January 16, 2012
NHL Power Rankings: St. Louis Blues Look Like Contenders in the Central
How about them Blues?
St. Louis, that franchise that was always in the playoffs before the lockout but never won a Stanley Cup (no, not the Sharks), looks like a bona fide contender this season.
Everyone expected the Red Wings and Blackhawks to be competitive this season, and the Predators, who have won seven of their last eight but are fourth in the Central, are always in the playoff picture.
But the upstart Blues are looking like a force this season.
Since firing Davis Payne, Ken Hitchcock has taken this talented, previously under-achieving, club and put them in position to compete for the Central Division title.
Homegrown David Backes and TJ Oshie lead the team with 32 and 29 points, respectfully, and veteran pickup Jason Arnott is humming along with 24 points of his own.
The cornerstone of the Erik Johnson trade, defensemen Kevin Shattenkirk, has 23 points from the blue line, and fellow blue liner Alex Pietrangelo is right behind him with 20.
With scoring from both the players in front of the net and the back end, St. Louis has enough firepower to take the pressure off of their stellar defense (third in the league) and enables the team to compete in the league’s toughest division.
Things should only get better, too.
St. Louis finishes up January by playing four of their next five in the Show Me state.
Related posts:
- NHL Power Rankings: Nobody Can Score on Jaroslav Halak, St. Louis Blues
- St. Louis Blues: Are They Legit Playoff Contenders After Free Agent Signings?
- St. Louis Blues: Kris Russell-Nikita Nikitin Trade Is a Steal for the Blues
- St. Louis Blues: 5 Players Who May Be Traded Under Ken Hitchcock
- NHL Power Rankings: Surging St. Louis Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins Take Top Spots
