A Win is A Win
By Tim Boeckelmann 11/8/11
With the recent hiring of Ken Hitchcock, there has been some speculation amongst Blues fans in Blues talk forums that this team will miraculously shed the ties that have been holding them back and that the team will show their true (Blues) color. While this theory holds some merit, I don’t think it’s quite so simple. Given Hitchcock’s style of play (defensive minded) and leadership style (you work hard or you don’t play), it will take a little time for Hitchcock to truly put his stamp on this franchise. I believe that is one of the many reasons for this
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sudden and surprising coaching change. A lot of work needs to be done with this team for them to be consistently competitive in the tough Western Conference. It’s not just the coach. Now, when I say work I don’t mean getting the team in shape or honing their skill set. I am referring to the mental and emotional aspect of a winning team. All NHL teams have good players, but what separates the men the from boys, so to speak, is that winning teams work harder than their opponent night in and night out. You have to want it more than they do. The Blues this season have shown flashes of that desire, but all too often we see the opposite. Hitchcock prides himself on the X’s and O’s of the game, but more importantly he understands the need to get the most out of all of his players. And, as history will tell you, Hitchcock seems more than able to do just that. Now time will certainly tell if Hitchcock's hiring is just
what this team needed or not. But, don’t let the coaching change fool you. We are the same team on paper before the change. The Blues can roll 4 lines and match up with just about any team in the league. However, with Hitchcock now manning the bench, look for the team to be more defensive minded than ever before. Hitchcock is a master at getting his teams to think defense, puck possession, and accountability. He stated these points in his press conference, and I am sure he has given the players this speech at least once already. Forget about the “pretty play”, the no-look
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passes. Forget about your statistics. Forget about how many goals will earn your X amount of dollars on your next contract. Those things will fall in place. After all, don’t teams look for winning players? Won’t a team pay a little more for someone who has proven they can win? Well, sure they will.
So, as Hitchcock mentioned, he will not implement the most exciting brand of hockey we’ve ever seen. He will, however, put in place the ability for our players to play smart, winning hockey. And, at the end of the day, there is one thing you have to remember, a win is a win.
So, as Hitchcock mentioned, he will not implement the most exciting brand of hockey we’ve ever seen. He will, however, put in place the ability for our players to play smart, winning hockey. And, at the end of the day, there is one thing you have to remember, a win is a win.