(Photo Credit: Scott Rovak)
Every season after the Blues do what they do best (choke), Armchair GM’s, analysts, fans, and anyone who bleeds blue starts to pick apart the problems of the team. One thing that really just blows my mind to see is some of the negative feedback Paul Stastny is getting for his performance this past season.
Paul Stastny had a great year. Granted, Stastny’s success wasn’t as obvious as some of his teammates, but given his circumstances he did amazing. For the 1st part of the season, the playmaker was positioned with Joakim Lindstrom (who did almost nothing in 34 games) and Patrik Berglund.
Stastny was able to produce 46 points in 74 games from the 3rd line with help like Lindstrom, Berglund, and Jaskin.
Jori Lehtera played just one more game than Stastny at 75. Lehtera produced 44 points with help like Tarasenko and Schwartz.
David David Backes put up 58 points in 80 games with help from Steen and Oshie.
Meanwhile Stastny didn’t get the regular or power play minutes that Backes or Lehtera did.
In comparison to the top two Centers, If Pauly were afforded the same opportunities, it looks as though he’d actually be our best Center.
Any animosity that you have toward Paul Stastny or his performance should be directly transfered to Coach Ken Hithcock for using Stastny inappropriately, which Hitch used players the wrong way all season and would hardly let chemistry build. Doug Armstrong didn’t sign Stastny to play the role Hitch forced him into. That’s another story. In the meantime, I hope next season they find a place for Stastny to play a bigger role. He will not dissapoint.
