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.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: What do you think are the St. Louis Blues top priorities this offseason?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
One of the Blues’ priorities needs to be a scoring forward, preferably a right winger, but that probably won’t be addressed this offseason. The attractive wingers available — Marian Gaborik, Marian Hossa, Martin Havlat and Alex Kovalev — are going to command big money. The Blues may be a year or two away from signing a forward in that class.

Some of what they do this summer hinges on what happens with Keith Tkachuk . . . not because re-signing Tkachuk lessens the need for a scoring forward, because it doesn’t. If Tkachuk comes back, it will be as a third- or fourth-line center who plays 15 minutes per game. But if Tkachuk doesn’t re-sign, it will give the team a few more dollars to find a second-tier free-agent forward like a Mike Knuble OR Mikael Samuellsson.

Finding another offensive-minded defenseman should be a priority. The Blues could make a play for Chris Pronger near the NHL draft, which would certainly help fix their troubles getting the puck out of the zone and scoring a few points from the blue-line. Erik Johnson will be a nice addition, but if the Blues can’t get Pronger, I don’t know that you can put all the problems on Johnson’s shoulders. Johnson can’t score enough points to compensate for the lack of offensive production from this defensive group. The team won’t panic with a guy like Alex Pietrangelo on the way, but Pietrangelo won’t be a difference-maker next year when the Blues should have a playoff team.

Of course, the Blues will need an experienced backup to play behind Chris Mason, and there are plenty of options, including Jason LaBarbera, Brian Boucher . . .

DAN O’NEILL
The Blues top priorities became evident during the playoffs. They desperately need more offensive talent and skill on defense. Hopefully, Erik Johnson will not take long to regain form and help address that, and hopefully Alex Pietrangelo will add enough weight and strength to make the club and help, as well. Next, they need a right winger who can score to go along with T.J. Oshie. And last, they need a reliable, preferably experienced, backup goalie.

TOM TIMMERMANN
The Blues were 11th in the league in goals allowed, 18th in goals scored. They scored as many goals as they allowed, 233. The goals allowed should potentially come down if Chris Mason has a full, solid season, but in any case, the Blues have to score more. So they need to look at a first- or second-line forward, which of course doesn’t come cheap. Also, Keith Tkachuk is 37 and while he’s younger than me, I’m not getting a pounding in front of the net like he is. So that’s an area the Blues should shore up. And obviously, they need a dependable backup goalie so Ben Bishop can get playing time in Peoria rather than bench time in St. Louis. Ironically, someone like Manny Legace — one time starter, on back end of career, probably would come cheap after spending half the season in minors — would be a logical choice. But I don’t think that’s happening.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
I think priority No. 1 is finding another experienced goalie who is capable of playing 25-30 games and playing them well. I really like Ben Bishop’s long-term potential but I don’t think it’s best for his development to sit 70-75 percent of the time as Chris Mason’s backup. He needs regular playing time.

Getting Roman Polak locked up is a big deal as well. I just hope nobody else decides to throw a goofy restricted free agent offer at him because the Blues really can’t afford to lose him and matching a big offer could mess up other plans.

Which leads me to Keith Tkachuk. He scored 25 goals this season, played well in a checking role and has already stated his desire to return. Figure out a fair price that works for both sides and get it done. Replacing him from outside the organization would be costly and risky. Replacing him from within would be also since you could lose Brad Winchester, Dan Hinote and Yan Stastny and I’m not sure there are two or three NHL-ready forwards coming into camp next year.

A playoff appearance will be expected by most next season and breaking in two or three more kids isn’t necessarily ideal in that circumstance. This team isn’t rebuilding anymore.

A look at one Vancouver columnist’s take on Game 1:

By Iain MacIntyre, Vancouver Sun

Horns and rock music blared outside the arena an hour before faceoff. There was a deafening ovation when the Vancouver Canucks skated on to the ice and a choir of 18,000 belted out O Canada.

It was a playoff atmosphere and playoff hockey. Game 1 playoff hockey. The Vancouver Canucks beat the St. Louis Blues 2-1 to open the Stanley Cup tournament.

“You can’t beat this,” former Blue Ryan Johnson said after his first playoff game in Vancouver. “When I came out before the game and everyone was standing and waving towels, I said to myself: This is why you play the game, right here.”

The Canucks looked nervous at the start, overwound at times and occasionally undisciplined. And they were the more “experienced” playoff team, as 11 of 18 skaters on the Blues had never set foot in the National Hockey League playoffs until Wednesday.

Friday, they’ll double their playoff experience in Game 2, trailing 1-0.

The Canucks got better as the game went on, dominated the third period and won 2-1 to move within 15 wins of the Stanley Cup.

Okay, let’s not get carried away. The Canucks did what they had to do, making the Blues’ young stars disappear, limiting St. Louis scoring chances and surviving seven disadvantages well enough to win.

“It’s hard work and winning one-on-one battles,” Canuck Henrik Sedin said. “I thought we played really well. You always like to start well in the playoffs. You get on a roll. . . and we know what confidence can do.”

The process hardly matters now. After listening to daily sermons from coaches all season about systems and execution and preparedness, the process is suddenly secondary to the score. Just win.

There are no points for beauty, no pictures on the scorecard. Doesn’t matter how or by how much. Doesn’t matter whether it was earned or stolen. Just win. Worry about the flaws another day.

The Canucks can play a lot better than they did Wednesday. So, too, it’s safe to say, can the Blues.

The St. Louis organization, in the post-season for the first time since 2004, has been reborn under coach Andy Murray and president John Davidson. But the baby Blues weren’t very good in Game 1.

David Backes was dropped from the first line, replaced by veteran warhorse Keith Tkachuk. T.J. Oshie had only fleeting glimpses of the flair he displayed against the Canucks two weeks ago. Patrik Berglund was invisible, and so was David Perron except when he was taking penalties.

As St. Louis pressed in the final minute for a tying goal, still only one down because netminder Chris Mason elevated his game in the final period, it was the more experienced Blues who were on the ice: Tkachuk, Andy McDonald, Brad Boyes and Alex Steen.

The Canucks were better. Henrik and Daniel Sedin were able to create chances with Alex Burrows. Ryan Kesler was effective. Pavol Demitra and Kyle Wellwood delivered body checks. On purpose.

The Canuck defence was solid and unspectacular, as usual. Mats Sundin was terrible, but that happens some nights. Maybe he’ll be great on Friday.

“It’s not pretty, but we get a lot of wins playing this way,” Wellwood said. “It’s just nice that we played well. We didn’t have to rely too much on Louie. Our style is to play good defensively.”

Canuck goalie Roberto Luongo stopped 25 of 26 shots, but except for a couple of power-play saves against McDonald, was not required to be spectacular. He did, however, have to be alert.

On their first shift, Canuck defencemen Shane O’Brien and Kevin Bieksa, without pressure, managed to squeeze the puck dangerously across the Vancouver goalmouth.

That was indicative of the jitters coursing through players on both teams in the playoff-opener. Even the referees looked nervous, as veteran Dan O’Halloran and junior partner Chris Lee seemed determined to put their stamp on the game. There were 13 power plays.

The Blues scored on one of their seven, but were blanked during a two-man advantage that lasted 1:39 in the first period. Canuck Ryan Kesler blocked a pair of shots by Brad Boyes.

“Nowhere else I’d rather be,” Kesler said.

Mission accomplished. Hopefully that slogan won’t haunt the Canucks the way it did George Bush.

“It’s going to be a tough series,” Henrik Sedin said. “It’s 1-0. Nothing’s over.”

As promised … our friends from Vancouver have weighed in with a prediction of their own on the Blues-Canucks series. (I left it unedited because I like the way Canadiens use a “c” instead of an “s” in words … like “defencemen.”) Here you go:

Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun

The teams split their four-game season series and were among the best in hockey since January. For the Canucks, the turnaround coincided with the return of goalie Roberto Luongo. The Blues performed a second-half miracle playing without top-four defencemen Eric Brewer and Erik Johnson.

On offence, the Canucks have a balanced attack, with five players hitting the 20-goal mark and another, Kyle Wellwood, at 18, but the Sedin twins are still the main cogs and key to the offence and will be under pressure to perform. On defence, the Canucks have a nice blend of size and experience. The only thing lacking is a puck-rushing/power play quarterback.

The Blues have a Stanley Cup winner in centre Andy McDonald, while warhorse Keith Tkachuk will be on a mission in perhaps his last chance to win a Cup. They’re complimented by a group of dangerous young forwards in David Backes, T.J. Oshie, Patrik Berglund and David Perron. Brad Boyes is dynamite on the power play with 16 goals.

In goal, Luongo has a great regular-season resume but his playoff portfolio is reed-thin. Chris Mason’s playoff resume is even lighter than Luongo’s: one win in five games. So who wins? The Blues could, if they pressure the Canuck defence with a heavy forecheck and create turnovers that turn into scoring chances. But the Canucks should, especially if Luongo performs like the elite goaltender he’s been in the regular season.

Prediction: Canucks in seven.

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: The St. Louis Blues’ recent success has put them in position to make a run at a playoff spot. It also has muddied the trade deadline waters. What do you think the Blues should do at the trade deadline: Be buyers, sellers or stand pat with the team that got them to this point? Is it worth trading off any of the youngsters for a veteran presence?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
The Blues should stand pat. I was one who said that this team would not make the playoffs, but some way, somehow they’ve managed to put themselves in a good position. The bottom line is they can’t fool with the chemistry they’ve created. Regarding the question should the Blues trade a young player for veteran help, the answer is no. Even if the team should make the playoffs it is not a Stanley Cup contender. The Blues should continue following the same plan they’ve had all along.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Stay the course. Do not trade good young players or top prospects for short-term gain. The only way it would make sense to mortgage some of the future is if the Blues honestly believed they had a chance to win the Stanley Cup this season. And they don’t. They are playing very good hockey with what they have. There is no reason to bail out and become a seller. And there is no reason to mess with a bright future by making an impulsive, short-sighted move. Stay the course.

JEFF GORDON
The Blues should stand pat unless another team spits up a No. 1 pick to rent Keith Tkachuk. That would be too good to pass up. Otherwise, the team should skate with what it has. It is really playing well. I wouldn’t overpay hoping to make it better, though, because everything is overpriced at the deadline. The Blues have made that mistake before — and that is one reason why this franchise has never built a Cup winner.

DAN O’NEILL
Realistically, I don’t think the Blues are in a position to make a significant trade. What they need most right now is scoring help, and it’s hard to imagine they have the chips to get a player who would have much impact. Trading a scoring threat (Keith Tkachuk) for a scoring threat doesn’t make much sense, unless it is a player you can build with for the future.

That said, if there are no plans to resign Tkachuk, it would be crazy not to explore moving him, and in that regard it may behoove the team to make a deal. You hate to mess with the chemistry right now, and everyone hopes the team can make the playoffs. But realistically, is it going anywhere in the playoffs? Unlikely. So if you have a chance to help yourself by moving Tkachuk, it would make sense to do so. There is also the possibility they will find a team (Buffalo?) willing to deal for a veteran goaltender (Manny Legace). The former Blues starter has a shutout and has allowed 17 goals in eight games at Peoria.

In the big picture, the Blues should stick to their guns and keep their young players. I would hate to see them deal one of their promising newcomers (David Perron) for the purposes of making the playoffs. The goal should be to win in the playoffs, not make them.

TOM TIMMERMANN
Even if the Blues make the playoffs, no one should expect them to go past the first round. For the Blues, the victory will be getting into the postseason. If you can get a good price for a veteran like Tkachuk, you make that deal. But other than that, I think the core group of Blues has to stay intact. I don’t think this team is one player away from being significantly better. (Well, maybe if that one player was Crosby or Ovechkin, but not Pronger.) It’s not as if John Davidson is fine-tuning his roster for the stretch drive. Teams historically overpay at the trade deadline. The Blues are not in a position to overpay. The ideal kind of trade for the Blues was the one earlier this season where they got Steen and Colaiacovo for Stempniak, getting two contributors for the price of one. It’s hard to make those at the deadline. So at this point, “Standing Pat Except for Tkachuk” is probably the best course of action.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
I would be aggressively looking to buy but also be more than happy to stand pat if the price of doing business isn’t agreeable. There is no need for a desperation move. If I could pull something off that made a significant difference I would do it. It’s almost unfair to even mention Chris Pronger’s name but since it’s already out there in the rumor mill I’ll go ahead and say that if I could get a player of that caliber I’d pull the trigger. I just wouldn’t move Backes, Berglund, Oshie, Johnson, Polak or any of the established forwards on the NHL roster to get it done.

The Blues have more than enough prospects for the future and, let’s be honest, you can’t possibly count on having 15-20 young, homegrown players on your team in the next year or two. There are two reasons professional sports franchises need a strong developmental system: to create cheap talent that you can add to your roster periodically and to have the ability to acquire established impact players via trade.

You never say “never” when it comes to the possibility of selling off a player or two, it just depends on what is offered. I would have to really “win” the trade to move anyone of significance off this team right now. Short of reaching the playoffs, which is the primary objective, this team needs a strong finish to give them a jumping off point for 2009-2010.

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

PEAVY TALK STILL SWIRLS AROUND CUBS: For those who thought a Jake Peavy-to-the-Cubs deal was dead, it appears there still might be some life to it. The Chicago Tribune is reporting today that there are still plenty of reasons to believe a deal could be consumated before the start of the season. Peavy, 27, leads all National League pitchers with 1,256 strikeouts since his big-league debut in 2002. If the Cubs are able to somehow land Peavy, it would give the North Siders a starting rotation of five pitchers that would be considered No. 1-type pitchers for many clubs — not a Joel Pineiro to be found. Stay tuned.

NOTHING TO SNEEZE AT: Many Cardinal fans have questioned the club’s logic in not re-signing free agent pitcher Braden Looper. Perhaps the news that Looper suffered an oblique-strain after feeling a twinge while sneezing last week alters that perspective. As of now, the Brew Crew is unsure whether or not Looper will be available at season’s start. Can you imagine the gnashing of teeth in Cardinal Nation if fans here were not only holding their breath on Chris Carpenter’s return, but also had to worry about every time Looper sneezed? Ach-choo. Bless you.

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SOMETHING TO PONDER

JUST HAVING SOME FUN: The folks at ESPN.com are having a little fun with NFL defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth’s new $100 million free agency contract. You just punch in your annual salary and they tell you how long it takes Haynewsorth to earn your wages. Check it out, it’s kind of fun and gives you some perspective on just what kind of money pro athletes make.

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STAT OF THE DAY

7,075 — Most offensive yards gained in an NFL season. The feat was accomplished by the 2000 St. Louis Rams. The 1984 Miami Dolphins are second with 6,936 yards and the 1998 San Francisco 49ers are third with 6,800 yards. (Source: NFL Fact and Record Book)