Given recent writings, it must seem like I’m picking on Andy Murray, and really, that isn’t my intention. I respect the coach. He’s a gentleman. I wish him well.

But the Blues are in a stunning freefall. They’ve gone 1-8-2 over the last 11. And they have the fewest wins (7) in the NHL since Jan. 11. 

And last season’s Blues team failed to finish strong.

Is there a pattern here? Do Murray-coached teams fade in the stretch?

Let’s take a look…

It wasn’t always this way for Murray and his teams.

His 1999-2000 LA Kings went 16-8-5-1 starting Feb. 9 and made the playoffs, losing in the first round.

His 2000-2001 Kings were brilliant after Feb. 22, going 13-2-5-2 and carrying that surge into the postseason, losing in the second round.

His 2001-20002 Kings (after Feb. 10) went 14-7-4-1 and qualified for the playoffs, losing in Round 1.

But since then…. fizzle.

And a pattern has emerged:

The 2002-2003 Kings went 9-12-2-2 down the stretch.

The 2003-2004 Kings were 22-15-13-5 on Feb. 10, then sagged (6-14-3-4) the rest of the way, missing the playoffs.

The 2005-2006 Kings got off to a very good start (35-23-5), but Murray was fired after 70 games because of a late 2-5 slide. It should also be pointed out that the Kings were 5-7 after he left.

The 2006-2007 Blues went 21-10-5 in their first prolonged stretch after Murray replaced Mike Kitchen on Dec. 11. But again, closing the deal was problematic; after briefly entertaining playoff hopes the Blues went 6-8-4 late.

And this season’s collapse is staggering.

A number of factors are in play. I can’t speak to the LA years and explain why his final few versions of Kings sputtered the way they did. But in St. Louis Murray inherited a lost team, and a rebuilding franchise. This Blues team has holes, lacking a top centerman and finishers. This team isn’t tough or opportunistic around the net. The power play is terrible (which makes it three years in a row for PP problems on a Murray-coached team). This remains a roster, and a work, in progress.

Perhaps the Blues simply weren’t ready to take it to the next plane, and make the playoffs. That’s entirely possible. A long, grinding season usually exposes weaknesses, and the Blues certainly have been exposed.

But team sources suggest an examination of one area of the organization: the strength and conditioning program.

This issue? It isn’t that the players don’t train hard enough … it’s that they may have been pushed too hard, to the point of fatigue. And what about their nutrition and diet and keeping the athletic engines properly fueled? Do the players get enough carbs?

 Just wondering.

That theory is making the rounds. 

I hope the Blues take a look.

BTW, here’s an update of sorts…

Post-Dispatch hockey writer Jeremy Rutherford was asked about our strength-conditioning theory during his chat Thursday on STLtoday. com, and this was JR’s informative response:

The strength coach is Nelson Ayotte, who many of the Blues (Weight, Tkachuk, MacInnis, etc.) used on an individual basis prior to the team hiring him.

This is something the Blues are currently addressing and will continue to monitor.  

Thanks for reading …

 –B