It came as no real surprise that the Blues dealt for Ryan
Miller. It has been rumored for months now that they were flirting with him and
hoped to bring him to St. Louis. In my previous article published on Yahoo
Sports,
Jaroslav Halak for Ryan Miller: Are the
St. Louis Blues Trying to Deal? I laid out the problems with such a
trade. It is true that Halak had a lackluster performance during the Olympics
for his home country of Slovokia. However, Halak has a rapport with the team
and the fans; he has been a shining star in the past and has the potential.
Miller is getting older, has a diva personality and has had an attitude with
his failing team.
The entire details of the trade have not been released by
the Blues but we know who is being kicked to the curb by the Blues. Halak along
with Chris Stewart, William Carrier, a first round pick and a third round pick
were all dealt to the Buffalo Sabres for a prima donna goalie and a mediocre forward.
The Blues are not looking long-term here. They have thrown away a great
prospect in Carrier and two fan favorites who could pull a rabbit out of their
hats when push came to shove. Essentially, the soul of the team has taken a
beating here and it is going to take a little bit of work for them to rebound
and become a cohesive unit again.
Stewart has not been shining lately, that much I will
give them. But take a long hard look at the rest of the team as well. No one
has been giving stellar performances as of late. Maybe it is the hope of
management to upset the team and its fans enough to light a fire under them and
strive towards becoming the team they were before the Olympics interjected.
I fully understand that it is a business, but I cannot
help wondering what exactly they are hoping to achieve with this trade. Will it
do more harm than good? The Blues have spent an entire season working and
bonding together. Stewart pushed forth and became the big brother to the
younger players as well the support of his line. Halak had earned the respect
of his teammates through the years that he has played here in St. Louis.
Miller and Ott will join the Blues in Phoenix this
Sunday, March 2nd. It begins a new chapter for the Blues. One that
will be interesting to watch play out. How many tantrums will Miller have
before the end of the season? Will Ott step up his game and become an asset,
not a hindrance. Will Ken Hitchcock be
able to pull the closeness of the team back together and give the players the
sense of security they need to play hard for their organization and their city?
All of these questions will eventually be answered and I for one will be
watching closely to see what disruptions this causes and how they are
addressed. It has been a long time since St. Louis has had to deal with a diva
goaltender. Are the fans up to the task of worshipping at Miller’s feet? I am
admittedly not a fan of Miller or Ott, but I will learn to accept them among
the team and will not be overly prejudice against them. I will be waiting with
bated breath as the answers to my questions unfold within the next several
weeks.
As for Halak and Stewart, it has been a pleasure to watch
them grow as players and ambassadors of the sport that they love. We have
shared in their triumphs and heartbreaks. As they exit from the Blues, they
take with them a piece of St. Louis. I, for one, wish them both nothing but the
best and know that with their skills both on and off the ice, they will
flourish. They are also embarking on a new chapter in their careers and I
cannot wait to watch them in action against the teams in the East.
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