http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/teams/st_louis_blues/111 Recent articles about St. Louis Blues en-us What should the Blues do with Chris Stewart and Patrik Berglund? I recently touched on this topic when I outlined all of the restricted and unrestricted free agents the Blues have to address prior to the 2013-14 season, but I was curious what fans thought about the situation. There's really no easy way to answer this question as there's a number of ways you could approach it. You could keep both players, you could keep one and let the other go, or you could allow both players to leave either through a trade or free agency.  As you might expect, opinions varied. Thanks to everyone that contributed their thoughts on the matter. If you want to be involved in the next Twitter discussion, give me a follow @FrozenNotes or add your thoughts in the comments below.  I'll also include my opinion here as well. I'd like to see the Blues retain Stewart and deal Berglund. While Stewart was disappointing in the playoffs and looked to be out of synch, it's impossib... Sat, 18 May 2013 10:14:25 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/sound_off_what_should_the_blues_do_with_chris_stewart_and_patrik_berglund/13644859 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/sound_off_what_should_the_blues_do_with_chris_stewart_and_patrik_berglund/13644859 Sound off: What should the Blues do with Chris Stewart and Patrik Berglund? http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/sound_off_what_should_the_blues_do_with_chris_stewart_and_patrik_berglund/13644859 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Now that it has been quite some time since the St. Louis Blues were bounced from the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second year in a row by the Los Angeles Kings, it is already time to start looking forward and analyzing what the Blues must do to get over the hump next season. There are several key decisions that will need to be made by general manager Doug Armstrong. Several players, including star defensemen Alex Pietrangelo and Kevin Shattenkirk are restricted free agents, along with center Patrik Berglund and forward Chris Stewart. Armstrong must also consider bringing back unrestricted free agents such as Jordan Leopold and Andy McDonald as well. Once again, the Kings showed the Blues that there are some glaring holes that must be addressed if the Blues are to take the next step. Here are three things that Armstrong and the Blues must do this off-season to better prepare themselves for a deeper run next season. 1. Sign Alex Pietrangelo to a long-term contract extension.  This... Fri, 17 May 2013 10:34:50 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/st_louis_blues_3_things_the_blues_must_address_this_off_season/13638083 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/st_louis_blues_3_things_the_blues_must_address_this_off_season/13638083 St. Louis Blues: 3 things the Blues must address this off-season http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/st_louis_blues_3_things_the_blues_must_address_this_off_season/13638083 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The Blues are just days removed from a disappointing playoff exit. Though the pain is still fresh, it's never too early to start planning for the future. It's never too early to start examining what went wrong and what can be improved to secure the elusive Stanley Cup. Now is as good a time as any to start discussing player contracts. This summer is going to be an extremely interesting one. The Blues have some key contracts expiring and will have to be make some very difficult decisions when it comes to which players stay in St. Louis and which will be allowed to test the open market.  With that, here's a list of all of the NHL and AHL free agents in the St. Louis organization. NHL - Restricted Chris Stewart Patrik Berglund Alex Pietrangelo Kevin Shattenkirk Ian Cole Kris Russell NHL - Unrestricted Andy McDonald Scott Nichol Jamie Langenbrunner Adam Cracknell Jordan Leopold AHL - Restricted Evgeny Grachev Tyler Shatto... Tue, 14 May 2013 20:29:19 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/st_louis_free_agents_restricted_and_unrestricted_players_at_the_nhl_and_ahl_level/13618988 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/st_louis_free_agents_restricted_and_unrestricted_players_at_the_nhl_and_ahl_level/13618988 St. Louis free agents: Restricted and unrestricted players at the NHL and AHL level http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/st_louis_free_agents_restricted_and_unrestricted_players_at_the_nhl_and_ahl_level/13618988 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png ST. LOUIS (AP) - St. Louis Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said it was no big deal that he and goalie Jaroslav Halak argued about playing time during the playoffs, calling it an "everyday occurrence." Hitchcock and general manager Doug Armstrong both said Sunday that he didn't anticipate major roster changes after the Blues squandered a 2-0 series lead against the Los Angeles Kings and lost four in a row. The Blues were the fourth seed in the Western Conference this season, but Hitchcock said it was better overall than last year's team that had the No. 2 seed and got swept in the second round by Los Angeles. Hitchcock said the roster might change "five to 10 percent." "What we need to do is become a better player in the offseason, not a better athlete," Hitchcock said. Addressing Halak, Hitchcock said he'd have been surprised if the goalie was unhappy about not getting used in the playoffs. Halak wasn't at the Scottrade Center when the locker room opened to media. Mon, 13 May 2013 11:54:07 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/hitchcock_says_halak_flap_everyday_occurrence/13606358 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/hitchcock_says_halak_flap_everyday_occurrence/13606358 Hitchcock says Halak flap 'everyday occurrence.' http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/hitchcock_says_halak_flap_everyday_occurrence/13606358 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/e/8e0a384ddbd2858539de631872dad52aae06a4fb/mini/detroit-red-wings-louis.jpg St. Louis Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said it was no big deal that he and goalie Jaroslav Halak argued about playing time during the playoffs, calling it an ''everyday occurrence.'' Hitchcock and general manager Doug Armstrong both said Sunday that he didn't anticipate major roster changes after the Blues squandered a 2-0 series lead against the Los Angeles Kings and lost four in a row against the Los Angeles Kings after taking a 2-0 series lead. The Blues were the fourth seed in the Western Conference this season, but Hitchcock said it was better overall than last year's team that had the No. 2 seed and got swept in the second round by Los Angeles. Hitchcock said the roster might change ''five to 10 percent.'' ''What we need to do is become a better player in the offseason, not a better athlete,'' Hitchcock said. Addressing Halak, Hitchcock said he'd have been surprised if the goalie was unhappy about not getting used in the playoffs. Halak wasn&# Sun, 12 May 2013 17:10:44 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/hitchcock_says_halak_flap_everyday_occurrence/13601954 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/hitchcock_says_halak_flap_everyday_occurrence/13601954 Hitchcock says Halak flap 'everyday occurrence.' http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/hitchcock_says_halak_flap_everyday_occurrence/13601954 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/e/8e0a384ddbd2858539de631872dad52aae06a4fb/mini/detroit-red-wings-louis.jpg The Blues have built the framework for a winning program in the ultra-competition Western Conference.But the project remains incomplete. The Blues are good enough to play the defending Stanley Cup champions to a virtual standstill, but not quite good enough to beat them.They earned respect from their rival but they did not advance. The Kings set the standard in the NHL these days and the Blues don’t quite measure up.So now the hockey operation goes back to work. Here are some thoughts about the task at hand:Ken Hitchcock is still the right coach for this team. When the Blues fell into some funks during the lockout shortened season, we all wondered if message fatigue was setting in. But this team finished the season with an impressive push and then delivered a big effort against the Kings. The Blues fell just a bit short, so the same coach with a refreshed roster could take a big run next spring.Doug Armstrong must resolve his goaltending situation. Brian Elliott gave the Blues a cha... Sun, 12 May 2013 10:21:57 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/st_louis_blues_needs_to_retool/13600271 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/st_louis_blues_needs_to_retool/13600271 St. Louis Blues needs to retool http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/st_louis_blues_needs_to_retool/13600271 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png from Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Blues coach Ken Hitchcock and goaltender Jaroslav Halak had a heated disagreement outside the club’s locker room the morning of Game 4 in Los Angeles, multiple sources have confirmed to the Post-Dispatch. The argument was triggered by Halak being late for the Blues’ team meeting before their game-day practice and it escalated when the goaltender vented about his ice time this season, particularly after returning from a groin injury at the end of the regular season. “These are internal discussions between a player and coach,” Hitchcock said when asked about the incident on Saturday, one day after the Kings eliminated the Blues in the Western Conference quarterfinals. Halak was unavailable for comment and his agent, Allan Walsh, declined comment. Halak did not play in the Blues’ final 14 games of the regular season and didn’t make an appearance in the playoffs. Hitchcock said before the series began that Bria... Sun, 12 May 2013 09:34:14 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/hitchcock_and_halak_disagreement_surfaces/13600139 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/hitchcock_and_halak_disagreement_surfaces/13600139 Hitchcock And Halak Disagreement Surfaces http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/hitchcock_and_halak_disagreement_surfaces/13600139 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/c/c/ccfee112adebe68ee7d436afffbf96a0645e0f8f/mini/louis-blues-colorado.jpg Mouth agape, Ken Hitchcock struggled to process the buzzer-beater that crushed the St. Louis Blues' season. Goalie Brian Elliott sank to his knees in disbelief. For the second straight playoffs, the Blues finished with four straight losses to the Los Angeles Kings. They didn't get swept this time, it just felt that way. Especially to Hitchcock, who called out the cluster of high draft picks that have had several chances without making a splash in the postseason for a franchise still awaiting its first Stanley Cup. The roll call of first-rounders found wanting on the latest fade-out would be a long one. ''What I'm going to tell them is it's not good enough,'' Hitchcock said after the 2-1 eliminating loss in Game 6 Friday night. ''If you want to be a champion, it's not good enough. ''If you want to be a champion, you're going to have to find a way.'' T.J. Oshie, a first-rounder in 2005, was minus-3 in a game that included his first two career Sat, 11 May 2013 15:14:48 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/hitchcock_calls_for_homegrown_blues_to_step_up/13597193 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/hitchcock_calls_for_homegrown_blues_to_step_up/13597193 Hitchcock calls for 'homegrown' Blues to step up http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/hitchcock_calls_for_homegrown_blues_to_step_up/13597193 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Numerous reports and rumors have surfaced over the last few days that the St. Louis Blues are having some issues in their locker room. These reports range from Jaroslav Halak having a shouting match with Ken Hitchcock to there just being some mostly harmless division in the dressing room. It's unclear where the truth lies, but Jeremy Rutherford confirms that the St. Louis locker room is a "disjointed" one. In Rutherford's live chat on STLToday, he noted that there was an argument between Hitchcock and Halak.  "There was a verbal argument between Hitchcock and Halak earlier in the series. I was not nearby when this happened and I have not heard a first-hand account. So until I get a chance to talk to Hitchcock or Halak about this, I don't have any other details. But I can confirm that it did happen." This might not answer all of the questions and speculation out there, but it does confirm that there was a disagreement. The severity of... Fri, 10 May 2013 14:57:50 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/blues_locker_room_is_disjointed/13592102 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/blues_locker_room_is_disjointed/13592102 Blues' locker room is "disjointed" http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/blues_locker_room_is_disjointed/13592102 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/4/0/4026a8a3e9e2cbca6a47ddc5999db3849c36688a/mini/columbus-blue-jackets.jpg The blues lost 3-2 in OT to the Kings Wednesday night. Perhaps the cause? Good. God. **Follow us on Twitter or Facebook. Subscribe, or Return to BobsBlitz.com.Follow us on Twitter. Subscribe... Full story at Bob's Blitz ~ http://www.bobsblitz.com Fri, 10 May 2013 05:09:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/did_this_classy_ladys_playoff_beard_jinx_the_st_louis_blues/13588394 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/did_this_classy_ladys_playoff_beard_jinx_the_st_louis_blues/13588394 Did this classy lady's playoff beard jinx the St. Louis Blues? http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/did_this_classy_ladys_playoff_beard_jinx_the_st_louis_blues/13588394 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png This is a brutal picture in every sense of the word.  At least you can’t question this fan’s dedication but her attire is brutal.  From the shoes to the jean skirt to the awful shirt, all the way to the Vladimir Sobotka jersey.  The tattoos and the died hair certainly add to the winning combination though.  You stay classy, St. Louis. [@chasenpucks39] Thu, 09 May 2013 19:30:43 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/foul_st_louis_blues_fan_is_ready_for_the_playoffs/13586429 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/foul_st_louis_blues_fan_is_ready_for_the_playoffs/13586429 St. Louis Blues fan seen wearing crude shirt http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/foul_st_louis_blues_fan_is_ready_for_the_playoffs/13586429 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/2/7/2748a7f4a3f945d982f124384a67be81f925ceb3/mini/playoff-beard.jpg Its hard to decide if it’s this St. Louis Blues fan’s beauty or class that makes her so sexy. Either way, hot. Source: [@Chasenpucks39]   The post This May Be The Hottest Hockey Fan Ever appeared first on Ride The Pine. Thu, 09 May 2013 12:46:38 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/this_may_be_the_hottest_hockey_fan_ever/13583648 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/this_may_be_the_hottest_hockey_fan_ever/13583648 This May Be The Hottest Hockey Fan Ever http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/this_may_be_the_hottest_hockey_fan_ever/13583648 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Local LA news anchor Rob Fukuzaki of ABC 7 was in charge of reading highlights from the Kings' stunning Game 5 overtime victory over the St. Louis Blues. When it came time to read about how the time got to OT in the first place, Fukuzaki butchered Alex Pietrangelo's name, instead referring to him as "Alex Pad-dra-dello", or at least that's our best guess.  Hockey names can be pretty difficult to pronounce. It's not uncommon to hear hockey fans butcher names from around the NHL. However, if you're an announcer or a news anchor, your job is mostly centered around speaking correctly. In the age of the Internet, it's pretty easy to do a Google search and find a site like this one that will tell you how to pronounce that big scary name.  Local anchors make mistakes like this all of the time, but we're forced to run with this one as it's too rich that another blooper comes out of the Los Angeles area. We saw numerous mistakes and errors ... Thu, 09 May 2013 12:26:48 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/broadcast_blooper_la_news_anchor_butchers_alex_pietrangelos_name/13583417 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/broadcast_blooper_la_news_anchor_butchers_alex_pietrangelos_name/13583417 Broadcast Blooper: LA news anchor butchers Alex Pietrangelo's name http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/broadcast_blooper_la_news_anchor_butchers_alex_pietrangelos_name/13583417 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/1/a/1aad2bef071b4224760581f9d801cdd813486d15/mini/GettyImageProxy.ashx_requestUrl_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f81651946.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d17A4AD9FDB9CF1932908F02533C04FFECFD6324C3DE0B791.jpg ST. LOUIS In a quiet locker room, gruff answers were issued in clipped sentences. "We lost an important hockey game," Jaden Schwartz said. "Frustration is definitely part of it. We live to fight another day." "That's playoff hockey, Alex Pietrangelo added. "And we have to keep grinding." "We had our chances, and we didn't bury them," Alexander Steen concluded. "We go back to LA." So went the reaction of a St. Louis Blues team that failed to stop the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings from taking a 3-2 series lead in the Western Conference quarterfinals at the Scottrade Center on Wednesday evening. It was Slava Voynov who spoiled what appeared to be destined for a Blues' comeback win. After St. Louis tied the game in the final minute of regulation, the LA defenseman scored on an odd-man rush just eight minutes into overtime, blasting the puck past Blues' goalie Brian Elliot to give his team a 3-2 win, its third straight Thu, 09 May 2013 10:21:07 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/blues_remain_confident_in_front_of_a_daunting_task/13582439 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/blues_remain_confident_in_front_of_a_daunting_task/13582439 Blues remain confident in front of a daunting task http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/blues_remain_confident_in_front_of_a_daunting_task/13582439 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/f/8f54b7c70e4b5d016b9fc7aeaf9a1fedfff6e63b/mini/2010-nhl-draft-portraits.jpg St. Louis Blues forward Jaden Schwartz didn’t take to the overtime loss too kindly on Wednesday night.  Schwartz was backchecking at the end of a shift and his man, Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov, scored the game winning goal because Schwartz couldn’t get back in time.  Schwartz took out his frustration on the bench with his stick and the Blues now head back to Los Angeles down 3-2. [Video via: NHL.com] Thu, 09 May 2013 01:35:24 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/jaden_schwartz_goes_ballistic_after_overtime_loss/13580663 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/jaden_schwartz_goes_ballistic_after_overtime_loss/13580663 Jaden Schwartz goes ballistic after overtime loss http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/jaden_schwartz_goes_ballistic_after_overtime_loss/13580663 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/6/f/6faa9c8ccbbac80f30c53e882a55c77e1d7c16a2/mini/2010-nhl-draft-portraits.jpg For those of you that are chowing down on some late night food, I think you might not want to continue with the rest of this post. Below is an image of a St. Louis Blues fan with an interesting shirt: (Courtesy of The Big Lead) Wed, 08 May 2013 21:13:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/female_st_louis_blues_fan_has_a_poor_taste_in_t_shirts_picture/13579241 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/female_st_louis_blues_fan_has_a_poor_taste_in_t_shirts_picture/13579241 Female St. Louis Blues fan has a poor taste in t-shirts (Picture) http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/female_st_louis_blues_fan_has_a_poor_taste_in_t_shirts_picture/13579241 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Heading into Game 4, I put up a post where numerous fans gave their opinion on the decision to play Vladimir Tarasenko over Adam Cracknell on the fourth line. Fans were in favor, hoping to see a boost in the team's attack with Frank in the mix. Most were in favor because it was believed he would start on the fourth line but then rotate to a different line as the game unfolded.  That's not what happened. Tarasenko was stuck firmly on the fourth line most of the night, making a small 5:51 cameo in last night's loss. This isn't what any Blues fan expected and it has most of us asking questions following a disappointing result. If Tarasenko was only going to receive a handful of minutes, why not keep the muscle (Cracknell) in the lineup?  My personal thoughts on this topic started out pretty positively. Team needs offense, dress another weapon and bench a guy known mostly for his physical play. Makes sense. Start him on a low line, work him around as the ga... Tue, 07 May 2013 11:08:13 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/vladimir_tarasenko_was_used_incorrectly_in_game_4/13567403 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/vladimir_tarasenko_was_used_incorrectly_in_game_4/13567403 Vladimir Tarasenko was used incorrectly in Game 4 http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/vladimir_tarasenko_was_used_incorrectly_in_game_4/13567403 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/8/889ef3ecf0b8a7626025d43a9237c71df506172b/mini/2010-nhl-draft-portraits.jpg If you've been on Twitter at all since Game 3 then you're probably aware of the Vladimir Tarasenko vs. the 4th line debate. After the Blues failed to light the lamp in Game 3, it was rumored that Tarasenko would be suiting up for Game 4. The question that lingered revolved around figuring out which player would sit out in order for #91 to make his debut.  After the team's practice on Monday morning, it became clear that Tarasenko would take the place of Adam Cracknell. Jeremy Rutherford confirmed as much, stating Tarasenko would start on the fourth line next to Chris Porter and Ryan Reaves, but he might see time on other lines as the game unfolds.  With this information in mind, I took to Twitter and asked fans what they thought of tinkering with the fourth line in favor of Tarasenko joining the active lineup. Opinions varied slightly, but everyone seemed to agree that Tarasenko playing is the right decision.  Thanks for all the responses! @frozenno... Mon, 06 May 2013 16:37:02 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/blues_fans_weigh_in_on_tarasenko_disrupting_the_4th_line/13562468 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/blues_fans_weigh_in_on_tarasenko_disrupting_the_4th_line/13562468 Blues fans weigh in on Tarasenko disrupting the 4th line http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/blues_fans_weigh_in_on_tarasenko_disrupting_the_4th_line/13562468 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/8/889ef3ecf0b8a7626025d43a9237c71df506172b/mini/2010-nhl-draft-portraits.jpg Immediately following their loss in Game 3, Ken Hitchcock headed for the St. Louis dressing room. As he did so he passed Vladimir Tarasenko, a healthy scratch for the first three games of the series. Hitchcock made a quick statement which signals we'll be seeing Tarasenko in this series very soon: "Get ready to play." There are two potential scenarios here. There's either an injury to a forward that might force someone to miss a game (Jaden Schwartz looked a bit banged up in game 3) or Hitchcock wants to add in a bit more offensive skill into the lineup after a Game 3 loss where no one on the roster could hit an empty net. Regardless of the reason, Tarasenko will soon get his first taste of the playoffs.  Who sits?  That's a pretty tough question to answer. If there's an injury then the situation answers itself, but if there isn't you're left with a difficult decision. It seems doubtful Hitchcock would tamper with the highly succes... Sun, 05 May 2013 12:48:39 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/hitchcock_to_tarasenko_get_ready_to_play/13554596 http://network.yardbarker.com/nhl/article_external/hitchcock_to_tarasenko_get_ready_to_play/13554596 Hitchcock to Tarasenko: "Get ready to play" http://www.yardbarker.com/nhl/articles/hitchcock_to_tarasenko_get_ready_to_play/13554596 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/9/0/90f98c33fc2f636ecbb0e20accbc705aeef76674/mini/2010-nhl-draft-portraits.jpg