THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: David Perron was seemingly all over the ice Wednesday night, from battling in the corners to popping the puck in the net. Long term, what kind of player do you see Perron becoming? Does he have the potential to be elite, will he simply be a nice, complimentary player or will his inconsistency ultimately lead to him being labeled an underachiever?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
I don’t know if Perron will be an elite scorer in the NHL, but in my view, he will be a very productive offensive player before it’s all said and done. Outside of Andy McDonald, Perron may be the Blues’ most skilled forward. The one thing McDonald has on him is experience.

Because he’s not established, Perron has played at times this season like he doesn’t want to make a mistake. Lately, playing on the defensive stopper line, he has looked much better, probably because he’s playing looser.

In the long run, Perron will be a top-six forward who will be equally gifted at scoring and passing. But he needs to use his teammates more and not be afraid to make a mistake.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
I don’t think Perron is going to be an elite player. The “elite” tag is for guys like Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Henrik Zetterberg and others like that. Perron is not going to be that kind of player. That said, I think he can be a 30+ goal scorer someday and eventually reach the 70-80 point total. I wouldn’t be shocked, given his skill level and the fact that he’s still just 21, if he had a 40-goal season or two and a few All-Star appearances before it’s all said and done. He’ll be a Top 6 forward, a power play guy and he’ll provide plenty of highlight reel material because of his creativity. I just can’t go as far as to say he’ll be an elite player.

ROGER HENSLEY
I think Perron is insanely talented and has the highest upside of any player on this Blues squad. I also think Perron has been maddeningly inconsistent at times, which makes it difficult for me to figure out what kind of player he’ll actually end up becoming. Given, he’s only 21, so some inconsistency should be expected.

All that said, I think that Perron has the potential to ultimately be a 35- or 40-goal scorer perenially when he reaches his prime years … and given his professional start at an early age, that should come sooner rather than later and perhaps expand a few years longer than some. But the key word there is still “potential.”

This season I see Perron starting to do more things than he has in the past. I see the willingness to get his hands dirty in the corners. I see him (now that he put on almost 20 pounds in the offseason) looking for folks to hit on the ice. And I see a guy who seems to keep his head up more, which puts him more in the flow of the game with the rest of his teammates — which in turn opens up passing, both sending and receiving the puck.

But what ultimately makes Perron special are the things he can do when he has that puck on his stick. Full speed, body moving one direction while his stick and puck move the other … it’s a sight to behold when he’s on top of his game. For him to become that 35- to 40-goal scorer, Blues fans will need to see THAT David Perron more consistently on a nightly basis.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Blues kick off their season at 2 p.m. today against the Red Wings. Hockey in St. Louis finally has arrived again. Who or what most intrigues you about the 2009-10 St. Louis Blues?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
What intrigues me is whether the Blues will be able to stay healthy. Because if they stay healthy, they have a shot to be pretty good. Not only have the Blues suffered a number of injuries the past few seasons, but the injuries seem to happen to their best players. I realize that 20 guys aren’t going to play 82 games each. But the Blues can’t have a situation like last year when Paul Kariya played 11 games, Andy McDonald (46), T.J. Oshie (57), Eric Brewer (28) and D.J. King (1).

BERNIE MIKLASZ
I want to see how much Paul Kariya has left, and whether he’s still an elite offensive player. I want to see how quickly Erik Johnson emerges as the new Scott Stevens. I want to see if Chris Mason was for real. I want to see if David Perron can convert his enormous talent into 30 goals. I want to see if Alex Pietrangelo has the toughness to play in the NHL. I want to see how an ascending team handles the pressure of expectations. The Blues aren’t the scrappy little underdog anymore. They’ll be counted on to get to the playoffs and win a series and that’s a big change from the past few years.

JEFF GORDON
There are a lot of good stories on the Note, but T.J. Oshie is a real catalyst. He scores, he passes, he hits, he stirs it up. Had the Blues had him all last season, they wouldn’t have been half-dead at the holidays. A lot of national experts overlooking the Blues don’t know how good this kid can be.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
I’m most curious about the big picture. Can this team advance in the playoffs facing the likes of San Jose, Detroit, Vancouver, Chicago, etc. in the 1st round? That’s what I’m focusing on. I’d be shocked if this team isn’t in the playoffs but once there, what will they do? A lot of that, of course, will depend on what they do throughout the course of the season. If they’re reasonably healthy all season long they will be a dangerous team regardless of the opponent and if the young guys continue their rapid improvement they could make a run in the playoffs. None of that will be known, however, until the end of the regular season.

ANDY STRICKLAND (Hockeybuzz.com, KFNS)
Can they continue where they left off last spring? Having expectations to win hockey games is new territory for the St. Louis Blues. This will be really interesting to follow this season. No longer can the Blues rest on the idea that they’re in rebuilding mode. People around the NHL are expecting the Blues to not only reach the playoffs but believe they have potential to make a little noise once they arrive. John Davidson recently told me the goal this season is to have home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. In order for this to happen the Blues need consistency in their game from day one. Are the Blues, as an organization, prepared to handle the pressure to win? It’s fair to say they’re slightly ahead of schedule from where they expected to be when Dave Checketts and company took over in 2006. There will be more attention on this hockey club to begin the season than we’ve seen in years. Thanks to the dismal performances football fans are growing accustomed to watching on Sundays, more and more eyes are focused on Andy Murray and his team this fall.

Managing adversity is critical for any team in any year and there will be times when things don’t go in the Blues favor. How they respond when things get tough will tell us whether or not this club is prepared to take a step forward. The Blues have a real chance to even more solidify themselves once again in the sports community and there is little reason to believe they won’t take advantage.

I’m also very intrigued to see if this will, in fact, be Keith Tkachuk’s last season in the NHL. The guy can still score goals and if he snipes 20-25 I can easily see the Blues extending “Big Walt” for another year. Will he accept? It’s never easy to walk away.

FIVE QUESTIONS WITH BLUES COACH ANDY MURRAY

St. Louis Blues coach Andy Murray will be in Las Vegas this evening as the NHL hands out its annual awards. Murray is a finalist for the Jack Adams Award, which is given to the league’s coach of the year. Murray made the short list after leading the injury-depleted Blues to a No. 6 seed this season in the Western Conference. The other finalists for the award are Todd McLellan of San Jose and Claude Julien of Boston. The event will be broadcast on Versus, starting at 6 p.m.

I caught up with Coach Murray by phone yesterday to ask him a few questions before tonight’s ceremony. Here’s what he had to say:

Q: What does it mean to you to be a finalist for NHL coach of the year?

A: Well, my personal gratifiction comes from the recognition of our team, and the Coach of Year award is definitely a team recognition award. It’s gratifying that our players, our coaches, our support staff, our front office, our whole organization is being recognized. So it’s not just a personal thing, it’s an an organization thing … and I feel good about it for that reason.

Q: What do you think were the keys to the Blues coming together the way they did down the stretch this past season to make that incredible playoff push?

A: I think it’s the commitment players made last summer, the conditioning they did that enabled them to play at a high level all year — and play without key players in the lineup due to injuries. From day one in camp we stressed we wanted to put out a big, physical effort and that made us hard to play against. Even with all the injuries, guys played hard and never gave up. No excuses. No excuses. The idea was just to take the next game and just keep playing that way. And because we played that way, and stuck with it in first half, we were rewarded in the second half.

Q: If you could go back in time, are there things you might have done differently with the 2008-09 Blues?

A: I can’t go back in time. I don’t think, to be honest with you, I’ve ever felt that way as a coach … looking back at things you could have done differently. You do your job and things happen for a reason. You worry about the next game, not the last one. I never give it a second thought. I don’t look back. I’m already focused on the 2009-2010 season.

Q: What are you most looking forward to next season?

A: I think it’s the challenge of playing in the best division in hockey. Four of the eight teams that made the playoffs (in the Western Conference) last year were from our division. There’s three divisions, so to have four of those playoff clubs coming out of our division is saying something. You’ve got to be ready to play every night. And there’s a sense of energy and passion that the fans feel for our team, so when you step on the ice at Scottrade, you look forward to doing that. We emphasize skill and playing hard, and I’m excited about feeling the energy in our building again. But we also have to realize that we start from scratch next season and what we did last year means nothing. There are new challenges. It’s the good thing about life, meeting challenges.

Q: A six-month, 82-game schedule has to be a grind for a coach. What do you do during the offseason to recharge your batteries and get ready for training camp?

A: I try to catch up on the family time that I don’t get to have during hockey season. It’s a chance to get involved in my family a little more. It’s all about family in the offseason … if there really is an offseason. The truth is, there’s not a moment that goes by that you’re not thinking about your team, your players and what you can do to get better.

(Oh, and for the record, Murray said his vote for coach of the year would go to Claude Julien because of how well Boston played all season.)

****

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: What do you think Blues coach Andy Murray’s chances are of winning the coach of the year award?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
Murray has a realistic chance to win the award, which is voted on by the NHL Broadcasters Association. To me, it will be determined by where voters placed Murray on their ballot once the Blues made the playoffs.

It’s a given that most voters had Boston’s Claude Julien and San Jose’s Todd McLellan on their ballot already. There was probably a group of other candidates for the third spot, and it’s likely that some voters may have been waiting to see if they Blues made the playoffs before writing Murray’s name on their ballot. The question is, “Once the Blues made the playoffs, climbing from No. 15 to No. 6 in the West, where did those voters rank Murray?” Did they give him the third spot on their ballot as an obligatory vote? Or did many of them weigh the Blues’ accomplishment and give Murray their first or second choice?

Winning the award would be great, but as Murray told me Wednesday from Las Vegas, even if he doesn’t win, being one of three finalists has put the Blues’ organization in the spotlight.

JEFF GORDON
I realize Julien is getting a big push from the East Coast voters, so that really works against Murray. Andy SHOULD get the award, but I’m not sure that voters on either coast really understood what he accomplished here. This team got crushed by injuries and saw its No. 1 goaltender fall apart. Murray took a bunch of kids and fill-ins and went on one of the NHL’s greatest stretch runs. But . . . Boston had an epic regular season and Original Six franchises get a lot of love in the awards vote. I fear that Andy will get cheated.

TOM TIMMERMANN
Coach of the year is never easy to handicap because it lacks the clarity of other awards. Scotty Bowman won coach of the year twice. Twice. The voters seem to define coach of the year with who did the most with the least, and if you consider what Murray had to deal with much of the year — or who he didn’t have to deal with, Johnson, Brewer, Kariya, etc. — he got a lot out of not much. Will that sway voters? Certainly the late run didn’t hurt. Boston made a league-high 22 point jump, and they were starting at a decent 94, not a crummy 79. Todd McLellan squeezed nine more points out of a team that had 108 the year before. So this is a real tough call. I think Murray has a decent chance and is deserving, but if he doesn’t win, there’s no reason to demand a recount or cry in outrage. All three of these coaches had pretty good seasons.

ANDY STRICKLAND (Hockeybuzz.com, KFNS)
I’m not going to lay out the case as to why Andy Murray deserves to win the Jack Adams Trophy, but rather answer the question, which is to handicap his chances of winning. Murray has a decent chance heading into tonight’s awards ceremony in Las Vegas. All three finalists are deserving of the award, but I see it as a two-horse race between Boston bench boss Claude Julien and Murray. The award is voted on by NHL broadcasters and will come down to the Canadian vote. I wrote several weeks ago on hockeybuzz.com that the American vote is extremely close between Julien and Murray, (league sources tell me maybe the closest ever.) I see Julien pulling the majority of the Canadian votes considering the time he spent coaching the Montreal Canadians. Julien is certainly deserving of the award considering his club finished with 116 points. Would it be an upset if Murray was handed the award? No. Would I be slightly surprised? Yes, I would.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
I’d say his chances are solid but I get the feeling that the East Coast guy, Boston’s Claude Julien, is going to get the nod. I hope not but that seems to be the buzz.

Murray’s team lost 268 man-games from Erik Johnson, Eric Brewer, Paul Kariya, Andy McDonald and T.J. Oshie last season and that doesn’t count all the games missed by so many others. To overcome all of that with a young team that was gradually pulled together over the course of the season is quite impressive, especially when your team was picked dead last in the conference by many experts in the preseason.

Winning more games with better talent doesn’t mean you did a better coaching job. This is a “coach of the year” award, not “team of the year.” Does anyone think Claude Julien would have liked to have switched places with Andy Murray this past season?

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Blackhawks ousted the Canucks in the Western Conference semifinals last night with a young team that many thought was a year or two away. “I’m not saying experience is overrated, but the fact is, we’re not just a young team, we’re a good team,” said young star blueliner Duncan Keith. What can the Blues take from watching this series as they head into next year?

BERNIE MIKLASZ:
The Blues need more good players, period. The Blackhawks are ahead of them in the developmental cycle, and this is a reminder that the Blues are still playing catch-up. And let’s not forget that Chicago has more resources and was able to supplement an exceptional youth movement by investing heavily in a couple of free agents. The Blues are on track. Chicago is just farther along. (Bernie has more on this in his blog this morning.)

DAN O’NEILL:
There is a discernible difference between the Blues and Blackhawks in terms of talent, especially on the backline, especially where it impacts offensive transition. The Blues simply did not have defenseman of Duncan Keith’s abilities this season, to use him as an example. The Blackhawks are a step ahead in that regard, but the Blues are getting there.
With their corps of young players, with a talent upgrade on defense, the Blues could be doing what the Blackhawks are doing by next season. Keep in mind St. Louis was 4-1-1 during the regular season against Chicago
So it’s a good news/bad news proposition. The good news is, the Blues can be inspired by what the Blackhawks have accomplished, the bad news is they have to get past the Blackhawks in the years ahead to win a Stanley Cup.

TOM TIMMERMANN:
Add to this that the Penguins were awfully young when they reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 2008 and it shows that youth can go some place in the NHL. I think there’s a difference in that the Blues have youngsters who can score goals while the Penguins and Blackhawks have youngsters who can score more goals. Really good puck moving defensemen are good only when they have players to move the puck too. So there’s reason for Blues fans to be optimistic for next season; turnarounds can come quickly, but it’s also no guarantee. The Blues’ rookies aren’t Crosby, Malkin and Fleury; are they Kane and Toews? We’ll see. But it’s also worth remembering that there exists a team called the Detroit Red Wings. I wouldn’t discount the importance of experience just yet.

JEREMY RUTHERFORD:
Other than learning how to put traffic in front of Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo, the Blues won’t learn anything from Chicago’s playoff win over Vancouver they didn’t already know, nor will it give them any more confidence they can win with a young team.
Yes, the Blues and ‘Hawks have been pathetic in recent years. Yes, they have been on similar paths, rebuilding through the draft. Yes, this is the year that both teams believed they could emerge. For those reasons, the teams are rightfully linked together.
But for this season anyway, any other comparisons should be thrown out the window. The Blackhawks didn’t deal with the number of key injuries the Blues dealt with this season. The ‘Hawks had their share of injuries, but nothing like the Blues losing Paul Kariya, Andy McDonald, T.J. Oshie, Eric Brewer and Erik Johnson. If you take Martin Havlat, Patrick Sharp, Kris Versteeg, Brent Seabrook and Brian Campbell out the Blackhawks’ lineup, they’re not playing in the Western Conference Finals. Even if the Blues had everyone healthy this season, they’re probably not as good as the Blackhawks, but they’re not far off.
Also, keep in mind that the Blues and Blackhawks are both young, but Chicago’s Patrick Kane (No. 1 overall pick in 2007) and Jonathan Toews (No. 3 in 2006) are the cream of the crop. If it weren’t for Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby, Kane and Toews would be the face of the NHL. You can’t compare them to guys like Oshie (No. 24 in 2005), Patrik Berglund (No. 25 in 2006) or David Perron (No. 26 in 2007). You can compare Erik Johnson (No. 1 in 2006), but let Johnson get back on the ice.
With Johnson and with the rest of their full deck, the Blues can compete with the Blackhawks.

JEFF GORDON:

The big lesson is to stay the course. The Blackhawks stayed with their young skilled forwards and finally got the payoff. The Blues should resist any temptation to deal any of their high-end kids. These guys melded nicely during a months-long run toward the playoffs. Next spring, Patrik Berglund, T.J. Oshe and David Perron will all be better prepared to step up in postseason play. They other key for Chicago was their strong corps of offensive defensemen. That is an element the Blues lacked with Erik Johnson and Eric Brewer and Alex Pietrangelo still developing. The lack of a viable point threat undermined their power play against Vancouver. Expect a different story next spring.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Blues were still sitting in 15th place in the Western Conference as recently as early February. How remarkable was this team’s ascent to the No. 6 seed in the playoffs and what were the keys to getting it done?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
To go from No. 15 in the Western Conference to No. 6 in exactly two months (Feb. 12-April 12) is absolutely astonishing. Here’s how they did it:

• Still on the outside looking in heading into their game March 20 against Calgary, the Blues won 3-2 over the Flames with a strong third period, igniting a 9-1-1 finish in their final 11 games.

• In those 11 games, the Blues’ offense was led by its veterans: Brad Boyes (4 goals, 8 assists), David Backes (seven goals, three assists), Keith Tkachuk (four goals, six assists) and Andy McDonald (4 goals, 5 assists).

• The penalty-kill unit allowed just three goals on 43 power plays against in the last 11 games. The Blues’ PK erased 14 of 14 power plays against opponents at home and killed off 26 of 29 on the road.

• The Blues went 5-1-1 in their final seven road games to finish the regular season with a record of 18-18-5 on the road this season.

• Chris Mason started in goal the final 33 games of the regular season. His numbers in that stretch, dating back to Feb. 3: 21-7-5 overall with a 2.20 goals-against average and a .919 save-percentage.

DAN O’NEILL
It was especially remarkable with the number of young players in the lineup. Contrast the team’s finish this year with last year — night and day. The keys to the Blues’ second-half success was the emergence of Chris Mason in net, and the contributions of the “Kid Line.” Other than Mason, perhaps no one was more responsible for energizing the club than T.J. Oshie, who just seemed to change the landscape once he got healthy and got comfortable.

JEFF GORDON
In this forum and elsewhere, I predicted the Blues would not make the playoffs. How could they? There were too many teams to pass. Most of those Western Conference teams were playing pretty good hockey. The competitive balance on this side of the league was strong. For this team to climb from 15th to sixth and finish 10 games over .500 is one of the greater St. Louis sports stories ever. Even if it doesn’t carry through, this will stand as one of the greater team runs we will ever see.

ANDY STRICKLAND (Hockeybuzz.com, KFNS)
The obvious answer as to how the Blues got it done is that they got the saves that weren’t there in the first three months of the season, but it’s more than that. For example:

• The fact the Blues have had a power play that has ranked in the top ten in the league for pretty much the entire year has allowed this team to be an effective offensive club.

• The team has size … Bringing in players like Brad Winchester, B.J. Crombeen, and Alex Steen, combined with the impact David Backes has had since moving to center, has made this club a physical team that wears down the opposition.

• The Blues PK unit has been incredible over the last several weeks and that can be chalked up to Chris Mason’s ability to stop the puck.

• The Blues are about as good as it gets when it comes to D-zone execution. I have said this numerous times, but how often do you see the Blues give up odd-man rushes or breakaways against?

• Carlo Colaiacovo has given this club a defenseman who can push the offense, something this club didn’t have before he got here.

• The team has tremendous skill up front and can throw out four lines that have the ability to play in the offensive end.

• The players genuinely play for one another and that chemistry took awhile to develop.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Blues are riding a five-game winning streak and currently sit in the eighth and final playoff spot. What do you think the keys to this late-season push have been?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
You can point to many stats, but in my mind, the Blues are in the eighth spot in the Western Conference today for two reasons:

No. 1 — Preparation: This is Andy Murray’s top trait, and he gets a lot of help from assistants Brad Shaw, Ray Bennett, Rick Wamsley and Scott Masters (video). The Blues go into each game like a high school student taking a test with a cheat sheet. Their detailed preparation gives them a better chance of executing with less talent.

No. 2 — Team chemistry: The Blues have had decent team chemistry the past few seasons, but nothing like this season. The players in the Blues’ locker room genuinely care for each other and each other’s success on the ice. The Blues are one unit taking the ice each night, not 20 talented individuals with varying agendas.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Obviously, it starts with Chris Mason in goal. The Blues have the NHL’s best winning percentage since Jan. 3 and it’s no coincidence that Mason is No. 1 in the league in save percentage during that time (.925). The Kid Line has been incredibly effective; the star power of T.J. Oshie, David Perron and Patrik Berglund is shining through, just as Blues’ management predicted.

But there are other important factors. Defenseman Jay McKee is a +14 since Jan. 3 and has really stepped up his play. The return of Andy McDonald and defenseman Roman Polak from injuries has been a big help. Defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo has sharpened the Blues’ passing out of their zone, and he’s been a positive presence at the point on the power play. And while Brad Boyes is a minus-20 for the season, he’s a +1 since Jan. 3. And Boyes’ timing is good; when he scores a goal the Blues are 9-2 since Jan. 9.

Let’s not forget center Jay McClement, who is playing the best hockey of his career. McClement is often on the ice against the other team’s top line, but since Jan. 3 he’s at even in the plus-minus, is winning more than 50 percent of his faceoffs, and has nine goals and four assists. McClement is probably the team’s most unsung contributor.

And kudos to coach Andy Murray for holding this team together during the blitz of injuries.

JEFF GORDON
No. 1: Goaltending. This has been the team’s Achilles heel for some time. Chris Mason has been awesome. It all starts there.

No. 2: The kids are producing. Patrik Berglund got his second wind. T.J. Oshie is crushing people. David Perron is scoring big goals. The future is bright, yes, but the kids are good right now. Their recent play has been remarkable.

No. 3: The makeshift has held up, against all odds. Mike Weaver is playing great. Jay McKee has made himself a plus. Barret Jackman is holding up against top lines. Roman Polak is showing great poise for a young player. Give all these guys credit for pulling it together.

DAN O’NEILL
The key to any success in hockey starts with, and most heavily depends upon, goaltending. Like pitching in baseball, like quarterbacking in football, goaltending is the cure for any problem, the problem in any cure.

Chris Mason has given up some soft goals of late (follow the bouncing puck), but he has continued to make numerous clutch saves and give the Blues a chance. While Mason plays well, the Blues have to be effective on the power play. Special teams are crucial. For that to happen, they need more frequent contributions from their veterans, i.e. Brad Boyes and Keith Tkachuk.

Last but not least, they need T.J. Oshie and David Perron to keep taking whatever vitamins they have been taking, and share them with the rest of their teammates. They have been terrific over the last couple of weeks.

TOM TIMMERMANN
Chris Mason. 4-0-0 in the past four, 1.72 GAA, .930 save percentage. You can point at some other things, but without Mason, the Blues are cooked. Goalie play is a fickle matter, but you’ve got to give the Blues management credit for farming Manny Legace out and riding Mason. Talk about making the right choice.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
The biggest key of all in the Blues’ 5-game winning streak is that every single player on the team is contributing. That’s a little broad in scope, so I’ll narrow it down a bit below, but it is absolutely true. Everyone is pulling their weight.

As Bernie Miklasz noted in his “5 Minutes for Blogging” entry today, the offensive re-emergence of the “Kid Line” has been a driving force in this late-season push. T.J. Oshie has been leading the way with dynamic offensive play, gritty corner work and an amazing physical presence (Paging Mr. Nash, Mr. Rick Nash. Please come pick up your pride at the customer service counter.) Patrik Berglund and David Perron have elevated their games right alongside Oshie and it’s been a thing of beauty to watch.

It should also be pointed out that goalie Chris Mason continues to play at an elite level. Even though he’s not getting any rest, Mason is still carrying the mail. In this 5-game winning streak he’s stopped 126 of 135 shots (.933 save percentage) and made some absolutely huge saves, including in the shootout against Columbus with the game on the line.

Finally, the defensemen need to be recognized for the consistency of their play. They’ve been rolling with the same 6-man unit for a while now and they’re doing a solid job night in and night out. It may be an unofficial St. Louis pastime to find some poor defenseman and nitpick his every move, but right now there isn’t much to complain about.

It’s great to see it all come together, isn’t it?

ANDY STRICKLAND (Hockeybuzz.com, Team 1380)
There has been an absolute revival of Blues hockey in St. Louis and it has been pretty amazing to get an up-close and personal view of what has taken place. There are several keys that have allowed the Blues to skate their way back into contention.

First off, head coach Andy Murray doesn’t let these guys off the hook when they make a mistake. He holds them accountable and doesn’t allow them to become complacent or satisfied.

Since the turn of the New Year the Blues have been one of the top hockey clubs in the NHL. You can’t be a playoff team in this league without goaltending and quality special teams. The Blues rank in the top ten in both power play and penalty killing percentage. Thanks to the consistent play of goaltender Chris Mason, the Blues also have climbed all the way into the top ten in goals against average. It wasn’t too long ago the team was ranked 26th in the league in GAA.

The team is playing their system almost to a “T.” How good is this team playing defensively? The Blues have done an outstanding job of controlling their scoring chances against. They don’t give up many chances, which allows the team to be in virtually every game. How many odd-man rushes or breakaways do you see the Blues allowing from game to game? (The goal by Antoinne Vermette the other night for Columbus was a player showing incredible explosiveness and beating two guys to a loose puck.)

The Blues have the ability to counter and score better than we’ve seen in recent seasons. When they create a turnover or force a mistake they have skilled players who can make you pay offensively.

The Blues became a bigger team by adding guys like B.J. Crombeen and Brad Winchester and they use their size very well. Management deserves some credit here, as well, for pulling off a two-for-one trade in which they’ve added two professionals in Alex Steen and Carlo Colaiacovo. This move was a major turning point for the season.

The bottom line is this team was picked to finish last at the start of the year and have used the underdog role as motivation. Throughout the last 30 games the Blues and coaches have maintained a level headed approach which has their focus where it needs to be.

Did I mention Oshie, Perron, and Berglund?

OK, I’ll admit I’m having a little Bernie Miklasz syndrome tonight; I’m up writing a blog at an ungodly hour. But unpleasant dreams woke me up at 2 a.m., I tossed and turned for an hour trying to get back to sleep, so I just decided to come downstairs, get on the computer and let my mind cool off awhile before heading back to bed.

So … in that time, I decided to do a little research on a topic that I’ve been wondering about — when on the ice, which St. Louis Blues players have been most productive in scoring points? Sure, there are many more variables that figure into what makes a valuable hockey player than just points, but that’s the specific thing I wanted to know … who’s putting the most points on the board with the time they are given on the ice (TOI)?

Here’s the methodology I used. First, I looked at the top 8 scorers on the team. They were all forwards with the exception of Carlo Colaiacovo, but since his TOI included a considerable portion of the season with Toronto, I removed him from the equation and focused on the seven forwards.

How I did the equation: First, I looked up each player’s average TOI per game (I took the liberty of rounding off the number of seconds … e.g. 9.4 seconds or below rounded off to to 9; 9.5 seconds or above rounded off to 10 seconds. Not scientifically exact, but we’re talking milliseconds here. I did NOT round off minutes.) I then multiplied that individual average ice time per game by the numbers of games each forward had played to give me their total time on the ice this season. After that it was easy, I just took that total ice time and divided it by the number of points each player has on the season.

This equation allowed me to figure out how much ice time it has taken our top seven forwards to score a point. Here are the results, in descending order:

1. Andy McDonald averages a point every 18:20 of ice time

2. Brad Boyes averages a point every 22:30.

3. (Tie) Patrik Berglund and David Perron average a point every 23:55.

5. T.J. Oshie averages a point every 28:20.

6. David Backes averages a point every 29:20.

7. Keith Tkachuk averages a point every 29:40

These numbers in no way indicate the overall value of a player. Like I said earlier, there are many variables that go into the value of player … faceoffs won, situational defense even from forwards, the ability and willingness to work the boards and venture into the dark corners, etc. But what I believe it does clearly illustrate is who the most prolific point-scorers are on this team at this time.

Do with this information what you will. The question had just been nagging at me given all of the discussion about David Perron not getting enough ice time (his 14:53 minute average per game was the lowest of all seven of these players, though his scoring touch ranked in the top 3.) I don’t know that this means Perron deserves more ice time, perhaps the coach believes he doesn’t provide enough in other areas. I don’t know, I’m not a coach. But it does tell me that if this team needs a point in any given game, Perron should be shuttling in regularly.

The biggest surprise for me? Andy McDonald scoring a point in four minutes less ice time, on average, than any other player. Kudos to the club for re-signing McDonald, keeping him around for awhile.

Well there you have it. I hope the number-crunching wasn’t a terrible bore.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: After laying a third-period egg in a very important game at home against Vancouver Tuesday night, what do you think is the most important thing fans should watch for in how the Blues respond tonight at Nashville?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
Keep an eye on the Blues’ defensive play. For the most part, the forwards played well in Tuesday’s 6-4 loss to Vancouver. Andy McDonald will take a few weeks to round into form, but he looked good on a line with T.J. Oshie and Patrik Berglund. The Blues were two for three on the power play, scoring those two goals in only 1:34 of power-play time. Chris Mason wasn’t great, but he made some nice saves. But the Blues’ defense, which has played well the last couple of weeks, let them down with five giveaways. Mason made 47 saves in a 1-0 shutout win over Nashville back in November, but he won’t do that again tonight if the Blues play defensively like they did Tuesday. Look for Mike Weaver to be back in the lineup, replacing Steve Wagner.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Hockey is a pretty simple game. Tenacity matters in this sport, and the Blues didn’t have much of it Tuesday after taking that 2-0 lead on Vancouver. They backed off. This is a team that must have an underdog’s mindset. They have to bring the effort and the physical play for 60 minutes. That didn’t happen against Vancouver. The Blues went into a cruise-control mode. So they have to come out flying tonight, and take the play to Nashville. I didn’t think Chris Mason was sharp against the Canucks. Granted, he was the victim of some fluke stuff, but he’s the clear No. 1 goaltender now, and the pressure is on him to play consistently well. He’ll have to be on top of his game tonight.

TOM TIMMERMANN
Plain and simple, they need to win, no matter how it looks. They can’t afford a losing streak at this time of the season. They may be close points-wise, but it’s going to be tough to climb over all those teams since everyone is playing each other.

ANDY STRICKLAND (Hockeybuzz.com, Team 1380)
The most disappointing thing to me in regards to Tuesday’s loss was how nonchalant the Blues performed in the third period. At this time of year you can’t afford to allow the opposition to dictate the pace of the game, especially in the third period. The Blues put themselves in bad situations by taking irresponsible penalties and failing to do the little things that matter when you’re trying to protect a lead late in the game.

The Blues will try to give a smarter effort tonight in Nashville. It starts in their own end with goaltender Chris Mason, who failed to come up with the big save when the club needed it in the worst way against the Canucks. It’s crucial the Blues get a lead early to prevent the team from chasing the game.

REED LOW (Former Blue and co-host of “The Low Down” on KFNS)
They need to come out with a good start. Also they need to play with desperation … that’s what made them successful over their last 10 games. The other night the team was watching instead of forcing the play. Goaltending has to be better — they worked hard to get the lead back after a power play goal the other night and you need your goalie to make it happen after something like that. Lastly, they need to play four lines and keep rolling the bench and getting everyone in the game. After a couple periods of that you will wear the other team down because a home team will usually try to get their best players out for a few extra shifts. Stay patient with the game plan and keep it simple.

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

THE WORLD OF PETE ROSE: Of all the people I would have expected to hear speak up about Alex Rodriguez and steroids, perhaps Pete Rose would’ve been one of the last. I know steroids and gambling are two different things, but the whole pot-kettle thing bothers me. Both have admitted to breaking the rules. Period.

But Rose, the game’s all-time hits leader with 4,256, had a few things to say to Dayton Daily News’ legendary baseball writer Hal McCoy. Take this for example: “I would have got 5,000 hits if I took steroids.”

Really, Pete? Almost 750 more hits because you were juicing? Wanna bet on it?

But I will give Rose credit for his thoughts on when A-Rod said he juiced because of all the pressure he was under due to his huge contract. Here’s what Rose told McCoy: “Pressure? A lot of us are understanding in these times that pressure is signing a $250 contract, not $250 million.”

That, I couldn’t have said better myself.

ALL ABOARD: According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the Brewers are teaming up with Amtrak to try to make Wrigley Field in Chicago a home away from home — at least for one game. The report states that the first 100 Brewers fans who buy tickets to the Brewers-Cubs Sept. 17 game will get a free, round-trip ride to Chicago on Amtrak. The name of the promotion: Miller Park South. While they are only giving away 100 free train rides, all those fans and 1,500 others who attend the game will be given t-shirts that say, “Miller Park South.”

I say when you send 1,600 Brewers fans into the dregs of the drunken Friendly Confines claiming the Cubs’ home field as their own, the t-shirts might as well say, “Go ahead, kick my #$#.”

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SOMETHING TO PONDER

THIRD JERSEY UNDER SCRUTINY: It was news to this editor to find out this morning that ESPN had done a story about St. Louis Post-Dispatch multimedia journalist Darryl Swint and how renderings for a new Blues third jersey that Swint designed and delivered to the Blues back in 2003 have many similarities to the third jerseys the Blues introduced this season. I offer no opinion or bias on the merits of anyone’s claims in the story, but thought fans might like to see the story and the side-by-side shots. You can form your own opinions.

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HOME RUN HISTORY

As Albert Pujols prepares to begin his ninth season in the major leagues with the St. Louis Cardinals, here’s a look at the players who hit the most home runs through their first 8 seasons, along with how many they hit:

1. Ralph Kiner — 329
2 Albert Pujols — 319
3. Eddie Mathews — 299
4. Adam Dunn — 278
5. Ernie Banks — 269
6. Ted Williams — 265
7. Frank Robinson — 262
8. Frank Thomas — 257
9. Hank Aaron — 253
10. Darryl Strawberry — 252
11 Todd Helton — 251
12. Willie Mays — 250
13. Mickey Mantle — 249
14. Rocky Colavito — 246
15. Joe DiMaggio — 244
16. Albert Belle — 242
17. Alex Rodriguez — 241
18. Mike Piazza — 240
19. Roger Maris — 240
20. Ken Griffey — 238

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Blues were picking up steam just prior to the All-Star break. As more players return from injury, what do you expect to see out of this team in the second half? Anything specific that fans should watch for?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
The Blues won in Boston and Chicago before the All-Star break, but other than a little better goaltending, they didn’t play any better than they have the last month or two. I believe the second half of the season will be more of the same. You’re going to see the same effort, and on some nights it’s going to be enough to win.

I don’t think the Blues should count on any boost from the return of their injured players. Andy McDonald (ankle) still isn’t ready to play, Roman Polak (foot) is still weeks away and Eric Brewer (back) may not come back this season.

I’m interested in seeing what the second half has to bring, but to me it’s not about where the Blues finish in the standings. My interest is in the moves the Blues make to better themselves for next season, and which players on the roster show that they want to be back next season.

TOM TIMMERMANN
The Blues’ season will be decided between now and the trade deadline on March 4. The schedule works to their favor: 10 games at home, 7 on the road, and seven games against teams not in the playoffs as of now. (Plus one with Chicago, who the Blues have been beating up on.) So if the Blues stay healthy, they might do just well enough to get into the playoff picture and be buyers rather than sellers at the deadline, though even then they might send Keith Tkachuk to a contender for a Stanley Cup chance. But it’s also likely that in the next week or two, a loose tray table on the team plane will dislocate someone’s elbow. And if the Blues are in the picture, six of their final seven games are on the road, so they’ll need to have a comfortable edge going into the final weeks.

DAN O’NEILL
On one hand, the break came at a bad time. On the other hand, it gave a player like Andy McDonald an extra week to get healthy. The Blues played excellent hockey for at least two weeks leading up to the break, even in games they lost.

If they can continue to match that energy level and get McDonald back, I still think it is possible — not probable, with all the teams ahead of them in the standings, but possible — they could put together a streak and get back in the playoff picture. But that is entirely predicated on the club getting better than the average goaltending it got during the first half.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
I expect the Blues to continue to elevate their game. Over the last month they’re 6-6 with 5 of the 6 losses coming by just a single goal and several of those losses coming against the NHL’s elite. They also notched wins against San Jose, Boston and Chicago. All of that is despite the fact that they’ve been missing key players.

The key to the Blues’ success the rest of the way will be the goaltending. Coming out of the All-Star break the Blues rank 26th in goals against and 27th in save percentage. Just imagine where this team could be in the standings if they were getting the kind of All-Star caliber play they got from Manny last year (2.41 GA, .911 SP).

The Blues have 12 one-goal losses this season, 8 in regulation, plus two other 2-goal losses that only got that way after empy netters from the opposing team. That’s 24 points left on the board in 1-goal games alone for a team that is 9 points out of the last playoff spot in the Western Conference. With better play between the pipes this is a playoff-caliber club. The question is whether or not they have enough games to dig themselves out even if they do get things going from here on out.

ANDY STRICKLAND (Hockeybuzz.com, Team 1380)
If you follow the Blues closely you are well aware of the fact that this is a team loaded with injuries, as well as a team you can count on to provide a solid effort on most nights. With that being said the Blues are no different than any other team in that they have virtually no chance unless they get better goaltending than what we’ve seen thus far this season. It will be very interesting to see if goaltender Chris Mason is given a chance to run with the No. 1 job down the stretch. The club is nearly at its wits end with Manny Legace, and Mason will be back next season with another year left on his contract. So far Mason has struggled to solidify himself as a goalie the Blues can count on to take on the load that comes with being a No. 1 NHL goaltender.

We all love the excitement the trade deadline brings and this March is expected to be no different than the last few seasons. Obviously Keith Tkachuk will draw the most attention even though his focus remains on trying to put the Blues in position to make the playoffs. A few other players could be moved as well, including Dan Hinote, Legace, and Andy McDonald if the Blues are unsuccessful in re-signing the shifty forward.

Other things to look for include whether or not Captain Eric Brewer will return — some inside the organization say he’s out for the year while John Davidson says that determination hasn’t been made. Can Brad Boyes get hot and reach 40 goals for the second straight season? Can Patrik Berglund make a real run at the Calder trophy, which goes to the NHL’s rookie of the year? Will the Blues sign Notre Dame D-man Ian Cole and give him an NHL game or two before the season expires? I could go on and on, but these are a few things to chew on.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Special thanks to Kevin Wheeler and Andy Strickland for offering up their insights. I thought it might be fun to occasionally bring in some voices from outside the paper. Kevin and Andy answered the call to arms. Hopefully I’ll be able to snag a few others from time to time … and bring Kevin and Andy back, too, of course.

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

PUCK TALK, PART DEUX: The fun and games of all-star weekend are over and team’s get back to work on the second half of the season tonight. There’s playoff spots to be won for some, rebuilding to be done for others. Oh, and there’s a very important date looming: March 4. The trade deadline always shakes things up around the league. I thought I’d link you to a nice piece on NHL.com about the season’s midway point. They also point out six teams you’ll want to watch in the second half. (Sorry, they didn’t include the Blues.)

SUPER BOWL, INDEED: Super Bowl history is littered with players behaving badly during the week leading up to the big game. It’s no secret that some multi-million dollar players like to get out and have a little fun. Well, Tampa may just be the place. According to the Arizona Republic, there are 43 strip clubs in the Tampa metropolitan area, including a place called Mons Venus, listed amond the world’s best strip blubs by a Web site called The Ultimate Strip Club List. In fact, the clubs are so popular among Super Bowl visitors, The Tampa Tribune put a link to its Web site listing the 43 strip clubs and providing information on each to help visitors decide how they might want to spend an evening.

I wonder if there are Vegas odds on which player(s) gets in trouble this week at one of these fine establishments?

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THINGS TO PONDER

PETTITTE BACK TO YANKEES: On one hand, it’s a yawner. Yankees sign another player. On the other hand, it’s another example that some good pitchers can be had on the cheap in this year’s free agent market. Pettitte becomes the third former All-Star (this one a lefty, no less) who has signed a one-year deal in the $5 to $6 million range with lots of incentives based on performance — the others being John Smoltz and Brad Penny.

Please tell me what risk the Cardinals run by inking any of these guys to such a deal. If they are just average based on their careers, you’ve got a steal. If they are below-average, they likely still win you 12 games or so for a relatively cheap price. And either way, you can walk away from the deal in one year with no strings attached.

But what do I know … I didn’t go to GM school.

DID I SAY THAT? If you read this blog yesterday, you saw my thoughts on the insanity of Chargers general manager A.J. Smith making comments that would indicate he’s ready to run All-Pro RB LaDainian Tomlinson out of town. Well, apparently, Smith has had a change of heart.

“I just answered a question and unfortunately my response was inappropriate,” Smith told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “After reading my response to the question, I can see why it was interpreted the way it was. I absolutely meant no disrespect toward LT — none. I have the utmost respect for him on two fronts — as a player and as a person.”

Not sure why the sudden change of heart. Was it because, as the Union-Tribune reported, that team president Dean Spanos was “very upset” about the public statements? Was it because star players such as linebacker Shawne Merriman expressed anger over the comments? Or was it because Smith is a faithful reader of Round Two?

We’ll just never know.

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SUPER BOWL PREDICTION

28-17 — That’s my final score for this Sunday’s Super Bowl. The winner? Pittsburgh. Oddsmakers are still giving the Cardinals 7 points, but I wouldn’t touch that spread. My heart is warmed by the Kurt Warner story just like anyone else, but I doubt the Steelers defense feels the same. Pittsburgh will manhandle Arizona WRs Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin in a way they haven’t seen all season, and Warner may spend more time on his back this weekend than Marc Bulger did all season. There you have it.

THE WATERCOOLER

Question: The Cardinals have offered closer Brian Fuentes a two-year deal believed worth $16-$18 million. Is it fiscally responsible for the Cards to give Fuentes the three-year, $30 million-plus deal he’s seeking, or are there other options the team should be exploring right now, perhaps even handing over closer duties to Chris Perez or Jason Motte to pursue starting pitching?

JOE STRAUSS
Money and term are secondary as long as the Cardinals don’t include no-trade language in any deal. The Cardinals likely will have to reach a $10 million annual average value if another team such as the Los Angeles Angels becomes involved. Kerry Wood’s 2-year, $21 million deal with the Cleveland Indians raised the floor for Fuentes, but the Cardinals are ill-advised to raise their offer before another team enters the fray. Shorter term, less costly solutions are still available (Takashi Saito, Izzy), but there is a strong preference for Fuentes among several corners of the organization. Pace for a deal will accellerate once Mark Teixeira signs somewhere. I frankly don’t think dollars are the most significant element of a deal.

JEFF GORDON
The Cardinals should buck up and pay $33 million over three years, if necessary, to fill their most glaring need. That is not an enormous jump over the per-year dollars paid to Jason Isringhausen in his twilight years as the closer. Fuentes might be no more than an above-average closer, but strong left-handed relievers are scarce. The Cards farm system has no such commodity on the horizon. If Tony La Russa had Fuentes to mix in with Perez, Franklin, Kinney and Motte at the end of games, he could move Kyle McClellan to the rotation and lessen the need to sign another expensive starting pitcher. There is your win-win scenario.

RICK HUMMEL
I don’t think it’s fiscally prudent for the Cardinals to go to $30 million for three years for Fuentes as their closer. I don’t want to push Perez/Motte back that many years. But is either ready to assume that role now? Probably not.

DERRICK GOOLD
For several years, the Cardinals have held a hardline stance that they dictate the market for the players they sign. Once the bidding for a player sweeps him out of their preferred price range (i.e., A.J. Burnett, Alfonso Soriano), the Cardinals then take the following stance: We tried. We gave them our best offer. Other teams put a higher value on the player. … That’s swell, and they have hit more than they’ve missed (see: Kyle Lohse, Mark Grudzielanek, David Eckstein). But when it comes to a luxury item — like a lockdown closer — the Cardinals cannot afford to be handcuffed by their refusal to play the market. It’s arrogant to believe that the price the club attaches to a player is the price the club should pay. Sorry, this isn’t Priceline. This is eBay. Demand dictates. There is ample evidence that the Cardinals could have been a legit contender with a lockdown closer last season. Tony La Russa called Fuentes and the ninth inning a “No. 1 priority.” If they believe the Kid Closers aren’t ready, then they should be prepared to pay for the best (and healthiest!) option available. Three years, $30 million? If closer is the priority, that may be the pricetag of contending.

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

SO YOU THINK IT’S BAD NOW: Decimated by injuries, the Blues have lost four in a row and fallen into the cellar in the Western Conference with a 12-15-3 record. I hate to say it, but it can — and likely will — get worse. In fact, with the Blues’ remaining December schedule this team could be looking toward next season as soon as Jan. 1. Take a look at what’s coming and tell me you don’t see a Blue Christmas:

Dec. 18 @ Washington: The Capitals are 19-10-3, good enough for third place in the East.

Dec. 20 vs. Minnesota: At 15-13-1, the Wild is the only remaining December opponent that would not make the playoffs today. They are one point out of 8th place in the West.

Dec. 21 vs. Boston: The Bruins are steamrolling teams. They are 21-5-4 and in first place in the East.

Dec. 23 @ Detroit: Hey, it’s the Wings. 20-6-4 puts them in second place in the West.

Dec. 27 vs. San Jose: The best record in hockey at 25-3-2 is good enough for best in the West.

Dec. 28 vs. Anaheim: Cheese and quackers, the playoff contenders keep coming. The Ducks are in sixth place in the West at 17-12-3.

Dec. 30 vs. New Jersey: The Blues close out 2008 against the 16-9-3 Devils, who hold the seventh spot in the East.

That, my friends, is a tough row to hoe. You could bring back Paul Kariya, Andy McDonald, T.J. Oshie AND Erik Johnson and be lucky to get more than a handful of points in a stretch like that. Here’s hoping the team can get healthy soon and stay competitive enough that we’re not discussing the 2009 draft by New Year’s day.

PATERNO NOT DONE YET: 81-year-old Penn State coach Joe Paterno (he turns 82 Sunday) received a contract extension this week that runs through 2011. That means the Rams can scratch JoePa off their list of potential head coaching candidates as he’ll still be stalking the sidelines (or be seated comfortably in the coach’s booth) in Happy Valley until he’s 84 or 85 years old. Phil Sheridan of the Philadelphia Inquirer had a funny take on Paterno’s extension, saying, “Sometime in 2019, the holographic Inquirer that beams directly onto the tabletop in your breakfast nook will feature a story about Joe Paterno’s frozen head coaching Penn State football from a cryogenics lab in Phoenix. … Joe Paterno is going to coach Penn State football for as long as he lives, if not longer.”

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THINGS TO PONDER

DON’T BELIEVE IT, GIBBY: A bit of satire from the folks at eTrueSports.com, where they say that The Detroit Tigers have signed Iraqi right-handed pitcher Muntader al-Zaidi, 29, to a minor league contract. Zaidi, is the Baghdad television reporter who recently threw his shoes at President Bush. The Web site sources a scout who compares al-Zaidi to former Cardinal Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson, saying, “He throws angry. There won’t be any comfortable at-bats against him, I guarantee that.”

RIGHT FROM THE HORSES’ MOUTHS: According to the Associated Press, a commission has begun work to review drug controls in equestrian in response to six horses testing positive at the Beijing Olympic Games.

The riders couldn’t explain the positive tests for their mounts, but a few of the horses spoke out, with comments ranging from “I’m not here to talk about the past” to “The ‘roids weren’t for me, they were for my wife” to one horse who brazenly waved a hoof at the press while shouting, “I have never used steroids, period.” Reportedly another of the horses simply said, “No habla” and dismissed questions on the grounds they were not in his native tongue … which is “horse,” of course.

No word yet on whether or not the U.S. Senate will get involved.

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STATS OF THE DAY

44-61-21 — That’s the punting average (44 yards), longest punt (61 yards) and punts inside the 20-yard-line (21) for Giants punter Jeff Feagles, who was named to the NFC Pro Bowl team yesterday.

50.2-68-18 — That’s the punting average, longest punt and punts inside the 20 for Rams punter Donnie Jones.

Other than landing three less punts inside the 20, Donnie Jones was clearly the better punter this year. And even that stat seems easily explained, as one would assume much better field position for the Giants this year over the Rams. Jones got the shaft.