week, it’s because we had our arms twisted into doing #ShotsForGoals for the Montreal game before recording the podcast. Not that we needed much help - losing to Pittsburgh was a bummer, but ripping off 4 consecutive wins afterwards made us all a little giddy. We cover those games and celebrate the first career goal of Ivan Barbashev. We also talk about the injuries to Robby Fabbri and Paul Stastny. The latter particularly hurts, because we wanted to crow about his playing with Tarasenko finally. Thank goodness we have Patrik Berglund still!
This was about as big a week as you can have in the NHL regular season. Shut out the defending champs, All-Star Weekend, fire the coach, and retire the number of an absolute LEGEND. We talk about the games that led to the Hitchcock firing, and then what followed afterward. We also give our own thoughts on the retiring of Bobby Plager’s number 5. It’s been an emotional week in St Louis, and that’s before we even talk about the goaltending. We cover it all the best we can.
We were all caught off-guard by today's events. Here are our reactions to the news that the Blues have relieved Ken Hitchcock of his coaching duties and are handing the reins over to Mike Yeo.
We'll have our normal (?) episode later on, but we were compelled to record this tonight for, well, obvious reasons. Bring on the Mike Yeo era.
Also, because it'll drive Tyler nuts ... #YeoLO
Here’s a week we’d all like to forget, especially Jake Allen. This week’s slate of games covers an 0-3 week that saw more hooks than a bait shop. Jake’s troubles happen to be at the same time as the team’s and that’s not a coincidence. We talk a little about those, and also the trade rumors floating around the team. Some of those are fueled by hockey media, which we dig into, and then we also have a few emails to cover. We also provide a light at the end of the tunnel when we talk about the schedule ahead. We’re chock-full of topics this episode.
The Blues are still battling inconsistency, but finished with wins in back-to-back nights in California. We talk about the 2-2 week and the struggles of Jake Allen. Its not all bad, though, as we also celebrate the resurgence of Patrik Berglund. A couple of ideas are tossed around, including one that drops a game day tradition. We also bid farewell to the Brad Hunt era.
By now, the Winter Classic hangover (literal, or figurative) should be over for you guys. This week we just cover two games after the big hoopla, a 1-1 record against Carolina and Dallas. We also talk about the World Juniors and also the upcoming debate over public money for Scottrade renovations. Also, helmet-farting. We also get a chance to discuss a trade proposal that was emailed in to us from a listener.
The technology gods were working against us during this, which is why it is late and choppy at times. Sometimes the Blues are hard to watch, so we're following suit in being hard to listen to, I guess. Thanks for your patience!
No shortage of topics this week! We have the 1-1 record indoors (Philly and Nashville), but more fun than that is the 2-0 record outdoors. We cover all of them, and the festivities surrounding the Winter Classic. Thankfully, the rain stopped pouring but the shots did not. Much fun was had by all, and we got to meet some great people. There’s a lot of people to thank for that. Lastly we talk about the waivers claim that caused the departure of Ty Rattie. Good luck in Carolina, Ty!
It’s been an odd week with the holidays, the roster moves, and the 1-1-1 record for our boys in Blue. We talk about those games against Edmonton, Dallas, and Tampa. Come share our mixed emotions when a guy from STL scores in the Edmonton game - and his kid celebrating. We also chat about who gets the most grief online for Blues losses - and who doesn’t. We welcome the Wade Megan era, and wonder what’s up with a few others. How good should the 4th line be, really? Also, we get a chance to catch up with a few items from around the league and what St Louis connections are in play at the World Junior Championship.
Hello everyone, hope Santa Claus treats you well this weekend. This week is packed with 4 games to discuss. The 1-3 week leaves us with a sense of coal in our stockings. Nevertheless, we have to talk about it, and there’s no shortage of material. First we wax nostalgic about a couple of 43s, and then dig into the week that was. We get to cover a Ryan Reaves goal and celebrate more of the Brad Hunt call-up. We also talk about Jake Allen’s usage. Learn how Alex Pietrangelo is Chris Farley but Patrik Berglund is NOT Patrik Stefan.
Another wonderfully wild week of Blues hockey, and this time around we bring reinforcements! We're joined by StLouisGameTime.com's own resident number-cruncher Robb Tufts. Aside from learning more about one of our other favorite topics - beer- he also helps educate us a little on how the Blues look within the analytics context. Also, it's not just the stats that have gotten all fancy. We cover the Blues games against Montreal, Brooklyn, and New Jersey, and talk a little about what makes teams work and how they adapt to changing systems and rosters. There's even a few rants sprinkled in, just for good measure.
The Blues just keep on winning, putting together a pretty good run on this homestand. This week the Blues were 2-0-1 against Dallas, Tampa Bay, and Winnipeg. Of course, that's not to say that there wasn't some drama along the way. Injuries and returns, scratches and scholarships - we cover those as well. There are some interesting points (we hope!) as we go about the week's recaps, and some laughs along the way. Also, probably the worst nickname origin story you'll ever hear.
Well it's not 3-0, but all things considered I think we'd happily accept a 2-1 week. We cover the back-to-back games in Boston and DC, as well as the return home for Minnesota. There's the emotional tugs of seeing Cap'n Dave in another jersey, and the continued success of the Blues forward corps - particularly David Perron and Jaden Schwartz. We also discuss the Ty Rattie / Nail Yakupov situation, and wonder what kind of moves the front office has in mind for the team. Of course, there's also the usual complement of tangents along the way...
What a difference a week makes! After ending the previous week with the Columbus debacle, the Blues go on a 3-win run on their homestand. The offense has woken up a little, and there's a lot of buzz about the play of the fourth line. Speaking of buzz, we have a special brew to share this week, and also a trade to announce.
The sound quality is better this week, but the hockey we talk about .... could use some work still. We cover the Chicago, Nashville and Columbus games, and the fallout from each. Because we can't help picking at wounds, of course #Lumbus gets a lot of attention. We talk about penalty troubles, goaltending voodoo, and leadership on the ice. We also talk about the Winter Classic alumni rosters, and the upcoming slate of games.
Another week goes by, and more scoring woes. We talk about the perception versus the reality in the Blues offense (or lack thereof) in some recent games, and whether it is really time to panic or not. We have our own struggles, as our web connection seemed to drop out at times. Apologies for the rough quality of the sound, but it does get better towards the end. Ironically, this batch of games also got better, as we wrap up with the shellacking we gave the Avs. There are some interesting notes about the PK, the role of Ryan Reaves, roster moves, and of course the new Winter Classic jerseys.
Three more games since our last show, and a disturbing trend has emerged. Only scoring 1 goal a game is not going to get you very far, and it's actually pretty amazing that our boys have 3 points out of a possible 6 in that run. We cover the disappointment of the Elliott return game, the bounce-back-but-not-very-high of the Ott return game, and the fun shutout win over LA in the Bobby Plager number retirement game. There's been a lot of looking back, as you can tell... and it's a lot better than what we're looking at in the here-and-now. Oh yeah, one more thing:
Fuck Detroit,
Hello there, Blues fans! So, we might have gotten a little cocky after the 3-0 start (or at least one of us did). Now, after a 1-1-1 road trip through western Canada, there's a little crow to be ate. At least we know how to wash it down. We talk about the continued emergence of Nail Yakupov (all the while fighting ourselves on how to say it correctly) and the re-emergence of David Perron. Not only does he play the role of offensive hero, but we give him some props for the D side of the game as well. There's more to say about Paul Stastny and how he's used, and we enjoy a little schadenfreude at LA's expense. All that, and more!
What do you know - actual hockey games to talk about! We get a chance to discuss the first three games of the season, and how well things went for the Blues. We reach back and cover the Barret Jackman retirement, and what he means to Blues fans. There's also some nice things said about Nail Yakupov, and by him as well. St Louis, you done good. Additionally, we get to look forward to the West Canada Road Trip, and seeing old friends on the road.
Opening Day! It has finally arrived, and not a moment too soon! This week we take a look at the end of Camp and the preseason, and especially the exhibition game in KC. We also close the book on that Sobotka guy, but get really excited for the recent trade acquisition of Nail Yakupov. There's a bit of season preview to this as well, and our thoughts and expectations for this current crop of Blues players. We're also talking injuries already (as is usual), specifically Jaden Schwartz and (maybe) Jake Allen. All things considered, we ain't too worried. It's a good time to be a fan!
Fall is a wonderful time of the year. It brings us cooler temps, baseball playoffs (usually), and sometimes it brings Tim birthday beer! Best of all - it brings us hockey! The prospects tournaments are over, and we're in the waning days of the World Cup of Hockey. As get back into the groove of things, we talk about the WCoH, and the various participants the Blues have there. We also talk about the new Alexander Steen contract, and what he means to this team. Camp is starting, and with it brings new opportunities for some players. And, of course - the ongoing saga of Vladimir Sobotka keeps going on and on and on...
Hello there! Been a while, eh?
The dog days of summer are almost over, and we've been overdue to check in and chat with each other. We talk about newly-minted captain Alex Pietrangelo and the rest of the leadership team for the St Louis Blues. We also talk about the off-season, the World Cup of Hockey, and the last remnants of rosterbation: PTOs. The ongoing drama of Vladimir Sobotka comes up, as well as recent graduate Colton Parayko. We feel the sting of Winter Classic tickets, and bid farewell to Coach Waaaaaaaah. Of course, there's the usual tangents sprinkled in throughout.
Hello there! Long time no speak!
In past years, we got in the habit of asking at the opening of every show "Has _____ signed yet?". Whether it was Vladimir Tarasenko, or Alex Pietrangelo, or whoever, there was always one loose end that needed to be tied up. This year, we have everything done before July ended. The last major piece of the puzzle (aside from the fans, natch) was Jaden Schwartz . With his signing, and the other RFAs, and the expectation that Vladimir Sobotka is coming back, we now have our cap-limit and contract-limit team. Also, it looks like Kevin Shattenkirk will be with us for another season - which ain't a bad thing. We talk about these things, and then speculate about the line combinations. There are a lot of questions about this team leading into camp, and we'll have to wait until the dust settles before we can answer them. All this, and a few chuckles along the way -
Hey - whaddya know. Bonus Podcast!
We briefly covered the 2016 Draft in episode 129, but we knew we couldn't do it justice. So we recorded a second conversation with Gametime's own Prospects Department. We have a great chat about the selections that St Louis provided as well as the ones that St Louis made at the draft. Brian fleshes out some of what we know about these kids, and has some great info about their performances at the Combine. Some good info here, and several reasons to be optimistic about this group of players.
Wow ... we knew there would be a lot happening between episodes this time around, but not this much! Since we last chatter, there's been the NHL Awards (#NHL17Tarasenko), the NHL Draft, and then the beginning of Free Agency. We see the departure of Brian Elliott, David Backes, Troy Brouwer and Steve Ott, and the return of David Perron. We've added Carter Hutton to the roster, and a whole slew of draft picks. Heck, we even brought in another assistant coach. This is actually the first of two shows, with all of the info coming out right now. Heck, we're barely into July and it's already been a helluva offseason!
Hello there Blues fans! More time has passed, and more news has happened. The biggest news (to date) around these parts are the hiring of Mike Yeo as Associate coach and heir-apparent, and also Rick Wilson as the assistant coach. That fills two of the recent vacancies, and also sets up what happens in the post-Hitchcock era. Also, there's the new contract for Dmitrij Jaskin, but no news on the other free agents. Other league hirings include Brad Shaw in Columbus, and Randy Carlyle in -LOL- Anaheim. This time of year also brings around the annual Hawks salary/talent dump, and also awarding the Stanley Cup to Pittsburgh. Finally, we say a farewell to Mr Hockey, Gordie Howe.
In only a little over a week's time, so much has happened! We give our last regards to the Blues 2015-2016 season, and then start looking at what has gone on since it ended. We talk about the return of Hitchcock, and the departure of some of the other coaches in the organization. The Blues are already looking at some new faces, and we cover that as well. And then there's the local media's treatment of Vladimir Tarasenko. You can pretty much guess how that goes. We talk a little about the players that the Blues will have to decide upon this summer, as well as some changes in our personal plans for the future. All of that, and the usual tangents along the way.
What's to say, when your team loses and the season ends? A lot, apparently, because this is a little longer than the usual Quick Shot. Safe the say that there are a lot of mixed emotions. A horribly disappointing end to a really fantastic season. There are a lot of questions to ask, but we really can't answer them right now. Pour yourself a stiff one (we did, before, during, and after this was recorded) and listen along a little. More to come in Episode 127.
Unlike the calamity of Games 3 and 4, this was much more of a back and forth game. Unfortunately, that included Kevin Shattenkirk going back and forth to the box and Blues players going back and forth to center ice for a faceoff after a Sharks goal. The Blues did carry the play at times, but did not get enough payoff to cover for the times that they didn't. The PK certainly didn't get the job done. And, while Jake Allen wasn't the problem ... we can't say he was the solution, either. So, we have another mess to clean up, tape to be watched, and then it's back to work again come Wednesday. A lotta folks seem to already know how this turns out, but I don't ... so I'll be watching. We hope you will be, too.
We sure picked a doozy of a game to do #ShotsForGoals !! The Blues needed a win in the worst way, and it turns out that they got a win in the best way! Although there was a bit of let-up in the third period, we all knew that the Sharks were too good to stay down for long. The Blues were able to score a few in the last period as well, and kept the pressure up. The bottom line: a damn satisfying 6-3 win. The Sharks started to play a little more goonishly, and Brent Burns and Joe Thornton took some cheap shots. The Blues did not fall prey to that bait, and instead took revenge where it counted most - on the scoreboard. We saw some possible injuries to David Backes and Vladimir Tarasenko, but we won't know the extent until later. The key thing - a win and a tied up series.
So the Blues made a few lineup changes and then came out actually looking good. Unfortunately, once a mistake or two ends up in the net, things can fall apart. Still a better game than Game 2, that is admittedly a pretty low bar to set. The bottom line is, the Blues didn't get the job done, and now are in a 2-1 deficit for the series. We were expecting 3 losses in route to a 7-game series, so that really isn't much cause for concern. However, the margin for error is evaporating, and the Blues better pick up a win - SOON.
The Blues lost game 2 in just about every way they could. As we have learned over and over again with this team, they never ever do nothin' nice and easy. Everything has to be done the hard way. In that vein, the Blues now head to San Jose with an even series and a lot of issues to work on. Oddly enough, this team seems to do better on the road, so there is certainly reason for hope. There are no guarantees, but there is still confidence. So, go pour yourself a stiff one and come commiserate with us.
Holy Crap what a game. There are no fingernails left in the St Louis area, as they've all been chewed off by Blues fans watching this game. The Blues were playing with fire but somehow just barely avoided getting burned. The special teams did pretty good, and we have some praise for other players as well. Moose was his exceptional self as well. I hope we never reach the day that we take Brian Elliott for granted. Check out our reactions as we bask in the glory of winning Game 1.
It's become a meme online, but it is also true for Blues fans: What a time to be alive. We take the opportunity to sit down with a former blogger at Fear The Fin and long time Sharks fan Matt Taylor. He's a great follow online as @dak_ralter and will definitely have some things to say during this series. We talk about the goaltending matchup, the similarities and differences between the offenses and defenses, and other comparisons between the teams. We're all anticipating a long series. There's also some wonderful tangents along the way. At some point, it becomes a Star Wars podcast for a little while. Apparently, the Blues are the Empire ... and I'm OK with that.
We're officially in uncharted territory here, folks. What a game to close things out. Even though it's a day later, we're still a little giddy. Come listen to us a celebrate, and turn an optimistic eye towards Round 3. Nashville, or San Jose? Or does it matter? Right now, everything is coming up Milhouse for Coach Hitch and the boys. See you for Game 1 on Sunday!
In the words of the immortal St Louisan Tina Turner "We never, ever, do nothing nice... and easy". And so it goes with the St Louis Blues. Our boys spotted the Stars a 3-goal lead, and then tried like hell to catch up. They darn near pulled it off, too. But, they did not and now we have Game 7 to look forward to. If Game 7 looks anything like the 2nd or 3rd periods, we should be in good shape. Both of us agree on the starter for Game 7, which shouldn't be a shock. And we also agree to #FreeEddy. Of course, there's a lot that can happen between now and then.
So, the Blues needed a win today and got one. It wasn't as dominant as Game 3, but it didn't need to be, either. To make a deep run in the playoffs, you need a deep team. You need to have contributions from all over the lineup - and today it was Robby Fabbri, Paul Stastny, and .... Dmitrij Jaskin ?? Yes, Jaskin made his 2016 playoff debut and scored the game-winner today. They can stop one of us, but they can't stop all of us. Now it is on to Game 6, where the Blues will surely have to withstand Dallas' best shot and seize the opportunity to close out the series on home ice. How sweet it is!
Man, what a hollow game that was. Very very weird. It really happened, but I don't believe there'll be much to say about it. It's probably noteworthy in comparison to Game 3: When the Stars blow a game, they lose 6-1 and get dominated in every sense of the word. When the Blues blow a game, they almost win it a couple of times anyway, but lose in OT. Alas, it was not meant to be, and we march onward to Texas. See ya Saturday for a nooner in Big D.
From here on out, through the rest of Blues History, if anyone ever asks what the meaning is of "60-Minute effort" or "200-Foot Game" , you'll just have to point to tonight's game. This was just an amazing game from beginning to end, with every single player giving it all, and the Blues just dominating the Stars. The boys in blue out-hit, out-shot, and most importantly out-scored the Stars. The PP was on point, and the PK held up their end as well. David Backes held court with 2 goals and 9 hits, Vladimir Tarasenko had a 3-point night, Alexander Steen had a pair of goals, Brian Elliott was a MONSTER in net, and Ryan Reaves put the punctuation on the night with a fight and a kiss for the Stars bench. Everything that could go right .... did. That's a rare thing, Blues fans.
Is there a better way to celebrate your birthday than to score a GWPPOTG? With that, David Backes now has 2 OT goals to his credit this postseason, and the Blues can now take a 1-1 record back to #DrinkScotch to press home the advantage. The Blues sure didn't do themselves any favors with that awful third period, but rather than fall apart like we've seen before, they buckled down and came out swinging in OT. How many times do we have to remind ourselves - this is a Different Blues Team.
This is the first time in history that we have ever done a Round 2 Quick Shot. We can only keep doing what we've always done and see how it works out. It got us this far, right? In the same vein, the Blues were a little unsteady and unsure in Game 1. They seemed to capture a little more of their essence in the third period, and if they can continue that further into this series we'll be just fine. We didn't really learn much of anything new: Roussel is an asshat, and Brian Elliott is amazing right now. We have a few questions for the team, hopefully they have answers in Game 2.
I don't know about you, but I'm still riding the high from beating the Hawks. We're allowed that luxury, but the Blues themselves have to focus on the task ahead. To follow their lead, we also turn our attentions to the Stars and what we can expect from Round 2. Our buddy Josh Lile joins us to talk about them - he's formerly a writer for Defending Big D and currently writes for Dallas-area ABC affiliate WFAA. He has some interesting insights about this match up, and gives us some things to watch for. We also discuss who to follow online for the series. We all make picks for the series, and you can guess who the asshole is.
It's amazing how playoff hockey can allow you to travel through time. Pregame, we were absolute wrecks, re-living the failures of recent first rounds. Then, when the Blues finally pulled ahead again, we were transported to that Sharks series where we took down San Jose. In that last minute and a half, we were thrown back to our childhood - rocking back and forth, pleading to every deity we've ever heard of (and making up a few, just in case). All those prayers to keep the boogeyman at bay and to finally see the Blues emerge victorious.
And then we won, and we were all snapped back to the present. The gorgeous, beautiful, celebratory present.
Soak it in, Blues fans. It's been a long time comin'
Man, it sure is hard to stay optimistic when the Blues blow a lead like that. It's nice that we had a lead to begin with, I suppose, but it sure would have been nice to have held it, or extend it even. But, alas, we did not, and now the series comes back to St Louis for Game 7. Game 7s are like overtime - a virtual coin flip. It shouldn't have come to that, but now it has, and it now falls upon the Blues to close this out on home ice. I'll be there, and I hope you all can too. Until then, here's a reaction to tonight's game with us and our impromptu guest, Jeff Quirin.
OK, have you recovered yet? We haven't quite, as you can probably tell from our voices. As we say on the show, this was a hell of a game, and quite an accomplishment to even get it to overtime. It's a shame that it ended the way it did, but overall, it only changes things a little. The bottom line is, the Hawks are still one loss away from starting their offseason a little sooner than usual. Speaking of bottom lines - not quite 20,000 people at the #DrinkScotch?? Holy Crap! Talk about Rock The Scott !!
Earlier this week, Tyler said that the Blues HAD to win both games in Chicago this week. Tim said no, they just had to win one. Well.... whether they needed to or not, they did. Not only did they win, but they won in regulation, against a team that had previously answered every similar challenge, and against the odds thrown against them by some real shitty officiating. In previous years, this team would have gotten stuck on one bad goal or one bad call, and totally let the game pass them by. So far this series, they've passed up every opportunity to do so, and as a result have won a few games.
Now, we have a chance to eliminate them on our home ice. See you Thursday.
I don't know about you, but I sure feel a hell of a lot better about this team and this playoff series. The Blues #RoarBacon back to tie it up and then score the game-winner in the third to win in regulation against the Blackhawks. Of course, they'd win in regulation in the afternoon game.... they're saving the triple-overtime for Thursday and the 8:30 start, I'm sure. Each game is it's own battle, so Tuesday will be a whole new struggle. But for now, soak in the victory of today and celebrate. We'll be back at it again in prime time later this week. If we're lucky, we'll get to see Sad Kane again before this series is over.
One of the benefits of doing a podcast is that you have a chance to just talk things out. The talking cure is one of the best for whatever bothers you. It still doesn't get us that game back, but at least I feel a little better about it. Go ahead, get it out of your system, then get the game face back on for game 3. All lot of things went right for the Blues, and if they keep this up, things will be just fine. Win this series, nobody will care about what happened tonight.
Well, on the bright side .... at least it wasn't in Triple OT this time around.
The Blues win 1-0 on a David Backes shot (?) that deflects off of Trevor Van Reimsdyk's skate and past Corey Crawford. After the way the game went for the 60+ minutes, you kinda knew it'd be a goal like this that ended it. Meanwhile, Brian Elliott gets the shutout and proves he belongs in that crease. So, thanks TVR!
Catch up with our postgame thoughts, eh?
It's the Moooost Wonderful Tiiiiime of the Year!
But first, we quickly recap the end of the regular season. Several games are covered, with wins, losses, milestones and heck - even goals by Magnus Paajarvi and Robert Bortuzzo happened! The heart of the show, however, is finally getting a chance to talk to our buddy and #FancyStats -whisperer Robb Tufts. He talks to us about watching the season finale amongst Caps fans, and also what he has found when looking at the Blues through the analytics prism. We talk about the goalie controversy/non-controversy, and also the nature of goal-scoring stats. It's always a fun time catching up with Robb. At the end, catch our Blues/Hawks predictions - one of which might come as a surprise to you.
The times, they are a-gettin' weird. For the first time in the history of Beyond Checkerdome, we do not mention a single goal allowed. How nuts is that? We talk about the amazing streak of Brian Elliott and the add-on that Jake Allen put on in Washington. We share some deep thoughts about the state of Blues goaltending (spoiler: it's pretty damn good) and the nice problem Coach Hitch has for the playoffs. Also, we talk about the Calder favorites, and how it's impossible to pick the best rookie from this team - much less one for the whole league. Some wild speculation and neuroses are hashed out, and of course some chuckles along the way.
How's that for a bounce back? After a big streak the Blues crashed and burned in Alberta, but rebounded nicely against the Canuckleheads. Six Flags may be closed for the winter, but the St Louis Blues have all of your roller coaster needs covered. We marvel at the voodoo of the Calgary game, and the failure of special teams in Alberta. The Vancouver victory is covered, as we got to see the much anticipated return of Carl Gunnarsson. Oh yeah, and that Brian Elliott guy, too. He was pretty OK. There's a nice rant about Paul Stastny, and we're getting close to a healthy team again. We talk about expansion in the NHL and NWHL, and the ramifications the ladies will have on "Capital H Hockey". All that, and much much more!
We're a litte late in getting this out this week, but that might be a good thing. This was recorded before the Calgary and Edmonton debacles. We were still riding the high of the winning streak that carried us through the top teams of the Western Conference. These games went 4-0, with goals from the usual suspects like Ryan Reaves and Patrik Berglund. Also, there was a disturbing trend that we've noticed before on the show - blown leads. There's the re-signing of Carl Gunnarsson and the return of Jori Lehtera from injury. We condemn the only player in the NHL that could compete with Shaw for general fuckholery, celebrate the conclusion of the CWHL and NWHL seasons, and rise to the defence of Dmitrij Jaskin. All that, and some other capital-H Hockey.
There's a lot of ground to cover this time around! We have 6 games to talk about, yet more injuries that have happened, but also some returns. The Ryan Reaves hit and suspension also gets discussed. You also get to hear about our own personal highlight - the road trip to Nashville for drinking, hockey, drinking, eating and more drinking. And then there's the lone Blues trade, and our thoughts on the inactivity at the trade deadline.
We're back with another episode! This was recorded on Friday, so things were a little rosier then. We celebrate a 3-0-0 week, starting with a successful conclusion to the Dad's Trip. Did we see a Robby Fabbri fight? Yes, yes we did. We also saw some bizarre goals from Jaden Schwartz and Patrik Berglund. While the youngsters stepped up, the whole streak really belongs to Brian Elliott. What a past couple of weeks he's had! So good, that it actually makes us a little paranoid- which we expand on as well. We actually disagree on a few things. On top of that, there's the Dennis Wideman hit on an official and, as predicted last week, the firing of Mike Yeo in Minnesota. There are also a couple of other odds and ends, including something that you heard first right here a couple months ago.
Well, that wasn't so bad, now was it? This past week saw the Blues go 2-1-1, with an offensive explosion of 11 (count 'em, 11) goals and a good start to the Dads Trip. We talk about each game, including the marvel of the first ever shotless shootout and the triumphant return of Jaden Schwartz . Also, we cover the Alex Pietrangelo injury and the resulting Peter Harrold call up. There is big news for the Winter Classic of 2017, and we rant for awhile about the multiple failures of NHL.TV and NHL.com. Before we even get started, there's a giant spider involved.
We hope the All Star break was as good for you as it was for us! But now, it's back to work! This time around, we're joined by Dan Bradley from On The Forecheck and The Predcast. He partied it up with our own Larua / Hildymac, and was also credentialed for the All Star Game and the related festivities. He has some great stuff to share with us about the players and media that he interacted with, and also has some thoughts about the Predators - Blues game on Tuesday. We talk about the much-rumored Drouin trade, and how a former #17 might be useful in that transaction. There's a slight programming change, and a notable First with our show.
We're back and we hope it's worth the wait. We have a few 16s to talk about, including THE Number 16, the original Ambassador of Fun, Brett Hull. There are 5 games to cover, and the 3-1-1 record that they resulted in. The coming and going of Andre Benoit (balls) and the other roster changes due to injuries is discussed. Hope for the future with players getting healthy, and pride in our past is basically the name of the game. We send off Rik Wilson, and his career with the Blues and the Vipers (RHI, Baby!). Somehow, MISL gets involved. Come find out how.
Well, wasn't that a humdinger of a week? In this episode, we walk down memory lane with the #15 , with a couple of interesting stops. We also cover the New Jersey and Carolina games, and especially the hijinks involved with the Devils. We preach the gospel of Ryan Reaves and his role, as well as celebrating the firsts of Ty Rattie and Jordan Binnington. We laugh at early adopters of young players, and the early Caps years. There's also some final thoughts on a possible Drouin trade. All this, and much much more!
We're back, and this time we've brought a friend along! This week we're joined by Jason Martine of the Blues Hockey Podcast. We went really long this time around (sorry Dan!) but this week has put us all in a talky mood. First, we learn a little more about what's happening with the BHP, and their hiatus. There's a lot of history in the number 14, including Wick and Courts, and then there's this past week of wacky bizarro-world hockey games. There's a few rants involved, and some ideas are tossed around. We're not afraid to disagree. Of course, as we like to say... Nobody Knows Nuttin'.
Well, it's a new year, but I wouldn't characterize the Blues fanbase has "happy" just yet. This week is a little long because we were a little rant-happy this time around. There are some terrific stories behind the #13, even reaching up to the current roster. Also, a week's worth a games that left us a might uneasy. Along the way, we talk about Coach Hitch, other coaches on the hot seat, player usage (looking at you, Troy Brouwer ), and on-ice discipline. Crack open a cold one, serve up some Chicken Parm, and give it a listen, eh?
Happy New Year!
Once again, we have a number chock-full of history. From multiple Cup winners, to cup-of-coffee NHLers. We have the death of one legend back in the 70s, and the more recent passing of the great Dickie Moore. Swinging sticks and big trades also come up. Then we turn to modern times, and see that we have the Jekyll-and-Hyde Blues once again. Two sets of back-to-backs, and lots of conversation fodder. We debate the merits of Magnus Paajarvi playing on the top line, and also the proper usage of rookies like Robby Fabbri. Are we seeing the OT get “coached” already? Maybe so! And of course, don’t forget the beer. Always, the beer…
Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope you found everything you were looking for under the tree this morning!
In this episode, we talk about the #11s in Blues history, as few as there were. Of course, there was THE 11, the man who's number hangs in the rafters. Also, a lovely 3-game winning streak that makes things look a little rosier for Blues fans than the week before. A critical look at the Jets, and the Preds and Flames games are covered too. Join us as we have a good laugh at the talents that have left Boston. And then there are tangents as always - goofy rules, stock vs cash, and the importance of the regular season.
The Blues have been really ... something this past week. Sometimes they're good and they win, sometimes they pour it on, and lose. Other times they're pure crap ... and still somehow win. And of course, there are the absolute worst games that they deservedly lose. Lately, we've had all of the above. In a similar manner, our history segment is chock full of variety. From Miracle heroes to teammates of Slap Shot villains, from the WHA to the NHL and back again, we cover a LOT of ground. We discover what happens when GMs get drunk, get hungry, and make a trade by accident. And of course, a few chuckles along the way.
In an effort to mirror the team we talk about, we decided to show up late and put in a half-assed effort. Actually, we've had to battle some technical difficulties for this one, but we persevered and are finally able to publish. Faulty microphones and noisy neighbors are no match for this fully armed and operational podcast. We talk about a couple of games, from the Columbus win to the Panther/ Maple Leaf shit-shows. There's also come discussion of #9s of yore, and the John Scott ASG fan campaign. Somehow, we also squeeze in Yankee candles and hockey player entrepreneurs ...
Right off the bat, we have to apologize for the rough sound quality... it seems the Gods of Technology were not with us when we recorded this. Trying to clean this up even a little bit was enough to drive anyone nuts. Ironic then, that one of our number 8 jerseys had the nickname "Mental Case". It was probably pretty deserved, as you'll hear. Obviously, there's a lot of love for Barclay Plager as well. Then we cover the three games, where 4 out of 6 possible points is probably better than the team deserved -but we'll take them nonetheless. And finally, there's the recent goal-scoring panic, and the resulting ideas that have come out about that. All told, quite a bit of craziness.
Hello there, friends and fellow Blues fans! We recorded this on Saturday afternoon, when things looked a might different than they do now (welcome back Stastny!). Much like last week, there's a rich history behind the #7 sweater for the Blues, and we discuss that. I guarantee you'll learn something (try not to hold it against us). Also, we talk about a few games, and some things we've noticed with the ice time of one Mr. Peter Angelo. There are a few odds and ends, and we of course want to ask you all about the current wave of panic over the lack of goal scoring. And then there's the kerfuffles and rabbit holes that always happen, too...
Who knew that a 1-2-0 week would have so much to say? We spend a lot of time on the history of the #6 with the Blues, since there been several players wear that number, and have long and distinguished careers. Pick one at random, and odds are pretty good he's coaching somewhere. We talk about the week that was, with a great start and a bummer of an ending. Also, there's an amusing story of your typical Chicago meatball fan. And the critical question on everyone's minds... how will St Louis remember the Martin Havlat Era?
This week sure started off on a low, but boy did it improve as it went along. This time around, we're talking of the #5 in Blues history, and not just the obvious ones. But those, too. Also, the week's worth of games, and the accidental meme that was sizzling across social media Thursday night. There's also some good conversation about the status of the youngsters on the team, and what the movements of Ty Rattie and Magnus Paajarvi could possibly mean. We also welcome Martin Havlat to the team, in our own way.
For a week that began with doom and gloom, it sure finished on the positive side! For a team plagued with injuries, the Blues came through with a 3-0 record this week. Better than expected! Our boy Ty Rattie got some increased playing time, and responded with points in back-to-back games. Better than expected! Steve Ott got an assist and - more improbably - a first star. Better than expected! Hell, We even send some compliments Ott's way, and so far the sky hasn't fallen. Better than expected! All that, plus the usual tomfoolery. Maybe this team is better than we thought - or we've been conditioned to lower our expectations. You know what they say - pessimists only have pleasant surprises.
What a difference a week makes, eh? If the Blues didn't have bad luck, they wouldn't have any at all. Losses everywhere. In our history of #3 , we of course have to remember the late Bobby Gassoff. That, of course, leads into the loss of the great Jimmy Roberts, the Original Blue. There are two losses in terms of competition, but just as bad are the losses to injury: Paul Stastny and Jaden Schwartz. The hits just keep coming. It's not all gloom and doom, though, and we manage to have a few laughs along the way. We finish on a fun note - a sort of abstract question from the ol' mailbag that will test your creativity.
Man oh man, what a road trip that was! This week we have a FULL slate of games to talk about, with plenty of goals and firsts and fun stuff to cover.... but also some bad habits and injuries as well. All in all, a lot of positives in the end. We cover a lot of history also, first with the number 2 but with the overall franchise too. That's because of our guest this week- Kat a/k/a @RunsOnDuncan. She was a Blues fan for this week (she picked a good one!) and she has a VERY interesting perspective to share. She had a good experience being one of us for a while, and she has a great story to tell for her time as a Blues fan. Easily, one of the best angles we've covered on the show.
We made it, Blues fans!! The long offseason is over, and we actually made it to the new season! Hockey is here, and wouldn't you know, we have something to say about it. This is all about firsts, debuts, and beginnings. We have actual games to talk about - the home opener against the Edmonton McDavids, and then the road trip beginning with the Wild. There's the first goal of Robby Fabbri, and the first fight of Joel Edmundson. The debut of Connor McDavid was (thankfully) uneventful. And then there were the inaugural games of the NWHL - something you'll want to keep an eye on. We have a wonderful question about jerseys, and of course we talk about players who wore jersey #1. That, and a few other things come to mind.
Hello there, gang. Listen, this was a special occasion, so we thought we'd try something different: a live show. No post production, barely any prep, just .... let it out all hang out there. Anything can happen, and boy, it sure did. It was fun, it was loud, it was chaotic, and it was random. Chalk it up to learning, and just simply trying something new. We were able to talk a little about the Blues "bonding" trip, and the roster cuts thus far. Also, what some of our expectations are for this year. You'll hear some other voices as well, and maybe even a squawk or two. It's all there.
Give it a listen, eh?
The season just keeps getting closer and closer! This week, we talk about the progress of camp, with cuts and releases already sending players back to their other leagues. How will history remember the Stu Bickel era? Colton Parayko and Joel Edmundson continue to impress, as well as Robby Fabbri . There's been a few preseason games, and we talk about those as well. It's just the preseason, after all. We also discuss the Erik Johnson and Brent Seabrook contracts of the past week. There's more to the Todd Ewen death than what we knew last week, so we talk about that a little bit. And of course, we begin the show talking about that blonde kid from Brantford, Ontario that did pretty OK with hockey.
Do you smell that? That's the new-season smell... or at least I hope that's what that is.
On this episode, there's a lot of ground to cover. There's the usual off-season and pre-season injuries, and some good news about Jori Lehtera in particular. Congrats to Paul Stastny on the imminent birth of his first child - with Oshie and David Backes and now Paul, there sure seems to be a lot of that going around. And while some things are just beginning, other things are ending. We salute some Blues players that have retired lately, and also celebrate the late Todd Ewen. RIP, Animal. Other topics include the Kane appearance at Chicago's camp, and also a bonus chat we recorded at the Scottrade Center after the first public session of training camp.
It's beginning to look a lot like hockey season!
As we say in this episode, its the most wonderful time of the year. Fall colors, cooler weather, baseball starts to become interesting, and hockey camps are on the way. We talk about the Jori Lehtera and Patrik Berglund injuries, and who benefits in terms of ice time. We also cover the PTO invites to Scott Gomez and Scottie Upshall. One of the annual milestones to hockey season, the Traverse City Tournament is coming up, and we also discuss the legacies of Al Arbour and Bryce Salvador. Stick around, and you'll also find out what #ByTheBrouwerOfGreyskull is all about.
Hello there, and welcome once again to another episode of Beyond Checkerdome. There's not much happening these days, but there are some notable stories. Of course we talk a little about the Kane situation, and what's happening in hockey twitter as a result. And the other big news event, the deal with NHL and Adidas and the possible ramifications for jersey ads. We have some fun connecting appropriate sponsors for various teams. Also, we attempt and fail spectacularly at cribbing off of another podcast. I guess there's something to be said for preparation...
Hello again! The dog days of summer are here, so there's not much to talk about... but that's never stopped us before, right? It's a special episode for us, as we actually got to sit in the same room and do our thing. We talk a little more about the team's efforts in free agency, and spend more time talking about some season-ticket holder events and news, and about a Q&A with Blues owner Tom Stillman. The biggest news of the day was the deal that the NHL signed with MLB Advanced Media. That and some other events and trends leads us to discuss the bigger picture, what we've heard called "Capital H Hockey".
Well well well, what a couple of weeks we've had. As the hockey news cycle dies down, we have a chance to look over the free agent signings over the past while. There are several new faces in new places, but some familiar ones as well. We're still giddy about the Blues signing Vladimir Tarasenko long-term. There are some questions about what is happening with the Blackhawks and the Stars this offseason. Some free agents were good value pickups, while others were just outright hilarious. We talk about the Super Schedule, and also some really good articles here on Game Time. Lastly, we talk about the OT changes for the upcoming season, and the chances for expansion soon. And of course... the usual tangents...
Ok everyone, you can exhale now. Vladimir Tarasenko signs, 8 yrs / $60 million, with a cap hit of $7.5 million. Not too shabby.
Well, that was a real hell of a week, eh? Obviously, the focus of the show is on free agency and the TJ Oshie trade. We talk about the re-signing of a few players, and the new faces that we'll be seeing this year in a Blues uniform: Kyle Brodziak, Jordan Caron, and Peter Harrold (OK, maybe in a Wolves uniform) as well as Danny Kristo and Konrad Abeltshauser - the Big Fucking German! Then, of course, there's the big trade, Oshie for Troy Brouwer, Pheonix Copley and a third round pick. We also expand on our mutual disgust with the Bernie column about the Oshie trade. That, and an interesting thread that connects those 3 free agents.
Well, it looks like the big draft-day trade that everyone was expecting for the Blues didn't actually happen. That's OK, though, because that means we have a fresh crop of youngsters to talk about this week. Six shiny new prospects that can now wear the Bluenote proudly (including one that probably already did). In addition to the picks, there were several trades by the other teams, so we talk about those - including a bit of a rant about Masshole journalists. We also cover the NHL awards and the loopholes that GMs can exploit.
This weekend is the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, so it is only apropos to bring on the Game Time Prospects Department to talk about it. Brian identifies a few players to look for with the Blues pick in the second round, and opines about a few other players. There are also some high-quality hockey names in the draft, too. We also talk about some of the players from the St Louis area that are getting draft attention. We cover goaltending and the RFAs amongst our prospects. We also discuss a little more about Barret Jackman scenarios, and some of the crazy trade rumors we've seen lately. There are some bold statements from Brian, so give it a listen, eh?
This week we're honored to be visited by our friend Joe Yerdon, currently writing for NHL.com on the Buffalo Sabres beat. It's always a blast to talk puck with Joe, and it gets fascinating when we talk about his front row seat for all of the Buffalo drama. We talk about their prospects like Sam Reinhart and Mikhail Grigorenko, and an upcoming one - some nobody named Jack Eichel or something? Joe was also covering the recent NHL Draft Combine that was in Buffalo, and we do a little brain picking about that experience. How will new coach Dan Bylsma tackle the challenge there? There's also some speculation about the role the Sabres will play in the free agent and trade markets. They have the picks, cash, and cap space for offer sheets- Hmmmm...
It's really interesting to see how things are going on in Buffalo, and of course see what lessons can be learned and applied to our Blues.
How about that Stanley Cup Final, eh? What a series!
This week, we shift our conversation away from coaching and look more at the options for change on the Blues roster. One note from this week, though, is that another team asked about Hitch before he re-upped with St Louis. But enough about that: where might some of #OurBlues end up? We talk about the Ottawa option, and the Brian Elliott rumors. More than that, there's speculation running amok in the run up to the NHL Draft. We discuss which teams are more likely to be trade partners with the Blues. Also, the free agent market and who'll be available as cap casualties. We play "guess the contract" with the Vladimir Tarasenko negotiations. And then there's the cap itself - what will the NHLPA do with their escalator option? All this and more!
The news is out, and we've finally gotten the word: Hitch is back for one more year. One of us likes the idea, the other is a little less enthused. We get to dissect the Hitch press conference and what the coach and the GM had to say. There are a few things that we took away from that. Reckless. Two Cores. Yadda Yadda Yadda. There are Free Agents to sign, and maybe some changes we'd like to see in the team's skill set. Where does Paul Stastny fit on this team? We also talk about the Jordan Schmaltz signing, and the Stanley Cup Final. All that, and more!
Welcome back my friends, to the coaching decision that never ends. Another week has gone by, and still no word on who the bench boss next year is going to be. Although, the dominoes have started to fall: new coaches in Toronto, Philly, and Edmonton are all decided. Surely, our own decision isn't far behind. There was news though: we have a new Assistant General Manager in Martin Brodeur. There's the latest on Vladimir Sobotka, the comic end to the Babswatch saga, and of course the playoffs as well. This might be the most disagreements we've ever had on the show! The best part though, is a prediction that came true - but you'll have to pay attention to find out what it was.
Once again, we're sitting here on pins and needles, waiting for news about the Blues coaching situation. This week, we're joined by Tim Wiemers, cover writer for the Game Time paper and long-time contributor to the site. We talk more about some options the Blues have, and also what player moves we could see happening. We prioritize the free agents on the current roster, and talk a little about LEADERSHIP! Also, we discuss the annual "there's not enough scoring in the league" complaints, and have an idea or two about that.
So far, it's been pretty quiet in the land of the Blues. This week we discuss what might be happening in the Blues front office, and who might be on the mind of Doug Armstrong to replace Ken Hitchcock. Some of the names might surprise you! (tease). Also, there's been some GM changes already this offseason, and of course the playoffs are still happening. There's an argument for bringing back Hitch with other coaching heads to roll. In the midst of everything, there's some computer repair tips. We're impressed with a new website, and underwhelmed with the upcoming UFA market. All this, and more!
Hello there! Now that we've let the blood cool a little bit, it's time for us to take a look at the Blues playoff exit and what went wrong. We take a look at the D, the Forwards, and the goalies, and who's RFA vs UFA this offseason. There's a few rumors already swirling, and those are discussed as well. Who is good as gone, and who'll be back next year? Who do you want back next year? We have a great listener question that touches on what new faces we might want to look for on the free agent market. Ultimately, it's an autopsy on this dead season. Come listen to us play doctor!
Wait .... that didn't sound right ...
On this Quick Shot, we started off strong.... took a break in the middle, and then had to try to pull it together at the end. Sound familiar?
Mission #ShotsForGoals was a complete success. Now .... can they just do this two more times? And then 12 more after that?
Hello again, Blues fans! Take a journey with us back in time, to a much happier and simpler era. The Sun shone brighter, the beer was colder, and the Blues were still tied up in their series with the Wild. To help us take a look at games 1 and 2, we're joined by Tony from Hockey Wilderness. We talk about the series so far, what we each want to see (and avoid) in round 2, as well as taking the temperature of Wild fans on a few different topics. We share some common opinions about Steve Ott, and also speculate what Ilya Bryzgalov would be like as a filmmaker.
If you listen to this tonight, you'll already have put in more effort tonight than the team did. Pour another stiff one and check out our reaction to tonight's traveshamockery of a game.
Vova owes me a hat, but I don't mind. Reaction to game 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Blues, a 4-1 win.
Here's a quick conversation about Game 1. We'll do these as un-numbered episodes to react to the games as they happen. Enjoy!
Boy, what a difference a season makes, eh? This time around, the Blues are giving us all kinds of reasons to be confident going into the postseason. This week, we're joined by Game Time's own Brad Lee to talk about the closing of the regular season and the upcoming first round series against the Wild. We discuss officiating (bet ya can't guess which game's recap that comes up in), your playoff starting goalie, and the defensive core of the team. There's a pet theory about who the Wild resemble, and also the usual history, brews, and tangents. At the end, there is some news about the playoff editions of the Game Time paper, and a challenge to our listeners.
Hello there, friends! We're back, and still savoring that win over Chicago. We have some good brews to share, and also a couple of games to recap. They got better as the week went on. You could say it's almost information overload, the stuff we want to talk about. There's a butt-load of drama over player preparation. Then there's the budding goalie controversy (is it that time of the year already?). Poor Jackman is getting run by players, especially the piece of shit in Chicago. It's the playoffs, so everything is getting cranked up to 11...
The Blues are never a dull moment, are they? This week we start with the only #80 in Blues history, who was a heavy hitter himself. Tangents include minor league hockey and our favorite rabbit hole, old draft picks. There were only two games to cover, but they were so different they really summarize the season as a whole. Ups, downs, and scoring from unlikely places. Some concerns about goaltending and team defense are shared. And of course, we're still eyeballing the playoffs and the matchups we see coming down the pike. Bottom line- we don't care who we play.
This week, we cover the first and only #79 in Blues history. There were some pretty interesting names in his draft round, (you'll see what I mean) and we're glad to have him back. We recap the last home game, and then the road trip thus far. We recorded this after the Detroit game, so... you can bet we have some thoughts on THAT. Other topics and tangents: the trouble with evaluating goalies, #FirstPlaceProblems, officiating, our further love for Finnish players, the Beyond Checkerdome drinking game, and the passing of CapGeek founder Matthew Wuest. Also, what role does Sobotka have in the Blues future?
Another week in the books! This show has some technical difficulties, but we hope you can soldier through it. We cover the 3-1-0 run of games, with improbable goals and non-goals all over the place. The Blues get a little pass-happy, but it does result in a pretty goal this week. We complain about the goaltending, only for Brian Elliott to get a shutout (after we recorded, of course, as is tradition). There's a #78 in our history, and we continue to look at the ever-changing playoff picture. There's a new 4H in town, and a challenge for our listeners, too.
Hello there, Blues fans! This week brings us some unique beers and a trio of 77s to cover. Also, a couple of games to recap: Philly and Toronto. Not to give it away too much, but one went really poorly, and the other went pretty well. We also talk a little further about the trade deadline, and our first impressions of Robert Bortuzzo and Olli Jokinen . We both have some questions about Coach Hitch's decisions regarding goaltending, too.
Hello there, boys and girls! We're back, and what a show we have for you this week! First there's the week in game recaps, with some ups and downs (mostly downs). The closer we get to the end of the season, the more directly we can connect these points to possible playoff matchups. Weird goals, soft goals, comebacks, let-downs .... all now have a little more weight to them. The biggest news, of course, are the trade deadline moves by the St Louis Blues and the rest of the league. To give us a hand, we're joined by Dan Bradley of The Predcast and SBNation's On The Forecheck. He gives us another perspective on the day's activity, the #Perds and the Central Division playoffs, and some important instructions on one of the new Blues - Olli Jokinen. Something about not feeding him after midnight, and not getting him wet, I think. Also, of course, we talk the additions of Robert Bortuzzo, Zbynek Michalek, and Adam Cracknell. Also also, a fond farewell to Ian Cole.
Hello again Blues fans! This week's episode is our longest one yet, with so many things to talk about. First off, we're lucky enough to be joined by the singular Sarah Connors from Stanley Cup of Chowder. She's an old friend of ours, so we wanted her perspective on the Boston game, but also needed to collect on a bet. We cover the other games of the past week, and the lousy play that connects them all. There's the Eastern Conference playoff picture, NHL firsts, bag skates, a historical look at the Blues' record leading up to past trade deadlines, and continued talk about expansion draft scenarios from some more listeners. Tangents include EPL teams and players, F1 teams, and hockey travel stories because, well... Sarah. It's all a blast, and we were just having too much fun to quit.
After a little shorter gap than usual, a spankin' fresh episode of Beyond Checkerdome is ready for consumption. We finally have some jerseys to talk about (betcha can't guess who it is), and some interesting Blues wins to recap. There's also the Evander Kane trade to review, and some speculation about the teams involved. We go over the hypothetical Expansion Draft protection lists we prepared, and another from one of our listeners. Lots of interesting ideas all around. Please send us yours!
Hello there, and welcome back! It's been a while since we've had to talk about losses, but we have some of those this week. We cover the week that was, how the two losses were completely different, and what we saw from the win against Tampa. Oh yeah, and we played Buffalo, too. We focus on Ian Cole, and the Joakim Lindstrom / Ty Rattie fan debate. We look forward to the playoff seeding, and talk about the Evander Kane soap opera.
There's a REALLY interesting listener question that we're asking you guys about first. We'll answer next week. Also, a surprising endorsement from an unlikely source on iTunes. You'll never guess...
To borrow from the great Bob Cole .... "Everything is happening!"
What a week to talk about! We have retirements, trades, streaks, injuries, call ups ... you name it, it happened. Martin Brodeur retires and joins the front office, we bid adieu to Maxim Lapierre, and willkommen to Marcel Goc. We lose Jori Lehtera, Patrik Berglund, and Kevin Shattenkirk, but gain a Ty Rattie. And, most importantly, the Blues keep on winning. No surprise, we have opinions on all of that. Also, there's the David Backes hit, the Fathers' Trip and the Game Time 20th Anniversary party - which has a story of its own. Looking forward, there are salary cap concerns in the near future, and impacts to the league overall and the Blues specifically. All of this and more!
We're part of the celebration of 20 years of fan-run papers being sold outside the Scottrade Center. We're joined by Brad Lee as we talk about the history of the paper, things he and the other editors have learned over the years, some funny stories about the paper, and of course the Blues. Not just looking back, but also looking forward at what Hitch and the team is going to do (not expecting the trade the day after we recorded it). Our playoff prospects and the outlook for future outdoor games are also discussed.
Hello there, Blues fans! This week, we get to cover more of the wonderful points streak on this home stretch. We talk about the line assignments, trade rumors, and why Hitch does what he does. There's also some thoughts about the All Star game as well. The highlight of the show is when we're joined by Steve Dangle, a Leafs blogger/vlogger/podcaster and a major influence and inspiration for our show. See how the other side sees things, and how Leafs fans are dealing (or not dealing) with their team's fortunes this season. Also, more mileage than you'd expect out of a single player in a single game for our jersey segment. Come for the Blues talk, stay for the tale of the Screech.
It's official- there's a new episode up. This week we welcome GameTime's own Hildymac, Laura Astorian. We talk about the recent run of games, with a hilarious amount of goal-scoring. We also discuss the Blues power play, "funny" fan trade rumors, Teemu and Paul, as well as the Leafs - and their newfound awe for Roman Polak. Also, a celebration of Jincy Dunne and the Under-18 Women's Team USA, and also our Blues All-Stars. There's a fun question from a listener, and more!
This week, we cover the previous week's worth of games, and then we expand to other hockey events in the world. We go from losses due to too many shots against, to wins with just too many shots (#ShotsForGoals). Players getting healthy again, and prospects getting hurt. The Blues are carrying three goalies for a while, and we had 3 prospects in the World Juniors Tournament. They are talked about, and also a local hockey player that is performing on the international stage. Also, we're expanding our social media presence, and looking at the schedule ahead. All that, and more!
Happy New Year, everyone! With this episode, we cover the last week in hockey, such as it was. Plenty of tangents of course, while the roster is constantly in flux. Injuries, returns, trade rumors, prospect call ups ... we got them all here. Video review, and a certain goalie is discussed. Also, the week ahead and some thoughts on what's happening elsewhere in the league.
Hello again, friends and listeners! We hope you have the best of the holiday season, regardless of your particular flavor of celebration. The past week's worth of games started pretty good, but the end was pretty craptacular. There may be some changes in the league in the upcoming year, due to the Canadian dollar and especially the ruble taking a dump lately. Emonton continues to swirl the drain, and flushed their coach. If the Blues' road record doesn't improve, the shit's going to hit the fan. Sensing a theme here?
We're designating a new holiday on the hockey calendar this year: StatVent. Basically, it's that point in the regular season when we get to crack open the various #FancyStats one by one, seeing what patterns and trends are showing up in the season. Look too soon, and they are meaningless... but by now, at this point, we have enough data to start drawing some conclusions. To this end, we call on our favorite #FancyStats guru, Robb Tufts, to tell us what's what. We talk about the Blues, the league, and what's new in the analytics world. Also, of course, the usual things - recapping the week, some beer chat, and the return of Physical Gestures!
This week, we spend a lot of the show looking backwards. We cover the last week in games, including the launching of the Brodeur era in St Louis. Then we look a little further back, to the lone #64 in Blues history - Nikita Nikitin . We go back further yet to give a tip of the hat to the late great Jean Beliveau. Along the way, we do our best to dispel a few persistent narratives, second-guess the Department of Player Safety, crack a few jokes, and butcher the French language. Ah well, our hearts are in the right place anyway.
So, we got to see Martin Brodeur in net for a few games, and the world didn't end. Who could've seen that coming?
This week, we spend a lot of the show looking backwards. We cover the last week in games, including the launching of the Brodeur era in St Louis. Then we look a little further back, to the lone 64 in Blues history - Nikita Nikitin . We go back further yet to give a tip of the hat to the late great Jean Beliveau. Along the way, we do our best to dispel a few persistent narratives, second-guess the Department of Player Safety, crack a few jokes, and butcher the French language. Ah well, our hearts are in the right place anyway.
Please stop by the blog post for this episode on www.StLouisGameTime.com, and take part in our poll. Thanks!
Hoo boy, what a week it has been for Blues fans. First there was the game that we lost that we should have won... and by the end of the week we won a game that we might should have lost. In between we faced Edmonton, lost a goalie, and took a look at another. Spoiler Alert: it's Marty Brodeur! We try really hard to make it sound like a workable idea. Let us know how we did. We also talk about some bad hits, and how hollow the Minnesota Wild are.
On this week's show, Tyler sips a truly unique brew, we cover the Blues' recent road trip, and then we rip and roast the weanie from Denver. Shockingly, there's a few tangents along the way, and some history as we discuss the players who've worn the number 62 in days of yore. Congrats to the 2014 HHOF class, and RIP to Murray Oliver, Viktor Tikhonov and Pat Quinn. Come find out how Magnus Paajarvi is like Morgan Freeman.
Hello again, Blues fans! What a fantastic week to talk about! We have a hat tricks of various kinds, road trips present and future, and even a trade! We spend a lot of time on the history of 61 with the St Louis Blues, and we revisit the immortal fighting debate. Learn why Tim always has the same cap on game days, and just where the heck Tyler is at.
This week, Tim and Tyler discuss Jeff Tyni, the two games this week, how good the Predators REALLY may be, how bad the Sabres COULD be and so much more.
When you guys last heard from us, we were just thrilled to have beat Chicago with a depleted roster... Who could've thunk that we'd be looking at 5 more wins in a row, despite the injuries and illnesses continuing? In this week's show, we talk about one of the more obscure Blues in team history, but also the amazing Vladimir Tarasenko (the exact opposite of obscure). Listen to us fanboy out to the Tarasenko trilogy that unfolded during this streak. And, of course, the usual tangents and tomfoolery.
As the season rolls along, the Beyond Checkerdome podcast keeps on trucking as well. This week we talk about the Blues battle with the plague, a favorite player from some tough times, the evolution of fighting, and a pair of games that looked nothing alike. Add in the usual tangents and listener feedback, and it's quite a show!
Hello there, once again! This week, we cover the first Blues road trip of the season, talk a little more in retrospect about the David Perron / Magnus Paajarvi trade, and of course some time is spent on the Slava Voynov story. Between wins, losses, injuries, shootouts, and off-ice incidents, it's been a real roller-coaster of hockey emotions. And of course, there's always more to come. We wrap up with another great listener email.
IsItOctoberYet? You bet your ass it is!!
Sorry for the length (TWSS), but we have an extra-large episode for you all this week. First, we're joined by the one and only Brad Lee for some Blues talk, and then we go into our preview for this year's Central Division. As usual, we also talk some beer and the previous 55s in Blues history. We also get the breakdown for the upcoming year for the Game Time paper.
This week, Tyler talks about his favorite ugly duckling from Blues history, Jaden Schwartz finally joins the flock, and we're visited by Perds blogger/podcaster Kris Martel from the Predatorial and the PredCast! Also, the Blues continue to lay an egg in the preseason, a tweet about last week's "whipping boy" talk, and a few other things as well!
Fall is here, and so is Blues training camp !! Thank the hockey gods!!
On this week's show, we recall 53s of days gone by, Irish hockey, holdouts & tryouts, enforcers, injuries and Camp Camp Camp!!! For-real training camp news and preseason games... can you dig it?
There's just something about that New Season Smell.
The players are flying in, skating in optional sessions, filling in their "My Name Is ____" nametags ... .It's all about to kick off! This week we talk about the fresh ice at Scottrade (aka DrinkScotch), the Traverse City tournament - and some surprise names there, plus the new rules in the upcoming season. Also, some continuing grumpiness (but no panic) over Jaden Schwartz not signing yet, and a new head of the Department of Player Safety.... and a few more odds and ends!
This time around, we talk about Tyler's Lifetime Contract, the shorter ones signed by Robby Fabbri and Colin Fraser, and the one that hasn't been signed by Jaden Schwartz. A few other roster notes, the new jerseys, the Traverse City tourney, and we also get a chance to "sell" someone on why they should be a Blues fan.
Every show has Very Special Episodes... and we're no different. On this show we celebrate a year of Beyond Checkerdome by ... doing someone else's show entirely. Take a listen as we walk down memory lane, enjoy a few shots, and celebrate the now-defunct Hockey Card Show.
Now is the summer of our thin content ... It's hard out there for a hockey podcast with no hockey going on.
This time around, we're talking about players coming and going, how to be a Blues fan (?), and the Summer of Analytics. Also, a listener asks us about an all-time Blues lineup, and our usual look back at Blues who've worn 49 through the years.
The dog days of summer are here, and we talk about some old dogs and young pups in this episode. Once again we wonder where Ian Cole fits in the roster, the legacy of Scott Young, where the recent signings fit in the overall depth chart, and Coach Hitch hits twitter. We also talk about some small stories from around the league, including the discovery of a blog where "Hockey Is For Everyone" hits home. All this and more!
This time around we are joined by the fine fellows of the Blues Hockey Podcast, Jason Martine and Chris Frank, as we form a sort of Blues Podcast Voltron. We go a little deeper with the history of 47s, Blues free agency so far ( Paul Stastny , YAY / Steve Ott, MEH), as well as the moves from a few other teams around the league. Also, we wax nostalgic about Ken Wilson, Ron Caron, and Willie McGee? We finish with a listener-provided question: Which 5 current/former Blues players would you pick for your crew to go out drinking?
What a past couple of days, eh? A fantastic draft, and then a gigantic Day 1 of Free Agency. Of course, as is tradition, we record in the midst of all of this, so we don't have Stastny reactions here. Stay tuned for those.
This time around, however, we do have: Draft coverage, reactions to the Roman Polak trade, talk of 46 jerseys of yore, and some speculation about the (then) possible Jason Spezza trade. Add in a little commentary about douchebaggery, pineapples in unlikely places, and a potato with a mullet, and there you have it.
For this episode, we're joined by Game Time's own prospects department, Brian Weidler. We have a great chat with Tomorrow's Blues about ... well... Tomorrow's Blues. There's a few familiar names, but also a few new ones to listen for when St Louis is on the clock. Of course, there are some tangents as well, because ... that's what we do.
Welcome back, Blues fans!! This time around, we wax a little nostalgic about a certain 44 from days of yore, and also look forward with some names being tossed around in the upcoming NHL Draft. We also cover a little playoff action, the Blues coaching moves, and the Brian Elliott / Joakim Lindstrom signings. All that, and a few odds and ends too!
This time around, we talk about the playoff storylines - nutshots, water bottles, and racism. Also, Blues coaching changes, Blues past, present, and future (?), and we take different sides on the playoff handshake line. All this, and much much more! Unfortunately, the Blues waited for us to record this first, before dropping the Brian Elliott signing news on us.
Well, here we are for another week! Sobered up yet? Neither have we.
This time around, we talk a little more about the decisions facing the Blues during the offseason, particularly the UFA and RFAs. We start looking forward to next year's team, particularly the youngsters coming to the big leagues next year (Dmitrij Jaskin, Jake Allen, and possibly Ty Rattie). Also, we take a closer look at next year's netminders - if not Ryan Miller, who? Tyler applies an NFL experience to the current disgruntlement some fans have with our coaching, and we get to share a reader's email and hypothetical question.
The playoff post-mortem edition is finally here, frankly a lot sooner than we all anticipated a few weeks ago. Here we talk about the losing stretch of playoff games, Tim struggles to keep his games straight, and we weigh in on a few things that happened during and after the Blues postseason. Also, we drink.
A Lot.
...a celebration of Games 1 and 2 from Round 1 of the playoffs. We talk about the heart attacks, the crotch-grabbing drama, and the general blowed-up-ness of the Scottrade Center. Also, the side benefits of Tim's playoff seats, the re-found wealth of secondary scoring, and of course the douchebaggery of Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. A few ideas about suspensions are tossed around. All that, and a beer or two...
For the very first time since we've started this little dog and pony show, we were able to record one of these live, face to face. We had a little difficulty at first (pardon the 4-minute stretch of bad audio), but we were finally able to down some suds together and talk a little puck.
In this episode, we talk about the last few Blues games of the regular season, the Shanny hire in Toronto, the coaching changes present and future in the league, where the Blues' downturn has come from (kinda), the Oshie hit/Rupp suspension, and the plethora of Blues injuries. Also playoff odds, how we feel about the upcoming postseason, and Tim's adventures on Twitter. All this, and a few other things as well! Big Thanks to the Flying Saucer of St Louis!!
This time around, we remember the Lokomotiv crash, other former Blues, and the KHL. We also discuss the week's games, Wah's theatrics, the upcoming playoffs, and we respond to a listener's email. It runs long, but we explain why ...
We are joined by St Louis Game Time's Brad Lee again, as we talk about various things. Two hat tricks in a row, regulation wins that help our ROW, and our 37th episode ... in a row. Also, our defensive depth, our scoring depth, the impact of Tarasenko's injury, and a final opportunity for the the Blues to Fuck Detroit at the end of the season.
This episode, we cover the week that was, celebrate another Oshie in the world, Blues of yore, oddball goals that were or weren't, and the week ahead. We also mention some of the feedback we got about last week's question, and what some of our competitors are up to as the regular season draws to an end. All that, and a new word is invented.... because we can.
We take some strolls down memory lane, and we cover some recent games ... and injuries are involved everywhere we go. Listen "live" as we learn about the Vladimir Tarasenko injury as we record and get our first reactions. Also, the recent GM meetings, overtimes and shootouts, and an appeal to listeners for their suggestions on a hypothetical situation. And a few other things, too!
What a week it was, too!! This episode, we talk about the future in net for the Blues, the Central Division's handling of the trade deadline, a 4-0 week of games (and how 'bout dem Swedes!) , the Canuck Collapse, ...and what double standards can let you get away with in the NHL. All of these, and a few other things as well!!
We review the first two games post-Olympic-break, and then spend a lot of time on the Ryan Miller / Steve Ott trade. There are a few rants, and we try to sell ourselves on Ott. We're still working on that, in fact. Also, we talk about the week and season ahead. Things are heating up!
In this special edition of Beyond Checkerdome, we discuss the weekend's big trade with NHL.com Sabres and Leafs correspondent and Pro Hockey Talk writer Joe Yerdon.
This week we promise to give at least as much effort as Team USA did in the Olympics. We also talk about the path to coaching in the NHL, Blues injury info, and how our boys did in Sochi. We debate how the international game compares to the NHL, a little bit of trivia is dropped, and no matter where we go- we keep running into Finns. Finns Everywhere.
This week's show is brought to you by the letter O. We celebrate the launching of Oshie's fame, cover the Olympics thus far, and get the origins of St Louis Game Time from none other than Brad Lee! Pay us a visit on St Louis Game Time to find the links to things we mention here.
Put on your Thinking Toques! This episode marks the return of our friendly neighborhood stats man, Robb Tufts. We take a moment to recap the week that was - mystery goals, injuries, blown leads, and the rest. The majority of the show, however, is focused on the wild wonderful world of #FancyStats. With the league on break, we can make references to specific statistics, and they'll still show the same when you listen to our conversation now. Follow along, if you like! Robb's first visit was on Episode 14.
The week that was includes little Russians of days past, wins and losses, and our loss of the modern day "little Russian guy". Be riveted to your chair as we research/fact check live on the air, and celebrate the Tarasenko heroics against Nashville. We plug a couple other sites, talk about some of the latest trade rumors, and review some of our draft pick trading chips.
The week that was includes a 3-1 road trip, a crappy game for Jimmy Howard, an embarrassment in New Jersey, and a controversial ending on Long Island. Also the week ahead and the re-aligned playoff structure, and more!
The Blues lose a couple games, and people lose their minds. We re-examine the hypothetical Ryan Miller trade with a listener's email, and talk about Tortorella losing his mind in Vancouver ...and a lot more!
... we talk about the great Western Canadian Road Trip of last week; Edmonton is more like Emonton, Maxim Lapierre scores magical goals, Vladimir Tarasenko is Mario Lemieux one night, and Brett Hull the next. We stroll down backup goalie memory lane, look at the remaining Blues Olympians, and cover the changes in Winnipeg.
We reach back to the Chicago win, and then the other games of this past week. The highlight, of course, is the victory over the LA Kings. Also, the Winter Classic and Team USA. Try to I.D the movie references!
This week's podcast features the Blues losing, the Blues winning, a car wreck of a 3rd period, and an actual car wreck. All that and a guest: Jesse from All The Kings' Men podcast!
This week, we review the past week's games, as well has the many problems in Edmonton, the Blues' contribution to the world of gifs, the mounting injuries in St Louis, an appreciation of all things Bryzgalov... and more!!
This week the Blues' winning streak coincides with Tyler's own streak... Also we talk about the James Neal and Shawn Thornton suspensions, the Blues week that was - especially the Leafs game, the amazing goalie depth around the league, and Chris Stewart's recent hot stick . Also also, Tim learns that victory can still taste a little shitty.
The usual week in review, PLUS, new beers are tried, the misadventures of Patrik Berglund, Olympic Team Canada, and the nastiness in the BOS/PIT game.And More!
The usual week in review, PLUS, new beers are tried, the misadventures of Patrik Berglund, Olympic Team Canada, and the nastiness in the BOS/PIT game.
Hitch is awesome, Patrick Roy is a head case, a budding court case about head injuries, the Canadian TV rights deal -and what this means for the Blues - And more! Also .. Tim does a bad Canadian accent
We take a look at the past week in Blues action, with a closer look at the epic Boston game with the help of our friend Sarah Connors.
This longer session also covers developing European prospects, the quest for local beat writers on twitter, Olympics, and trades of all types, real and imagined.
We talk the previous week, the games ahead, Blues marketing and attendance, and a few other flights of fancy, including the best novelty jersey in history...
A look at the past week of Blues action, the continuing drama of "As The Puck Turns", and the Hockey HOF inductions.
A look at this past week's action, the soap opera drama of the goons and loons of the larger NHL, and some Game Time news. "Blowback"
A wide-ranging conversation, covering Beer, Air Force Once, Willie Wonka, John Scott, the World Series.... and oh yeah, the Blues!
This week we cover the Lapierre hit and resulting suspension, but mostly focus on the world of advanced statistics with @RobbTuftsHockey.
The Blues beat their enemies, we beat a dead horse, and Patrick Roy beats the glass. We're pretty sure that last one's not just an euphemism....
Episode 10 is here! This week includes more roster moves, camp notes, minor league teams and major league pains in the ass. Also, some new beers. (SPOILERS: we liked them).
Our first guest on BC, where we discuss the game day roster, the new rules in the NHL, and more!