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Blues need Paul Stastny to be their key to a Stanley Cup

Paul Stastny

FILE - In this Jan. 2, 2014 file photo, Colorado Avalanche center Paul Stastny (26) looks on before a face off against the Philadelphia Flyers during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Denver. NHL teams can begin making deals with free agents Tuesday, July 1, 2014. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey, File)

AP

When the St. Louis Blues signed Paul Stastny to a four-year, $28 million deal on July 1, many believed it to be the best signing of free agency. After all, who else can say they bagged a No. 1 center just by plunking down money?

The Blues have tried to keep the hype down regarding the 28-year-old former Colorado Avalanche pivot saying they don’t want him to be “Superman”, but when you look back the Blues’ recent playoff failures the pressure to do well offensively is plain to see.

Check out how the Blues offense has ranked out in goals per-game in the postseason the past three seasons:

2013-14: 2.33 (14th out of 16 teams)

2012-13: 1.67 (15th)

2011-12: 2.22 (7th)

Safe to say 2011-12 was an odd year if scoring just over two goals per game was good, but the point here is St. Louis’ offense has not gotten it done. Part of the blame there is thanks to Jonathan Quick and the Los Angeles Kings for the two times they bumped out the Blues. Corey Crawford looked to be very beatable in the most recent playoffs for Chicago, but Ryan Miller managed to be worse.

Call it excuses or point at other issues that have come up in recent years, but there’s no doubt adding Stastny to the lineup should help alleviate some of the goal production questions.

In his last three full seasons (lockout-shortened season excepted), he’s been a 70+ point per-season player. He’s good for 20-30 goals on his own and sets up others. That should work great for St. Louis’ goal scorers Alex Steen, Vladimir Tarasenko, and David Backes.

In last season’s playoffs, Stastny was a beast for the Avalanche with 10 points in the seven game series loss to the Minnesota Wild. While facing Ilya Bryzgalov is a bit different than facing Quick or Crawford, the Blues would be giddy to see that kind of performance in the playoffs. At $7 million per season, they’re counting on it.

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