The St. Louis Blues FALL to the Dallas Stars 5-3 and FORMER Blue Faksa SCORES

The St. Louis Blues FALL to the Dallas Stars 5-3 and FORMER Blue Faksa SCORES

The St. Louis Blues fell again in another preseason game and we have Joey of Locked on Stars to talk about what happened last night and previewing the Blues and the Stars for the season ahead. Hey, this is Bren Chen. Subscribe to Lock on Blues. You’re Locked on Blues, your daily podcast on the St. Louis Blues, part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. Hello and welcome to this crossover edition of Locked on Blues. Locked on Stars with Joey of Locked On Stars, myself, Haley Taylor, Simon of Locked On Blues, where we’re going to go and preview the season ahead. We’re going to talk about the Central Division, but the elephant in the room is last night’s preseason game where the Dallas Stars were able to find victory over the Blues, which is honestly no surprise with how this preseason has gone for St. Louis. Before we dive into today’s episode, I want to let you know today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Download the FanDuel app now by visiting fandal.com and win $300 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins. Joey, last night’s game was so Dallas dominated. And this honestly makes me really nervous and apprehensive about the season ahead going against the Stars. Well, if uh if you’re a Blues fan, you do have to take into account that the Stars trotted out most of their their lineup yesterday. So, they had their their big boys out there because uh head coach Glenn Goldson wants uh to get a look at everybody and they have to continue to learn some of the new systems he’s trying to to implement. So, uh, the big boys looked pretty good, but there were some young guys that I think, uh, made some, uh, made some great plays and probably did some, uh, great things for themselves to hopefully make this opening night roster. With Jamie Ben now down with an injury, he’s out for at least a month. So, that give, uh, that gives some young guys an opportunity to uh, uh, to make the roster. And, uh, Dallas uh, did what they needed to to do last night. And, um, it’s always tough in St. Louis. I feel like that building gives Dallas some fits. I know it’s just the the preeason, but um they got off to a quick start, which was nice and um and they were able to shut it down from there. Did Fox really have to do that in his first time back to Enterprise Center? I mean, come on. Yeah, man. I I ratic Fox, you know, I I was I was wasn’t too like thrilled about the signing. Then I’m watching him last night, I’m like, yeah, he he’s he’s valuable, especially on that that fourth line. And uh I mean he he almost had what the game-winning goal in that series against Winnipeg and uh he he just fits in anywhere. Um and uh he’s going to be a big part of this this this fourth line. And yeah, I guess he needed a bit of revenge. He does step up when times are kind of getting a little bit tough sometimes. That’s when you see Fox really expand. But another player that I want to talk about is a player that has always been a problem for the Blues and is just a problem in my opinion in the NHL and that is Jason Robertson. I mean he is such a solid player and last night watching him it made me nervous. Now I do know that he did have the empty netter. However, he still contributed a lot, right? We saw a lot from Tyler Sean. We saw Wyatt Johnson. We saw a lot of the players that we’re used to seeing like step up do really well last night. So, do you think that last night’s preseason game for the Stars was kind of just like a season preview as you were stating? Yeah, I would say it’s a it’s a bit of a a tuneup and I think we’re going to see a pretty similar lineup on Saturday in the final preseason game for for Dallas against Colorado. And they look crisp. they they looked like they had been playing together all all summer. Um, and there wasn’t a lot of uh there wasn’t a lot of mistakes. Um, and they just they continued to play really really well together. So hopefully we can continue to to see that. Um, and they’ll be ready to to ramp it up. I mean, we’re nine days away now from the first games, which is crazy. So, I have some breaking news and this does involve everyone in the central division because the Oilers have acquired and no, it’s not Robert Holloway. um Connor Ingram from the Utah Mammoth and it for future considerations. So the Mammoth in my opinion look a little bit less scary now, but um I wanted to throw that out there because that’s a that’s crazy. Yeah, that’s that’s an in division uh trade too or in conference I guess. Yeah. So um well I guess they have some questions about Steuart Skinner. Yeah. No. Um, but anyways, in last night’s game, speaking of Edmonton, it’s so funny how, you know, I can talk about one thing and then it just like manifests. But we saw goals. I mean, we saw a goal from Dylan Holloway and then we saw a goal from Philip Roberg and then we saw another goal from Dylan Holloway. And those are my guys. Those are the offer sheet kids. And as a Blues fan and as somebody that was really concerned about the health of Dylan Holloway due to him having to get surgery because his oblique kind of just slipped right off. It was disgusting when he described it. Um it’s good to see him really show that he is back to himself again, showing that he is healthy. And Philip Broberg, he took a stupid stupid penalty in the game and I was getting frustrated. I’m not going to lie to you Joey. Um but I’m happy that he was able to redeem himself. But it was a good night for the offer sheet kids. Now I want to ask you, you saw in net last night at Doho. What did you think about him? I’m curious to get like maybe like an outsers’s perspective on how you feel like he did. Yeah. Um well, I he was tested especially early in that third period and and and first period and credit to him. He he did keep them um in the game. I think the Stars did uh did did wreak some havoc in front of him, but I I think I would say he’s just a pretty solid backup and sometimes that’s all you need. I mean, we had to Smith in goal and man that second period he was under siege. Um the the the Blues were all over Dallas in that first like 10 minutes of the middle period. Um and Des Smith held in and sometimes that’s that’s all you need out of a net minder. there was some rebounds he’d probably like to to have back and there was some there were some chances that he he he he gave Dallas second opportunities. So I I I’m sure as as a Blues fan you like to see him clean up some of those cuz I mean Seans was a rebound. Um and there was a couple others uh where Dallas was able to to win some of those battles in front and um what Dallas got a couple lucky bounces, right? I mean there was two pinball goals. I just thinking about it now. I mean that’s two goals right there that went off skates and deflections and those are always tough. as a reminder, but um I guess as a backup, he did what he’s supposed to do, just kind of help kind of kept him in the game. And even once Dallas got up 4-2, uh you mentioned they get the Blues get one back. Um and they made it a bit interesting until of course the empty netter. Yeah. Until they didn’t. Now, what I do to say is now as an outsider for the Stars watching Casey to Smith and Net last night, I was really impressed. I’m a big Jakeer fan and I’ve come on this podcast and I’ve said that I’ve said that on the round tables uh that you’re not in because you’re in the round tables for the teams that are, you know, expected to make the playoffs even though we made the playoffs. Um but I am very vocal about that. I think that he should be the starting goalie for team USA for the Olympics and I’m just a hater of the other player that we don’t like to talk about on the show because Well, I think uh I think we’re going to be best friends then. Let’s uh let’s get on this hype train to have Jake Goter be the uh the number one net mind. I just don’t like Hunter Halibuck. I’m sorry. Like I don’t and it’s not because of what happened with the Jets and the Blues. I just don’t think that he has the consistency in the playoffs. And when you’re looking at a goalie to be an overall good goalie, you need to have good track history in the playoffs. But the point is, I’m going to get back to Casey Smith. Um last night I was so blown away by some of the glove saves that he made. The glove saves are what’s most impressive for me. I mean, Holloway had a couple one-times that I thought were going to go in the net and then you see Casey de Smith just go up and just glove it down. And that gave me honestly another little ounce of oh my gosh the Stars might be a scary team this season because again when you have two solid net minders who were in my opinion both I mean obviously Aud starting goalie but you have Casey de Smith obviously he on another team he would be a starting goalie. That is very scary to me. Yeah he’s he’s really good. the the stars have been so spoiled with good tandemss over really the last decade. Uh I mean think of Bishop and they had Hudobin for a bit and now now you have Auter um to Smith and before that it was wedgwood and um the stars just always have a good tandem and that helps so much because they don’t want to play Jakeer 70 games or or 65 games. They they don’t want to use him like a hella buck or a Vaseli in other places. So, when they can give him rest and if he does, since you you brought up the Olympics, if if Jake does go over to Italy, um he’s going to go over there either way, um you would think, um who who knows how much he plays, but that’s going to be a lot of travel for him in the middle of the season. So, you know, coming out of of that break, coming going into the break, they may need to smmith to to play some more games than expected just to to give Votinger some rest and and the jet lag going over to to Italy and all that stuff. And uh I I guess probably the best part is especially in the modern day NHL, they got him for a million dollars. So he’s he’s pretty cheap to have a really good backup goalie. Um those uh those don’t grow on trees all the times and the and the stars are lucky for it. No, they do not. Well, the Blues are now 0 and4 in preseason action. And I know Dallas has a winning record. At least you have that in hockey. not necessarily going to have that in football, but there was Stars fans that were cheering for them to lose at least one game cuz usually it means bad things if if you go undefeated. Well, I guess for us it means we’re going to the cup in that instance. But coming up, Joey and I, we are going to preview the Stars and the Blues in the regular season when it actually matters and points actually can be given at the end of the game. So, if you’re somebody like me that’s a little bit annoyed, this will hopefully make you feel much better hopefully. But first, monarch money. Most people can’t name all their financial accounts or even what they’re worth. Whether it’s 401ks, properties, or investments. And when you don’t have the full picture, you can end up leaving money on the table. That’s why there is Monarch Money. 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Little bit apprehensive to get this thing going but excited nonetheless. And we had a roundt that will be released soon by the way on all the NHL locked on networks on YouTube and wherever you get your podcast. So make sure you check that out. But the question that we got asked in I guess like the losers round table of the central division was who do you see winning the central? Who do you see getting that one seed? And I said so confidently the Dallas Stars because but here’s the thing. I personally don’t know if the Stars are going to win the cup. I said they would this upcoming season, but I say that like every season. They have so many good players and they match up so well against the Blues. And even a few seasons ago when the Blues had no business being in the playoffs and obviously they didn’t go to the playoffs, they still played pretty well against Dallas. And I feel like this is always a good matchup. Whenever you have the Blues and whenever you have the Stars, you’re always going to see good hockey. So, I want to ask you, what is your thoughts on when the Blues play the Stars? Yeah. Well, uh, my my first thought is is, “Oh, Lord, we got to face Jordan Bennington again, who always seems to play extremely good.” And I really question, Joey, I’m going to stop you for a second. Would you say that Jordan Bennington right now in the NHL is the best Canadian goalie? Uh, oh, 100%. And I I wanted to bring that up because since that Four Nations face off last uh winter, he has been almost unbeatable. like really really darn good and he deserves a lot of credit. I know he wasn’t really playing to the heights of that 2019 Stanley Cup playoff run over the last couple years, but once that Four Nations faceoff tournament, he he seemed to turn back into that son of a gun. So, he’s going to be a problem. And um he he’s always been a problem for Dallas. I remember a couple years ago when we had the uh the season opener, it went to a shootout um and him and were just dueling. So, that that’s always my my first thought. And uh the other is just they’re just seem to be a tough team to play against and they’ve gotten better over the the the offseason. Like you bring in Sudter and Buchad, you get a little strength down the middle. I’ve always liked their young core. I was really high on them last year. I I I predicted him to make the playoffs and um I’m a big fan of Kyu. I think he’s such an excellent player. He he can be a star in this league. Um and um his contract’s pretty good um as well. So I I I always like the the Blues matchups. The Stars always are haunted by St. Louis um in postseason memories. Um but um yeah, they they’ve had some success uh um at least last year. They only played three times uh which is a bit odd for being in the same Yeah. Um division, but um yeah, I’m looking forward to to two teams and and I see I think a lot of people you bring up the round tables, they seem almost higher on the stars than maybe I am. And I think some of that is when we watch these teams all the time, day in and day out, I think we look for for weaknesses more than we look for the positives. Um and um I don’t know if Dallas is going to win the Central. I I kind of see them around that 100 point mark. Um which I don’t think would get the job done. At least history says that it won’t. Um just because I think with Gulletin new coach, they’re they’re still trying to implement some things and I think the bent injury is significant to some degree. So, they’re going to have to weather a storm early on and they got a tough schedule right off the bat. They got Winnipeg, Colorado, Minnesota. So, you know, they could be um they could be below 500 the first 10 games and going to have to kind of get out of a hole. But hopefully um it all evens out over an 82 game stretch. And upcoming we’re going to talk about our central predictions, but kind of going back to the Blues and the Stars and kind of just, you know, the battle between the two teams. You know, I appreciate you giving credit to guys like a Jordan Kyu and the young core. I mean, personally, I love Jake Neighbors, Robert Thomas. The list goes on and on, but when it comes to the Blues, one thing that they struggle in is defense and this offense. They did acquire Logan Mayu. Now, again, it’s hard because we got rid of one of my favorites in Zack Buke, but you had to improve the defense. And finally, they were able to put Nick Lety on waiverss and say goodbye to him. So, the defense has been an issue and I feel like for Dallas and especially watching last night’s preseason game, you can tell that there’s a huge difference with not only special teams, we’re going to get into that, but also defense. Dallas looks so solid and strong. Now, I want to ask you, Joey, what would you say would be the biggest weakness right now with the Stars position wise? Oh, that’s uh leftwing for for sure, especially with the Ben injury. I I mean you have Jason Robertson and then it’s sort of a cast of characters um like Sam Steel who who I really like. He’s going to probably have to fill in on a top six role and then you’re asking uh a guy like Justin Rscovian who played last night. He set up one of the Sean goals. Um he played last year in the AHL with the Texas Stars and coming into training camp uh there was really no spot for him to fill um with with some of the additions of Foxa and Bastion. So, that would be probably my my biggest weakness for for Dallas right now. Um, and and they’re going to have to they’re going to have to get some guys to to be productive. Um, because they they lost quite a few um quite a few goals in the offseason like Marchmond and Donov who are are no longer with the team. They scored 40 plus goals for the Stars last season. So, you know, Sam Steel, who I think his careerhigh is 10 goals, is going to have to chip in. Then Ritz Scovian, it looks like he’s going to start the year. this is going to be his first taste of the NHL. Um so, uh they may struggle to score at times. Uh you know, they did last year and they had a lot of good talent and they struggled to score. So, um it’s not going to be all sunshines, um and rainbows. But, uh it does seem like for the time being that the defense is solid and stable and I think that’s more than you can ask for from the stars right now after the last couple years. So, I want to touch on Jamie Ben in the collapse one because obviously that was a big story line in the NHL, and you brought it up very naturally, so thank you. That was actually my next question for you. Um, what has it been like with the absence of Jamie Ben? I mean, I I don’t know if you’re at practices or if you’re around the team at all, but I mean, what’s the vibe been like for Dallas fans? Well, I I’ll say this. Um, the the stars just even in the few times he hasn’t been in the lineup over the last couple season, hasn’t been very much. whatever you think of Jamie Ben, like he’s available. He’s always available. He’s always playing, but even in I mean, it’s it’s weird to say, but I think it also shows how how much of a factor he is in the two games he missed last year because they just gave him some rest. The starts just they just look different. The they they’re not the same. Um and I guess it’s to be expected when you have a guy like that that’s been here for over a decade. He’s been your captain. He’s just been that leader. he has been that guy that that does everything for you. Um and and then when he’s out it’s just it doesn’t seem the same. So I am fascinated and that’s probably one of my biggest questions going into the season is how’s Dallas going to handle this? Um because him as a player we didn’t think I he’s not going to have that much of an impact at least um not like he once was. It’s like he’s getting older and at this point he’s more like a bottom six fourth line checker, but he still can do so much for you off the ice. Um, he can do so much for you in that leadership department. So, I I think it’s going to be tougher than maybe we all think. I think they have good pieces to hopefully weather the storm, but as I said, it’s just weird when he’s not around. And I imagine it’s the same way in the dressing room. Hopefully, he’ll still be get to to be with the guys and stuff. Um, you know, last year when Sean was out for the whole regular season essentially, you know, he was still with the guys. He was still a lead uh uh uh he was still a leader within the dressing room, which is big. I would imagine you’re going to get that from Jamie Ben. Um, depending on how his rehab uh rehabilitation process goes and all that stuff. I just know it’s probably not fun to have a collapsed lawn. It’s a bit scary. So hopefully uh he has a quick recovery. Awesome. And do you have any uh last minute pending questions about the Blues for this upcoming season that you think people want to know about? Uh, absolutely. Um, I’m I’m curious um from a Blues perspective how Montgomery will will get the most uh out of out of this crew this year because I think Monty’s such a a great coach. What What are you expecting uh kind of in I guess it’s kind of a full year too. Um and now it’s sort of his team. They got some guys that they brought in. Um I I guess are you more optimistic about the Blues this year? Yeah, I mean I wouldn’t say I’m more optimistic. I would say that there’s goals and expectations that need to be met. And that was something that coach Montgomery said from day one of training camp. That training camp, it sets the tone for the regular season. And the Blues going to the playoffs last year, they are a playoff team. And there’s no doubt about it. They’re a playoff contending team. No, maybe not a cup contending team yet, but they are a playoff contending team. They have some of the best players in the league on that team. And if you’re going to say no, they don’t. Let me remind you, Jordan Bennington and Robert Thomas and Colton Pereo will all be most likely on team Canada for the Olympics. So, yes, they do. Um, being said is Montgomery obviously was around the Blues in a different position years ago. So, he is familiar with a lot of these players, but the one thing about Jim Montgomery is is that he does hold the players accountable, but at the same time, it’s not in a way where he’s like bullying them and putting them down like some other NHL coaches that I have worked with in the past. He does it in a productive way. But there’s no excuses this season. If this team doesn’t go to the playoffs, the reality is they disappointed themselves. They disappointed the fan base. And I know that sounds tough, but at the end of the day, I see a lot of head coaches. I see a lot of players, I see a lot of fans make excuses for their teams not playing the way that they should be. Kind of like Nashville. They were supposed to be this really solid and strong team, and they ended up not being that. and all you’re hearing is excuses. Maybe they did a mish together. Okay. Well, you bring in players to make your team better. So, with the additions that the Blues made with Sutter, with Bat, with even Mayu and, you know, Blue Chick with his professional try out, um, it’s to better the team and he knows that. It’s also Doug Armstrong, RGM’s final year, his 15th season. Final year being GM for the Blues. I know that he did stuff with the Stars, uh, but we don’t count that. Uh being said though, it’s a really big season for the Blues and it’s a playoff or nothing season. Okay, I like that. Expectations are high, so the boys better be ready. But hopefully they take the next I mean, you have to feel good like you’re 3 seconds away from from moving on to the second round. I actually was uh 1.7 seconds away. Exactly. Even better. And it would have been against you guys. Yeah. And and we would have probably Haley, I’ll be honest with you, I was frightened about playing the St. Louis Blues. I would have taken I would have taken Winnipeg any day of the week because of Hella Buck and his struggles. I did not want to play St. Louis. So, I was honestly thrilled that that matchup occurred. Uh it was really fast. Before we move on, I was actually live streaming myself to get my reaction for when the Blues advanced. Right. Okay. So, I’m sitting in my bed. I have all my Blues gears on. you know, my cat’s with me and all of a sudden you see me just being like and then and I and I did a 45minute show afterwards live, which we usually don’t do. And the whole time I’m like, I don’t know how to go to bed. I don’t know how to process this. And it was really depressing. So, um, we need to erase the past. But we haven’t won a game since that. No, we lost that. Yeah. No, we have not won. We have lost all the preseason games. Uh, but one thing that we’re not going to do though is be like the Nashville Predators and the Chicago Blackhawks and just be a team that’s an absolute joke this season. So Joey and I, we’re going to do some Central Division predictions because I always feel like it’s really fun to talk about the teams that we’re going to be facing the most. But first, my friends over at FanDuel. The NFL season is here and FanDuel has an offer you don’t want to miss. Right now, new customers can bet just $5 and get 300 in bonus bets if you win. That’s right. Pick a bet, put down five bucks, and if it hits, you’ll unlock $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. Every single week, I give you my picks. Last week, we had Dallas Goddard anytime touchdown and Eagles money line, and I know I won you some money. So, it is Wednesday, which means that you have one more day to wait before I tell you my Thursday night football prediction. So, make sure to stay tuned for that. So, get on the app, try a same game parlay because what are you waiting for? Visit fandal.com to win the fan to win. Download the Fandal app today and get started. All right, so Central Division predictions. This is probably going to be such an ego boost for you where you’re going to be like, “Oh my gosh, you think so highly of me.” You already know I think you’re going to win this Central. But I want you to tell me who do you think is going to win the Central. Man, I I like Colorado this year. I just I I think Colorado’s deep We’re not saying Winnipeg. Yeah. No, I I I I don’t I’ve just I I’ve never bought into to Winnipeg over the last couple years. Um although they were awesome last year. They good. But I I just I’ve always had a hard time buying into them. and and and Colorado, like let’s face it, they’re they’re deep. They they got some of the dogs. Um they’re going to be good. I think you’d say the same about Dallas to some degree. They’re both going to be kind of up there. But after that, then I’m I’m looking at a team like like St. Louis to kind of jump into that top three. Minnesota and Minnesota if they stay healthy, but that’s always the question. Can they stay healthy? And they just lost Zukarelloo for seven to eight weeks. Um and can they be as injured as they were last year? Probably not. Um, they were one of the they were the best team in the in the West like I think early November until all they until all the injuries started to pile up. But I I just think they’re going to have some issues too with Zuk out now and and and they’re going to run into some issues too. I don’t know if they are deep enough to kind of handle some of those um in in St. Louis. I just think there’s that young core. I’ve always loved Montgomery. I think he gets the most out of his team as you said like he holds those guys accountable. Um, I think the Blues can have a real shot at making it within the the top three. Um, and make a run at it, but I I would kind of put them in in the wild right there, sort of battling it out because I don’t I you know, Winnipeg’s probably a wild card team. Like just Jonathan Tay like you’re too center like you’re 2C. I I don’t know if that’s going to work. Um, I sound like a big hater right now. Well, wait. Joey. Joey. Joey. Joey, my guy. My new best friend. Wow. Did we just become best friends? Yes, we did. I had Winnipeg as a wildcard team and everybody called me crazy. It may be a hot take, but that’s I think that’s what I’m going to roll with when I do my official predictions. Wow. See, my predictions went like this. Top three, Dallas. You can’t even see my fingers. I’m like top three. You can’t see. Dallas, Colorado, and Minnesota. Okay. Wild card one, the St. Louis Blues. A little biased, but I do think that. And then wild card two, the Winnipeg Jets. Mhm. I think the Wild if they stay healthy, and that’s a big if, they’re going to be such a scary team. The Colorado Avalanche, they have too many good players. But overall, at the end of the day, and this is how I do my, you know, my ranking sometimes, it depends on who’s in net. And I’ve said this once and I’ll say it again, having a good goalie wins you a game. Yes. Because it goes back to when the Blues won the cup. Jordan Bennington came in and replaced Jake Allen and it was Bennington’s rookie season and he was lights out. So I think it just goes to show when you have a good goalie Tatum you’re going to be a better team. Now Joel Hoer who was our backup you know he’s younger and you know he really does look up to Bennington and Bennington mentors him and I’ve spoke to both of them about this but at the end of the day you would need two players that are kind of on the same level as Ber and when I look at Dallas and I look at Jay God and Casey de Smith that separates them from any other team in the central in my opinion and I think you could have one of the best starting goalies but if you don’t have a backup that could be on the same level, then I can’t confidently say you’re going to be the best team. Now, what I will say is this. It also matters to who your big guys on the team are. And you know, that’s like your superstars in a sense, even though I think that you could actually be a better team if you don’t have superstars. But hey, just my opinion on that. Yeah. But I don’t see Winnipeg having a successful season. I don’t. And we also need to talk about some of the other teams. We hear a lot of chatter about the Utah Mammoth. Do you really think that this is a playoff team? Maybe I’ve heard a little bit too much from Robin and Tom uh doing some collabs with them where they kind of hype up the Mammoth, but I personally don’t see the Mammoth being in the playoffs. Yeah. Not in the Central. I just think that’s really tough. uh because it it’s so deep and I I think it’s pretty clear who sort of the the six probably four or five teams are and you went you went through them like Dallas, St. Louis, Minnesota, Colorado, Winnipeg. So there’s just not a lot of wiggle room for the Mammoth and they got off to a really good start uh last year, but now they just traded their goalenders. You brought up so so they they may be uh uh they may be kind of reeling a bit right off the hop. Who’s who’s their backup? Oh, they have Vamela. Okay. And Vanichek. So, we’ll see. But still, I mean, yeah, that’s not Bennington. That That’s not a jurer. That’s not Hell. Maybe it’s unfair what we’re saying about Winnipeg just because Heluck’s going to play what 60some games. And um to your point, like he can win games for for for Winnipeg and maybe that’s why they’ll squeak into the playoffs, but uh I just don’t think there’s a enough firepower um up front for them to to really uh to really give teams some issues. Uh last year they they were stinking good in the regular season at least. Like that team just bullied Dallas. I mean they bullied them in the regular season. The Stars obviously flipped the script um come playoff time, but um yeah, they were a bit bullies um at times. So yeah, and I’d like Utah. I’d like I’d like to be bullish on them. It’s just uh the Central seems seems so tough. And like is you know Nashville they’re not going to be as worse as they were last year, but are they really a playoff team too? U it just they they you know they were a bit older last year and and whatnot. So yeah, I think it’s pretty clear um there may be some levels to the to the central division. It’s funny because last year in the regular season the Blues did take one out of three against Winnipeg. And I do want to say that Connor Halabuk and this is on the record because this happened had to be pulled in every single game in St. Lewis in the playoffs. Yes. Yeah, he was. I’m just saying that. I mean, I don’t know what it is. He was the best goalender in the world for two seasons and then Oh my god, you’re so good in it and then it goes to the postseason. You’re playing against the worst seated team and you have to be pulled in all three games that you’re away on the road. Like, it’s a joke. It’s really a joke. And Radic Fox is sniping you in game seven. You know, that was one of the things that bothered me this off seasonason. I liked Foxa a lot. Um, and I actually do hate that it’s back to a central division team. It just seems like whoever stars. He’s back home. Be careful trading uh trading your your your players from a central team. Somehow they find their way back on Dallas time. Every time. And it’s so crazy to me. It really is because I’m like, “Oh, of course it’s back with the stars.” Like it’s like the inevitable. But this will be such a good season. And most importantly, I always need to ask whoever I do, you know, a crossover with, who do you have in the finals and who do you have winning the cup? Oh gosh, I don’t think I’ve been asked this yet. So that’s I’m glad I’m the first. That’s a great question. Yeah, man. I’m trying to trying to go to my encyclopedia here inside the brain. Um, out of the West, I’ll uh I’ll go with I don’t want to go I don’t want to go Edmonton again. Um, although I probably like them. Um, I I I don’t want to do them again, man. You know, as much as I like to say Dallas, I I honestly I I don’t see it. Um, I’ll go Vegas just for the heck of it. I hate saying that. I’m disgusted by it. Haley Haley, I’m disgusted by it. Lt. I’ll go I’ll go Vegas and uh out of the east. Um why not? Let’s uh let’s go with um let’s go with the Hurricanes. They finally get over the hump. So why not? Let’s do let’s do let’s do Yeah. Hurricanes. Uh Hurricanes Vegas. Um and who do you have winning? Um I’ll take Carolina. Why not? Make it an Eastern Conference team. So yeah. Yeah. I tell everybody this just so you know. In the East I actually do have the Canes. Okay. And in the west I have the Stars and I have Dallas winning the cup. All righty. I appreciate that. That’s been a popular pick I feel like over the last 5 years. The Canes in Dallas, but they never meet. I want to see it so badly. Yeah, it would be. And then you have Ranson, of course, you have Stanov. Now so many like it’s beautiful. Now what I will say, I’m a little bit delusional. In the back of my mind, I’m always like, there’s a chance the Blues could win. Hey, why not? Hey, they can make Hey, I’m telling you, if if they made it to the second round, there’s there’s a high probability they beat. But the thing about Dallas is, and I need to tell you this, Joey, on record, they have to stop choking in the playoffs. Yeah. The Well, the Western Conference final, they just they get they’ve gotten bullied the last three years. Oh, it’s horrible. I remember when they played Vegas and it looked like they had no life to them. And I Golden Knights, you have no I have a sweater actually, the Golden Knights, but it’s for not because of that. It was a Mark Andre Flur I couldn’t get when he was a whatever. Yeah, they they they have just not shown I think no life is a a a perfect way to to put it. And they they I mean I hate to make excuses, but I mean this the first two rounds they’ve played over the last couple years have been like Western Conference Finalses. Like when they played Vegas in round one a couple years ago when they were using that LTI and they were an eight seed. Oh, that’s why I freaked out and said LTI because that literally impacted your team and they were like, “Oh, I think it’s going to be the Golden Knights.” Yeah. Colorado’s in incredible, too. Um, but this year they had no excuses this past year against Edmonton. So, and well, that’s like the thing I think too with even Edmonton. It’s so hard to get back once. It’s hard to get back twice. Yeah. How do you do it three times? And that’s going to be the biggest question that TSN is going to run all season because again, they only care about one team and that is the Edmonton Oilers. Yeah. So, Joey, I’m so glad that we got to talk during the season. and you and I will definitely talk, but last night gave us a little bit of a preview what we might see, even though I think the Blues are stepping it up big time because we have other guys. Um, but again, thank you so much, Joey. Joey, where can people find you? Yeah, you can find me at Joy the Jet 19 on X or you can just follow me at at Locked On Stars. And of course, just like Kaylee, we are free and available wherever you get your podcast and on YouTube. It was great chatting with you before the the season. Um, good luck to the Blues and uh yeah, we’ll catch up soon. Thank you. And guys, like always, make sure to hit that like button and subscribe and leave a comment down below on how you feel like the Blues and Stars will match up this season. And just like we end every single episode, one, two, three, let’s go Blues.

-Blues fall to Stars
-Previewing regular season hockey between Blues and Stars
-WHO will be in the top 3 in the Central
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