The old group is reuniting and going on the road.
Should be a heck of a show, a reunion tour of sorts, as they'll reminisce over their greatest moments and try some new stuff.
Venues include Rogers Place in Edmonton and ... well, that's about it.
Jaden Schwartz. Brayden Schenn. Vladimir Tarasenko. The band back together.
As the Blues travel to the hub city bubble in Edmonton, a sub-story is the return of the top line, just in time for the 2020 postseason. Much has been made about Tarasenko's arrival at summer practice after shoulder surgery _ he's looking, they say, like Vladimir Tarasenko out there. But more specifically, No. 91 will rejoin Nos. 10 and 17 to make sweet music. After all, Schenn tied with David Perron for the most goals on the Blues this season (25), while Schwartz had the second-most (22). And Tarasenko, the Blues' best goal scorer since "Hull & Oates" played St. Louis Arena, gives this line three voracious scorers.
Or another way to look at how good this line makes the Blues overall _ consider that their second-best line has the defending MVP of the Stanley Cup Final.
"We all know what the (Ryan) O'Reilly line can do _ but you add Vladi with Schwartzie and Schenner, it's an element that's hard to stop," explained Alex Pietrangelo, the Blues' captain. "You have Schenner up the middle, with the speed and vision. And Schwartz being able to get the puck from almost anyone and be able to make plays in any situation. And I think 91, we all know what he can do when he gets the puck on his stick. So it's an X-factor we haven't had (for most of the) season. There have been injuries on other teams, but not many have the caliber of player (of Tarasenko) coming back and in here into the playoffs.
"He changes the dynamic of the team."
Now, the line is still getting reacquainted. Speaking to reporters on a Zoom last Thursday, Schwartz described the nuances necessary for the boys to click. He sounded confident that it would happen by the time the team got to Alberta.
And all three members from this line have something most opponents don't _ a recent resume featuring personal playoff success. For some of these 2020 teams and players, they'll have to simultaneously get acquainted with playoff hockey as they get acquainted with bubble hockey. The Blues' top line can rely on laurels, though of course can't rest on them.
Schwartz scored the breathtaking, soul-taking game-winner at Winnipeg, and then he somehow topped that with a home hat trick to win that first-round series. After coach Craig Berube mentioned Tarasenko's play to the media, No. 91 responded with a dominant final two rounds. And Schenn contributed throughout the postseason, while scoring a great goal in Game 7 of the Cup Final. It was a classic moment for this line. Schwartz played the puck toward the left corner, Tarasenko retrieved it and zipped it to the slot, where Schenn's one-timer put the Blues up 3-0 at Boston.
"I think we're really going to have to use exhibition games and these three qualifying games to really get it back," the center Schenn said. "We are familiar with each other, and we read off each other pretty well. We like to try and play fast. If you look on both sides of my wings, you have one of the best goal scorers in the NHL, who can really shoot the puck and find the open ice, and then Schwartz is quick and works really hard. Both are really easy to play with. So I'm not sure exactly why (the line works so well), but all three bring something different to the table and that's why it clicks. ...
"Valdi was itchin' just before this whole thing went down (with the season paused). It's been a long break for him. But he's one of those guys who has speed and has power _ and his shot's always on point. He's one of those guys that will hopefully score a lot of goals for us in this upcoming playoff and be a huge piece to this team."
Tarasenko is arguably on the Blues' Mount Rushmore of goal scorers. He is currently fifth all-time behind Garry Unger, Brian Sutter, Bernie Federko and the iconic Brett Hull. But Tarasenko is only 28 _ as are, interestingly, Schenn and Schwartz. But for all this hullabaloo about him being back on the top line, Tarasenko isn't on the top line for the power play. Curious, sure. But it makes sense. Berube (and assistant Marc Savard) have cooked up a perfect power play smorgasbord _ the unit is third-best in the whole league. So, Tarasenko will play on the second unit, which is sort of like having O'Reilly on a second line.
The Blues play an exhibition on Wednesday against Chicago in Edmonton (it's like Hockey Mad Libs these days). Then, a week from Sunday, is the first of three round-robin games. This one against similarly high-powered Colorado.
By then, the Schenn line should be rocking.
"All three guys have the ability to score a goal, but I think they all do it differently," Berube said. "They've been together for a few years now as a line, and they've been an effective line for us. They're not always together, but we have them together quite a bit, and when they are, they're a good line that finds a way to make big plays at big times."
