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As the Blues tune up for the Stanley Cup playoffs next week, hockey fans in St. Louis are buzzing about their playoff hopes.
Indeed there is much to be excited about. The 1997-98 edition of the St. Louis Blues have been one of the NHL's pleasant surprises.
For the first time since 1969 the Blues will face the Los Angeles Kings in the playoffs.
On the surface this would seem to be an easy series for the Blues. After all, the Kings will be making their first playoff appearance since 1993, and it will mark their first post-season appearance in the post-Wayne Gretzky era.
The Kings do have some dangerous weapons however.
Right winger Glen Murray should reach the 30-goal plateau for the first time in his career. Center Jozef Stumpel (77 points) is a stud and one of the league's most underrated players. The Blues will have to be very conscious of him or he will make them pay.
Yanic Perreault (28 goals), Vladimir Tsyplakov (51 points), veteran speedster Russ Courtnall, sniper Luc Robitaille, and former Blue Craig Johnson (17 goals, 37 points) are all forwards also worth watching.
On defense Rob Blake is one of the favorites for the Norris
Trophy as the NHL's outstanding defenseman. Blake has scored 22
goals this season, and is one of the hardest hitters in the league.
Veteran Gary Galley was a terrific off-season free agent acquisition,
and is solid at both ends of the ice.
In goal Stephane Fiset is very steady and has given the Blues problems in the past. He has had some playoff experience in the past with Quebec.
There is no question the Blues are the more talented team, and the stronger team overall.
The play of the second line of Pavol Demitra, Geoff Courtnall, and Jim Campbell will be a big key in the playoffs.
If they can score consistently then it will take some pressure of the Blues top line of Pierre Turgeon, Brett Hull, and Pascal Rheaume. The imminent return of Blair Atcheynum may cause the lines to be juggled somewhat.
Craig Conroy could move back up to the first line in place of Rheaume, with Atcheynum anchoring a checking line with Darren Turcotte, and Scott Pellerin.
Regardless of what combinations Coach Joel Quenneville decides to go with, the ability of that checking line to play strong defense, and score on the counterattack as they have all season, will be key.
With Al MacInnis, Steve Duchesne, Chris Pronger (a Norris Trophy candidate himself), Marc Bergevin, and Todd Gill the Blues have the best defense in the NHL, bar none.
As usual special teams and goaltending are always huge in the playoffs. The Blues power play has been up and down all season, but Demitra's return should help it return to form.
The Kings can throw some firepower out on the ice with the man advantage and the Blues penalty killing will have to be sharp.
With Conroy, Pellerin, Atcheynum, Demitra, and newly acquired Mike Eastwood they certainly have the right guys for the job.
Grant Fuhr went down last weekend in St. Louis with a bruised knee, but he's expected to be ready by this weekend.
He should be playing this series with something to prove to the Kings organization, who decided against resigning him after a dreadful 1994-95 season.
Finally in Jamie McLennan the Blues have a solid backup capable of winning some games. It should be interesting thing to watch will be how the travel from the Midwest to the West Coast effects both teams.
The Kings have a fine young hockey club, but the key word there is "young." The Blues should win the series in five games, and get to the conference semi-finals.
Then the fun really starts.
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