 |  |  | ||||||||||
|
|  | | |||||||||
 |  |  | ||||||||||
 | | | ||
| ESPN.com NFL | |  | |
| | | ||
 | Tuesday, October 24 Blues looking to join group of elite teams out West Special to ESPN.com | |||
The St. Louis Blues are, to the casual onlooker, perhaps the unlikeliest of the NHL elite as the holiday season approaches.
Their leading scorer is a player most fans couldn't pick out of a police lineup. They've already had to make due without their Norris Trophy winning-defenseman for a good chunk of time, and their most creative offensive force for a handful of games. Their go-to goalie is a 29-year-old with no experience at lugging an entire team on his back for six months. Yet going into Wednesday's game against Nashville, the Blues were eight games over .500 (15-7-2-0) and tied at 32 for the second highest point-total in hockey. There is no Brett Hull anymore to light up goalies at one end of the ice; no Grant Fuhr at the other to bail them out. | |
| Pierre Turgeon has evolved into a great team leader for the Blues. |
Invariably dismissed as a hugely talented but maddeningly soft center -- the kind who sets a team up to go places and then can't close the deal -- Turgeon has grown into the role of Mr. Dependable. Who knows? He might be next spring's Mike Modano. "In the playoffs last year, he was OK the first three against Phoenix," GM Larry Pleau said. "Then, the last 10 games he took himself to another level and carried the team along with him. I don't see that altering. "At 30-years old, it's not as if he needs to change, given what he's accomplished. But he wants to. People are always saying 'He hasn't done this.' Or 'He'll never do that.' And he hears that. But there are a lot of guys in this league who haven't done what he hasn't, either, and don't have 990 points. Added depth on defense
Pronger is going to lead the league in average minutes played. That's a given. But even half-an-hour's ice time 82 times a year doesn't seem to slow him. MacInnis figures in right behind him. Together, they play most of every game. But that MacInnis could go down with a ankle injury for 12 games, and the Blues kept winning is testament to the strides they've made in shoring up their blueline. "A key is getting Marc Bergevin healthy for an entire year," Pleau said. "He's a veteran guy, full of life, keeps the room loose. We got (Jeff) Finley at the tail end of last season, and he's been solid for us. Ricard Persson, same thing. They feel more comfortable with the situation now. A kid like Todd Reirden steps in and some nights he plays like our No. 3 defensemen. "We've got a few guys now who can go anywhere from your No. 3 to No. 5, depending on the night. That gives us a lot more flexibility." The additional depth allows Quenneville to shave a couple of minutes off the workloads of Pronger and MacInnis at different junctures this season, which will be a big plus come playoff time. A jolt of youthful enthusiasm
Michal Handzus and rookie Jochen Hecht are only 22. Lubos Bartecko is 23 and Tyson Nash is 24. Demitra and Jamal Mayers are both 25. "Handzus has really matured," Pleau said. "Demitra ... well, last year people were wondering 'Is it a fluke?' They can stop wondering. Tyson Nash is a real pest, and gives us that irritating (presence)." Chemistry
It' a hackneyed cliché, of course, trotted out by coaches who are bored with interviews and looking for a tape-recorded message to appease the prying press. But in certain cases, like this one, it fits. "We've got a good mix," Quenneville said. "Young people who are trying to make their mark, excited about our team. And a group of veterans late in their careers who want one more kick at it. We're hungry. I like the way our team is evolving." In today's NHL, two quality scorers, two superior defensemen and a solid, if unspectcular, complementing cast can take a team an awfully long way. "We have the belief that we can play alongside any team in this league," Pleau said. "And belief is more than half the battle." The one disturbing question mark under the Gateway Arch remains the goaltending. In relinquishing the 38-year-old Fuhr and placing their complete trust in Roman Turek, the Blues took a calculated gamble. Turek's numbers to the moment -- 10-6-2 with a 2.25 GAA and .904 save percentage -- have justified such singular faith. But there's a long, hard road ahead. "We're obviously hoping Roman grows through the season," Pleau said. "It's a different life for him now, being the one counted upon night in and night out. Sure he's 29, but most No. 1s in this league don't get that distinction until they have 200-300 games under their belt. This guy has what, 80?" It's absurdly early to go about making rash predictions, of course. And there are no shortage of favorites -- Detroit and, despite their iffy starts, Colorado and defending champion Dallas -- and darkhorses -- Phoenix, L.A. and San Jose -- in a tough, competitive Western Conference. "We really have yet to hit a period where we struggle," Pleau said. "And there'll be a couple. Over 82 games, every team is forced to go through them. It's how you rebound, how you ride through them, that determines a contender. Detroit, for instance. They manage to come out of those down periods quickly." Not that the Blues, stresses Quenneville, lack for trial by fire. "The last three years, we've been eliminated from the playoffs by the team that eventually won the Stanley Cup," he points out. "And each time we put up a more than reasonable fight. "We've been close. Our players are tired of being just close." Goalie issues in Chicago
With Jocelyn Thibault sidelined another four weeks because of a broken left index finger -- courtesy of an Al MacInnis slap shot -- the Hawks are in search of a goaltender. General manager Bob Murray says he doesn't want to overreact to the situation but has spoken with Isles' counterpart Mike Milbury about the availability of Felix Potvin. The emergence of top draft Roberto Luongo has fueled speculation that Potvin could be on the move. The problems? First, Potvin's arrival would give Chicago over $5 million in goaltender salaries (Potvin earns $2.7 million), and reportedly the Isles want no less than Eric Daze in return. Quick hits
George Johnson covers the NHL for the Calgary Sun. His Western Conference column appears every week during the season on ESPN.com.
 |  |  | ||
|
ESPN INSIDER
Copyright 1995-2000 ESPN/Starwave Partners d/b/a ESPN Internet Ventures. All rights reserved. Do not duplicate or redistribute in any form. ESPN.com Privacy Policy. Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service. | | | |
 | |  | ||