2014-2015 Blues Preview: Forward-Thinking

The St. Louis Blues are an interesting team. Despite having more regular season wins than any other Western Conference team over the last three years, the Bluenotes have managed just a single playoff series victory in the last 11 campaigns. With that being said, St. Louis appears primed to pile up the wins again in 2014-15, as their addition of the summer's top free agent center, Paul Stastny, bolsters an already formidable forward corps that features David Backes, T.J. Oshie and Jaden Schwartz, to name a few. In addition, their back end is arguably one of the best in the league, with elite offensive-minded stars in Alex Pietrangelo and Kevin Shattenkirk anchoring a blue line that also features savvy veteran Jay Bouwmeester and the newly-acquired Carl Gunnarsson.

One area of ambiguity surrounding the boys from the Show Me State is between the pipes. After the 25-game disaster that was the Ryan Miller experiment prompted the Blues to let him walk in free agency, coach Ken Hitchcock has confirmed that Brian Elliott -- who was recently re-signed for three more years -- will open the season as the team's number one netminder. However, with an NHL-ready Jake Allen (who is a veteran of 172 AHL games but just 15 NHL games) itching for a shot at regular playing time with the Blues, Elliott could have a very short leash to start the season. This particular goaltending configuration could be the perfect situation to grab both Elliott and Allen as a 1A/1B tandem if your league format warrants it.

St. Louis also boasts several NHL-ready European prospects up front that will be eager to make an impact in 2014-15, such as Jori Lehtera -- who piled up 118 points in 125 games while playing in the KHL over the last three seasons – and Dmitrij Jaskin, a 21-year-old Russian considered by many to be the Blues' top prospect. Jaskin most notably put up a whopping 99 points in 51 games in Major Junior with the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL in 2012-13.

All in all, the Blues are in a great position to challenge the Blackhawks and Avalanche for the Central Division crown this year, especially with Stastny having additional incentive to best his former team (Colorado). If their top-six forwards can produce as expected, and if Alexander Steen doesn't regress too much from his career-high 62-point campaign last season, the Blues' mix of size, speed, skill, grit and elite puckmoving defensemen should make them a tough team to play against each and every night.

The Big Guns

David Backes, C (RotoWire Position Rank*: #16): Although the spotlight seemed to shine on linemates Alexander Steen and T.J. Oshie more often during the Blues' 52-win season, Backes was the engine that made everything click, providing leadership, his usual reliable defense, and a superb 27 goals and 30 assists in 74 games. The 57-point output was the second-highest of Backes' career, and a personal best was in sight until a broken toe limited his availability during the season's final couple of weeks and seemed to compromise his effectiveness when he returned to action in the playoffs. Now presumably healthy entering his eighth season, Backes wouldn't seem to have much room for growth in the scoring column, especially after the offseason signing of prized center Paul Stastny, who could cut into the captain's ice time. Even with some regression in his point total, expect Backes to carry additional value in specialty leagues, as the feisty veteran is the rare top-line pivot who can score at a high rate and lay the lumber on the opposition (273 hits, 119 PIM in 2013-14).

*RotoWire Position Ranks reflected for points-based leagues*

Alex Pietrangelo, D (RotoWire Position Rank: #7): At just 24 years old, Pietrangelo has already established himself as one of the NHL's preeminent blueliners, showcasing both shutdown defensive abilities and imagination as a scorer and distributor beyond his age. Save for a slight downgrade in goals, Pietrangelo's past campaign was a near carbon copy of his last full season of 2011-12, providing a reasonable baseline of what to expect from the defenseman moving forward. While not possessing the same offensive aptitude as fellow high-end fantasy blueliners such as Erik Karlsson and Shea Weber, Pietrangelo accents his value in other ways, particularly in the plus-minus and blocked shots categories. The Blues' wealth of capable scorers at both even strength and on the power play might make Pietrangelo more deferential to his teammates than most players of his caliber, but his high floor of production and relatively clean injury history make him a rather stable early-round investment for fantasy squads.

Brian Elliott, G (RotoWire Position Rank: #18): Elliott reprised his role as the high-performing understudy to Jaroslav Halak to open last season, once again earning more nods than the typical backup due to his stellar numbers when called upon. His usage trended downward when the Blues shipped Halak to the Sabres in exchange for a more highly-regarded netminder in Ryan Miller, but Elliott continued to play well even amidst the spottier playing time, finishing the season with a 18-6-2 record, 1.96 GAA and .922 save percentage in 31 outings. Miller's late-season collapse and lavish contract request in free agency led the Blues to cast their lot with Elliott, who was re-signed to a modest three-year, $7.5-million contract shortly after the team was eliminated from the playoffs. With steady job security for the first time during his tenure in St. Louis, Elliott's fantasy value is probably as high as it's even been entering a campaign, and for good reason. Though his magnificent ratios will likely depreciate a bit as his game totals rise, Elliott stands to benefit from one of the more fertile environments for goalie success in the NHL. Riding the coattails of a lockdown defense, Blues goalies saw the league's second-fewest save chances last season, a development that should greatly aid Elliott's chances of replicating a GAA in the low 2.00s and ranking among the league leaders in shutouts and winning percentage. The presence of reigning AHL Goalie of the Year Jake Allen behind him on the depth chart does provide some pressure to perform well and may not allow him to rack up the same amount of starts as other nominal No. 1 netminders, but Elliott's expected contributions in all major categories except total saves should outweigh those concerns. Give Elliott an upgrade in leagues that allow for daily lineup moves, where the ability to stream goalies would enable his strong per-game numbers to shine brighter.

On The Rise

T.J. Oshie, RW (RotoWire Position Rank: #14): Oshie will forever be remembered by casual hockey observers for his heroics in the United States' shootout victory over the Russian hosts in the 2014 Winter Olympics, but it'd be foolish to overlook his contributions for a Blues squad that was the class of the Western Conference for a large portion of last season. The 27-year-old winger set career-highs in several meaningful categories, including goals (21), assists (39), and plus/minus rating (plus-19). Oshie was mostly a non-factor in the Blues' first-round playoff exit, but with St. Louis returning a top-flight collection of forwards in 2014-15, scoring opportunities should remain plentiful. With Oshie entering the prime of his career, he could very well flirt with the 60-point mark again, if not surpass it.

Jaden Schwartz, LW (RotoWire Position Rank: #29): Playing in his second NHL season as a 21-year-old, Schwartz took a dramatic leap forward for the Blues, placing fourth on the team in scoring (56 points) and first in plus/minus rating (plus-28) to firmly entrench himself as a top-six forward for the foreseeable future. At 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds, Schwartz is far from a specimen, but his strong finishing skills, on-ice speed and passable defense on the back end help to negate some of his physical limitations. The Blues' forward ranks look quite crowded again in 2014-15 with Paul Stastny and Jori Lehtera added to the fold, but it shouldn't result in a diminished role for Schwartz on the left wing. While another jump in productivity on the level of last season's breakout probably is out of the question for Schwartz, it wouldn't be surprising if he notices a slight uptick in his scoring, especially if he sees top-line work in the event of an Alexander Steen injury.

Kevin Shattenkirk, D (RotoWire Position Rank: #16): After fading badly down the stretch of the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign, Shattenkirk proved much more consistent throughout the past season, allowing him to narrowly establish career-best marks in both goals and assists. A capable performer on both ends of the ice, Shattenkirk earned a spot on the United States' Olympic team in Sochi and seems to have firmly established himself as one of the higher-end fantasy options at his position. Given his relative youth, the potency of his mates on the Blues' power play, and the coaching staff's willingness to stash him on the second pairing to match him up against weaker opponents, Shattenkirk may still have room for growth in both the scoring and plus/minus categories. Shattenkirk might not have the look of a future Norris Trophy winner like teammate Alex Pietrangelo, but his shot-happy ways might give him the greatest fantasy upside of any of the Blues' defensemen.

Two To Watch

Paul Stastny, C (RotoWire Position Rank: #30): After a disappointing finish to a dazzling regular season, the Blues wasted no time in upgrading their club for a possible Cup run in 2014-15, signing Stastny to a four-year, $28-million contract on the first day of free agency. Coming off a 60-point season with the Avalanche -- the fourth of his eight-year career -- Stastny joins a Blues squad similarly flush with talent on the wings, a situation that should again provide a bounty of scoring opportunities. In fact, it's not out of the realm of possibility that the hometown boy improves upon last year's point total, as his arrival frees up captain David Backes to expend most of his energy defensively against the opposition's top snipers, while Stastny preys on lesser second-line competition. Furthermore, with ascendant wingers Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Tarasenko likely to flank him on either side most nights, Stastny stands to see a probable upgrade from last season's plus-9 rating, conferring him an advantage over other forwards with similar points per game projections.

Vladimir Tarasenko, RW (RotoWire Position Rank: #28): After a rookie season that was occasionally marred by inconsistency, Tarasenko showed noteworthy improvements in Year Two in St. Louis, increasing his scoring output from 0.50 to 0.67 points/game while becoming one of the Blues' best puck possessors with a team-best 58.1 Corsi For Percentage. The young Russian really seemed to catch fire in March, compiling three goals and six assists in eight games before breaking his right hand and missing the rest of the regular season. However, Tarasenko would return in time for the Blues' first-round playoff series with the Blackhawks and was arguably the team's MVP during the six-game defeat, scoring four goals while still wearing a cast on his hand. Still only 22 years old, Tarasenko could very well emerge as the Blues' top scorer in 2014-15, even as the team's considerable forward depth affords him lesser ice time than most of the league's other elite right wingers. He's expected to open the season on the team's second line with Paul Stastny and Jaden Schwartz, a potentially explosive trio that most teams would be happy to have as their top unit.

Don't Overrate

Alexander Steen, C (RotoWire Position Rank: #17): Steen was undoubtedly a fixture on the rosters of many fantasy league champs last season, as the forward broke out for an improbable 33 goals and 29 assists over 68 games, blowing away his previous career-bests. Given that the unlikely outburst occurred in his age-29 campaign and was aided by a shooting percentage five points above his career norm, Steen is almost certainly headed for some decline in 2014-15, with his second-half regression from last season perhaps already foretelling a dropoff. After racking up 45 points in the first 41 games of the season, Steen was limited to six goals and 11 assists over his final 27 contests, while also missing nearly a month of action due to a concussion. That latter point is not insignificant; Steen's checkered injury history has cost him at least eight games in each of the previous six seasons. While the extensive playmaking talent around Steen should continue to make the forward a useful asset, given last season's unsustainable level of production as well as his legitimate health concerns, Steen looks like a prime candidate to be overdrafted in fantasy leagues.

Patrik Berglund, C (RotoWire Position Rank: #81): The arrivals of young studs Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz to the NHL squad and the breakout performances of Alexander Steen and T.J. Oshie have helped turn the Blues' attack into a powerhouse over the last two seasons. Unfortunately, those developments have seemed to come at Berglund's expense. After churning out 22 goals and 30 assists in 2010-2011, Berglund has seen his ice time and scoring output trend downward ever since, bottoming out with 14 goals and 18 assists last season. As an overqualified third-line center, Berglund was able to turn in a healthy plus-10 rating, but he may need to be dealt elsewhere if he hopes to reemerge as a 50-point threat. In addition, Berglund enters training camp in uncertain health after playing through a dislocated shoulder during the playoffs, and the Blues' offseason addition of center Jori Lehtera from the KHL further muddles his playing time outlook.

Top Prospects

Dmitrij Jaskin, RW (RotoWire Prospects Rank: #21): Considered by many to be the Blues' top prospect, Jaskin turned in a fabulous first season with AHL Chicago, supplying 15 goals and 14 assists in 42 games. However, he didn't do much to indicate he was ready for the rigors of the NHL, as the 21-year-old collected only two points in 18 games with the Blues. It didn't help matters that Jaskin only averaged 10:37 of ice time in those contests, but there's still plenty of reasons for the Blues to be optimistic about his future. Jaskin has optimal size at 6-foot-2 and 196 pounds, a steady track record of production at all of his previous stops, and perhaps most importantly, he's young enough to show dramatic improvement. The Blues will give him every opportunity to win a roster spot in training camp, and even if he only comes away with a third-line role, he'd still offer significantly more upside in that capacity than most.

Jake Allen, G (RotoWire Prospects Rank: #26): Even though he saw no NHL action last season after appearing in 15 games for the Blues during the lockout-shortened campaign, Allen still managed to see his prospect luster increase. As the No. 1 netminder for AHL Chicago, Allen posted a phenomenal 33-16-3 record to go along with a 2.03 GAA and .928 save percentage, earning AHL Goalie of the Year honors for his efforts. Allen's scintillating performance undoubtedly factored into the Blues' decision not to pursue a goalie in free agency, with the team instead re-signing top-flight backup Brian Elliott and promoting him to the No. 1 gig, while appointing the 24-year-old Allen as his understudy. Elliott's lack of extensive experience as a full-time goalie will likely allow Allen to whittle into his start total, but both goalies should finish with a solid won/loss record to go along with strong ratios, if for no other reason than the fact they'll be playing behind a top-flight offense and an elite defense. Elliott's three-year deal could keep him entrenched as the starter for the life of the deal if his performance warrants it, but the goalie situation should be viewed as an apprenticeship for Allen, who will play the Cory Schneider to Elliott's Roberto Luongo. If Allen's transition to the NHL proves seamless in the early going, coach Ken Hitchcock may even opt for a more even split of starts between his two netminders, rather than a cut and dry No. 1/No. 2 arrangement.

Ty Rattie, RW (RotoWire Prospects Rank: #38): Following back-to-back 100-plus point seasons at the junior level, Rattie made the jump to the AHL Chicago in 2013-14, scoring 31 goals and adding 17 assists in 72 games. While the performance certainly wasn't sensational, it was a respectable showing for a 21-year-old playing against older competition. Rattie's high draft pedigree and advanced skills on the offensive end make him one of the Blues' top prospects, but the excess of existing forward talent at the NHL level will prompt the organization to proceed slowly with his development. The young winger still has a ways to go in improving defensively, and could be forced to spend the next season or two with Chicago before he's with the Blues to stay.

Robby Fabbri, C (RotoWire Prospects Rank: #64): The Blues snagged Fabbri with the 21st overall pick in June's draft, after the 18-year-old pieced together a 45-goal, 87-point campaign with the OHL's Guelph Storm. Even though he's ticketed for another couple of seasons at the junior level, he immediately becomes one of the top forward prospects in the Blues' farm system. As is typical with most undersized scorers, Fabbri's game is predicated on speed, and the Blues will bank on his skills overcoming his physical disadvantages. He did suffer a leg injury in an exhibition during Canada's junior development camp in August, but is generally expected to be ready to go for the start of the OHL season.

Ivan Barbashev, LW (RotoWire Prospects Rank: #74): Barbashev was chosen 33rd overall by the Blues in June's NHL Entry Draft following two successful seasons with Moncton of the QMJHL. While his scoring totals aren't as gaudy as some of the other upper-tier prospects from the league, Barbashev has shown a highly-developed two-way game. Despite not being a premier stick-handler, Barbashev uses his big frame well, both in protecting the puck and doling out punishment. The 18-year-old likely profiles as a second-line center or wing at the NHL level.

Jori Lehtera, C (RotoWire Prospects Rank: NR): A former third-round draft pick by the Blues in 2008, Lehtera has spent the last several seasons honing his game overseas while the St. Louis organization anxiously tracked his development. After back-to-back 40-point seasons with Novosibirsk Sibir of the KHL, Lehtera, 26, decided to make the jump to the NHL, agreeing with the Blues on a two-year, $5.5-million contract in July. While his lack of experience with the faster-paced North American game makes it difficult to project how well the Finnish forward will transition to the new league, the Blues will attempt to ease the pressure by earmarking him for a third-line role. Given his ideal size (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) and ability to play both center and wing, Lehtera could ultimately earn a promotion to a top-six role in the event of an injury, and may see time right away on the Blues' secondary power-play unit. He makes for a low-risk, high-upside target in the end game of fantasy drafts for deeper leagues.