**** Official 2022-23 NHL Thread ****

[RockChalk]

Didn't see one, so figured with the season starting tonight, we better get one going.

Anyone have any bold predictions? I think mine might be that the Wild make the Western Conference Finals.

[Megatron96]

Let's go Blues

[Megatron96]

Wow, great goal by Kyrou

[ChiefsCountry]

Rough week to be a Chief

BREAKING: #STLBlues head coach Craig Berube has been relieved of coaching duties. Drew Bannister, Springfield Thunderbirds head coach, has been named interim head coach. pic.twitter.com/3HdE4hGJXr

— KMOX Sports (@KMOXSports) December 13, 2023

[Chiefs4TheWin]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

Rough week to be a Chief

BREAKING: #STLBlues head coach Craig Berube has been relieved of coaching duties. Drew Bannister, Springfield Thunderbirds head coach, has been named interim head coach. pic.twitter.com/3HdE4hGJXr

— KMOX Sports (@KMOXSports) December 13, 2023

As a Penguins fan we only win Stanleys after we fire our coaches mid season. except for our SECOND back to back .

[DaFace]

So what's with Blues fans booing Kyrou? I saw that he said "no comment" when asked about Berube, but led from that to getting booed?

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by DaFace

So what's with Blues fans booing Kyrou? I saw that he said "no comment" when asked about Berube, but led from that to getting booed?

Kyrou was pretty much the Berube litmus test over the last couple of years. He was the guy who wasn't buying in, who wasn't showing game to game (or shift to shift) effort. And worst of all, he looks like a guy who got paid (his big extension starts this year) and then quit. Guy's owed $60 million over the next 8 years and seems on the surface to be content cashing checks.

For the last two seasons when the veterans and staff would say "We have to stop worrying about ourselves and sacrifice for the team; do the hard work to get the wins" and stuff like that, the unspoken element of that was that they were pretty much talking about Tarasenko, Kyrou and probably Krug. And this year Kyrou has been absolutely awful. With Tank gone and Kyrou seemingly improving, it was Kyrou who was the focus of that ire because he's regressed.

Ultimately I see Berube as Kyrou's first scalp. He'll probably get another before his time in STL is done. He has the talent to be a 40-50 goal scorer but just won't play hard (and yes, Berube's was too stubborn as well). When Berube comes out and says "Our best players don't play with passion or inspiration" he's talking to Jordan Kyrou directly and Kyrou seemingly never gave a damn about it.

And then when asked about the Berube firing his response wasn't just "No comment" it was "I've got no comment - he's not my coach anymore..."

From a guy who had an icy relationship with a local hero (STL loves Berube) to respond that flippantly after being one of the most obvious reasons the guy was fired, it did not sit well. And to contrast that with Schenn's remarks and especially Binnington (who's been an immature knucklehead himself at times) it made it really jarring. So the fans were understandably pissed and let him know it.

And more incredibly, the message hit home. Hard. Kyrou was crying in the post-game interview because of the boos. Honestly, if he didn't expect that and was that unprepared for it, it does say something to me about the bubble he was living in. He HAD to know that was going to happen if he had any self-awareness at all.

Maybe this will provide that. Because a lack of self-awareness may well explain how he missed 2 seasons worth of criticism for uneven play. Maybe now he'll take some of it to heart. Honestly, I don't care if he becomes a 2-way player. Not everyone has to be that guy. If he's just a goal-scorer and playmaker who uses his speed and hands to drive the play, that's fine. But play hard. Andy McDonald was a shite defensive player and didn't always put his body on the line in his own zone, but he NEVER jaked it when driving the play. Kyrou should be a better version of McDonald.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Kyrou was pretty much the Berube litmus test over the last couple of years. He was the guy who wasn't buying in, who wasn't showing game to game (or shift to shift) effort. And worst of all, he looks like a guy who got paid (his big extension starts this year) and then quit. Guy's owed $60 million over the next 8 years and seems on the surface to be content cashing checks.

For the last two seasons when the veterans and staff would say "We have to stop worrying about ourselves and sacrifice for the team; do the hard work to get the wins" and stuff like that, the unspoken element of that was that they were pretty much talking about Tarasenko, Kyrou and probably Krug. And this year Kyrou has been absolutely awful. With Tank gone and Kyrou seemingly improving, it was Kyrou who was the focus of that ire because he's regressed.

Ultimately I see Berube as Kyrou's first scalp. He'll probably get another before his time in STL is done. He has the talent to be a 40-50 goal scorer but just won't play hard (and yes, Berube's was too stubborn as well). When Berube comes out and says "Our best players don't play with passion or inspiration" he's talking to Jordan Kyrou directly and Kyrou seemingly never gave a damn about it.

And then when asked about the Berube firing his response wasn't just "No comment" it was "I've got no comment - he's not my coach anymore..."

From a guy who had an icy relationship with a local hero (STL loves Berube) to respond that flippantly after being one of the most obvious reasons the guy was fired, it did not sit well. And to contrast that with Schenn's remarks and especially Binnington (who's been an immature knucklehead himself at times) it made it really jarring. So the fans were understandably pissed and let him know it.

And more incredibly, the message hit home. Hard. Kyrou was crying in the post-game interview because of the boos. Honestly, if he didn't expect that and was that unprepared for it, it does say something to me about the bubble he was living in. He HAD to know that was going to happen if he had any self-awareness at all.

Maybe this will provide that. Because a lack of self-awareness may well explain how he missed 2 seasons worth of criticism for uneven play. Maybe now he'll take some of it to heart. Honestly, I don't care if he becomes a 2-way player. Not everyone has to be that guy. If he's just a goal-scorer and playmaker who uses his speed and hands to drive the play, that's fine. But play hard. Andy McDonald was a shite defensive player and didn't always put his body on the line in his own zone, but he NEVER jaked it when driving the play. Kyrou should be a better version of McDonald.

Got it - appreciate the context. I knew it had to be more complex than redditors shitting on the Blues for a simple comment.

[Megatron96]

Damn. Liked Berube. Firing him might be a big mistake.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Team just isn't very talented to be honest...not sure how Berube could get more out of a popgun offensive group.

[Mecca]

It's nice the Red Wings are relevant again.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Pasta Little Brother

Team just isn't very talented to be honest...not sure how Berube could get more out of a popgun offensive group.

I think it's the inconsistency that did him in.

Some nights they look really good. Other nights they'd lose to an EHL team. I don't think they're as good as their great nights but they're definitely not as bad as the bad nights.

Inconsistency is about as damning an indictment as a coach can get. "We see they're capable of playing with and even beating quality squads when they give a shit. So why do they only give a shit every other game?"

I agree that they're probably about a .500 hockey team in terms of raw talent. But the way they've gotten there is pretty gross.

I think a coaching change was probably needed. I think Berube is a quality coach (but by no means some wizard; I don't think he ever makes another conference final, let alone wins another cup), but I think they could do better. They might do worse, but if so it'll be the last hire Armstrong makes and he probably knows it.

[DJ's left nut]

What I'd like to see is a complete sea change.

This team has built itself around "Sandpaper" for as far back as I can remember. They've simply never had an offensively oriented coach or identity. I don't recall who pre-dated Keenan but that has to be it. The Hull/Oates years. From Keenan on we've built our squads around physicality and defensive responsibility.

Now I'm not saying we're going to go steal Jon Cooper from TB, but who's the next Jon Cooper? And I'm not saying we're as talented as those Lightning squads setting the world on fire every night - but they ALWAYS seemed to get career years out of guys they brought in.

We have some really talented offensive players on the roster. Let's see what happens if we lean into them a bit. Let's see what we can do if we try to go uptempo and open up the ice to create opportunities for the young forwards. Let's see if we can start developing the Fabbri's of the roster before we end up trading them for nothing because they won't backcheck (i.e. Kyrou).

Before I convince myself that some of these guys aren't talented, I want to see what happens when we try to get the most out of what they do well rather than harp on the areas they struggle. I just see a guy like Nikita Kucherov and think "Man, would Berube have EVER gotten that kind of performance from him?" I mean the answer is clearly no, right? Does anyone think he would've? Brayden Point is a 50 goal scorer out of the 3rd round - any chance in the WORLD we get him playing like that here? Point doesn't hit. He's not a defensive stalwart. He's also not a more talented player than Kyrou - why can't we find a guy that turns Kyrou into Point?

Could it implode spectacularly? Oh god yes. It very well may. But we've never tried it - why not now? Other teams have and won with it. Why not the Blues?

[Megatron96]

I want to say B. Sutter was the one before Keenan. No, pretty sure there was at least guy in between. Berry? Whatever.


100% agree though; let's have an offensive-minded coach for once. And it seems like an ideal time for a change.




edit

It was B. Berry right before Keenan. Sutter was prior to that.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by DaFace

So what's with Blues fans booing Kyrou? I saw that he said "no comment" when asked about Berube, but led from that to getting booed?

Bernie: Blues Fans Booed Jordan Kyrou, Sending A Message That He Needed To Hear. It Can Help Him Grow Up. https://t.co/zYwoxtx6oc

— Bernie Miklasz (@miklasz) December 15, 2023

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

What I'd like to see is a complete sea change.

This team has built itself around "Sandpaper" for as far back as I can remember. They've simply never had an offensively oriented coach or identity. I don't recall who pre-dated Keenan but that has to be it. The Hull/Oates years. From Keenan on we've built our squads around physicality and defensive responsibility.

Now I'm not saying we're going to go steal Jon Cooper from TB, but who's the next Jon Cooper? And I'm not saying we're as talented as those Lightning squads setting the world on fire every night - but they ALWAYS seemed to get career years out of guys they brought in.

We have some really talented offensive players on the roster. Let's see what happens if we lean into them a bit. Let's see what we can do if we try to go uptempo and open up the ice to create opportunities for the young forwards. Let's see if we can start developing the Fabbri's of the roster before we end up trading them for nothing because they won't backcheck (i.e. Kyrou).

Before I convince myself that some of these guys aren't talented, I want to see what happens when we try to get the most out of what they do well rather than harp on the areas they struggle. I just see a guy like Nikita Kucherov and think "Man, would Berube have EVER gotten that kind of performance from him?" I mean the answer is clearly no, right? Does anyone think he would've? Brayden Point is a 50 goal scorer out of the 3rd round - any chance in the WORLD we get him playing like that here? Point doesn't hit. He's not a defensive stalwart. He's also not a more talented player than Kyrou - why can't we find a guy that turns Kyrou into Point?

Could it implode spectacularly? Oh god yes. It very well may. But we've never tried it - why not now? Other teams have and won with it. Why not the Blues?

Yeah, for years it was like the Chiefs and Blues were sister organizations of mediocrity, hiding behind "rich history" mantras and outdated strategies... you'd just as well assume Carl Peterson was running both organizations.