THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Last season’s late playoff push got Blues fans excited in a major way for this season. Then there was the dramatic trip to Sweden that brought two victories over the Red Wings. Lost in the excitement is the underlying fact that the Blues are still young and relatively inexperienced. Do you think fan expecations for this team are too high right now?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
This is a tough call, but, yes, expectations are probably too high. You have to look at what those expectations are based on: a playoff appearance last year, the potential of young players like T.J Oshie, David Perron and Patrik Berglund, and the return of injured players like Paul Kariya and Erik Johnson. Although the Blues deserve a ton of credit for their second half, and they were in every playoff game against Vancouver, the postseason ended in a sweep. Moving on, no one can guarantee the youngsters will turn into the stars most think they will be. And meanwhile, Kariya and Johnson have some rust to knock off. The Blues should be a playoff team and those expectations are legitimate, but some folks have the incorrect impression that they should be a dominant club right out of the hop.

JEFF GORDON
With the return of Erik Johnson and Paul Kariya and the addition of Ty Conklin and Darryl Sydor, this team has an excellent talent base. I like this mix of young players and battle-tested veterans. This team has experience, leadership AND young legs. There are several helpful players at Peoria, too, which protects this team from major injury concerns. For a big chunk of Thursday’s game, we saw, again, what this team is capable of.

DAN O’NEILL
There is no question that fan expectation is too high right now. It’s simple mathematics. The fans expect the Blues to be a playoff team, maybe even one that goes deep into postseason play. In contrast, the Blues have won two of their first five games, a pace that definitely will not make the playoffs. So, you have a square peg and a round hole. But it is five games into the season, much too early to judge the Blues as underachievers. Players like Erik Johnson and Paul Kariya need time to find their game after missing an entire year. T.J. Oshie, Brad Boyes and David Backes are not rolling yet. Give it time.

ANDY STRICKLAND (Hockeybuzz.com, KFNS)
When you win expectations are increased. It’s a fact of life. There is no reason for Blues fans not to have placed heavy expectations on this club heading into the season. The Blues as an organization earned high expectations with their performance last season. It’s a new world for the Blues regime and this hockey team. No longer are the Blues able to rest on the idea that they are rebuilding. Keith Tkachuk told me prior to the season the team expects to contend. I’m not ready to categorize them as a Cup contender just yet, but if they were to fail to make the playoffs it would be a drastic step in the wrong direction. The Blues should be held to a high standard because they have good players and coaches they can win with. It’s perfectly acceptable for fans to expect this team to win a fair amount of hockey games. The days of the  Blues being just a feel-good story are in the rearview mirror.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: It’s prediction time … The Blues and Canucks will kick off their seven-game series tonight in Vancouver. What do you see being the key areas in how this series plays out, and who comes out on top?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD

There’s a lot of pressure on the Canucks and virtually none on the Blues. Fans in Vancouver are waiting for the big contract given to Mats Sundin to pay off, they’re waiting for the Sedin twins - Henrik and Daniel - to produce in the playoffs and they’re waiting for Roberto Luongo to prove he’s a goalie that can take them deep into the postseason.

Meanwhile, the Blues aren’t supposed to be here. They aren’t Cinderella . . . instead folks should start calling Cinderella “The Blues.” And yet while they’re underdogs, they were 2-2 against the Canucks in the regular season, and that was with Chris Mason not playing as well as he has shown this season. Mason is 1-3 with a 3.44 goals-against average and an .863 save-percentage against the Canucks this year.

The edge may come in the special teams. The Blues have the No. 3-ranked penalty-kill and the No. 8-ranked power-play in the NHL and those categories will become even more important in the playoffs. If the Blues can play physical, continue to get balanced scoring and Mason can come close to matching Luongo, they can beat the Canucks.

Prediction: Blues in six.

DAN O’NEILL

For the Blues, the key areas will be stopping those darn Sedin twins, pounding on 38-year-old Mats Sundin and scoring ugly goals against elite goaltender Roberto Luongo.

To that end, the Blues have to win the special teams battle. They were better than Vancouver with both the penalty kill and the power play units during the regular season, and that must hold true. Obviously, Chris Mason has to make big saves and bail the team out when the opposition pressures. And it wouldn’t hurt to have Brad Boyes get hot.

For the Canucks, the biggest key is Vlade Divac look-alike Luongo. He has been outstanding since returning from an injury and he can win a series single-handedly. At the same time, Vancouver has to get balanced scoring from its forwards. During the regular season, five different Vancouver players scored 20-or-more goals, with the emerging Alex Burrows scoring 28 to compliment Daniel Sedin’s team-leading total of 31.

Prediction: This is truly a toss-up, but Canucks in seven.

JEFF GORDON

The Blues have tons of momentum coming into this series. Sadly, the Canucks are rolling, too. Vancouver has the edge in goal, with Roberto Luongo, and on defense, where the Canucks are highly skilled. Vancouver also has the home-ice advantage.

So the Canucks ought to win in six games. But . . . I’ve picked against the Blues down the stretch and they kept winning. So maybe this continued negativity is good Karma.

Prediction: Canucks in six.

ROGER HENSLEY

Let’s keep this simple and take the emotion out of it. The Blues are the better team right now. As Bill Parcells is fond of saying, “You are who your record says you are.” And the Blues record since January says they are ready to compete and win this postseason. I say they steal one game in Vancouver and win all three while playing to the crowd at Scottrade. A tall order? Maybe. But using that math it adds up to …

Prediction: Blues in six.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)

Three days ago on the Blues post-game show, right after the 1-0 win in Colorado, a caller asked me if I thought the Blues were going to beat the Canucks. While allowing for a change of heart after a few days of consideration, I said I thought Vancouver would probably win.

Well, I’ve had a change of heart.

The Blues are loose, playing better hockey than anyone in the NHL over the last 40 games - and the last 10 games for that matter - and the weight of the world is on the shoulders of the Canucks. The tension here in Vancouver is palpable. There are questions about key Canucks’ players, like the Sedin Twins and Mats Sundin, and whether or not they’re “playoff tough.”

Plus, Vancouver is Canada’s great hope for the 2009 playoffs. It’s been 16 years since Lord Stanley’s Cup made it’s home in Canada (1992-93 Canadiens) and the pressure is clearly on this Vancouver team. It all adds up to a Blues series win to me.

Prediction: Blues in six.

ANDY STRICKLAND (Hockeybuzz.com, KFNS)

First off, how great is it to once again be breaking down the Stanley Cup Playoffs? Only if my dog didn’t chew up my passport I’d be in Vancouver!

Just because it’s the playoffs doesn’t mean you are forced to change your game. You want to continue to do the things that got you here. Obviously if you see something Vancouver is doing on the PP or PK you may be forced to make an in-game adjustment, but besides that, the Blues don’t need to worry about changing what they do.

It is important however that the Blues get to the Canucks “D” on the forecheck. Vancouver’s D-men are all mobile skaters who have the ability to move the puck quickly. The Blues need to prevent guys like Ohlund, Edler, Bieksa, and Salo from making their usual long stretch passes through the middle of the ice. The Blues will try to make Vancouver go D to D and force them to go up the boards when they are leaving the zone.

My point here is that a strong forecheck will cause problems, create turnovers, and allow St. Louis to spend a lot of time in the offensive zone. My other point is that everything needs to be taken to the net hard. Don’t pass up chances to shoot the puck and it’s important the Blues forwards drive hard and makes things as difficult as possible for Vancouver all-world goaltender Roberto Luongo.

It goes without saying the Blues checkers need to be successful in keeping Vancouver’s top offensive players off the score sheet. This is no different than any other game, but the Jay McClements of the world have an opportunity to create a strong reputation as quality NHL shutdown players.

It’s going to be a long, physical series and the Blues need to make life miserable for the Sedins, Sundins, Keslers, and Demitras of the world. If the Blues can do this they can win the series, and I think they will. It’s critical they get a split in the first two games.

Enjoy the playoffs Everybody.

Prediction: Blues in six.

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: Nashville’s come-from-behind shootout victory over the Red Wings Thursday night has made tonight’s Blues-Columbus game all the more important. The Blues need a win. Assuming the Note can pull this one out, who needs to be the team’s three stars tonight and why?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD

Keith Tkachuk: A lot of eyes will be on ‘Big Walt’ tonight, and I am talking about guys in the locker room, not fans. The target of much postseason criticism, Tkachuk must be a leader tonight in a pressure-packed situation. He may not finish with two goals and two assists but his presence better be felt.

T.J. Oshie: You could pick any one of the three kids, but I picked Oshie because of the way the crowd feeds off him. If the “kid line” has success, the Blues will have success.

Chris Mason: Simple … if Mason isn’t one of the Blues’ 3 stars, the team’s chances of winning are tremendously diminished.

BERNIE MIKLASZ

Chris Mason: Do we really need to explain why? The goaltender has been the Blues’ firewall during the team’s comeback charge, starting 31 consecutive games and posting a .916 save percentage through that stretch. He’s 3-1 vs. the Blue Jackets since taking over as STL’s No. 1 goalie. Mason has to be stingy tonight.

David Backes: For as well as he’s played, Backes has missed a chance to really shine against the Blue Jackets this season. He has one goal and is a minus-2 against them in five games. The thing is, Backes has had plenty of scoring opportunities against Columbus; his 17 shots on goal are the most by a Blues player vs. the CBJ this season. Backes has to cash in tonight. When he scores goals, the impact is obvious; the Blues are 15-6-6 this season when they get a goal from their future captain.

Jay McClement: He’s probably the most underrated Blue. Usually assigned to shadow the other team’s top line, McClement has done a fine job of limiting the potential damage inflicted by the top guns. He’s played well against CBJ this season. It’s imperative that the Blues get a stellar performance from the McClement, Alex Steen and B.J. Crombeen checking line.

There’s also that Oshie fellow. Rick Nash has heard of him.

DAN O’NEILL

Chris Mason needs to be the No. 1 star because, bottom line, the Blues can’t win without stout goaltending. Mason bounced back with a good performance against Phoenix, but he has been a little vulnerable to the soft goal in recent games.

T.J. Oshie needs to be the No. 2 star because he simply has been the team’s best player for the past several games. Oshie is the straw the stirs the drink, to put it in Reggie Jackson terms.

Jay McClement needs to be the No. 3 star. The McClement line was the Blues’ best in Phoenix and McClement has been a two-way star down the stretch. He will need to win key faceoffs and keep the Rick Nash-Manny Malhotra line under wraps.

JEFF GORDON

Chris Mason needs to be the first star, obviously. Goaltending is everything at this time of year. Mason sprung a few leaks in recent games, but now it’s time to get into playoff form. This game offers that opportunity.

The atmosphere at Scottrade will be highly charged. Since Barret Jackman figures to be on the ice against Rick Nash much of the night, he needs to be a star.

And T.J. Oshie will have a target on his back, again, so he must be ready to play a great (and alert) game.

TOM TIMMERMANN

Repeating a theme, the Blues can’t have a bad game by Chris Mason. In a game like this, you need your goalie to be your best player.

As for the other two people who need to step up …

A good game for Brad Boyes, who despite having three goals and two assists for the Blues against Columbus is even in plus-minus, would bode well for here and down the line.

And another big game for David Backes would mean he’s staying hot. The Blues caught a break that Columbus clinched its playoff spot the other night. This would be a much tougher game if Columbus was playing to clinch its first playoff spot. Now the Blues will have a big edge in emotion.

ANDY STRICKLAND (Hockeybuzz.com, KFNS)

I’m not sure if this will be as adventurous as when they actually pick the three stars down at the Scotttrade Center, but I‘ll give it a try.

My gut tells me to pick Cam Janssen only because that would mean he’s in the lineup — but we know that’s not going to happen. The team shouldn’t need him to get the building rocking tonight anyway. With the way the Blues have lacked intensity in the opening period of recent games though, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to throw him in there.

Since he’s excluded here’s my 3 stars for tonight. Maybe a little off the cuff, but c’mon, I can’t be that predictable.

Carlo Colaiacovo: I have a felling this guy will have a strong game tonight and will bury at least one PP goal. He’s rested after sitting out practice yesterday and I know he’s fired up to be in this position. This kid is driven and I expect him to deliver this evening.

Keith Tkachuk: As the leader of the Blues he needs to step up tonight and do just that … Lead! The playoffs are so close to being a reality for this club and I feel it would only be fitting if it was Big Walt who stepped up and had his biggest game of the year in the most important game. Wait, didn’t we say the last game was the most important? And the one before that?

Patrik Berglund: He’s due! The trend as of late is that Berglund shows up big once every four or five nights. Something tells me he’s in for a big game. The Blues will ask the youth to rise up and I have a feeling the Friday Night Lights will shine the brightest on this kid. Wasn’t it Columbus netminder Steve Mason who stole this kid’s Calder Trophy?

Bonus Round … T.J. Oshie gets the Hard Hat!

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)

The first name that comes to mind is Chris Mason. The team’s surge in the standings has directly coincided with his taking over as the #1 goalie, so it is impossible to overstate how important his play is to the team. The Blues need him to come up big again tonight.

You know T.J. Oshie will have a great big bullseye on his back tonight as Rick Nash will certainly try to get some payback for Oshie’s big hits on him in the last two games between these teams. The Blue Jackets might be better off just not going there because Oshie feeds off that kind of stuff. He’ll have a big game on both sides of the ice tonight.

David Backes needs to be the Blues’ version of Rick Nash tonight, providing consistent offensive pressure against Jackets’ goalie Steve Mason and bringing a physical presence, as well. He’s been amazing down the stretch and, like Oshie, he feeds on these big moments.

Columbus can lock up the 6th spot in the West with a win tonight and the Blues can clinch a playoff spot with a win and some help from Minnesota in their game against Nashville, so both teams will be breathing fire when they hit the ice. Game on.

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.

JUST A FEW EARLY MORNING BLUES THOUGHTS:

The trade deadline has passed and the Blues opted to stand pat. Personally, I’m glad they didn’t ship off any of the young guys just yet. They’ve told their fans to “Come grow with us” and I think a lot of folks have bought into that message. To ship off any youngsters now would have sent the wrong message. Besides, we are watching them grow and it would be nice to get the payoff on the back end once they’ve actually grown up.

Given another year the Blues will have a better sense of who’s really progressing and who may be the real deal, and IF one of more of the prospects were to be shipped out perhaps they’d be more valuable to another team then, too.

So now the team moves forward into its final 19 games with the same players intact, trying desperately to claim a playoff spot. Where will the goal-scoring come from? Brad Boyes and David Backes … please stand up and be accounted for. Haven’t seen those guys in a few weeks.

But here’s the bottom line to me: The Blues have to take both games in FLA this weekend. It’s their last two games before a very, very tough stretch where points will be hard to come by. And while they should beat Tampa, the Florida Panthers will provide a challenge. Tomas Vokoun has been a world-beater of late (except for the week he missed with an ear infection) and the goal-challenged Blues will face a huge obstacle getting the puck by him. After that: Dallas, San Jose, Detroit, Minn, Edmonton, Vancouver and Calgary … not to mention an ending schedule that has the team closing with six of seven on the road. That’s a tough row to hoe. Keith Tkachuk, they say your locker room presence is one of the big reasons you weren’t dealt at the deadline … it’s time to be heard in that locker room, keeping folks focused on this final push.

Will the games come April 1 still be meaningful, or will the local boys find themselves back in the Western Conference cellar by the time we arrive at April Fool’s Day? For my money? Toss a coin.

(Back with a full Round Two later today. Just needed to clear my head.)

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Missouri wide receiver Jeremy Maclin reportedly is moving quickly up many draft boards. Maclin plans to run this weekend at the NFL Combine. He’ll likely work out before scouts at a pro day at Mizzou. Given his rising stock, where do you see Maclin being selected in the NFL draft?

JIM THOMAS
Maclin is widely considered the second-best wide receiver in the draft behind Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech. It now looks like he will be taken in the top 10. There’s no substitute for speed. Al Davis has believed this for decades. That’s why Maclin will go to Oakland with the No. 7 overall pick. Just throw deep, baby.

BILL COATS
Maclin is a two-headed monster: an accomplished wide receiver as well as a dangerous return man. The Rams could use both, but probably will use the No. 2 overall pick to address more pressing needs. So, my guess is that the Raiders, who also need a wideout and a returner, grab Maclin with the seventh pick in the first round.

KATHLEEN NELSON
The Jets could use a QB and a fast receiver. QBs like Mark Sanchez and Matt Stafford should be long gone by the time the Jets pick. That leaves Maclin to the Jets at No. 17.

STU DURANDO
The consensus seems to be Oakland at No. 7 and that makes sense considering the Raiders’ lack of receivers. Now, if they can move up to get Michael Crabtree or if Crabtree miraculously falls that far, Maclin will drop, maybe to the Jets at No. 17. And because I cover Illinois football, I’ll add that cornerback Vontae Davis is also a projected first-rounder and could climb as high as Green Bay at No. 9.

TOM TIMMERMANN
Maclin is not going to be taken ahead of Michael Crabtree. And the teams that are willing to take receivers in the first round is limited. Still, there are the Oakland Raiders sitting there with the No. 7 pick, and the Raiders love to take guys who can go deep. Of course, who knows what the Raiders will do? So look for him there. If not, he may drop a bit.

JEFF GORDON
With Michael Crabtree losing stock value, Maclin could easily become a Top Ten pick in this draft. The Packers need help at receiver and Pro Football Talk’s mock draft has North Carolina receiver Hakeem Nicks going to Green Bay at No. 9. That seems like a reach, based on earlier assessments of Nicks. Maclin has to be a better pick there, right? Right?

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
How about the No. 7 pick to the Oakland Raiders? Al Davis loves game breakers, loves the deep ball, and needs someone who can bring that element to his team in ’09. The top two receivers on the Raiders’ depth chart right now, according to their own Web site, are Javon Walker (15 catches for 196 yards in ’08) and Ronald Curry (19 catches and 189 yards in ’08).

Even if they sign a big name free agent, Maclin still makes sense as a game changer who can stretch the field and also make the Raiders return game more dynamic. JaMarcus Russell needs receivers and Maclin will be the best on the board after the Seahawks take Michael Crabtree with the 4th pick. Maclin’s speed and explosiveness just scream, “Draft me, Mr. Davis!”

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

I AM TIGER WOODS: “I’m now ready to play again.” And with those six words from Tiger Woods, golf tournament organizers and their sponsors began cheering from the mountaintops. Woods made the announcement yesterday that he will play in next week’s WGC-Accenture Match Play. The return of Woods will get the cash flowing at tournaments and for television advertising … geez, I’m thinking this one man might just save the whole economy from pending doom. Perhaps the late-Earl Woods was right when he predicted his son would do more than change golf, but that he would change the world.

Bill Dwyre of the Los Angeles Times apparently seems to agree. The headline on his column today reads, “Tiger Woods’ comeback is bigger than the game.”

IT’S NOT OVER YET: It looks like the Alex Rodriguez steroids saga is not over, and it may just be beginning. According to a report in today’s New York Daily News, A-Rod has had a longstanding relationship with a steroid-linked trainer. The Daily News says that Angel Presinal was banned from private areas of every MLB ballpark after an October 2001 incident involving an unmarked gym bag full of steroids, but that he has been close to A-Rod dating back to his time with the Rangers. A-Rod has said he only used from 2001-03, but a source tells the Daily News that “Presinal accompanied A-Rod for the entire 2007 season, staying in the same hotel as the A.L. MVP, but in a separate room with the “cousin” Rodriguez pegged three days ago as his steroid source from 2001-03.”

So do you believe A-Rod when he says he only used steroids from 2001-03? Stay tuned. It ain’t over ’til it’s over.

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THINGS TO PONDER

THE WALTZ OF WALT: I was glad to see Keith Tkachuk get the game-winner in overtime last night. And he did it in his traditional style … planted in front of the net. “Big Walt” just doesn’t seem to get the respect he deserves in this town. It seems so many folks mention him first when discussing the trade deadline. Tkachuk has 18 goals and 17 assists this season for a total of 35 points. That’s good enough for a three-way tie as the team’s second-leader scorer (Patrik Berglund and David Perron also have 35 points), with only Brad Boyes’ 50 points coming in higher.

I’m not sure why fans in St. Louis wouldn’t want Tkachuk to stick around for another season or two — his veteran presence in the locker room has to help all the Baby Blues. And it’s not like he’s not putting up any numbers. Unless they can get a first-round pick for Tkachuk — which I don’t think the Blues can right now — I hope to see him back on the ice for the club next season.

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ON THIS DATE

FEB 20, 1953 — Anheuser-Busch buys all but seven shares of St. Louis Cardinals stock from recently imprisoned owner Fred Saigh and installs August A. Busch Jr. as club president. (Source: “This Day in Baseball”)

A little early morning Blues Bonus in Round Two today. Just a few things I need to get off my chest. I’ll be back later around 2 p.m. with the full Round Two.

SERENITY NOW: I’ve come to a crossroads with this Blues team, but rather than choosing one path or the other, I’m going to sit here at the intersection and try harder to just enjoy the scenery. As Bill Parcells was fond of saying, “You are who your record says you are.” I think that is wholeheartedly applicable with the Blues.

Obviously injury-riddled all season, the Blues offered early hopes, sank in the standings, then made a big run right before the All-Star break. It even had some, myself included, talking playoff possibilities as recently as earlier this week. Of course it was a long shot. But since I mapped out the “Ten Nights in February” posting a couple days back about the import of the next ten games, beginning with Vancouver, the Blues have responded with a resounding thud.

That has brought me to the precipice of capitulation. Not on the team, mind you, but on the realities of this season. This decision did not come easily, but is one that had to be made. It was either that or I end up sticking a fork in my eye during one of these games.

Here’s why the Blues can be exciting, tantalizing, frustrating and infuriating all at the same time. In some ways, all of these elements can be found and the entire season illustrated in last night’s game vs. Nashville:

Exciting, tantalizing: In the first period Brad Boyes’ deke in front of the net allows him to put a nice shot on net that the goalie deflects … but David Backes is right there to hammer it home on the rebound. Speed, skill, power, precision. Blues 1-0. Then there was the move by David Perron … he skates in on the left boards, turns and shuffles back out, only to pivot back on the boards past one defenseman, moves quickly to his right to beat another defenseman and fires the puck into the upper corner of the net. Beautiful. Blues 2-0.

Frustrating, infuriating: Fast forward to the third period with the Blues holding a 3-1 lead. Remember, they are playing the second-lowest scoring team in the NHL. The offense becomes less aggressive as the Blues seemingly go into a “prevent” defense. When Nashville scores 7:55 into the third period to cut the Blues lead to 3-2, I turn to my wife and say, “I saw this just the other night against Vancouver. They are going to lose.” When Jason Arnott knotted it up with three seconds remaining, it was all over but the crying.

Two nights, two games with two-goal leads lost in the third period and four attainable points for the Blue Boys had shrunk to one point. Where’s my fork?

But after having a night to sleep on it, here’s my stance on the rest of this season. Accept this team for what it is: Young, injured but still boasting much talent. It’s just not going to happen this year. Enjoy the flashes of potential that will build here in the years to come, try not to use utensils when there is the occasional-and-what-should-be-expected letdowns.

I asked Dave Checketts a couple weeks back how long he thought the honeymoon would last with Blues fans, how long folks would continue to swallow the “build toward the future” mantra while the team continued to miss the playoffs. He said he was unsure, but was adament about sticking to the plan. I think his plan is the right one … but assuming a healthy roster next season, anything less than the playoffs is unacceptable. So the honeymoon for me ends after this season. Next year I expect a playoff team, one that can contend when they get there to some extent, “whatever it takes.”

I’m at peace. In a happy place. So rather than brooding in front of my TV as the Blues host the Blackhawks tonight, perhaps it’s time to go to a place where everybody knows my name: Mr. Norton’s Basement. It’s there where I’ll find Smilin’ Tim working the bar, Dr. Suess (aka Soccer Dad) trying to challenge me beer-for-beer, Achmud sitting quietly at the end of bar and A.T. talking smack at anybody who will listen. And all of them loving hockey.

If you’re not going to the game tonight, I suggest you find your “happy place” to enjoy the game. After all, a victory over the Blackhawks is always sweet, regardless of records.

Yeah, the Blues are what their record says they are. But I’m going to try to enjoy watching this team the rest of this season for what their talent tells me they will be. I firmly believe better days are head for the St. Louis Blues.

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.