After a month of low-scoring games, the Columbus Blues Jackets unloaded eight goals on the struggling Blues last night. You sent us questions. We answered (almost all of) them. Matthew Carpenter The poor play is alarming to say the least but what really angers me about this team is the general lack of emotion in games. They just go through the motions and in a blowout loss like this I would have liked to have seen some anger Peter: I agree. I think locker room was getting too comfortable because of the fast start they had. Their going “through the motions” should end tonight. PJ: I don’t know. Scoring four goals isn’t exactly just going through the motions in a blowout. You’re right though—a lot of players aren’t playing with their normal intensity. Brandon Bach We need to shake up the line up by trading someone I don't care who but we need something Peter: I agree we need to find the right lines, but I don’t think a trade is the answer. Many of these guys were injured for large parts of last season so we need to give them some time to gel without Backes and Brouwer. PJ: Our players aren’t the problem. The problem is the performance and effort of our players Rick Bettger @ribett31 @bluesbuzzblog why is Jaskin on this team? Peter: He’s young with the right tools to be an NHLer, but isn’t playing like it. I think he needs to be scratched regularly until he matures. PJ: Allow me to answer your question with a question—who would take his spot? Nate Smith @Smith7499 @bluesbuzzblog Are there any big changes that need to be made? Peter: Not now. Hitch is very experienced and will find a way to get them on track. If he doesn’t by the New Year, I could see Yeo stepping in sooner than planned. PJ: Great question. In my opinion, it’s too late to fire Hitch in his last year as a coach. We went through a similar stretch like this last year and everybody hopped on the #firehitch bandwagon. He gained my respect last postseason… until he started Jake Allen in game 5 against the Sharks. I feel like we owe it to him to just ease-up on him this year. However, I am worried about Mike Yeo—seems like this is a good time for him to learn from Hitch, but it’s really not. Dustin Minney @minney707 @bluesbuzzblog I think our goaltending needs some work, turnovers, and the penalties that kills them. They need to play better defensively Peter: Pietrangelo is not playing on his normal level defensively and it has caused our whole defense to play poorly. Allen has been below expectations as well. I think Hutton could really challenge Allen for his job this season. PJ: Petro was demoted to the third defensive pairing with Lindbolm… Hitch sent a message last night. Kent Blacksher @kentblacksher @bluesbuzzblog haven't won since election. Coincidence? Peter: Make the Blues great again. PJ: I blame the crooked media. Brad Pond @bradpondlhhs1 @bluesbuzzblog let's go blues look up bluebook go blue like a St. Louis Blues that when I go Jake Allen please run a whole lot go blue Peter: I’m not sure what this means but go Blues! PJ: Love the enthusiasm, Brad. Steve Francis Bring Bishop back home from Tampa Peter: Very farfetched idea, but would I enjoy this? Yes. PJ: Keep dreaming. Matthew Carpenter Hitch may be gone soon, didn't Armstrong get an extension this summer? Peter: Hitch is gone no matter what at the end of this year. None of this current poor play can really be blamed on Armstrong. The talent is clearly there, it’s up to Hitchcock to get the players in sync. To fully answer your question, Armstrong signed a 5 year extension in 2013. PJ: Pete nailed it. Dustin Michaels Here are my issues; - The lines need to be left alone. Stop changing them. We had a winning combination - Jaskin. Please trade this oaf. He barely holds on to the puck if he can get to the neutral zone - Allen needs to be practicing. He's good but we need him to be great. He wanted to be #1 goalie so he better learn to be a starter - Yakupov is good, but, he plays like a damn loner. Play with the TEAM dude This is really getting embarrassing losing 2 and winning 1 constantly. Time to fasten the belts Peter: I agree with everything here, except the comment about Yakupov. Lines have been a huge pet peeve of mine. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it, Hitch. Jaskin should not be playing on a nightly basis. Honestly at this point I’m about ready to give up on Jake becoming a solid #1 and I think Hutton will challenge him for starts. I expected these struggles from Yakupov and I’m willing to work with him, but he seems like a loner because he is. He still needs to gel with the team and Hitch hasn’t really made that process any easier on him. PJ: Lines need to be left alone. Not sure we’d get anything for Jaskin. Yeah, I haven’t made-up my mind with the goalie situation. Yakupov needs to be placed on a line and left there to build chemisty—put yourself in his skates. Michael Alexander What did anyone think was gonna happen. You need look no further than the Rangers to see what is happening. The Rangers made the conference finals, and lost. Sather then goes and gets rid of Rupp, Prust, and Dubinsky. All the toughness basically. The Blues finally advance out of the 1st rd. What does Armstrong do. He lets all of his size with talent walk, with no replacements. He then trades Elliot as well. You wonder what's wrong? No Elliot, Brouwer, or Backes. Both Hitchcock and Armstrong need to go, but then comes Yeo lol. Peter: I respectfully disagree. You are hitting the panic button much too soon my friend. Backes and Brouwer were both paid above their worth and Elliott was unhappy always looking over his shoulder. The Yakupov deal was fantastic in my eyes and Armstrong has built an amazing core in St. Louis. Armstrong’s job is safe, but Hitch’s seat is only getting hotter. PJ: I do think we need a physical forward to step-up like Backes/Brouwer. Elliott is not the answer. Sherri Schneider Paschall We have everything we need to be a great team!! Goaltending isn't the entire problem, when we fail to score!! Not sure how to sort it out! Peter: I agree. I think this is a slump that the Blues will find a way out of sooner rather than later. Looking at the bright side, they did score 4 tonight which signals more offense to come. They can’t continue to allow 8 though. PJ: You’re right about that. We look good on paper—too bad that means absolutely nothing. Thanks for reading. Feel free to shoot us any more questions @bluesbuzzblog or look us up on Facebook. Let's go Blues.
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