After yet another disappointing postseason performance, this time an appallingly lackluster first-round loss to the Minnesota Wild, rumors began to circulate that St. Louis Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock's tenure with the team could be brought to a quick, unceremonious close. Fortunately for Hitchock, Blues GM Doug Armstrong decided against cleaning house on his coaching staff this offseason, meaning Hitchcock will be afforded yet another crack at taking a strong, deep Blues team on a march to the Stanley Cup Finals. The sting of 2014-15's playoff ineptitude likely won't fade unless and until Hitch and the Blues manage a serious postseason run, but that doesn't mean the embattled bench boss isn't already ready to "move forward" from last season's letdown.
"We don't have to talk about last year," Hitchcock said Wednesday, when asked by Jeremy P. Rutherford of STLToday.com why he was happy to finally be kicking off the 2015-16 NHL season. "We can finally move forward."
That move forward will begin for Hitch and the Blues Thursday night against the young, but talented Edmonton Oilers. And while the Oilers seem to be on the rise thanks to the additions of GM Peter Chiarelli, presumed future star Connor McDavid, and defensemen Andrej Sekera and Griffin Reinhart, there's every likelihood that St. Louis will walk away from the game with a season-opening victory over an Edmonton team that is still several seasons from serious contention.
But it won't erase that sting of four straight seasons of powerful regular season play, punctuated by ugly bouts of postseason ineptitude.
Still, it's a fresh season of hope, and with the additions - Troy Brouwer, Kyle Brodziak, Robby Fabbri, Joel Edmundson, Colton Parayko - subtractions - TJ Oshie - and scheme changes - Blues preseason opponents believe the team is looking to play a more aggressive defensive scheme - there's certainly reason for cautious optimism in St. Lous.
For fans, it's a new year of possibilities. For Hitchcock, it's another chance to prove his mettle - though it may not exactly represent a clean slate.
"You listen to everything and it's 'Where a team is going to finish, who's going to have success, who's going to fail, who's going to get fired, who's going to be on the block as far as a player, who's under pressure?' But when you start playing, it's about the season in front of us and it's a great feeling."
