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Blues coach demands more from homegrown players next season

Ken Hitchcock

St. Louis Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock watches from the bench during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Detroit Red Wings in Detroit, Friday, Feb. 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

AP

St. Louis’ elimination on Friday night provided coach Ken Hitchcock the opportunity to assess who on his team needs to step up and play better. After all getting bumped out of the postseason by the same team two years in a row can give you a good idea.

As Hitchcock told the press after Friday night’s game, he wants more from a particular group of players as the AP’s R.B. Fallstrom shares.

“Quite frankly, we need more from the people that are homegrown,” Hitchcock said. “And that’s something we’ll address the off-season and in conversations with each individual.

“We need the boys we built around.”

That seems like a very pointed criticism and you have to wonder who he’s calling out. Is it David Backes who was tied for the team lead in points in the playoffs with three? T.J. Oshie, Patrik Berglund, David Perron, or Alex Pietrangelo who had two points apiece. Or is it just a sneaky way of assessing blame with a broad brush?

Regardless of who he wants more from, he needs more from all of them. A good team like St. Louis shouldn’t get shoved out of the playoffs so quickly.